Serious weather affects everyone!

@becsbuddy, what tips help you keep your cool in the extreme summer heat?
I bet @danab @texasduchess @ess77 @lioness from more southerly climes would have some good tips for us used to cooler temperatures in the north.

@colleenyoung
Hi
From Florida's humid west coast...near the water.
1.Do most of your outdoor activities in the am hours if possible . Its a good time to be lazy.
2. Keep hydrated...always have water with you when you travel anywhere even just to the store.
3.Wear a hat and/or sunglasses when outside.
4. Nothing strenuous outside after midday.
5.Do your food shopping..or any shopping early ...before noon.
6. Walk your pets morning and at night and maybe a quick jaunt during the day.
7. Keep the sun from shining in by adjusting blinds, curtains etc.
8. Ceiling fans...any fans.
And don't keep readjusting the thermostat.
9. Avoid spicey foods or heavy meals and try not to put the oven on.
10. Try not to think about it.
A toughie for you people out West.
11. Be aware of any breathing problems in humid weather.
12. Seek any shade when outside.

I'm done

FL Mary

Great list @imallears !!! Becky

Great tips, @imallears. And yes, you're right. The humidity makes it harder to bear the heat.

Hello, All you HOT friends.
Colleen, @colleenyoung, I just read your message and call for help re the heat. You called the right folks, friendly Southerners used to some heat and humidity. Mary, @imallears, did a great job on that list. You hit most of the areas we automatically take into consideration,

Couple of additional thoughts:
# It's extremely important for us to keep a bottle of cool water near all the time. Dehydration can land you in the hospital ED pretty fast. I've actually been in hospital several times with dehydration issues. No fun and very dangerous.
# I have water with me everywhere I go. And drink it through-out the day and evening. Take it shopping, walking, wherever you are, have water.
#Walking the dog, my little Sophia, I often took a bottle of water for each of us. As she got older, it was tough on her to be in the heat, so we had water stops along the way. made a big difference for us both. I also had little paw shoes for her to protect her pads from the heat of the streets/pavement, and from chemicals on lawns, as she was allergic to the weeds and weed killers, etc. She stopped biting and chewing her paws after I protected them for her. Pets can get sunburn and heat issues like us.
# Limit the caffeine, since it encourages dehydration. Important.
little paw shoes for Sophie to protect her pads. Get out your parasol, girls.
# Mary mentioned fans. Use them. I have ceiling fans in every room, leave some on, sleep under a fan at night. I want the air movement. Helps cool and with breathing more easily.
# Be aware of your sweating. Your body will tell you if you need fluids - dry mouth, stop sweating, chills, fuzzy brain, dizzy, headache....all important reminders to drink water. Rest. Take it slow. Why do you think we all talk so funny....Southern drawl and all.
# Crazy sounding, but I and many of my friends keep an old fashioned fan in the purse or car. I carry one in my purse and gently cool down if needed. It's really helps.
# I rarely drive a dark colored car, due to the heat transference. And, I use window shields in the front windshield to keep the temp lowers when parked. Got hot pink color on one side, silver on other. With blk trim. My color combination is important....
# When you're walking outside or gardening, it can help to keep a wet/damp small towel around your neck to catch sweat and keep you cooler. It work wonders walking the dog. I used it to wipe off my face and neck and arms, too, which helped.

A lot is common sense. But you may not think of it since you don't live with it daily. I would be lost living in snow country. How to unfreeze a car door lock, or get rid of ice on windshield, or keep ice off the steps, etc. falling would be a tough issue for me in the northern climes, and I'd need help learning how to survive. In fact, we had a house in NC mountains and almost moved there permanently, overlooking Grandfather Mountain, It was lovely, but Mom and I decided it would be too difficult for us to transition to the snow lifestyle. We were right, but would have loved living. there. Just maybe a few years earlier.

Good chat. Hope something helps, even tho most of this wild heat your way is lessened....now we gave you our secrets.
Be well. Stay cool. Take care of yourselves.
Blessings from sunny Florida, wet Florida. Tropical Flroda.
Elizabeth

Great list already and I can only add a few things I learned in desert survival training.
Ration sweat not Water, all outside work early morning.
With that the test for the question are you drinking enough water? is are you urinating and the color should be almost clear. Drink a minimum of 5-6 1/2 liter bottles a day and more if working outside.

Here in AZ we do deal with humidity a couple of months of the year too. Right now until about September is our Monsoon season and it can get humid also. We usually prepare by cooking oven type meals in the winter/ spring time frame and freeze them. Even boiling water heats up the house but a quick defrost in the frig overnight and zap in the microwave keeps the heat inside down.
Dana

Elizabeth, that’s a very sensible and comprehensive list. Thank you. Nice additions, @danab

Unfortunately, even us far US northerners are dealing with a good deal of heat and significant drought - extremely unusual! Also, we have had many poor air quality days due to fires in Canada and the Boundary Waters in MN. It always smells like we are at a campfire when outside and when dealing with lung issues, it taxes your system. For an area that rarely if ever puts on the air conditioning, we have had it on for most of the summer for heat and keeping the smoky air outside. I feel so badly for all of you who live in the western US, who deal with these fires so often.

@imallears and all Most of your list are all correct in the heat drink always stay hydrated one thing I can add if your house or any room faces the sun shut your blinds it makes a difference but keep a window cracked a little for air circulation Overhead fans on and what ever other fans you have add a dish of cool water in front of a fan .,so you can spear running your a.c. some Morning or evening work or running outside not in the heat of the day.I shut my blinds at 9a.m and open about 4

@lioness

Hi
I have the mid/late afternoon sun coming into my living room, dining/kitchen area so my blinds are tilted or closed. I also have double patio doors off my kitchen which I had tinted when we first moved in. I have semi shear curtains which I generally don’t close until nighttime but sometimes I will during the day if it’s really bright.

Our ACs never go off in Florida for most of the year and we maintain 77 during the day and 75 at night. It’s not a dry heat here so it’s just too humid to turn off. My place is not that big and cools fast and maintains the cool air and doesn’t cycle on and off that much. Also make sure the door and window seals are good and tight. When I am away I just turn it up to 78. Air filters are changed often and we get regular AC tuneups and Freon if necessary. Floridians take good care of their ACs…almost like pets.

Needless to say all our car windows are tinted. Stay cool and calm America and don’t sweat the small stuff.

FL Mary