Tips for Beating the Heat this Weekend (and anytime)

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Boadicea

Caffeine can, but it's not as bad as advertised. If you are habituated to it, the diuretic effect from it pretty much goes away until you exceed the amount you are habituated to. So drinking tea, for example, isn't as bad for you unless you are completely caffeine free in your life.

Good to know -- thank you!

Eat lots of high water content foods: soups, watermelon, cucumbers, etc.

Yes, excellent -- thank you!

a reply to: Boadicea

I don't know if this has been mentioned, don't drink ice cold water in this extreme heat. It can put you in shock.
www.wmdt.com...

a reply to: Boadicea

I get mixed info on the caffeine issue, but most things acknowledge tea as being pretty solid as a choice. I'd avoid coffee.

originally posted by: Tarzan the apeman.
a reply to: Boadicea

I don't know if this has been mentioned, don't drink ice cold water in this extreme heat. It can put you in shock.
www.wmdt.com...

Thank you -- I did not know that!

I did know and have stressed cool water -- not cold water -- but I didn't know ice water could have such adverse effects. So good thing you added that. Much appreciated!

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Boadicea

I get mixed info on the caffeine issue, but most things acknowledge tea as being pretty solid as a choice. I'd avoid coffee.

I'm good with that -- I don't drink coffee, but love me some iced tea! Often just green tea, but I'll do all kinds of flavors too -- mostly fruity for suntea. And save the richer and spicier teas for hot tea in winter.

a reply to: Boadicea

Great tips and thanks for posting.

I remember reading in a survival guide about the benefits of adding a teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar per quart of drinking water. It has something to do with its ability to affect the hypothalamus gland that controls the way the body cools itself. It is said to help people tolerate heat better, without feeling drained.

originally posted by: shawmanfromny
a reply to: Boadicea

Great tips and thanks for posting.

I remember reading in a survival guide about the benefits of adding a teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar per quart of drinking water. It has something to do with its ability to affect the hypothalamus gland that controls the way the body cools itself. It is said to help people tolerate heat better, without feeling drained.

Very interesting -- and good to know!

Apple cider vinegar has so many healthful qualities though it doesn't surprise me. And this is so cheap and simple, it's worth a try. One teaspoon can't hurt, but it could help a lot -- if not one way then another.

originally posted by: Boadicea

originally posted by: shawmanfromny
a reply to: Boadicea

Great tips and thanks for posting.

I remember reading in a survival guide about the benefits of adding a teaspoon of raw apple cider vinegar per quart of drinking water. It has something to do with its ability to affect the hypothalamus gland that controls the way the body cools itself. It is said to help people tolerate heat better, without feeling drained.

Very interesting -- and good to know!

Apple cider vinegar has so many healthful qualities though it doesn't surprise me. And this is so cheap and simple, it's worth a try. One teaspoon can't hurt, but it could help a lot -- if not one way then another.

I have never heard of that either, I will have to try it.
I walked 8 miles today delivering mail in about 90-95 degree heat....heat index was around 105-110.
It was miserable to say the least.
And tomorrow it’s supposed to be hotter yet.
Even wonder why they didn’t put AC in mail trucks?
I always do.

a reply to: RazorV66

Oh no! I can imagine how miserable that must be...

Do take good care of yourself. Try the vinegar in water. I can't say enough how awesome the cooling towels are. It's like a spandex fabric, usually bright blue, and comes in various sizes and configurations. The one my hubby got me is like a sleeve or tube of fabric, finished size about 8"x12". Just wet it with cool water and put it on your head or around your neck or wherever works.

Take it easy, good luck and stay hydrated!

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: RazorV66

Oh no! I can imagine how miserable that must be...

Do take good care of yourself. Try the vinegar in water. I can't say enough how awesome the cooling towels are. It's like a spandex fabric, usually bright blue, and comes in various sizes and configurations. The one my hubby got me is like a sleeve or tube of fabric, finished size about 8"x12". Just wet it with cool water and put it on your head or around your neck or wherever works.

Take it easy, good luck and stay hydrated!

Thanks.
Yes...I do have the exact cooling towel you are talking about and I use it all the time now.
I bring a cooler that holds 8 bottles of water and an ice pack, today I drank 6 bottles and used the other 2 to refresh the towel when it needed it.

Where I live the heat index in the summer stays in the caution through danger levels. Lots of water and cool off every hour or so. I spend a lot of time outside working.

Might be time to turn a water trough into a pool.

Working in the desert in the ME, we started at 4 a.m. and worked til 12:30 p.m., when a sandstorm kicked up daily at this time of year.

The locals took a 5 minute break every half hour. The break at the half hour was water, and the break on the hour was fruit plus water. You could have as much water as you wanted, but HAD to eat the fruit.

A peach, a handful of grapes, sometimes melon, with a bit of salt. They said it was to help replace the nutrients you lose in your sweat. If you only drink water, or water and sugars only, you will dilute your blood and die from that.

They said you needed the fruit sugar because you system was working overtime moving sweat to the surface of your skin--your body needs extra energy.

originally posted by: roadgravel

Might be time to turn a water trough into a pool.

Do whatcha gotta do! Just take good care!!!

My hubby works outside a lot too, and this last week has been tough. He came home at 3:00 today, went in to get ready for a shower and ended up just conking out on the bed. Probably best thing for him. He needs it... he deserves it!

a reply to: Boadicea

I hear that. After a couple of days it is time to slow down a day. You two be careful also.

a reply to: Graysen

A peach, a handful of grapes, sometimes melon, with a bit of salt. They said it was to help replace the nutrients you lose in your sweat. If you only drink water, or water and sugars only, you will dilute your blood and die from that.

They said you needed the fruit sugar because you system was working overtime moving sweat to the surface of your skin--your body needs extra energy.

Very interesting -- thank you for adding that. Another poster mentioned the importance of the minerals in water as well, which usually include the essential electrolytes -- sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, bicarbonate. I know when Hubby is working outside all day, he'll bring an EmergenC to have at lunch, which he prefers to Gatorade. I don't like him to do more than one a day though, because too much isn't good either, and I'd rather he have a good lunch and dinner to fuel and nurture his body.

I will also add that chilled fruit and fruit juice are quite refreshing when it's hot

a reply to: Graysen

Thanks for posting that info.

a reply to: roadgravel

Thank you -- we shall. We've both seen and had enough scary episodes that we do what we gotta do, but plan for it, and then take it easy.

I've actually been working outside the last couple days for most of the day but with frequent breaks inside. Our front lawn is getting eaten alive by cinch bugs, and I had to get it dethatched and blown out to spray it (pet safe of course!). Next weekend I'll buy a 12-pack of cheap beer and fertilize it.

I wanted to get it done before the weekend, so we could just relax and enjoy some lazy days. I think it's working...

a reply to: Graysen

I was in the UAE and we did very similar when having to go outside during the day. Even at 8 am the temp and humidity was almost a death sentence in nomex coveralls. I would keep a liter of water and a liter of some electrolyte drink with me at all times. Would also keep these little re-hydrate-able towels with me, about the size of a small coin, dip it in water and it expands to a decent sized towel that we would use to cover our head and neck when possible.

The fruit drinks at the hotel at the end of the day were the highlight, that and a quick dip in the pool.

best tips for surviving the heat. first off don't drink anything with Caffeine in it. that included drinks like Coke/Pepsi, mountaindew, as well as other soft drinks which contain it. as well as coffee and tea, tea having more caffeine even than coffee. caffeine is a diuretic, which makes you loose needed water in your body. also that both hot (non caffeinated) drinks, and spicy food help cool you down.

but one of the biggest ways to beat the heat, is to stop using your air condition as much. the overuse of air conditioning in modern society is one of the big reasons why heat effects people badly. because you do not acclimatize to the weather outdoors, and are instead climatized to that airconditioned temperatures we spend most of out time in, at home, at work, and in our cars. and when using air conditioning instead of setting it to "room temperature" like 20C/70f, instead only set it to a couple degrees cooler than outside. you will still have the "cooling effects", and feeling cool, when inside. yet at the same time won't be anywhere near as devastated when you go outside.

i am serious about that. i used to keep my room air conditioned to about 28C (82f), which is much hotter than most people keep it). and when i would come in it would be almost cold. and when i went out the heat at about 35c (95f), would feel devastating. since even that was "too cool" for the outside temps. however this last summer (which for my currant location is in April/ May, with the hot temperatures exceeding 40c (104f)), i used NO air conditioning, just a fan. and while yes i was hot since my room actually ends up about 2-4 degrees hotter than outside. i was fine. in fact i would end up feeling cool when i went outside. instead of how it was when i used my air conditioning all the time, where i would go outside, and could barely breath in the heat. my father did occasionally using his air conditioning. but set only slightly above the outdoor temperature. and was also in much better shape than he had been. and he is elderly, and has even had a stroke a couple years back. but by REDUCING his use of air conditioning, he survived the heat much better than he has in years. in fact when i think about it. he was doing much better in the heat than he has since air conditioning in homes and cars became commonplace. in the end it's all about the temperature you are used to. and if you actually let yourself climatize by not overusing the air conditioning, you will not only be much more comfortable outside. but you also greatly reduce the health risks like heatstroke from occurring.

originally posted by: Tarzan the apeman.
a reply to: Boadicea

I don't know if this has been mentioned, don't drink ice cold water in this extreme heat. It can put you in shock.
www.wmdt.com...

Oh, definitely a good add. I remember my grandmother had a stroke induced by gulping down ice water. The doctors said that her body thought her body was suffering from hyperthermia and naturally sent her blood supplies to her stomach and reduced the blood supply to her brain.