I don't know about you but I don't think I can take this heat anymore. It's July 3rd and already 108 degrees.... boy, do I love my air conditioner! Along with heat comes imaginative ways to keep cool. I, myself, just jump into my pool in the back yard, but there are so many more...
Here are a few more imaginative ways to keep cool:
Can't drop a few hundred on an air
conditioning unit? No problem. This popular YouTube video shows you how to make your own using
little more than a box fan, copper wiring, and a foam cooler. Follow the video
instructions and presto, makeshift coolant. It might not be as effective as the
store-bought models, but in a pinch, not a terrible option.
How about a trip to an indoor ice skating rink
that is open year-round. Public skating is very inexpensive and it may be the
only time you're more than happy to take a few spills if it means an instant
cool down.
Yes, ice cream feels cold going down, but
wait until you start digesting it. You won't be feeling so refreshed anymore.
Instead, how about enjoying some homemade popsicles, made with whatever juice
you can round up? Better yet, try freezing fruits such as strawberries,
watermelon, pears, and grapes, and enjoy them either on a kabob or straight out
of a cup.
Granted, you've got to be at the end of
your heat wave rope, but consider tossing your bed sheets and pillowcases into
the freezer an hour or two before turning in. While the rest of the nighttime
swelters, you'll enjoy a nice, cool way to drift off to sleep.
Drink plenty of water. Sounds obvious, but
here's a newsflash: Super-sized sodas don't count as water. If the body is not
properly hydrated, it heats up faster than usual. Experts recommend that we
normally consume eight glasses a day. But in times of extreme heat and
dehydration, expect to depend on even more. (Iced coffees, by the way, don't
count either.)
Sure, the heat in the TV viewing room might
be oppressive, but maybe you can trick yourself into thinking otherwise. How
about popping one of these "cold"
movies into the DVD player?
- "March of the Penguins"
- "Ice Age"
- "
- "The Day After Tomorrow"
- "Empire Strike Back" The first 20 minutes can do the trick… Then, fast-forward to the frozen in carbonite scene, you should be sufficiently chilled.
It could just be more mind over matter, but
every now and then throughout a hot day, log on to the US Antarctic Project's website, where you'll find a Web cam
at McMurdo Station at Ross Island, where the mean annual temperature is 0
degrees. According to the site, "Temperatures may reach 8°C [46°F] in
summer and -50°C [-58°F] in winter." So, think about that for a moment. It
actually may make you appreciate the heat.
Take dinner
outside on the deck, where the grill isn't just for hamburgers and hot dogs.
Try grilling vegetables, including asparagus, peppers, and corn on the cob.
Give grilled
pizza a whirl. Pretty much anything can be grilled. Just know the proper
temperature for the grill and go for it
On steamy days, head right to your
supermarket's frozen food section, and bask in the glory of Freon. Open a door,
pretend you're looking for some semblance of chocolate-mint ice cream, and let
the cool down take over. If you feel bad about the store's wasted energy, just
take your time in the meat section. (I actually did this when I lived off base
at Clark Air Base in the Philippines
Thanks to the amount of blood that flows
through the neck, a simple, cool towel provides ample relief from the heat. (Works every time!)
Wash your car. It needs it anyway. But
obviously, this is a job that can help you take the heat off as well. The water
from the faucet is going to be cold, and if you have help, there's the added
bonus of spraying him or her with the hose. Of course, on these occasions,
you'll want him or her to return the favor too.
Even at room temperature, tomatoes provide
a certain quenching. To get some at their ripe peak, head off to one of your
local farmers’ markets and enjoy a fresh, juicy heirloom tomato. Just bite into
it like an apple and let the juices flow!
Don't forget to breathe. Not only can deep
breaths relax you, turns out it can also keep you cool. According to yogawiz.com: "If you pay conscious attention
to your breathing you will notice that you are inhaling cool air and exhaling
warm air. This is because the air gets heated in your body." Thus,
concentrated breathing will result in the even distribution of cool air.
Ok, this is a really easy one - The promise
of abundant air conditioning should be enough to drag you to a matinee showing
at your favorite movie theater.
Eat spicy food. As if you're not sweating
enough, right? Well, in this case, the extra perspiration will help in telling
your body just how hot you are. That will enable the sweat pores to open up a
bit more, allowing a natural cooling effect. It doesn't mean your best bet is
an all-you-can-eat Buffalo
In the end,
nothing really beats the heat like a good old-fashioned dip, whether it’s in a
pool, lake, pond, or the ocean....
And if a picture is worth a thousand words... how about a picture to help lower the temperature a few degrees... For your cooling pleasure: Santorini Greece -
NOW THIS IS A PLACE TO ENDURE THE SUMMER HEAT!
NOW THIS IS A PLACE TO ENDURE THE SUMMER HEAT!
Thanks goes here for some of these great ideas!
