It's early July and another heat wave is happening this weekend in the northwest. There will be more of these events this summer in various places, so it's important that you familiarize yourself with heat-related illness which can sneak up on you, and even reach a point of no recovery if not caught soon enough. Â
This WAPO article is good. Some points that jumped out at me:
1. If you are not used to the heat, you are more likely to have an extreme reaction to it. The body actually learns to regulate itself from practice, so don't overestimate your ability to withstand the heat if you are not accustomed to it.
2. If it's too hot for you, then it's too hot for your pet.Â
3. Most affected: the elderly, children, people with special conditions, pregnant women, also people with mental conditions.Â
4. Not in the article, but if you see a pet locked in a car on a hot day, call the police, every minute could save a life.Â
5. Stay hydrated and avoid the sun during peak sun hours.Â
6. If you plan to long-distance drive during an extreme heat wave, be sure to read about how heat affects your tires, so you don't end up stranded somewhere with blown tires.Â
7. Certain groups are more vulnerable, including the the elderly, young children, athletes, people who have chronic medical conditions, pregnant people, and those struggling with mental health issues.  Also excessive heat can cause mental health issues in people who previously did not have them.Â
There's much more to know here: www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/07/03/heat-wave-safe-cool-extreme/
Does anyone else have any suggestions for dealing with the heat?Â
Â
Â
Â
Does anyone else have any suggestions for dealing with the heat?Â
 I didn't have ANY A/C in my 19th century fixer-upper for the first year I lived there. I survived summer (high temps usually in the 90's) by opening windows, running fans, and swimming when I couldn't stand it anymore. Making use of a local pool or splash park can be a huge relief. I was broke (house-poor) at the time but the second summer I sprung for a used $20 window AC for the bedroom. It was very small and VERY loud but it helped a lot. It's very true that one can get acclimated to heat-- now that I've had central AC for a long time I don't tolerate heat near as well as I once did.Â
I would very much recommend that anyone without AC go out and buy a small unit for emergency use. New window units start at $150 or you can get a portable (to move from room to room) starting about $300. ( Used ones are, of course, cheaper. ) At least then you can establish one safe, cool zone in your house.
And one thing that is helpful if you, or another person is starting to get overheated is to put ice on pulse points (wrist, neck, back of the knees). Of course if the person is showing real signs of heat illness they should get medical treatment.Â
yes to all this and cold showers before going to bed, ceiling fans, more time in the basement if you have one. At work moving less. Don’t use your oven, watermelon.
I am far more comfortable with the heat than my family members- I am comfortable indoors and outside in heat that my parents and cousins can’t tolerate. I don’t have central air and as a teacher I have never worked in an air conditioned building even though we have always had 90 degree weather during the last weeks of school. I find shops and offices that are air conditioned extremely uncomfortable especially on hot days when the contrast of going from inside to outside is extreme.
agree extremely important to have a window unit for one space - somewhere you can sit or a bedroom.Â
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!
If you are in a climate where it is a dry heat, you will not notice you are sweating like in a more humid climate. Â It doesn't mean you aren't losing fluid.
If you feel thirsty, you are already getting dehydrated.
If you don't have air-conditioning, go somewhere that does for a few hours like a mall. Park your car in the shade, you can burn yourself when sitting down on your seat with shorts.
Even spending time in a pool can cause you to have issues if your are in the sun a lot or not drinking water. Â If you must be outside, do so in early morning or after sundown.
This is coming from an Arizona resident.Â
I love that idea. Thank you, ana.
@jeanne-mayell @ana. That pulse point idea has actually been turned into a life-saving technology for EMTs... it's called a cooling glove. I saw a news report on it last year and since then I've squeezed ice cubes in my palm to beat the Texas heat. Great idea @ana.  Here's the tech developed by Stanford: http://cooling-glove.com/product/ and https://news.stanford.edu/2017/12/27/cooling-glove-helps-athletes-patients/
I find that when I’m dehydrated and regular H20 isn’t making me feel better, I replenish with an electrolyte drink. A powdered one I like is Ultima Replenisher – it’s plant-based, gluten-free, and doesn’t contain any sugar or junk like some of the more well known, commercial ones. You can purchase Ultima in packets that you can carry with you.
You can also make your own electrolyte drink at home. There are a lot of recipes online, but here is an easy one to try:
Yield: 4 cupsÂ
Serving size: 1 cupÂ
Ingredients:
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) of lemon juice
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) of lime juice
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) of unsweetened coconut water
- 2 cups (480 ml) of cold water
Â
@ana go to the basement if you have one. Shower often. Drink lots of water. Wear light clothes. Open windows at night if it is cooler then. Close windows blinds and drapes before 9. Lay on the floor if it is cool. Do not cook inside.Â
Great recipe, deetoo! I hate the commercial drinks. Too sweet!!
Ex-Arizonan here. Not too much I can add to what's already been posted; excellent suggestions all.
Growing up, and living in a house with swamp cooling, I used to complain that our house was so dark during the day lol. Mom kept all the drapes and curtains closed as soon as the sun was overhead, and they didn't open again until evening. Every window was open at night to let the cool air in and shut first thing in the morning. Fans. Ice. Cold cloths. Frozen slushie drinks. No oven or baking.
Of course, as stupid kids we ran around outside at all hours barely noticing the heat and getting burned to a crisp.
Editing to add-regarding the cooling glove-get a Chilly Pad cooling towel. They stay cold a long time, can be frozen, and are soft, big enough to wrap around your neck or head and machine washable.
Misting fans are also a godsend.
@polarberry  This is also a very effective restorative. I use it when out cutting my grass in the heat and humidity.  https://www.almanac.com/switchel-recipe-haymakers-punch
Also, many folks here in the hot humid Deep South drink what they refer to as "lawnmower beer" and "shower beer" they also help in restoring one after hard work outside. "Lawn Mower Beer Any beer low in alcohol content that is also highly quaffable. A style of beer you would want to drink after working hard in the yard on a hot summer day. Usually a crisp pale lager or ale with moderate to high carbonation."Â "https://www.fatherly.com/health-science/scientific-benefits-shower-beer/"
Also , just good ole plain H2O - cold and the South's famous Iced Tea. Don't like muchof the plain water? Infuse your water with fresh mints,lemon, cucumber, berries to add calorie free flavor. In learning to give up my soda habit I learned to enjoy Sparkling waters like LaCroix are also refreshing. Anything with a lot of sugar tends to worsen your thirst.