Beat the heat

Hi neighbors. The last few days of temperatures over 100 have convinced me that no one should live without air conditioning. Unfortunately, many people still do.

If you are a person living without an air conditioner, please try to find someplace for relief during the hottest times of the day -- from noon through four in the afternoon.

Get a ride -- don't walk! -- to the public library, tour some stores on the square. You will probably find at least one thing you want to buy.

Go to a restaurant and buy a drink or a sandwich. Most don't mind you sitting a while as long as you have bought some food item to "pay for your seat."

If you have friends with air conditioning, don't hesitate to go visit. They will understand. Go to the movies, go shopping at any of the larger stores.

If you can afford it, buy a small window air conditioner for one room of your home and use it when needed.

Be careful using window fans; or fans sitting on the floor. If they are not oscillating (rotating back and forth) they can actually increase you chances for heat related health problems.

The heat index can cause a lot of problems for people who are homebound or elderly.

Drink lots of cool water (not necessarily iced water); keep cool, wet washcloths on your neck and under your arms and change them often. Take off your shoes and put your feet in tepid water. All these tricks can help you get through the worst hours.

Keep a phone handy. If you feel flushed, stop sweating, get dizzy and feel faint, take your temperature. If it is rising above normal (98.6 F) call for help, and get a friend or family member come to your rescue immediately. Have them bring ice and/ or ice packs.

You may be experiencing heat STROKE. Heat stroke is a life threatening condition when your body temperature just keeps on rising. You don't sweat, and you look and feel like your skin is on fire. You have to cool your body immediately. Heat stroke can overwhelm you quickly and you will need someone else to do for you what you need done to survive.

Even more insidious is heat EXHAUSTION. Your body feels wrung out. You feel faint. You are sweating profusely and your blood pressure can fall quickly.

If you are aware of these problems, you can be mindful and watchful for them. Be prepared and continue to use the correct prophylactics: lots of water and other liquids that help balance electrolytes and other elements your body needs. Gatorade is one of these drinks. Soda pop, coffee, iced tea and alcohol are all diuretics and will only make the problem worse. Water should be mildly chilled, not ice water. Pickles are supposed to be good for helping to keep your body from "sweating out" valuable and necessary elements.

Pick cool water filled snacks for the afternoon like watermelon, cantaloupe, berries, etc.

Make certain someone knows you are alone and have no air conditioning so they can call and check on you daily.

Don't go out and work in the yard when the heat index is over 100! Let the yard work wait. Trust me; grass doesn't even LIKE getting mowed when it's that hot! The car can't handle the fast evaporation of water on the wax so don't wash the car either.

Be kind to your body and let it rest easy until it is safer to stir around.

Remember, in extreme heat your body can malfunction quickly and sometimes with little warning. Think ahead, be prepared and take precautions. No air conditioning can be survived.