Share ideas for surving a heat wave.

Here in the northeastern US we've had a couple of days of high temps with more to come.  Many people, including myself, don't have air conditioning so we have to stick it out.

Any advice for making it easier to survive extreme heat?  I'd love to find recipes that can be made without cooking, or unusual ways you stay cool in summer.

Maybe share a link to a page you've done here at Wizzley that could help.

Thanks!

I'll try to get a page up (lived in Alabama my whole life - sooo used to surviving heat) but in the meantime here are some down and dirty tips.


Open windows only at night/during a rain/during strong wind when it is coolest.

Keep curtains closed.

Run fans all the time (moving air helps evaporate sweat faster).

Bags of ice are cheap, get a cooler fan or make your own.  Generally in camping supplies.  It is basically a fan that fits on top of an ice chest to blow cool air out of the ice chest.

Some fabrics are surprisingly hot.  Don't assume something will be cool because it is thin.  Anything that feels silky is liable to be really hot.

Washing your feet in cold water will quickly cool you down more than you would think possible.

Limit sugary drinks and alcohol.  Water, water, and more water along with Powerade (works better than Gatorade according to a nurse).

Frozen ice pops (those tubes of brightly colored liquid you freeze and then cut off the end to eat).  Relatively low on sugar and the continued cold helps lower internal body temps.

A cold damp rag on the back of your neck is a fast cool down if you start to overheat.

If you feel confused, have trouble breathing, or your heart races get help immediately.  Heat stroke and Heat exhaustion don't always look like you think they do.

For cooking - sandwiches are great.  Then there is cole slaw (Hidden Valley Ranch coleslaw dressing is a great no-recipe needed cheat for that), miseria (cucumbers and sour cream - http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/vegetables/r/cukessourcream.htm), salads, Italian deli salad (pasta, pepperoni, peppers, onion, cheese, and Italian salad dressing), chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad, and microwave meals.

If you are where you can put up one window A/C.  Do it!  Growing up we didn't have A/C until I was nearly through high school.  We finally got some window units for the bedrooms and it was wonderful to sleep again.  It takes a lot of power and they can't cool more than one room but even one room of cool to hide in a couple hours out of a day helps.

How about opening up the fridge or freezer and sticking your head in? 

Having written that, it sounds like I'm 'dissing' you - but I'm not - it's meant to be a serious suggestion (honest!).

humagaia: 07/05/2013 - 10:52 AM

---

How about opening up the fridge or freezer and sticking your head in? 

Having written that, it sounds like I'm 'dissing' you - but I'm not - it's meant to be a serious suggestion (honest!).

Oh yes, I do that too, but it's so temporary. 

Liz - you have some excellent ideas!

I lived in Florida where we just went inside or jumped in the pool when we got hot.  Up until a month ago, I didn't even have a car with AC up here in New Hampshire.  I am relatively used to heat, and it doesn't bother me all that much, but I love ideas to help out non the less, and I'm sure others would too.

I like that cooler of ice with the fan idea!  Are you making a page on that??

There are so many DIY versions out there already.  I might compile a bunch of them in one place though.

In the meantime here is a link to a DIY and a store bought.

http://www.kooleraire.com/Product%20Information.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2Yv5RyQP4I

Great ideas, Liz. I lived many years in TX without an ac. Gotta say, I couldn't live without one now. (That's not an exaggeration now - I would die in this camper - like a closed car in the sun...)

But my first thought, which you beat me to,    was SALADS, preferably from my own garden.

Wet towels on your neck or head help too. You can put them in the fridge to cool them off. Wet towels are good for hot canines too.

Forgot to say that, rather than a cold drink, a hot drink (usually tea here in the UK) is better at cooling you down. This may sound counter-intuitive but the science goes something like this - hot drink, warms up blood, then better at sweating, so colls body in the ling run (I think!).

BTW never tried this myself as I do not drink hot drinks (at all!).

I'm surprised that you're heating up. I'm in the Southeast and it has rained for the last 5 days. My lawn looks gorgeous but my vegetables are getting too much water and not looking so great.

You wouldn't catch me drinking hot liquids in the heat. It's iced tea or diet cook or ice water.

That Kooler Aire item looks like it could be a good idea.

I don't think I could drink anything hot, and I've never heard of that idea humagaia.

I place bags of frozen veggies (peas or corn are best) on my head.  I also plan to wash my car later and get wet to cool down.

@Brenda - we had a week of drenching rain but now the humidity and high temps are here.

humagaia: 07/05/2013 - 11:53 AM

---

Forgot to say that, rather than a cold drink, a hot drink (usually tea here in the UK) is better at cooling you down. This may sound counter-intuitive but the science goes something like this - hot drink, warms up blood, then better at sweating, so colls body in the ling run (I think!).

BTW never tried this myself as I do not drink hot drinks (at all!).

I'm dying of the heat here in Britain. I've just had a cup of tea, because I'm British. I'm still dying of heat. I'll try having another cuppa.

BrendaReeves: 07/05/2013 - 12:10 PM

---

You wouldn't catch me drinking hot liquids in the heat. It's iced tea or diet cook or ice water.

 I've had a couple of Californians here recently talking about iced tea. My look of horror hasn't yet changed. I'm imagining a cup of tea with ice cubes in it.

Pam's post inspired me to write an article. Hope some people can find some ideas of interest in there. :)

http://wizzley.com/how-to-eat-healthy-with-little-or-no-cooking/

JoHarrington: 07/05/2013 - 02:28 PM

---

I'm dying of the heat here in Britain. I've just had a cup of tea, because I'm British. I'm still dying of heat. I'll try having another cuppa.

BrendaReeves: 07/05/2013 - 12:10 PM

---

You wouldn't catch me drinking hot liquids in the heat. It's iced tea or diet cook or ice water.

 I've had a couple of Californians here recently talking about iced tea. My look of horror hasn't yet changed. I'm imagining a cup of tea with ice cubes in it.

Iced tea is the national drink down here in Texas. Served as a matter of course in all the restaurants. I never heard of drinking anything hot, but a hot shower does open the pores.

If you have a backyard with a shady spot I'd get an inflatable kiddie pool. Preferably one that's large enough to lie down in and be completely submerged. Close your eyes and imagine yourself away to a happy (and cool) place of your choice. 

A misting fan, or one of those cheap personal misters that attach to any standard garden hose (around $10 at home improvement stores) can also provide relief.

In the absence of a suitable outdoor space, you could also just submerge in your bath tub. The water doesn't need to be very cold. As long as it's slightly lower than body temperature it will do the trick.

If you don't have a tub either, submerging your feet/lower legs in a big bucket and running cold water over the inside of your lower arms will help.

  Jo, You've got to try a glass of iced tea.

JoHarrington: 07/05/2013 - 02:28 PM

---

 BrendaReeves: 07/05/2013 - 12:10 PM

---

You wouldn't catch me drinking hot liquids in the heat. It's iced tea or diet cook or ice water.

 I've had a couple of Californians here recently talking about iced tea. My look of horror hasn't yet changed. I'm imagining a cup of tea with ice cubes in it.

Cup with a couple ice cubes in it?  Oh no, it isn't even close to the stuff you drink hot.  Closest you could get there would probably be a decent black tea properly chilled, not iced so that it is watered down.  Then you add ice like you would to any already cold drink.  And most drink it sweet, sweeten it before it cools down for the love of all things liquid.

We can get iced tea in a can over here. Never tried it though!

I make my own iced tea, because I drink it without sugar.

Mira: 07/05/2013 - 02:49 PM

---

Pam's post inspired me to write an article. Hope some people can find some ideas of interest in there. :)

http://wizzley.com/how-to-eat-healthy-with-little-or-no-cooking/

Thanks Mira - that is a great article full of healthy choices!

@Nightowl - I used to climb into a kiddie pool, but I would only do so now if I was completely out of sight! of anyone...!  But I am seriously thinking of buying one for my secluded backyard space.

@Jo - I love ice tea and ice coffee- both unsweetened .....and Jo, there is no milk in the tea.

We're having a heat wave in BC right now, too.

This recipe is healthy and refreshing. You do have to cook the quinoa on the stovetop, but you eat it cold.

http://wizzley.com/quinoa-black-bean-salad/