Have Fun in the Sun, but Beat the Heat!

It's that time of year again when the chair gets up when you do! And you know it's hot when even the cat is panting! But in reality Summertime is the best time to live your best life! We share longer days with the sun as it boosts our vitamin D and improves our overall mood. However, those glorious rays can at times become detrimental and we find ourselves pouring sweat while mulling around like zombies!
But there are ways to protect yourself, feel better, and beat the heat!
It's important to remember to drink lots of fluids during a heatwave, pile on the sunscreen, and limit sunlight exposure. Dress (less) to impress.... but remember to dress for the body you have... not the body you want! Both cotton and silk are very practical and breathable materials sure to help keep you cool. And though we're here in Northern Michigan surrounded by numerous amounts of lakes, rivers, and streams....a good old fashion water balloon or squirt gun fight will do just fine keeping your family cool while having some fun!
A very neat experience for keeping cool is to "chill those pulse points!" Apply either a cold damp rag or ice cube to areas of the body including your wrists, neck, inside elbows and knees and don't forget the tops of your feet! You can enjoy this method throughout the entire day. Try it and see for yourself!
Another neat way to keep your home and family cool is the, "Sleep like an Egyptian" method. Ancient Egyptians were way ahead of their time in many ways, including sleep techniques! This is very simple and quite effective for any home. They'd soak blankets, sheets, etc in very cold water before going to bed. Then they'd hang these soaked blankets in windows during the late evening and night so the breeze could blow through them creating a chilled atmosphere in the home! This is actually very effective! And saves on your energy bill from having to fire up the air conditioner!
Ladies! Ladies! Ladies! Keep in mind that our cosmetics aren't fond of the heat either! Keep your cosmetics cool too! I have personally found that keeping my face masks, creams, serums, toners, lotions and moisturizers in the fridge provides a great cooling sensation when applied! (Did I really just share publicly all my beauty efforts?!)
Lastly, mind over matter! It's sweltering hot, you're getting grumpy, according to your kiddos they're melting, and the grocery store just ran out of Popsicles! Gather everyone up, plug in another fan, cool your forehead bandanas and pop in a Christmas movie! Or dig up some old family films you made during the winter months to sit back and reminisce about how you were freezing your booty off hunting that family Christmas tree, building a snowman, or that huge family snowball fight where daddy's pride took a bit of a beating that day!
Enjoy the Michigan summer by all means. Take in all the beauty, fresh air, and make memories! But remember to keep you and your loved ones safe from harmful rays (sunblock is your friend!), keep in mind that our bodies are literally dripping sweat and we need to drink lots of healthy fluids to replenish ourselves. Eat light to avoid feeling big and heavy. Personally I think ice cream sundaes for dinner during a heatwave is completely appropriate! And it may bring some joy to hot, grumpy, whiney family members! Have your fun in the sun, but beat the heat!