Surviving the heatwave this summer 2020

It has been extremely hot and sunny these past few days and the thought has been at the back of my mind to write something… Some tips…

So, here are a few tips on surviving the heatwave this summer.

Take a bottle of water with you – During the hot weather, don’t forget to hydrate your body and replenish lost fluids through sweating, perspiring and breathing.

You can also take along any cold drink of choice, but I always find that you can’t beat water when the weather is hot. You can also splash some cool water over your face and body to cool yourself down.

Use sunblock, suntan lotion, sun cream, and after-sun oil to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. If you are particularly prone to burning or fair in complexion, use sunscreen lotion with high Sun Protection Factor (SPF).

As a skin conditioner, cooler and after-sun, take some aloe vera lotion along with you to soothe and cool your skin if you are prone to burning. Aloe vera gel helps to speed up the healing process if you get any burns and stops your skin from peeling.

Wear a hat – If you are prone to burning when out in the hot weather, don’t forget to wear a hat. You can wear a baseball cap, sun hat, floppy hat, visors, etc in order to protect and shield your face and head from burning during the hot weather. Hats have holes that are small enough to let cool air through to keep your head from overheating while allowing you to protect your head and your face from the hot rays of the sun.

Wear light and loose clothing – Loose clothing will help you to stay cool and will keep you covered and protected from the sun while still allowing air to circulate and keep you fresh.

Don’t forget your deodorant/antiperspirant – During the hot weather, there is no worse time for sweating profusely, so don’t forget your deodorant or antiperspirant. Alum rock or crystal is perfect for keeping you dry and odor-free, and it also chemical-free.

Don’t forget your sun shades or sunglasses – Protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun and squinting by wearing a pair of sun shades. Make sure that the sun shades have the right factor ultraviolet (UV) sun filters to protect your eyes from sun damage. Look out for the label as some cheap shades may not offer you this protection, which can damage your eyesight.

Alcohol hand rub – Take a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you so that you can disinfect/sanitize your hands when you are out and about and keep germs at bay, this is especially useful if you want to grab a quick bite to eat.

Eat fresh and healthy food – I am told that foods such as carrots and tomatoes contain properties and nutrients that help protect the skin from within such as lycopene and beta carotene, which helps you to tan easily and protects the skin. Lycopene helps to prevent the skin from burning by protecting it from within, as they say, you are what you eat.

Take some tissues with you – A large number of people suffer from hay fever, particularly when the weather is hot and the pollen count is likely to be high. You will need your tissues at this time to blow your nose or to wipe your face.

Don’t forget your other hay fever remedies at this time such as your eye drops etc.

If you suffer from nose bleeds, this can be triggered by the hot weather, so take some ice with you in a cool bag or a gel ice pack. These are usually blue in color and are used for keeping food and drinks cool for picnics, so you can take these with you, just in case. They do come in handy if you need them.