For the past week, Louisiana and much of the southeastern United States has been getting pummeled by a heatwave and even the most avid lover of summer is feeling the effects. Today I'm going to tell you some ways to stay cool, should you decide to go out into the hot, hot world.
Step 1: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!
One key way to stay healthy in this heat is to keep a good supply of you favorite beverage with you when going outside, and while I recommend that to be mainly water, any non-carbonated beverage will do so long as it can restore those vital electrolytes lost when you sweat.
Step 2: Throw Some Shade!
Another key way to stay happy and healthy is to try and stick to the shade as much as possible if you can't avoid going outdoors.
Step 3: Sunscreen!
I'm sure you remember your moms and dads smearing that thick, icky, oily lotion on you every time you wanted to go swimming. But that wonderful concoction isn't just for when you go swimming! Technically, sunscreen should be applied every time you go outside in the summer time to avoid the big "C" word. And that doesn't just go for kids! Adults too! What's great about that now, is that it comes in spray form AND lotion form!
Now in the event that you DO forget sunscreen and get a rather unpleasant sunburn, you can use what my mom always called "Ocean Potion". It's a wonderful little gel that is best used cold and helps to numb the pain and heal the damaged and burned skin.
Finally, heat stroke is a very real threat in Louisiana that we bayou born folk don't always notice until it's too late because we've become so accustomed to the heat index's unyielding wrath. Remember the steps that I mentioned to keep you and your family safe this summer! If you see someone beginning to feel the effects of a heat stroke, be sure to get them into the shade and to call 911 immediately.