10 natural ways to beat the heat

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Good Morning! I found this awesome article at

http://www.beliefnet.com/features/top10/staycool/top10_gallery_10.html

and thought you may enjoy as well!

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" Natural, unusual, and time-tested ways to combat summer meltdown

 

Summer is the season most of us look forward to all year (even during

our globally-warmed winters). It means having the freedom to romp,

bond with nature, and dress way down. Yet when it finally arrives,

we're quickly reminded that although the grass may be greener, it's

also wilted and sticky. Fortunately, cooling off doesn't have to mean

cranking up the air conditioner. Here are natural ways to beat the

heat – with almost no fossil fuels required.

 

1. Get Misty

 

To remind yourself of the ocean's calming spray, whip up a batch of

this cooling potion, concocted by aromatherapist Judith Fitzsimmons,

author of Aromatherapy Through the Seasons: Restorative Recipes and

Sensory Suggestions (Conari, 2001). You'll need pure essential oils

(which you can find at a health food store); a 4-ounce spray bottle

(probably on the shelf below the oils); and water. (If you're

pregnant or diabetic, or have a history of seizures, Fitzsimmons

advises checking with a doctor before trying this.) Pour water into

the bottle until it's about half full. Add the following oils: eleven

drops of orange, eight drops of bergamot, five drops of rosemary, and

two drops of lavender. Then, fill the rest of the bottle with more

water. Keep the mixture in a cool, dry place and shake it before

using. Spritz it on your body anytime throughout the day except

before bed; it's an energizing blend. It should also give you a

gentle mood lift - " Try it instead of a cup of coffee, " Fitzsimmons

says - with a dash of mental focus, emotional clarity, and

cheerfulness.

 

2. Rock Out

 

Hot stone massages feel great in the winter, so why not try a cold

stone treatment when the weather heats up? To save money by doing it

yourself, go to the nearest outdoor space and select some smooth

rocks that are palm size and smaller, suggests Valerie Simonsen, a

naturopathic physician in Maui, Hawaii. Once you've got your rocks,

rinse them and lay them in your freezer on top of a bandana or piece

of fabric. After about an hour, they'll be cold enough to rest on

your wrists, neck and other pulse points for maximum coolage. The

stone may also - if you believe in this sort of thing - help ground

you. At the very least, you'll feel like a human being for an hour or

so instead of human black top.

 

 

3. Eat for the Season

 

In Ayurveda, India's science of life and medicine, beating the heat

is all about balancing the dominant element of summer - pitta, or

fire. " Like increases like, so we have to have a diet and lifestyle

that is opposite to the qualities of pitta, " says Krupali Desai, a

New York-based Ayurvedic doctor. For example, in blazing summer, she

recommends avoiding spicy, heavy foods and eating watery fruits and

vegetables (melons, grapes, plums, apples, cucumber). Dairy, known

for its cooling properties, is also recommended to take the sting off

the heat. In India, says Desai, people often end their warm days by

drinking a small glass of buttermilk with a dash of salt and cumin

powder.

4. Breathe Like a Yogi

 

When yoga practitioners want to lower their temperatures, they stick

out their tongues. This is so they can do sheetali pranayama, which

translates from Sanskrit as " cooling breath. " This exercise brings

colder air into the body, but it also offers other benefits: " When

we're paying attention to the breath, we're paying attention to the

present moment, " says Devarshi Steven Hartman, director of

professional training at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in

Lenox, Massachusetts. " Often we're hot because we're in a hurry, " he

adds. " So coming into the present is a good way to cool down. " To

practice sheetali, stick out your tongue halfway and curl it into a

tube. Now, if no one's looking at you funny, inhale evenly through it

for about five seconds. Then, hold your breath while gently drawing

your chin toward your chest. Hold for five seconds. Exhale through

your nose. Do four to five rounds, repeating as needed throughout the

day.

The divine coolness of air conditioning is, ironically, responsible

for releasing about 100 million tons of carbon dioxide each year,

contributing to even hotter weather to come. Cool in a planet-

friendlier way with these tips from the Environmental Protection

Agency: If you use a room air conditioner, make sure it's the right

size and switch to an " Energy Star " model (government rebate programs

may help offset costs). Maintain central A/C annually and program

your thermostat. Seal external leaks. And planting shady foliage

outside your home will support the earth-and your green thumb.

 

Tend your soul during a heat wave by taking care of others. Get to

know your neighbors and check in on elderly, disabled, or isolated

people in your area. According to the AARP, 40 percent of older women

and 20 percent of older men live alone. Pick up some sorbet, make

some iced tea, or bring over a fan. Your efforts will go a long way

in helping your neighbors in need feel safe-and cool. 8. Soothe

Yourself

 

Sunscreen will protect your skin, but there's nothing like a spa day

to refresh your spirit in the heat of summer. New York City's

Cornelia Day Resort is just one example of dozens of spas that offer

summer-specific services meant to help you cool down and pretty up.

The spa's " Summer Honey Harmony " treatment is a soothing bath that

you can even prepare at home, with a combination of salts, teas, and

mint leaves.

 

 

9. Imagine Cool

 

Close your eyes, sit comfortably, or lie down. Visualize yourself

lying in a soft, grassy spot; you are totally safe. Imagine that the

heat in your body is hot water circulating through your system-now

watch it as it starts flowing out your pores. The water is running

out of you and being absorbed into the cool earth. Now feel the

sweetest, mistiest summer rain dusting over you, cooling you down

completely. Open your eyes and wake up to a calmer, balmier you.

 

10. Sink Into a Summery Moment

 

Check out Beliefnet blogger Amy Cunningham's top 10 ways to have a

spiritual summer. For a quick review:

1) Unplug the television

2) Swim in real water

3) Gaze at the night sky

4) Make flying friends (with butterflies and the like)

5) Take a meaningful workshop

6) Walk barefoot

7) Make or buy presents for those you love

8) Sit under a great tree

9) Consider where you are burning out

10) Read eternally beautiful things. Amen.

 

 

 

Keep Your CoolText by Valerie Reiss "

 

 

Have a great week!

Jennifer

minimalisticliving

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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