By now, some might be getting tired of hearing people say things like, "Hot enough for ya?" or, "Sure is a cooker today!" But I will have to admit, I have found myself unable to resist talking with everyone about the weather. It's just been so weird, with the 'maternal' clouds accompanied by tornado warnings and the hail, not to mention the sweltering heat and humidity. All that being said, it has been a lovely summer so far.
I believe it's a natural response to talk about the weather. How can we not want to share an affirming, 'yes, we are both human and we are both experiencing hotter conditions than normal this year' and then move on with our day?
It's supposed to be quite easy to tolerate and in fact thrive in these conditions if one's bodily pH is alkaline. However, most people would need to radically change their lifestyle in order to accomplish this. So, eating fresh fruit and drinking lots of water is what we naturally tend toward in extreme heat. The easiest days in the sun we can have are when we get plenty of good fat, such as from nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and my personal favourite, hemp seeds and coconuts. Good fats protect our skin from burning and our brains from exhaustion. Oil consumption when combined with a diet rich in cucumbers and leafy greens, for example, could help one experience a more comfortable summer.
Oh, but who doesn't want to be 'comforted' with frozen treats or a beer on a hot afternoon, or by s'mores around a campfire? My tendency has always been toward the nostalgic treats that sometimes kick my butt, yet I like knowing what my options are for compensating for these treats.
To 'melt' in summer in a good way, such as melting away retained water and fat, eating mostly fatty fruit and watery vegetables (as opposed to starches) is the ticket. Plenty of hydration will also assist in those good and sweaty workouts -whether you're trying for one or not!
Let's face it: it doesn't take much to break out in a sweat in this heat - no sports or yard work required. So why not take advantage of the natural cleansing benefit of sweat and partake in the usual work, perhaps whilst donning a sombrero? As long as you ate your good oils, why not work on your tan?
Sweating is good and healthy, but it often stinks because it is the release of things our bodies can't use.
Now, I can love anything, so I generally don't mind sweat, but I recently found myself refusing to hug a sweaty friend. I was supposed to feel bad, but I know what's coming out of people and I think we should be ever mindful of hygiene. Besides, that friend knows I love him.
As a writer of musings, I have a tendency to fully embrace the season at hand. The changing of seasons is an exciting thing for us to consider, because we can address issues of stagnancy or complacency within our lives or even just within our households. (Spring cleaning is just one of four deep cleanings per year, right? Home hygiene is equally as important.)
We should never complain, even when we have 'unseasonable conditions' or extremes. Heat in summer forces us to appreciate fair weather, just like those extremely cold days in winter help us to not mind twenty below!
When we are in the thick of a season, as we are now, it's helpful to find ways to cope, at least within our homes. We have our air conditioner going around the clock and it's worth every penny of added power expenses! I've always been willing to do almost anything for a good night's sleep! Just to keep our little old house at 25 degrees, we need the A/C running upstairs in one little room, which is the official location within our house of 'pure heaven'.
(Not that heat is hell! I'm not complaining!)
I know, people from other parts are going, 'yeah, Marna, it's not that hot here.' Well, let me just end my column today by saying that it is hot enough to forgive the indiscriminate use of halter tops and daisy dukes, Speedos and Wranglers, so I'd say it's 'hot enough', indeed, for me.
