Summer, hot weather, survival

That is similar to what I do.

Drink lots of cool water, NO ICE.

Learn to pace yourself.

Wear loose fitting cotton cloths, only - no polyesters.

Stop all outside activity when it is over about 105 - 110 degrees. Take afternoon siestas.

Even without aircond, my house rarely gets over 76 degrees on the hottest days.

__________________
Mess with me? I may let karma take care of it. Mess with my family? I become Karma.

Learn to recognize dehydration.
When you are sure you are well hydrated, pinch the skin on the top of your forearm and pull it out. Let go and see how rapidly it returns to normal. Get in the habit of checking it, both when well hydrated in cooler weather (so you know what normal is) and when you are in danger of dehydrating during hot weather. Well hydrated skin will go back into place quickly. Dehydrated skin will wrinkle more and go back slowly. This is called the skin turgor test.

__________________
I believe in God's willingness to heal.

Cyngbaeld's Keep Heritage Farm, breeding a variety of historical birds and LaMancha goats. (It is pronounced King Bold.)

It gets over 100 and extremely humid here. We do many of the above mentioned things. I just wanted to add not to forget to keep your children well hydrated ect. too. check on loved ones.

Also don't forget tp make sure your livestock and pets are well watered and cheked on too!

Ernie, we keep Sabbath too

eta:lol I meant to not tp, although tp is good to have also!

__________________
Hialeahs Dairy Goats, raising high quality Nubians, ( mini nubes coming soon) and Nigerian Dwarfs!


What we use for Homeschooling
http://homeschoolingtorah.com/dap/a/?a=240

Naturelover, the garment you described is called a Salwar-Kameez. I started making and wearing them about 10 years ago after looking for a something other than shorts to wear in the heat. I finally thought to myself "what do ladies in really hot climates wear?" and discovered them. I'll never go back to "normal" clothes again.

Demeter

__________________
"I think, therefore I am. I think."--George Carlin

It was 102 here yesterday and we (me, DH and DD9) had to be outside for 8 hours due to working. Not heavy work, just standing, sitting and walking, some light lifting, but it still was HOT!!! We kept air moving on us and misted ourselves with water a lot. And I had refrigerated cotton balls soaked in rubbing alcohol that we used to rub across our wrists, inner elbow and around the neck. makes you feel so much cooler for a little bit. We did well, but we underestimated how much water to bring to drink and now know better. After watching a few hundred people walking around, I noticed only 1 person who wasn't drenched in sweat and miserable...a woman clothed head to toe in a big loose burka!
So next time we will stay in the shade, wear looser clothing and cooler shoes (I felt like my feet were 120 degrees in socks and sneakers!), and drink more. Oh, and down here we make "pickle-sicles"...frozen pickle juice in ice cube trays with toothpicks for handles, for when you have to be out in the heat! I've always lived in tropical areas and always have heard the ways to avoid heatstroke, but it never bothered me when I was younger and thinner, but last year ended up with heat stroke while pushing myself gardening....felt it happening and kept on going. And I'm a nurse and know better! This year with DD being in the heat with us, I am definitely paying more attention!

Thank you, I didn't know there was a name for it, I had to look that up to find pictures. The silk trousers are like the Salwar-Kameez trousers seen in the picture below (but without the over dress). I see them worn by both men and women.



And the blouses or shirts are rather like these tunic blouses, only longer and looser that slip on over the head, without front buttons - also worn by both men and women working outside.





I guess they may not be suitable for people working around some kinds of machinery that could catch the loose fabric but they are certainly comfortable to wear for doing other kinds of work outdoors. I love the way they flap in the breeze or when moving around and they promote cooling dryness of the skin. If the silk gets wet it dries quickly enough, doesn't stick to the skin. I'm not a seamstress but I think they would be easy to make by hand by even someone like me who only stitches by hand.

.

The lady in the burka might have been acclimated to the heat too. I know this is obvious, but when your body is in good cardio shape, it can handle heat much better. your blood can circulate more freely and thoroughly to cool(it loses heat and cools when it goes through your hands and feet).

Your body tissues will absorb water more thoroughly if you hydrate when you are resting and not under heat stress(like in the cooler night). Also better to frequently sip instead of dump a Big Gulp all at once.

__________________
THE BEGINNING IS NEAR
5-star double-rated astronavagatrix earth girl

From some studies I did years ago I found out that this is how Ancient Egyptians use to cool their homes.

__________________
http://sonshine-littlebitofsonshine.blogspot.com/

Christian Homesteaders Forum
http://christianhomesteader.forumotion.net/

Can't stress enough about wearing a breathable hat to protect your head and brain. Most of us walk around in a constant state of dehydration (the reason for most headaches is dehydration) so it's very important to push fluids. I also agree, do what has to be done outside early in the morning.

__________________
http://sonshine-littlebitofsonshine.blogspot.com/

Christian Homesteaders Forum
http://christianhomesteader.forumotion.net/

Ladies, wearing cool cotton dresses is way better than pants. I didn't like dresses but I made a couple of them last summer and wore them to death....just be sure you got some pockets or an apron for going in the garden or hen house! I never believed that I'd be cooler in a dress but I am. And get a really big sunhat. It has been in the 90's for the last week and a half here.

When it's hot, hot, hot. I like to ....

Opp's it's never hot.

Does 80 and humid count? I just avoid working in the heat of the day. I also pace myself so I don't get to the point of having to stop before the chosen chores are finished.

On really hot days I'll go lay on the ground in the shade of the forest and get a chill from the cold ground.

And you can do it without looking like an escapee from a nearby Renaissance Faire or a woowoo weirdo cultist.

Angie, this may seem strange but, I wear my reenacting sunbonnet when working in the sun and wet down the bavolet (curtain portion that covers the neck and shoudlers). The key to these, as evidenced by the original I copied it from and many other originals, is the fabric needs to be lightweight and light colored. See how sheer it is? The fabric is a semi sheer cotton and only the brim where the cording is is lined with white cotton muslin because I had to have two layers to put the cording into. Looks funny with modern sorts and t shirt but, beats the heck out of heatstroke.



Also, switchel will keep you better hydrated than water. There are a bunch of recipes online, look for raspberry shrub (I cannot find my recipe right now). Switchel AKA shrub in 19th Century.

Edited: Sorry for the size of the photo. Tried to resize it down but it didn't work.

It's got electrolytes!

When I traveled in the southwest, I'd use a hose at a garage and wet my head and hair thoroughly...as it dried, it cooled me.

If I grow a field of flax will one of the spinners on the site turn it into linen for me? I'll give you half...

__________________
Know why the middle class is screwed? 3 classes, 2 parties...

To punish me for my contempt for authority, fate made me an authority myself. ~ Einstein

I was surprised when I threw out a couple of handfuls of flax seeds for the local critters, and had some come up about 2 ft high and pretty blue flowers. Darn stuff was stringy when cut and dried . I thought of growing some to make the yarn from.

Wonder if I could use the regular length of fibers as sewing thread.

__________________
"Live your life, and forget your age." Norman Vincent Peale

I can't see why not. That is an interesting experiment to true I think. Maybe take a few strands and spin them into thread?

All I know is I have about 2 acres of unused field and if I don't put it to use soon I'm going to feel like crap about it. It's in red fescue now so I suppose I could use that for low quality feed?

__________________
Know why the middle class is screwed? 3 classes, 2 parties...

To punish me for my contempt for authority, fate made me an authority myself. ~ Einstein

go to the fiber forum and ask about spinning the flax to linen yarn.
Bet someone up there is up to it.

__________________
"Live your life, and forget your age." Norman Vincent Peale

InvalID, look up heat pumps. we use them here. Pipe goes down your water well, brings up the 55 degree water and it is heated then to heat the house.Much easier and less energy to heat from 55 than from the outdoor air temperature. In the summer it does the opposite to cool the house.They work Very well but unfortunately are expensive. A great deal if one does not move as often as the average person.