6 Ways To Beat The Heat For Less

Every summer seems to produce new records for heat, and the only thing rising rising faster than the mercury is the price of staying cool. You could run your air conditioner all day long and upgrade your home with the latest in energy saving devices, but these are expensive options.
Here are six affordable ways to beat the heat:

1. Do It Yourself Automotive Sunshade

Really nice sunshades for your car can reflect the powerful radiant energy of the sun, but they can cost $50 or more. An inexpensive alternative can be constructed for a fraction of the cost. First, go to any bicycle store and ask for a bike box. They will quickly produce a large cardboard box that they receive their bicycles in. They will even be happy to give it to you as they were probably going to through away. Cut out some of the cardboard in the same shape as the inside of your car’s windshield. Finally, cover the outside with aluminum foil. The foil will reflect heat while the cardboard will insulate the foil. Fold it over towards the side covered in foil to store it.

2. Wearable Hydration Packs

Professional cyclists and other athletes have started using vests filled with cooling packs in order to boost their summertime performance and keep from overheating. While these systems work great, they are very expensive. An affordable alternative is to use a backpack hydration system like those sold by the Camelbak company. All you have to do is fill the pack with ice cubes, followed by cold water. Wearing this during outdoor activities keeps you cool by conducting heat away from your back. At the same time, you can enjoy ready access to cold drinking water during your outdoor activities. The best part is that the ice should not melt for several hours, even in the hottest conditions.

3. Turn The Circulation Fan From “Auto” To “On”

If you live in a home with a basement, you have probably learned that the coolest air in your house accumulates there. When your thermostat is set to “Auto”, cold air is only circulated from there while the air conditioner is running. By switching this setting to “On” you can enjoy several cost cutting benefits. First, cool air continues to be re-directed from the basement to the rest of your house, evening out the temperature difference. Next, the heat exchanger in your system will continue to cool air, even after your air conditioner’s compressor shuts down. Finally, having air circulating over your skin will always make you feel cooler, whether the air is from a ceiling fan or the circulation fan in your home’s heating and air conditioning system.

4. Room Darkening Shades

Much of the heat that enters your home comes from the radiant energy of the sun, so it is important to observe which windows receive the most direct sunlight. You could install a heavy curtain by each of those windows, but that is a very expensive option. A more affordable alternative is to use heavy room darkening shades. These vinyl shade roll up when not in use, but do a great job blocking sunlight when deployed. As an added bonus, you will also be able to keep your room dark enough that you can more easily sleep in on summer mornings when the sun rises too early.

5. Choose The Right Clothing

The type of fabric you wear can have a dramatic effect on how you experience higher temperatures. Avoid cotton as it can hold warmth when dry and it prevents ventilation when cool. It also absorbs sweat and odors. Wool is really best suited for winter, so keep it in your closet until at least fall. As an alternative, look for synthetics that are designed with the heat in mind. The ideal materials are nylon blends that breath well and wick moisture away from the skin. Look for thin athletic socks, synthetic t-shirts, and  lightweight nylon travel pants.

6. Try Evaporative Cooling

Evaporative coolers are sometimes called swamp coolers. They are far less expensive to run than traditional air conditioners, but they are only well suited to dryer climates. Some people in the southwestern United States often install evaporative coolers to service their entire house, while others cool a single room with a portable unit. If you live in a humid area, you can still utilize the same effect by setting up misting sprays on your porch or other outdoor areas.
Staying cool can be both difficult and expensive during a long hot summer, as it can be extremely costly to stay inside and run your air conditioner all day. At home, staying cool is largely a question of saving money, while outside the house it is a mostly a mater of comfort and enjoyment. By using a little creativity and ingenuity, you can maintain comfort in the heat without wasting energy and your money.

Protecting Yourself from the Sun: 4 Things That Could Save Your Life

For all the enormous, live-sustaining benefits the Sun provides us Earthlings, its powerful rays can also cause harmful side-effects. In humans, these can include: Rapid dehydration, sunburn (and its advanced relative–skin cancer), premature aging of the skin, retinal damage, cataracts, immune system weakening, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
Next time you’re basking in the sun for extended periods, always be mindful of the possible side effects; learn how to substantially reduce your chances of falling victim to sunlight and heat by reading on.

1. H20, Baby

Although it’s practically engrained into our heads (yet it never fails to be 110% true), drink plenty of water and other electrolyte-boosting drinks (e.g. mineral/flavored water) at close, regular intervals and in moderate amounts—do not attempt to chug a gallon of water all at once, in other words.
Stay away from drinks with added-sugar; if hunger appears (which is very likely), consider munching on a vegetable or fruit snack. Vegetables and fruits are up to 90% pure water. And although the daily intake requirements of water for people varies—depending on factors like your level of activity, BMI (body mass index), weather conditions and eating habits—the average person (being moderately active and being exposed to the sun around 20% of the day) needs to consume up to 3 liters daily.

2. Break Out the Sunscreen/Sunblock

First, let’s clarify the common misconception that they’re the same thing. Sunscreen, like its name suggests, screens out most of the Sun’s harmful rays and boasts an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or less. Sunblock (SPF of 30 and up), on the other hand, provides far more robust, longer-lasting protection: Useful especially for folks with very light- to fair-skinned complexions.
Yeah, everyone knows they should use it, yet many either ignore it or neglect to use an effective strength. Keeping the aforementioned about SPFs in mind:

• Use sunblock, even if you’re fairly tan, especially during the period of the day when the Sun is in full-force, per say (11 A.M. ’til about 4:30 P.M.).

• Kids require even more protection, given their still-developing immune systems and the fact that permanent Sun damage can occur even before they reach adulthood.

• Realize that the numbers on sunscreen and sunblock bottles (e.g. SPF 25 or 40) actually mean something. Take SPF 30 for example; when applied, you protect yourself up to 30 times longer (than you would with no protection) from sunburn and other damaging effects. Additionally, the higher the SPF, the greater area (expressed as a %) of skin that’s shielded.

• Make certain that your sunscreen or sunblock sports both UVA and UVB (ultraviolet A and B rays) protection.

• Give sunblock/sunscreen around 30-40 minutes to acclimate to your skin before venturing into the sun.

• Most people need about one-fourth a cup of it every two-to-three hours—more frequently for profuse sweaters.

• Going swimming? Get a waterproof/water-resistant sunblock solution.

Didn’t know there was so much to sunblock, did ya?

3. Accessorize

While keeping the body hydrated and the skin protected with sunblock/sunscreen is great (and extremely important), what you wear completes the equation.

• Wear loose fitting, light colored clothing when exposed to the sun and/or extreme heat. Just because the Sun may be hiding, that doesn’t mean that you’re immune.

• Cover your head with a hat, towel, or visor and take advantage of any shade you come across as frequently as possible.

• Keep a cool, wet towel draped around your neck. The nerves in the back of the neck (around the ‘small’) respond more quickly to cool stimuli than most other parts of your body.

• Consume ample, cold water, but don’t overdo it; taking in too much water can place a real strain on the kidneys—which may lead to stomach cramps, diarrhea, and even longer-term conditions.

• Wear the right sunglasses. Often, even cheap pairs from the convenience store will do. Make sure to grab a pair labeled with at least 99% protection—100% is, of course, better—against both UVA and UVB rays, just like your sunblock. Sunlight can damage not only the area around the eye (i.e. eyelid), but also the eye lens and cornea, and can lead to the development of myriad cataracts, among other things.

4. Know the Signs of Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke

The fourth method—and this may be the most important of all—is being vigilant of the signs of heat exhaustion or, worse yet, heat stroke. Good indicators of the former include sudden, heat-related cramps, profuse sweating, dark urine, nausea. The signs for heat stroke are ramped-up a bit: feeling faint, becoming heavily disoriented, seizing and/or reaching a body temperature above 102 F.
In the event you or another person begins to experience any of these, take precautions—find shade and/or a fan, lie down in the shade with the head propped up, hydrate, wet the upper-body down with cool water and so forth—and never second-guess yourself about seeking emergency medical services.
Now you’re ready to go have some fun and frolic in the sun!

The Princess without a Palace

Once upon a time there was a kingdom with an ancient prophecy that spoke of a Princess without a palace. The prophecy said that as soon as that Princess found her palace, she would be the wisest and fairest Queen there had ever been. That kingdom had a royal family who had lived in a beautiful... palace for generations. But there was a great earthquake which destroyed the palace and killed the King and Queen.



Their two daughters, Princess Nora and Princess Sabina, managed to survive.

After this tragedy, Nora understood that she, being the elder sister, might be the Princess mentioned in the prophecy. Accompanied by her sister, Nora devoted herself to finding her new palace. During their travels they met a wise old man who gave them an old key that would open the palace doors.

“I have no idea where the palace will be”, said the old man, “All I know is that you should try this key wherever you seek it”.

And Nora went with her sister, trying the key on all the palace doors they found. When there were no more palaces to try, they thought maybe the palace would just be some large important house, but neither did the key fit any of those. Fed up, the sisters lost hope of ever finding their palace. They had spent so much time away, travelling and searching, that no one now missed them. Neither did they have any money or jewels left, and when they arrived at a poor village they had to work in the fields alongside all the poor people who, not knowing that the sisters were royalty, took them in as though they were two homeless orphans.

The sisters lived there for some years. They worked hard, and knew what hunger was, and how life could be so difficult, but people loved them so much that they came to be very happy, and they gradually forgot their royal past. One night, while tidying Nora's things, Sabina found the old key. Amused, she took it to her sister, and they reminisced about their search for their own magnificent palace.

"There still must be some palace, hidden in some little forest, just waiting for us to find it," said Nora, with a glimmer of hope.

"Well, you know what I think," answered her younger sister, "that I don't need anything else to be happy. We spent months travelling from castle to castle to live the life of Queens, but I have never been so happy as I am now, even though we don't have much. If I had to choose a palace," she continued, joyfully dancing about by the door, "it would be this little cabin." she ended, laughing, and then with a solemn gesture placing the key in the cabin door.

Just then, the room filled with lights and music, and from that old door arose a wonderful palace filled with life and colour. The place became totally transformed; there were fountains, gardens, and animals. The village people marvelled at all of this.

The only thing which remained as it had been was the cabin door, reminding everyone of how Sabina the Wonderful - which was what they called their wise Queen - had found that in a simple, humble life lay the doorway to happiness, not only for herself, but for all the inhabitants of that land.

Moral of the story

Happiness is not to be found in the showy and sophisticated things in life, but rather in the right way to approach life and live it.

 

Healthy Lifestyles Help Maintain Healthy Minds!

They say motivation doesn't last...

They say motivation doesn't last...well neither does bathing that's why it's recommended everyday. Explore wonderful quotes and sayings on our page with pictures, Helping us All to grow. We post the most powerful and uplifting quotes that will motivate you to move forward The ONLY direction!. PLZ like our page and share with all your friends because even the wisest mind has yet something to learn! and inspiration is like food for the brain. You cannot get enough in one sitting it needs continual and regular top up's.

Pretty Lady and Monk

Pretty Lady and Monk

by Inspirational and motivational stories on Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 4:58am ·

Once upon a time a big monk and a little monk were traveling together. They came to the bank of a river and found the bridge was damaged. They had to wade across the river. There was a pretty lady who was stuck at the damaged bridge and couldn't cross the river.
 The big monk offered to carry her across the river on his back. The l...ady accepted. The little monk was shocked by the move of the big monk. 'How can big brother carry a lady when we are supposed to avoid all intimacy with females?' thought the little monk. But he kept quiet... The big monk carried the lady across the river and the small monk followed unhappily. When they crossed the river, the big monk let the lady down and they parted ways with her. All along the way for several miles, the little monk was very unhappy with the act of the big monk. He was making up all kinds of accusations about big monk in his head. This got him madder and madder. But he still kept quiet. And the big monk had no inclination to explain his situation. Finally, at a rest point many hours later, the little monk could not stand it any further, he burst out angrily at the big monk. 'How can you claim yourself a devout monk, when you seize the first opportunity to touch a female, especially when she is very pretty? All your teachings to me make you a big hypocrite

The big monk looked surprised and said, 'I had put down the pretty lady at the river bank many hours ago, how come you are still carrying her along?'

Everybody can be great....

Everybody can be great because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. — Martin Luther King, Jr.