Heat

[ysabetwordsmith]

readera has a post about heat precautions regarding the heat dome. These are my additions...


Check cuisine and especially beverages from sweltering locales. They are designed for this problem.

10 Rich and Flavorful Lassi Recipes

Lassi Recipe (Sweet & Salt Lassi)

15 Cool and Refreshing Agua Fresca Recipes

Cucumber Tomato Salad
This can be made with mint, parsley, and/or cilantro along with various seasonings. Naf Naf sells an excellent version.



There are also cooling foods and herbs:

Top 22+ Cooling Foods and Herbs (and Their Benefits)

25+ Foods to Replenish Electrolytes

What Is The Best Salt For Hydration?


Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and other dehydrating substances! They dry out your body and may cause you to faceplant into the pavement.


Another thing to consider is context. Shade and transpiration both protect against heat. So an area protected by trees will be much cooler than one exposed to baking sun or tall buildings. My yard, which is mostly shaded, averages 5-10°F cooler than the surrounding fields. If you want to visit a park, look for a leafy one. If you have a yard which is not already protected by trees, consider planning ahead to plant some in fall or spring.

Nothing will screw you worse than information that used to be true. High heat can cause acute kidney injury. This used to be, past tense, consistently a temporary problem. Serious, but a hospital could treat it and most people recovered without permanent impact. Such is no longer true. Chronic kidney disease is a signature injury of climate change. The most prevalent seems to stem from two sources: 1) repeated incidents of acute injury and 2) long-term stressors. Less common but also known are cases of heat injury so extreme that a single incident does lasting damage.

Employers often refuse to protect worker safety. In most cases, your job is not worth your life. If your employer forces you to work in dangerously hot conditions, especially without precautions (e.g. a cooling room for breaks, limitless cold water, and bathroom access) then get out while you still can. This is especially true if you experience heat-related symptoms (e.g. dizziness, muscle cramps) that do not go away after cooling off or replenishing water and electrolytes. If you are an employer, don't murder people, take workplace precautions.