This summer, in Maine, the weather has been rainy and cold, but there have been a couple of days here and there where the temperatures were in the mid-80s and we thought we might die of heat!  Most of us here in the Northeast don’t have central air, but we might have a window unit or two and we certainly have enough fans to help cool down the rooms.  However, I have been where it is hot, and I know going outside can feel like walking into an oven.  Here are a few ways you can beat the heat to concentrate on enjoying the remaining part of your summer.

• Find water  – anything will do:  a water fountain, a sprinkler, a swimming pool, a lake, the ocean.   Water cools a body down fast.
• Try a popsicle – maybe you haven’t had once since you were a kid, but a popsicle will make you feel cool even when it is blistering outdoors.
• Cook outdoors – keep the heat where it belongs – outside!
• Strategically place a fan – even with the a/c on, sometimes it just feels sticky.  Instead of cranking it up, get yourself your own personal fan.
• Wear looser clothing – if you have room between your skin and your clothes, you leave more room for evaporation which helps cool the body.
• Read – grab some shade and a tale about a tropical paradise (or better yet, a winter wonderland) then avoid working up a sweat at all costs.
• Print a Menu Planner and plan out your meals or clean out the refrigerator – a great excuse to stand in front of an open refrigerator while being productive at the same time.

What’s your favorite way to beat the heat?