Sharing the Health!
Looking for creative ways to stay cool this summer besides sitting in a kiddie pool with a cold drink? You might purchase a FlexiFreeze Ice Vest from Amazon.com for a mere $99.99. You can also get a handheld portable fan for about $12.
Wear loose-fitting clothing, preferably of a light color. Darker colors will absorb the sun’s heat and stay warmer longer than light or white clothing, which reflects light and heat.
Cotton, silk and linen clothing will keep you cooler than many synthetics as polyester or rayon. The performance clothing lines worn by athletes may help you stay cool.
Sleeping on silk, satin and cotton sheets at night will feel smoother and cooler.
Go barefoot when you can!
Try storing lotions or cosmetics in the refrigerator.
You could also keep plastic bottles of water in the freezer; grab one when you’re ready to go outside. As the ice melts, you’ll have a supply of cold water with you.
Anyone can use a fan! Try putting a metal bowl of salted ice in front of a fan and adjust the fan so that the air is blowing over the ice. The salt lowers the temperature at which the water freezes, allowing you to make the ice super cold.
If you set your ceiling fans to run counter- clockwise, this will draw hot air up while circulating a cool breeze through your rooms.
People with COPD who also suffer with obstructive sleep apnea have what is known as Overlap Syndrome. Unfortunately, 60 percent of people with Overlap Syndrome do not use their CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) mask as prescribed leading to increased hospitalizations.
A new program by the COPD Foundation and the American Sleep Apnea Association has an online educational center to help peo- ple with Overlap Syndrome use their masks properly while sleeping. Join the study to determine the effectiveness of this program at www.o2verlap.org/portal.registration. Or email [email protected].org for more information.
Our friends in Hawaii have been dealing with erupting volcanoes. When this hap- pens, volcanic ash and vog are released into the air. Vog is a form of air pollution that results when sulfur dioxide and other gases and particles emitted by an erupting volca- no react with oxygen and moisture in the presence of sunlight. Volcanic ash may hold very small fragments of rocks, minerals and volcanic glass that can be breathed deep into the lungs. Check your weather conditions at www.airnow.gov.The American Lung Asso- ciation recommends staying inside when the pollution is high and keeping your air condi- tioners in the house and car on recirculate. Pollution is no joke! Asthma deaths in the United Kingdom and Wales have increased more than 25 percent since 2007, with the increase found to be caused by environmental pollution.
I like to eat a lot of salads, fruit and yogurt throughout the summer so I don’t have to turn the oven on. I find recipes on www. eatingwell.com. A therapist gave me the great advice to eat smaller, more frequent meals rather than three large ones. It really made a difference!
Slushy drinks made from orange juice or grape juice are always enjoyable.
Mary Prentice, Arlington, VA
My sister and I, who both use supple- mental oxygen, recently went on a road trip together. We use portable oxygen concentra- tors and depend on charged batteries to keep going on our adventures. Unfortunately, when we picked up our rental car, we found it did not have the traditional power outlets to plug our units into. The car did have the new USB plugs to recharge our phones and we had to carefully plan our stops. Just wanted to warn other oxygen users to be careful when renting a car!
Rose Manning, Sitka, AL
Answers to our Summer Movie Quiz in the May/June issue:
- The Sandlot
- American Graffiti
- Stand by Me
- The Great Outdoors
- Dirty Dancing
- Jaws
- The Graduate
- National Lampoon’s Vacation
- Ernest Goes to Camp
- The Parent Trap
- Friday the 13th
- Meatballs