Dealing with the heat

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They make them for mobility scooters and chairs, how hard can it be to rig it for an ATV. Speed is the real issue, tractors and scooters are slow. Going fast on an ATV it'd act like a big sail.
I usually just cruise about 10 or 15 miles an hour, top speed is only 30. If I made it I would use PVC pipe uprights from the front and rear racks and make a small frame over my head. I probably will get to it eventually, it will be very helpful when I am older. Slow rides on the dirt roads and trails through the hills make for a relaxing get away. But, the 4 wheelers both need some maintenance that will have to wait until the house passes final inspection sometime this year.
 
Crosby used to like to lay in the grass in any shade she could find on hot days. It might be something that could work for any of us if we were outside, needing to cool off.
Crosby cooling off in the grass.jpg
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https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/843317/electrolytes
One note: keep electrolyte solutions refrigerated once mixed.

#1 2 c. Water, 2 c. Apple juice, a bit of salt, a bit of raw honey, 2 crushed calcium tablets, 1-2 fresh squeezed lemons

#2 1 qt. Water, 1/2 tsp. Salt, 1/3 c. Raw honey, 1/3 c. Lemon juice, 1-2 crushed calcium tablets, 1/4 tsp. Baking soda

#3 1/2 c. Orange juice, 9 Tbsp. Sugar, 3/8 tsp. Salt, add enough water to make 2 litres (approx. 8 c.)

#4...from internet because we needed something different that another family member would actually drink...haha

Lemon Lime Electrolyte Solution

3 c. Filtered water, 1/4 c. Local raw honey, 1/4 tsp sea salt, juice of 1 lemon & lime (about 1/3 c.)

Juice citrus. Stain out seeds & pulp (if desired). Add to jar with tight lid. Shake until all is mixed & dissolved. Yield: 1 quart
 
Weedy,
No potassium in your electrolyte recipes?
 
Our dogs do the same all day. In the grass, under a shade tree. They like water, so little granddaughter likes to hose them down a few times a day. They like the hose, but not the wading pool. Noticed the barn cats lay on shaded concrete.
 
This is an interesting thread to me because heat bothers me something awful. I grew up in FL and it did not bother me as a kid. I remember it bothering my father though and we had air conditioning as soon as we moved there from NY in 1962.

When I lived at my house, which did not have ac and for many years I did not even have a fan. I used to soak my feet in cold water fresh from my well. It worked but I would have to do it over and over all day. I spent a lot of hot days out in my garden but would put a wet bandanna on my neck and just keep getting it wet. I got where I could not tolerate the heat at all. Then I moved to an apartment with air conditioning. It is better.

But I have to be careful because if I go anywhere shopping or other places in a car, even with air conditioning, I get overheated easily. My face, hands and feet get red and my feet tend to swell up. I follow a low carb/keto diet but know I do not drink enough. I have been trying to improve on that.

Thank you for all the good advice here.
 
I took M to the dog park yesterday. She laid on concrete in the shade for a while. It was close to 100 degrees out. The concrete felt cool to the touch.
Animals have the right idea. They don't eat or move around much in the hot weather. My horses would not go outside their barn in summer during the day. Once it got dark though, out they'd go.
 
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This is an interesting thread to me because heat bothers me something awful. I grew up in FL and it did not bother me as a kid. I remember it bothering my father though and we had air conditioning as soon as we moved there from NY in 1962.

When I lived at my house, which did not have ac and for many years I did not even have a fan. I used to soak my feet in cold water fresh from my well. It worked but I would have to do it over and over all day. I spent a lot of hot days out in my garden but would put a wet bandanna on my neck and just keep getting it wet. I got where I could not tolerate the heat at all. Then I moved to an apartment with air conditioning. It is better.

But I have to be careful because if I go anywhere shopping or other places in a car, even with air conditioning, I get overheated easily. My face, hands and feet get red and my feet tend to swell up. I follow a low carb/keto diet but know I do not drink enough. I have been trying to improve on that.

Thank you for all the good advice here.
I am so much more bothered by the heat now than I was when I was a child and younger adult. I like the idea of soaking your feet in cool water. I have a kit for foot care that I store in a plastic basin. The basin is specifically used for soaking feet, and could certainly be used for soaking my feet in cool water.
Wet bandana is a great idea.
 
This week is the first time it has been uncomfortable hot in the house all summer. There have been days when walking across the yard was not fun, but the house has stayed between 78-82F indoors, all summer. That is rare for S.C. weather & it should cool off in four to six weeks.
 
Daughter uses pedialyte when she gets glutened. Buying the bottles currently run $5.99. It helps me to want to make my own for so much less. I'm going to try to talk to daughter about it. Early on in the pandemic, I found powder packets of pedialyte and bought her a package (6 packets per box) for $9.99. She liked it and has said she would like to find more to keep in her backpack so she always has access to it if she needs it. It occurs to me that any of us could do this. WHat concerns me the most is the list of ingredients. Who needs red 40 and blue 1?
Pedialyte ingredients.jpg
pedialyte.jpg
 
Daughter uses pedialyte when she gets glutened. Buying the bottles currently run $5.99. It helps me to want to make my own for so much less. I'm going to try to talk to daughter about it. Early on in the pandemic, I found powder packets of pedialyte and bought her a package (6 packets per box) for $9.99. She liked it and has said she would like to find more to keep in her backpack so she always has access to it if she needs it. It occurs to me that any of us could do this. WHat concerns me the most is the list of ingredients. Who needs red 40 and blue 1? View attachment 81405View attachment 81406

If I don't miss my guess the dyes are in there to make the product look more appealing to the consumer. I doubt that they have anything to do with the safety or efficacy. You might try making a batch sans dyes, and see how it works. If it still works as advertised you have your answer.
 
Daughter uses pedialyte when she gets glutened. Buying the bottles currently run $5.99. It helps me to want to make my own for so much less. I'm going to try to talk to daughter about it. Early on in the pandemic, I found powder packets of pedialyte and bought her a package (6 packets per box) for $9.99. She liked it and has said she would like to find more to keep in her backpack so she always has access to it if she needs it. It occurs to me that any of us could do this. WHat concerns me the most is the list of ingredients. Who needs red 40 and blue 1? View attachment 81405View attachment 81406
Sugar, more sugar, salt, vit-C, potassium, more salt, MSG (probably).
 
If I don't miss my guess the dyes are in there to make the product look more appealing to the consumer. I doubt that they have anything to do with the safety or efficacy. You might try making a batch sans dyes, and see how it works. If it still works as advertised you have your answer.
The interesting thing about red dye 40 is that it is one that is linked to ADHD. Daughter had herself diagnosed with ADD when she was around 20, and sought out the BEST psychologist/psychiatrist in the area to help her. She had previously been prescribed too strong a dose of medication, but new person has lowered the dosage and has daughter in a much better place.

https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/red-dye-40-and-adhd.14862/
 
Weedy, if you took sugar, salt, vitamin-C, lite-salt (potassium), and something for flavor you might be able to approximate this product. Have you ever tried to look up the recipe online? There are tons of commercial products where someone has worked out how to make it and published the recipe.
 
The interesting thing about red dye 40 is that it is one that is linked to ADHD. Daughter had herself diagnosed with ADD when she was around 20, and sought out the BEST psychologist/psychiatrist in the area to help her. She had previously been prescribed too strong a dose of medication, but new person has lowered the dosage and has daughter in a much better place.

https://www.homesteadingforum.org/threads/red-dye-40-and-adhd.14862/

Many of the red dyes affect my wife's asthma. They won't cause an attack, but definitely affect her breathing. Jell-O is one where we have to be careful.
 
Weedy, if you took sugar, salt, vitamin-C, lite-salt (potassium), and something for flavor you might be able to approximate this product. Have you ever tried to look up the recipe online? There are tons of commercial products where someone has worked out how to make it and published the recipe.
I had previously posted a few recipes. I think I need to talk to daughter about the red dyes, and making up her/our own mix for when she gets glutened.
 
There are a few recipes for making electrolyte replacement. I wonder what else people drink or use for that purpose?

Here is a copy and paste of something from another place a few years ago.
Rehydration formulas
I add one teaspoon Morton LiteSalt to one gallon water.
Here is why ...........
page 118 Let's Eat Right by Adelle Davis
Under normal circumstances, a healthy person runs little risk of deficiencies of sodium and chlorine. In extremely hot weather, however, so much salt can be lost through perspiration that death may occur.
Death from salt deficiency occurred during the construction of Boulder Dam and similar projects. During the blistering summer of 1933 I corresponded with an engineer who was working on Parker Dam. Each letter contained some such note as, "We had a wonderful cook but he died yesterday of sunstroke." The symptoms of sunstroke are now recognized as caused largely by loss of salt through perspiration.
A lack of salt causes symptoms varying in severity from mild lassitude, weariness, or hot-weather fatigue, common during heat waves, to heat cramp, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke, familiar to those who work in iron foundries, furnace or boiler rooms, and industrial plants such as steel or paper mills. Even persons who play tennis or take similar exercise during hot weather may suffer from heat stroke.
Persons working in extremely hot weather are often advised to take a salt tablet with each drink of water.
page 187 there are three nutrients - potassium, sodium and chlorine which we need in quite large amounts. Sodium and chlorine are supplied by tablet salt.

Morton LiteSalt 11 oz about 99 cents
1 oz = 6 teaspoons
11 oz = 66 teaspoons= 76,560 mg sodium, and 89,760 mg potassium

1 teaspoon
1160 mg sodium
1360 mg potassium
40% iodine

One gallon water 128 oz has 16 each 8 oz servings.......
8 oz water has 72mg sodium 85 mg K
8 oz Gatorade 110mg sodium 30 mg K
p273 "Let's eat right" by Adelle Davis "People who salt food lightly should add 3,000 mg sodium to a day's dietary, and those who enjoy well salted food 7,000 mg. Normally, the intake of potassium should be approximately the same as that of sodium, and calcium intake should be 2/3 that of phosphorus."

Gatorade per 8oz serving
total fat.....................0 grams
sodium .................110 mg
potassium................30 mg
total carb.................14 grams
sugars.....................14 grams
protein .....................0 grams
Anonymous said...
A good REHYDRATION FORMULA
•¼ tsp real salt
•¼ tsp no salt (potassium chloride)
•¼ tsp baking soda
•2 ½ tsp sugar

Adding koolaide helps make it taste better
Just reposted this in Dealing with leg cramps thread.
 
Preparing rehydration packets

I have been thinking that since I have all of this, I should mix up packets of the powders, package the dry servings in small zip top bags, put the packages in another container, along with directions to keep in BOBs. It is easier to get it together now and to prepackage it, than to have to measure each one out in a tough situation.

I found No-Salt in the discount bin at the grocery store and bought all of them.

The WHO recommended formula is simple:

1/2 teaspoon salt
6 teaspoons sugar (6 teaspoons is 2 tablespoons)
1 quart or liter of clean drinking water
A good REHYDRATION FORMULA
•¼ tsp real salt
•¼ tsp no salt (potassium chloride)
•¼ tsp baking soda
•2 ½ tsp sugar
koolaid for flavor

Sports Drink (makes 2 quarts)
1 packet unsweetened Kool-Aid, any flavor
8 tablespoons sugar (or 10 packets sweetener)
3/8 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon salt substitute (potassium chloride)
2 quarts water
Said to be close to Gatorade, but not as sweet. You can adjust the sweetness to taste.
^ This would be a good thing to make for groups to share.
 
Its 75 and pushing 80 here today. After weeks of working outside in the 30s and 40s.....THIS SUCKS. Sweating my butt off and just wearing down way to fast
Great point for rebooting this thread!
I'm sure today you would say to that guy: "That ain't hot!". gaah
And for you today I'm sure it wouldn't be.
I read back thru the whole thread and couldn't find this point anywhere:
Acclimate yourself to the heat gradually over time.
Go out every day whether you have to or not. You will thank yourself later.
I see it every year when visitors come down to visit from up north when it is summertime.
They melt like snowflakes while me and my acclimated buddies say: "What's wrong with him?":dunno:
 
Great point for rebooting this thread!
I'm sure today you would say to that guy: "That ain't hot!". gaah
And for you today I'm sure it wouldn't be.
I read back thru the whole thread and couldn't find this point anywhere:
Acclimate yourself to the heat gradually over time.
Go out every day whether you have to or not. You will thank yourself later.
I see it every year when visitors come down to visit from up north when it is summertime.
They melt like snowflakes while me and my acclimated buddies say: "What's wrong with him?":dunno:
This year, Mother Nature didn't give us the chance to acclimate. It went from the 60s directly to 90°. I think that's why my hands swelled up so bad a few days ago.
 
I'm always ready!! I may die push mowing, but........liking what can kill you, go figure!!🙄😉🤪
Gators and hot weather! What's not to love!!!
Getting acclimated is VERY important. I've found 2-3 weeks is about what it takes me. But losing that happens in just a few days and you get to start all over
I'm usually good after soaking up the heat daily for a week.
The weird thing is, the hotter it gets, the better I function (with proper hydration)
I mentioned arthritis earlier in the thread, think of it like thawing out a frozen chicken.
After it is thawed out, it is easy to move the joints.
And as my sweat drips on the ground, the pain drips away too!:woo hoo:
Sometimes, almost all of it!
emo12-gif.64838

I guess you could say I am better off "roasted".:D
On the flip side, if I have to sit in an office where the A/C is set on a "comfy" 72°, yes I will have to have my jacket on🥶.
 
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Great point for rebooting this thread!
I'm sure today you would say to that guy: "That ain't hot!". gaah
And for you today I'm sure it wouldn't be.
I read back thru the whole thread and couldn't find this point anywhere:
Acclimate yourself to the heat gradually over time.
Go out every day whether you have to or not. You will thank yourself later.
I see it every year when visitors come down to visit from up north when it is summertime.
They melt like snowflakes while me and my acclimated buddies say: "What's wrong with him?":dunno:
When I was a cop, in the desert heat in southern Nevada, each summer we had training that said it takes over a week to acclimate to the high temperatures but if you go to a cooler place for only a couple days it will take you over a week to get used to the heat again. "They" say you should drink a gallon or more of water a day, I forget the number of ounces per body weight, but when I worked in the 100+ temps it was rare for me to drink less than 3 gallons of water a day, and some days at work over a 10 hour shift I would only pee once because I was sweating so much.
Well, I have been retired from that crap almost 12 years and still living in the desert but almost 20 degrees cooler most days, and I still drink over 2 gallons a day. A goal I always had for drinking water, at least once a day your urine should be clear. If that doesn't happen at least once a day you are not drinking enough water. Coffee, pop, beer, juice doesn't help flush the kidneys. You need to drink lots of water. (Too much information alert) There were days when I was just too busy on a major accident or crime scene and didn't get enough water and later in the day it actually hurt to pee. That is on the verge of dehydration and heat stroke.
Always bring more water with you than what you think you need. Even if you don't drink it it will be there for the next day. Even if it gets warm or hot, drink the water. If you freeze a few bottles at night and take them with you you will at least have cooler water later in the day. A small, cheap insulated lunch box type cooler will be helpful.
 
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