Some people love hot weather.  I am definitely NOT one of then.  Starting today, our Central New York area is looking at the hottest days of the summer with a "Heat Advisory" issued from the National Weather Service of Binghamton.  So when the heat really kicks in and we've all got sweat rolling down our faces, we'll finally know what it must be like to be Frosty the Snowman when the sun came out!  I'd rather skip that experience and stay cool and fortunately, even if you don't own an air conditioner, there are ways to not melt in this crazy heat.  You can feel more comfortable if you follow some easy beat the heat tips that I found at realsimple.com.
Realsimple.com gives you 23 ways, and I've selected five of my favorites:

5 Ways to Beat the Heat...

 

Close everything. Whether the air conditioner is on or off, keep windows and doors shut if the temperature outside is more than 77 degrees Fahrenheit (most people start to sweat at 78). Whenever the outside air is hotter than the inside air, opening a window invites heat to creep in.

Block the sun. Closing curtains and blinds (ideally with sun-deflecting white on the window side) can reduce the amount of heat that passes into your home by as much as 45 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Make a makeshift air conditioner. If it's hot but not humid, place a shallow bowl of ice in front of a fan and enjoy the breeze. As the ice melts, then evaporates, it will cool you off.

Spritz yourself. Keep a spray bottle in the refrigerator, and when the going gets hot, give yourself a good squirt. "It's all about thermal regulation," says John Lehnhardt, an elephant expert at Disney's Animal Kingdom, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. "As the water evaporates, it cools you." While elephants wet their ears first by blasting water from their trunks, humans should begin with their wrists to quickly cool down the blood flowing through their veins.

Fan strategically. If the day's heat is trapped inside your home, try a little ventilation at night or when the temperature drops below 77. A window fan can help; the trick is to face the blades outside to suck warm air out of the house and pull cooler air in. "Kind of surprising," says Bill Nye, the Science Guy, a scientist, engineer, comedian, author, and inventor. "Having a fan blowing in is a good idea―but it's not as effective as one that's blowing out."

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