Making Cannabis Edibles

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Making Cannabis Edibles

Making Cannabis Edibles

Dave and Bill are here at the Calamity Politics studios and they are talking today about making cannabis edibles. I’m a big fan of cannabis edibles and I use RSO (Rick Simpson Oil) to make all my delicious edibles. Bill is the weed man and knows his shit. The great thing about RSO is that there is none of that weird weedy aftertaste, plus you don’t need to make any special changes to your standard recipe. So sit down and take a couple minutes to learn about making cookies, brownies, and gummies.

Beat The Heat By Looking Cool

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How to Beat the Heat by Looking Cool

This has been one hot summer and its only half over. Stay cool. Stay happy.

Look Cool And Beat The Heat

By Anna Hessel

In these “dog days” of August during this nationwide heatwave, it’s hard to not look wilted. The state of Arizona has had over a month of 110 degree days. So how to stay looking attractive and well groomed during humidity and extremely hot temperatures? Here are some helpful hints and tips:

  1. Stay hydrated. Drink liquids, especially water, and minimize alcohol, which is drying, and caffeine, either in energy drinks, colas, or coffee, since it rushes fluids through and out of your body.
  2. Use a clarifying shampoo, don’t over condition hair, and use a light volumizing mousse. Carry dry shampoo in your bag for touch ups.
  3. Use a toner before applying base or foundation.
  4. Use powder lightly to set make up, and consider a setting spray or perfecting primer base under foundation, etc.
  5. Use water proof mascara and liners on your eyes, and keep shadow simple to avoid creasing.
  6. Use moisturizing lip balm, lipstick, or gloss.
  7. Less is more when it comes to accessories in the summer months. Metal jewelry can get hot and uncomfortable against the skin. Putting metal jewelry in the fridge before putting it on, however, can help cool you down, especially bracelets or necklaces.
  8. Keeping toners, lotions, lipsticks, and sunburn creams in the refrigerator area is a great way to feel cooler and avoid products melting.
  9. Remember to wear sunscreen. A BB or CC cream with SPF is a great alternative to a heavy foundation or concealer during these dog days of August.
  10. Reapply deodorant/antiperspirant often – carry a small or travel size in your purse or pocket to make keeping up easier.
  11. Choose light airy fragrances – try all over body sprays.
  12. Moisturizing is important. Avoid ones with heavy oils, particularly mineral oil, but opt for a gel or water based lotion. Moisturizers should help maintain water content of your skin, not make you feel sticky.
  13. Wear loose but not baggy clothes that flow away from the body. Cotton, linen, and sheer fabrics in light colors are best to beat the heat. Materials made to wick away water can help keep sweating wetting to a minimum.
  14. Wear sandals or flip flops to avoid wearing socks. Of course, never ever wear socks with sandals – that’s not an attractive look on anyone, including grandpa.
  15. Heavy large totes and purses can weigh you down in the heat, as can cross body bags, which could block heat from escaping where they rest against the skin. Choose smaller options when you can.
  16. A dip in the pool or some aqua-cize is a great way to exercise during the high heat.
  17. You are what you eat and in summer salads, fruits and lighter fare will keep you full and refreshed.
  18. Avoid staying in a wet swimsuit en route home from the pool – or any where for that matter-it can be detrimental to your intimate health.
  19. We all now know the dangers of talc in powders but corn starch or baking soda can be used to stay fresh.
  20. Baking soda baths and moisturizing bubble baths in moderation go a long way to staying refreshed.
  21. Increase your daily shower or bathing to more often, just blotting dry enough to not drip on the floor. Nothing feels better than clean skin. But keep the water temperature to lukewarm or tepid – all cold water might send your body into warm up mode.
  22. Try a refreshing gel mask – watermelon is my favorite. Use an eye mask from the freezer also. I actually have gel filled plastic eye rounds with a watermelon motif on them for tired peepers.
  23. Make your own beauty scrubs and masks. Recipes can be found online and at the end of this article.
  24. Attractive hats can be worn to shade from the sun.
  25. Carry a cold washcloth in a ziplock bag to cool down your neck and wrists.
  26. Remember that heat opens pores, so astringents, deodorants, and perfumes can sting and burn when applied, so use caution.

Recipes for easy homemade skin care products:

Exfoliating scrub for dry, crepe skin or cellulite: mix equal parts sugar, table salt with enough olive oil to create a firm grainy texture that is still loose enough to rub over skin. Great for feet, hands, and lips also. Keep in the refrigerator.

Moisturizing face mask: mash an avocado with a small amount of olive oil or water. This can also be done with an over ripe banana, no need for oil or water in that case. Leave on for ten to twenty minutes, and rinse with cool water.

Outdated yogurt makes a great facemask but please not too outdated – do not use if it smells rancid or otherwise off. Apply to the face, avoiding the lips and eye area. Rinse off after ten to fifteen minutes.

In addition to enhancing drinking water, cucumber, lemons, limes, and orange juice are great additions to bathwater or for a refreshing face rinse, added to water.

The age old boobs in ice water trick, women of a certain age can attest to, still applies. Soak them for as long as you can, about three to five minutes.

Cucumber slices on the eyes while laying down still depuff and cool off.

Stay refreshed and be fabulous all summer long…look cool, be cool.

Stay In Style In This Economy

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Stay In Style In This Economy 

Editor’s Note: Anna Hessel with a little help from hubby, Wes, will be offering up for the next seven weeks, 10 tips a week on How to Stay In Style In This Economy. Watch for it every Tuesday. 

How to Stay in Style in this Economy…

By Anna Hessel with Wes Hessel

Inflation is being beaten back but basic costs are still high, and service providers are charging more, but there is hope out there. Saving money has always been a challenge but in this current economic climate saving money can be get a bit tricky,  but there are certainly ways to shave your budget without losing out on things you need and want, here are today’s suggestions:

  1. I keep a small empty lotion container to drain the last dregs of creams into. Give it a good shake, and you have a new lotion mixture to keep skin smooth.
  2. Turn lights off when not in use for more than a minute.
  3. Vacuum refrigerator coils every so often to increase efficiency, and save on electricity. Also, clean your furnace or air conditioning vents for improved flow (again saving energy and cost), and change the furnace filter as recommended to help there, too. Make sure those air outlets are not blocked or covered for even better savings, unless it’s for an area you use less or little.
  4. There are products on the market to freshen clothes between wearings. A clothes dryer after sponging with a damp wash cloth is a great way to refresh clothes, and add extra life to garments but these are not substitutes for regular washing or dry cleaning. An old fashioned sponge  dampened can keep your wardrobe looking pristine. I don’t recommend a refresh more than a couple times between laundering – you don’t want to seal dirt or odor in the fabric…
  5. Buy a good used sewing machine to repair, repurpose, or recreate garments, linens, curtains, and the like.
  6. Opt for refillable or reusable items, such as pitchers to filter tap water instead of buying bottles from a store – this can save money and help the environment.
  7. Less waste packaging can also improve an item’s cost – less overhead for the company; look for vendors who pass this savings on.
  8. Avoiding red meat is not only great for animal welfare, your health, and the environment, it can be more economical to have a more plant based diet…
  9. Consider your home space – do you really need as much as you have? The tiny house movement, or downsizing in some form, is advantageous in many ways, such as less energy consumption, more time for family/ourselves and pleasure pursuits, and, of course, the lower costs…

You Better Shop Around…

  1. Utilize deferred no-interest payment plans like PayPal’s Pay in 4, After Pay, or Klarna for major purchases to save on paying credit card or other interest. Or just save up – it’s worth the effort…

 

Calamity Pirates Talk Wrestling

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Calamity Pirates Talk Wrestling

Let’s talk Wrasslin’ with Dave and Bill

So today I was told that Dave (the guy on your left in yellow, wearing glasses, and Bill (the one with the cute smile, on your right) are going to talk about wrasslin’ (wrestling). Dave claims knowledge as the former owner of Buzz Saw Wrestling Federation and I think Bill is just curious. So join the guys for a few minutes of nonsense as they talk about behind the scenes of pro-wrestling.

OPINION: Trump A Criminal Candidate

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OPINION:

Donald Trump, Criminal Candidate

Trump desperately wanted to hold onto power despite substantial loses at the ballot box.

OPINION:

Donald Trump, Criminal Candidate

D. S. Mitchell

The Biggest Flag Wins

When all the votes for 2020 presidential election were counted, Joe Biden won 81,283,098 votes, or 51.3% of the vote. Donald Trump won 74,222,958 or 46.8% of the vote. Miscellaneous other candidates captured a meager 1.8% of the vote. In other words, Joe Biden, kicked Trump’s butt, besting Trump by over 7 million votes. But, those numbers were obviously against Trump’s plan. Votes were counted and recounted and lawsuit after lawsuit brought by Trump challenging the election were dismissed. Everyone from the bloated and lawless Bill Barr to Cybersecurity Director Chris Krebs called Trump’s claim’s of voter fraud, “bullshit.” But, still you see signs saying, “Biden Lost!” usually accompanied by an oversized American flag.

As It Plays Out

We should be celebrating that more people turned out to vote in the 2020 election than at any other time in history. But, we aren’t. In fact, because of Trump’s lies our country is more divided than ever. Instead of the bloated orange fruit fly conceding the election, to Joe Biden like every man before him has, he chose to create chaos.

More Violence and More Lawsuits

In 2016 the Trumpers told us “elections have consequences” as we progressives huddled in our fetal positions, terrified of a Trump presidency. It is now 2023 and those same Trumpers are telling us that despite Trump’s staggering loss both in the Electoral College and the popular vote we libs should sit down and shut up, ‘because it’s obvious Trump won’. If Trump becomes the Republican nominee in 2024 I am sure we will see more armed election observers,  more lawsuits, more threats of violence, more white supremacist saber rattling, and more talk of Trump as a lifetime president.

Is It That Bad?

A majority of Americans,  especially Black, Brown, Native Americans, Asians, and other marginalized communities, who are at the mercy of this country’s historic, systemic, police abuse and seemingly incurable racism, voted Donald Trump out of office. I want us to celebrate that so many Americans voted to oust his criminal ass, but there is much need for introspection and intense soul searching about those who continue to feverishly support him in his fight to propagate the big lie. My god the brazen fucker is running for president again.

A Cup Of Coffee

I’m ready this morning to have a cup of coffee, eat an apple and reflect on why more than 74, 000,000  Americans would chose a man like Donald Trump to lead this country? His incompetence and stupidity is legendary. We’d already seen the chaos in operation, day after day, over four years in office. Some close to him have called him a “fucking moron.” These words come from those who know him best, yet these voices are ignored by his minions. Or should I be calling them cultists.

Nothing Moves His Base

For the last several days I’ve scoured old newspaper and magazine articles putting together a list of the known criminal activities of Donald Trump. Although well-known to his followers, his criminality seems to have no effect on their loyalty or their intoxicated enthusiasm. Monster flags whipping off the back of pickup trucks advertise their loyalty to Trump, not the United States. Wake up guys. Trump is a fraud and you, his small donors, are his biggest suckers. Recent reports indicate $40 million dollars of donor money has been spent so far this year on Trump defense attorneys. Get real, please, Trump and his whole crew belongs in Sing-Sing, not the Oval Office.

The Habit Of Corruption

Trump is no stranger to corruption and criminality. He has been embedded in it his entire life. As President, he took it to a new level. The Trump administration was without a doubt the most corrupt presidency in American history. No wonder he keeps screaming “fake news” when responding to reporter’s questions. Trump desperately needs to undermine the legitimacy of the fourth estate.  Donald John Trump has so much to hide.  If his devout followers would listen to the information that is available everywhere, they would drop him like the proverbial  hot potato. But, for some reason they are both deaf and blind to the truth. Truth matters, and Trump couldn’t find truth with both hands. Just to refresh the reader on Trump’s criminal history:

It All Started With Daddy Trump

1.) Donald and his father blatantly participated in housing discrimination against people of color and they were sued by the Justice Department.
2.) The Mafia and Donald worked together through the construction trades in New York city.
3.) He hired undocumented Polish workers to rehab the Trump Tower and then refused to pay them.
4.) Trump was fined $750,000 for anti-trust violations during his attempt to take over a rival casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

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OPINION: 46 Is Marvelous

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OPINION: 46 Is Marvelous

Joe Biden is a Marvelous #46

OPINION: 46 Is Marvelous

46 Marvelous Things our Marvelous 46th President Has Done

 

By Anna Hessel

While some viciously attack Joe Biden I’ve been counting what #46 has done for America.

  1. Joe beat Trump’s butt with the most votes received by any U.S. presidential candidate in U.S. history.
  2. Joe’s working at saving the soul of our nation from MAGA and other far-right Republicans, he’s gotta ways to go, if you ask me, but he’s on it.
  3. #46 has continued President Obama’s legacy of inclusive diversity.
  4. As Vice President under President Obama, Biden spearheaded the fight to bring affordable healthcare to more people. President Biden continues to fight for affordable healthcare, expanding and improving the program whenever possible.
  5. Together, back in 2008, Obama and Biden saved the U.S. auto industry.
  6. joe sponsored, and has continued to fight for and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act.
  7. On Joe’s first day in office he re-entered the Paris Climate Agreement.
  8. Our average Joe from Scranton, PA met with King Charles III and billionaire philanthropists regarding financing climate change measures.
  9. The brand new president Biden rehired Dr. Fauci and worked tirelessly to get COVID vaccines in the arms of millions of Americans, helping to end the pandemic.
  10. Joe gave Americans a COVID relief package immediately upon taking office, and (actually) worked to send out stimulus checks. Thanks, Joe, I bought a set of desperately needed tires for my car.
  11. Our Joe gave us our first female Vice President a woman of color and our first Second Gentlemen.
  12. 46 has come out fighting for student loan relief, and despite SCOTUS’ rejection of his administration’s first attempt to erase some portions of student debt he is working on a different method of loan relief.
  13. Class and dignity have returned to the White House with a beautiful Doctor of Education as our First Lady.
  14. Joe Biden acts like an actual man of God, not someone that just holds a Bible in front of a church which he didn’t attend for a photo op. President Biden prayed for our nation during his inaugural address – his sincerity is humbling and refreshing.
  15. A mammoth infrastructure plan; a plan to fix roads and bridges, railways and airports that have been allowed to deteriorate for at least the last 50 years.
  16. Respects our military – a proud serviceman’s father-who is honored to lay wreaths and flowers on the graves of those lost in our wars, not insult them as “suckers and losers.”
  17. An empathetic Joe gave his personal cell phone number to a little boy that stutters, an affliction that has plagued the president and told the boy to call anytime just too talk.
  18. He has lowered everyday expenses for U.S. families with the Inflation Reduction Act and the Child Tax Credit legislation.
  19. U.S. veterans who have been exposed to toxic situations, like the Iraq burn pits, and contaminated water at Camp LeJeune, are receiving services and benefits like no other time in history.
  20. Bidenomics have rescued the U.S. economy from  disaster without padding the pockets of the 2%.
  21. Made in America means more than ever.
  22. Unemployment is at an all-time low – more people are employed than ever before.
  23. President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act, providing statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages.
  24. Lower prescription drug and healthcare costs.
  25. Made all vaccines under Medicare Part D free. Last year a shingles vaccine series of 2 shots cost $300. Yahoo.
  26. Joe has fought for reproductive freedom, not advocating abortion but realistically understanding the need for choice.
  27. Advocating for climate change, creating as many as nine million jobs in the process.
  28. Helping households to lower their energy costs.
  29. Joe Biden is instrumental in pulling the NATO countries together to assist the Ukraine during this Russian initiated war.
  30. Joe has the most diverse staff and cabinet in U.S. presidential history.
  31. President Biden’s is the most accomplished presidency in history, passing more bi-partisan legislation than any previous president.
  32. Joe backed and signed the strongest common sense gun safety bill to make it to a president’s desk in decades, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
  33. 46 has made the most significant investment in mental health in three generations.
  34. Government driven sensible investment in manufacturing and industry in the rust belt, an investment not seen since immediately post WWII. The pandemic proved we need manufacturing in the United States.
  35. Postal reform to undo the damage caused by DeJoy and bring long term stability to USPS.
  36. Our guy Joe, quickly released oil from the national strategic reserve to reduce the price of gas.
  37. Established a national monument (s) honoring Emmett Till and his mother Mamie Till‑Mobley.
  38. Made Juneteenth a national holiday.
  39. CHIPS and Science Act is an effort to stimulate chip manufacture in the United States. It’s  a proactive move in case the mainland Chinese invade Taiwan; protecting the U.S. economy from a potentially devastating collapse that a shutdown in manufacture of chips would cause world wide.
  40. Brought home former Marine *Trevor Reed by sending convicted drug smuggler and Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko to them. *Trevor Reed was recently wounded volunteering in Ukraine.
  41. Everyday Joe firmly stands up to Republicans with grace and dignity.
  42. Despite much vitriol President Biden concluded the conflict in Afghanistan, withdrawing all U.S. troops from harms way after 20 years in that country.
  43. Joe will never stop fighting to preserve voting rights for all citizens.
  44. Joe is patient and steady and is working hard to unify the American people.
  45. The Biden’s have brought adorable pets back to the White House. A cat and a dog.
  46. And lastly, let’s face it, Dark Brandon is sexy…

Summer Food Safety Tips

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Summer Food Safety Tips

Keeping food safe during summer cook outs is a priority

Summer Picnic Safety

Picnics and BBQ’s are guaranteed fun, until people get food poisoning. Make sure food safety is a priority at all your summertime gatherings.

By Anna Hessel

 

Get Out and Go!

We all love a good barbecue or summer picnic, but food safety is imperative when planning these summer events. Comestibles must stay fresh, especially in the heat – food cannot safely stay out for longer than two hours at room temperature, less if it’s hotter outside or it is an item which normally is kept refrigerated or frozen. Keep food cold in coolers or take it inside to a refrigerator to stop the spread of bacteria and food borne illnesses. Wash hands frequently when preparing food. Hand sanitizer in a pinch can work but when dealing with raw meat such as chicken, actual hand washing and rinsing is extremely important. Germs can live on the skin and get into the food being prepared.

Don’t Chicken Out – Be Safe!

Never wash or rinse chicken, or meat, but chicken is the most cause for concern.  Make sure to clean all utensils or surfaces that come in contact with raw meats and poultry in warm soapy water, preferably with an antibacterial dish soap. Mild bleach solutions followed by a thorough rinsing are an excellent idea. Vegetables, fish, or seafood require the same precautions. Never use the same utensils or preparation surfaces for different food types without a thorough washing in between, particularly anything used for raw poultry, pork, beef, or the like. Any cross contamination can cause food poisoning.

Clean and Green

Rinsing fruits and vegetables before consuming, even those that you peel such as bananas or oranges, is mandatory, also. Without proper washing, germ sources, as well as pesticides and other such contaminants can still end up in the part you eat. Flies, ants, and other pests that come in contact with food carry germs, and food that has been touched by insects needs to be thrown away. It’s a good idea to use see-through covers or lids, if items will be displayed outside.

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OPINION: Trump Wants A Lifetime Presidency

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OPINION:

Trump Wants A Lifetime Presidency

Trump faces numerous civil lawsuits and DOJ criminal indictments.

OPINION:

Trump Seeks Lifetime Term

By D. S. Mitchell

 

Fun At The Rogue

I dropped my friend at a meeting and headed to my favorite beach hang out, delighted to have time to take a few minutes to dangle my feet in the Rogue River, watching joyous children and fat Canadian geese play in the river’s shallows.

A Near Fatal Head Rush

Somewhere between deciding on a wading spot and navigating down the hillside to the chosen spot on the riverbank my mind switched from several hours of planned childish playtime to panic over the impending 2024 Presidential election. I had a head rush that nearly knocked me down. Fuck. The thought of  Donald J. Trump moving back into the White House threatened to send my heart into a fatal dysrhythmia.

My Mom Called It Kinky

I had to tell myself to take some slow deep breaths. OMG. I flashed on hour-after-hour, day-after-day, week-after-week, of endless chaos with United States diplomacy being carried out via Twitter, now X, by an orange “pussy grabbing,” “tax dodging” grifter. I remember waking up to the doddering, demented marmalade colored president threatening war with ‘Rocket Man’ Kim Jung Un. A short time later, the world  was given a lesson in whip lash diplomacy when Trump embraces the fat little tyrant in some kinky, twisted, ‘love letter’ absurdity.

Alabama Sharpie

Sharpie-gate was another outrageous time and money waster. In this scandal Trump overrode the weather experts and changed the predicted trajectory of hurricane “Dorian,” to  extend all the way to Alabama, when in fact, all indicators suggested a sharp turn north, avoiding Alabama completely. This load of Trump BS caused a shift of resources and manpower from the needed areas to those of less to no need.

Clown Show

The problem was that the Trump Clown Show went on 24-7 never seeming to even consider a slow down. It was one efin’ hair pulling, jaw grinding, moral absurdity, to the next. John McCain was one of Trump’s most frequent targets for insult. The Trumpster went out of his way to insult and disparage the senator before and after the man’s death. I was no McCain fan, but Trump’s attack’s on a dead man were inappropriate and disgusting.

“Suckers And Losers”

But, his disrespect didn’t stop with McCain, but rather extended to all those who are currently serving in the military, or those who previously served, or even those who died in the service of this country, calling them “suckers and losers.” What an appalling statement from a president of the United States about the men and women that protect the American people, and the very ground we walk on, with love and courage every single day in dangerous places around the world.

It Got Worse By The Day

Exhaustion set in quick, numbness soon followed. Trump was like the proverbial horse in the hospital. Total insanity. We went from one disgusting chaotic episode to another. The biggest jaw dropper to me personally, probably because I’m a retired RN, was when Trump suggested people drink bleach to kill the Corona Virus. Which of course, unfortunately led to several folks trying that suggestion. Then his second option to combat the virus was for everyone to try a round of Hydroxychloroquine. Once again sending several dumb asses to the hospital.

How About A Second Go-Around?

I think it’s well understood by all Americans that X-prez Donald Trump is actually now running to become America’s first “lifetime president.” I don’t think there are any of us that truly believe Trump will leave the White House alive if he ever comes back into power.  All you folks out there who plan on voting for Trump, keep in mind, a second Trump presidency will end democracy in America.

Potential Results

Trump will pardon the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys, and those thugs will become his SS. “The Art of the Deal” will become required reading, available on Amazon, $9.99, but no worries you can take it off your taxes.  The sale of government oil leases will skyrocket, as investors scramble to squeeze every drop of oil from the planet. Under Trump all government backed electric projects will be put on hold. The EPA will be dissolved. It will become illegal to teach Climate Change in any U.S. school. The United States will withdraw from NATO. But, I’m not saying anything that anyone doesn’t already know.  The  question becomes who will succeed melon head and under what circumstances? It’s getting scary. Let’s stick with Joe & Kamala. A steady ship. A predictable course.

You Might Just Be A Woman Of A Certain Age

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You Might Just Be A Woman Of A Certain Age

If you can remember clip on ear rings and phone booths, you just may be a woman of a certain age.

You Might Just Be a Woman of a Certain Age

By Anna Hessel

 

If you have ever worn clip earrings, or even know what clip earrings are…you might be a woman of a certain age.

If your hairdo (or your boyfriend’s) was a party in the back and business in the front…

If you have ever done anything in a phone booth…

If you know what a phone booth is or what it has to do with Superman…

If you used Tickle deodorant…

If you have ever worn shoulder pads when not playing powder puff football…

If you have a landline, had a landline, or even know what a landline is…

If you had a Princess or Trimline phone…

If you ever used a phone book…

If you ever used a clothing iron or frozen orange juice cans to fix your hair…

If you ever drank Tab, or know what Tab is…

If you ever served a Swanson Pot Pie for dinner…

If you refer to Lean Cuisine or the like as a TV dinner…

If you ever wore sequin mesh boots from Desperately Seeking Susan…

If you saw Desperately Seeking Susan on opening weekend…

If you ever had a Bianca Blast or used a Maybelline Kissing Potion before a date…

If you even know what a Bianca Blast is…

If you got peanut butter in somebody’s chocolate, or vice versa…

if you remember Madge the manicurist…

If you know what a manicurist is…

If you ever had a glass or half-moon manicure…

If you used baby oil with iodine to get a tan…

If you ever smoked an Eve…

(please note, I am NOT advocating the iodine, baby oil, or the Eves!)

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Summer Heat Related Illnesses

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Summer Heat Related Illnesses

Heat is dangerous to human health. Here are a few tips to stay safe in high temperatures

Summer Heat Related Illnesses

How to Prevent and Treat

According to researchers, 65% of heat related deaths in the United States occur in July and August. The summer of 2023 is one of the hottest on record. Please read these tips and stay safe in the summer heat.

By D. S. Mitchell

Doing What Comes Naturally

Sweating is the principle means of cooling the human body. But temperatures as extreme as we are seeing in the summer of 2023 can quickly overwhelm our natural cooling system. Chronic health conditions, age, and medications, can impair the bodies effort to cool down naturally. For many experiencing  extreme heat a spectrum of problems can become progressively more serious and potentially life-threatening.

Sun Burn To Sun Poisoning

Bright sunshine can lead to sun poisoning, which is a severe sunburn that makes the individual feel sick and generally unwell. Excessive sweating under tight clothing can lead to heat rash, dehydration (the loss of fluid and electrolytes) can cause muscle cramps. Dehydration plus a rising body temperature can lead to heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is characterized by fatigue, dizziness, nausea, headache, chills, and sometimes a racing heart. Ignoring these symptoms can be  extremely dangerous. There is always the danger of heat stroke which can lead to brain damage and even death.

PREVENTION

Protect Your Skin

Sunburns are both painful and they create havoc with the body’s ability to sweat. The body’s failure to sweat increases the risk of heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke. Apply sunscreen SPF 30 before going outside. Be sure to reapply the sunscreen at least every two hours. To prevent itchy, splotchy heat rash wear loose fitting clothes made from cotton or moisture wicking fabrics.

Sip Frequently

The fluid requirements vary from one individual to the next, by climate, and by activity. The CDC&P recommend when physically active in hot conditions individuals should drink one cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes. Out in the heat for more than an hour, it is suggested that you switch to a sports drink, because its sodium helps replenish electrolytes.

Start Slow

The human body gradually builds exercise heat tolerance, which helps your body handle exercise in the hot, humid weather. This does not mean you should overdo. Be smart; stay hydrated and seek shade when you need to rest.

TREATMENT

Cool Off

If you suspect a person may be suffering from heat exhaustion, immediately get them into an air conditioned or shady location. Quickly cover as much of the skin surface as possible with ice or cold wet towels. If the person is able to co-operate help them get into an ice bath or a cold shower. Call 911 immediately if  the person is confused or vomiting. These could be signs of heat stroke.

Twitching Muscles

Cramping and twitching muscles can signal that a full-blown heat cramp is imminent.  Gentle stretching and massaging along with sips of a sports drink to restore needed electrolytes will reverse the cramping.

Meds Can Help

Over the counter Ibuprofen can help relieve the pain from heat rash, muscle cramps, and sunburn, as well as reduce inflammation and help lower the body temperature.