The heatwave is still going strong here in Britain, and although it's lovely to see the sun, us Brits aren't very good at coping with temperature extremes. It's a cliché but it's true.
We pray for sun all year round so that we can expose our white bits to the sky.
But when the sun arrives we have to go and lie down in a darkened room, we can't handle it.
There are lots of ways to beat the heat, staying inside in an air conditioned room is one of them. But, if you would like to experience some of the warm weather I suggest you try these remedies that my Grandma always used to tell me. As we all know, Grandma's are never wrong.
Run your wrists under cool water
The water will cool the blood and, therefore, the rest of your body. Do this for a minute or two and you should notice the difference.
Keep your feet cool
My Granny always says that whatever temperature your feet are, so the rest of your body will be. In the winter if your feet are warm the rest of you will warm up too. So, in the heat keep you feet cool. Wear sandals (without socks!) and if you're sunbathing put your feet in a paddling or swimming pool to keep the temperature low.
Tie your hair up
If you have long hair you are probably already doing this, as the feel of heavy hair on a hot neck is horrendous. But if you're not, clip that hair up right now. Your hair can act like a scarf around your neck, which is great in the winter but not so much in the heat, let your neck breath.
Wear wet clothes
This is probably quite hard to do if you're at work or a social situation. But, if you get a chance, soak a top in cold water and put it on. Not only will the coolness feel great but the water will evaporate, taking the heat with it.
Drink hot drinks
I'm still not 100% sure if this is true, but my Grandmother always swore by it and while everyone else was having an iced lemonade, she'd be sipping on a tea. Hot drinks will make you sweat, which is your body's way of cooling down. The more you sweat, the cooler you'll be. I know it's probably true but it still feels wrong reaching for the kettle in this weather,
Sit in the shade
It's not rocket science, if you're hot, get out of the sun! I know it's difficult for us Brits; we see so little of the sun that when it arrives we are desperate to cook ourselves in it. But sitting out for fifteen minutes under the shade of a tree won't interrupt too much of your tanning time, and it may be the break you need to cool down.
I hope these tips help.
Enjoy the sun while it's here everyone, but keep cool, and try not to cook yourself to a shade of lobster red.
P.S. These images are from the very useful
Graphics Fairy (except the last one), have a browse of her free images.