Staying Cool

Summer. Such a glorious time of year. Everyone hates summer but it sometimes feels like it. I don’t get hot-per-say. That doesn’t mean I did not once know the pains of heat. In fact, I was so hot-natured I froze most of my friends out as a teenager. One of my favorite things to do was get in the car and blast the AC.  Ya I grew up in Louisiana and let me tell you when it is so hot outside you can fry an egg in the shade you know it’s hot. Sometimes it was so hot that even if you had a pool you didn’t want to be in it because it felt like a hot sweat bath instead of a nice cool dip. 

Most of my summers before I left Louisiana were either in a lake somewhere or a pool. People just try and do anything but be in the heat. The way to do summer in Louisiana is to go on vacations, stay indoors and stay in a body of water.  You know who I feel sorry for there, the farmers. Poor men that have no other choice but to be out in the sweat swampy hot missable weather of Louisiana hot summers. 

The last time I was there, I mostly was in heaven but also I couldn’t breathe due to asthma and if I got too overcome by the heat it wasn’t good.  So, when indoors, I even miss feeling I’m too cold all the time and I would keep my mom’s air on freezing. Because let’s not forget the heat there in Louisiana is as strong as a brick wall. You literally have to cut the air with a knife to get through it, or so it seems. 

New York had its hot days as well. However, the hottest thing about the Long Island is that so few people have AC’s that there is nowhere to go to get out of the heat. However, those that do have AC, normally keep it freezing. What surprised me about moving to Massachusetts is the fact how much colder, how much more snow it gets here than on Long Island. I was not expecting a weather change and that is exactly what I got.  I feel like it never fully summers here because on the hot days the wind is going and it makes the sun seem cooler. 

So that is my experience with heat. What I wanted to write about is keeping cool. For women in menopause, for women period, and for fat women the most. There are so many stereotypes about women and fat women especially. I hate to bring them up. I will just say that yes we fat ladies do have to work a bit harder to keep ourselves smelling like roses. I have also found that holds true for women in menopause. 

Sweat smells no matter who you are. If your fat sweat can build up in places, it can make it like swamp areas. You don’t want to be walking around with sweat building during the hot summer months. This too goes for women with big breasts. Folds of skin, under breast, bellies, butt cracks, belly buttons, behind knees, and in bends of arms. All areas to be aware of. My tricks and tips may be something you know or it may be something that you have been waiting for. 

Tips on staying cool 

• If you have to work outside or go shopping etc. Plan ahead. Do these things early in the day or late in the evening. 
• Run isolating fans in each room so that the AC does not have to work so hard. 
• Freeze bottles of water and each day put them in the icebox to be dethaying enough to drink. 
• Wet some rags and put them in zip lock bags through them in the freezer for a quick cool down later
• Take Lukewarm baths, never hot or too cold in the summer. 
• Consider a noon nap
• Do not eat heavy foods when you’re going to be out in the heat. 
• Always carry a water bottle
• Cook only when you have to. Consider grilling after dark.
• Dress for summer. This is the most important one.  Wear short sleeves or no sleeves light materials seersucker, light jersey, lien. Wear shorts under dresses, and skirts, Make sure to wear your hair up and out of your face. NO one likes hair sticking to them. 

Tips for summer hygiene 

• Shower- if you need to night and morning and hey mid-day if you have the energy. 
• After you shower try to spray yourself down with cold water before you step out. I like to pay especially attention to my groin area, side rolls, and underarms. It doesn’t hurt to do your hair as well. It’s really good for it. 
• Dry off as best as you can. get you a spray bottle and put rubbing alcohol in it. Spray down everywhere your skin folds over, belly, knees, underarms, breast … It may burn a little but it is going to help. Then I suggest either blow dry on cool your parts or lay star fish style on the bed till the rubbing alcohol dries. 
• If you have a powder, you really love that does not become gooey then use it at this point on all your folds. I have some diaper cream I use for my folds. Currently looking and trying powders I can find one I like. I did the one I used before talc was taken out of it. 
• Now after using deodorant, body spray and perfume lets dress
• When I lived in Louisiana, I liked to take an extra pair of underwear in my bag and I normally wore an absorbent overnight pad to keep the sweat from sitting on my skin. 
• Remember to wear things you don’t have to pull on or stress over. Wear comfortable clothes that are light. 
• Id suggests wearing light colors as well but if you are like me and basic black is a staple well you screwed 
• Don’t forget to wear chub rub shorts under dresses and skirts
• I like wearing a Cami under a shirt over my bra but under my outside shirt so if I sweat the world doesn’t have to see it. 
• If you are not a firm believer in bare feet in the summer try and wear shoes that let your feet breathe. IF your feet are cool you will be cool. 
• Take wet wipes /body wipes in your bag for cleaning up, if need be, get a portable fan and drink lots of water.

XOXO, Evie

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