August Heat

It's hot here in North Texas...really hot. In fact, we have succesfully reached 59 or 60 days of temperatures greater than 100 degrees since summer began, with a few of those days breaking long-held records. Oh...and no rain to speak of in weeks. We are definitely a parched, dry land. I am blessed in that I don't have to get out in the heat much, which is a good thing. But Gary works in the heat, and he has learned some tricks of the trade over the years to ensure that he doesn't suffer heat exhaustion (or worse). Though he comes home looking wilted each day, he has that ever-present smile on his face and never complains. Amazing.


I thought I'd take a moment to share some of the things he has told me about getting out in the heat and protecting yourself from injury. Whether or not these suggestions are supported scientifically, I really couldn't say. But I do know that he is healthy and strong, so he must be doing something right!

1. Wear sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15...better yet, try a sunblock, SPF 45 or 50. He is fair skinned and never burns so I can safely say that the stuff really works.
2. Be sure to wear a hat. A cap is good, but a hat is better, especially if you are out in the sun for any length of time, because the brim covers a wider area and gives your face and neck much more shade.
3. Drink lots of water
4. Believe it or not, tomato juice or V-8 juice is GREAT for replacing potassium and other vitamins and minerals that you lose when you sweat. Gary starts each day out with a hearty glass before he ever faces the heat. Gatorade and other vitamin waters are also good.
5.  Remember to take breaks and eat. Don't let your blood sugar drop too low...it is important to keep your sugar in balance
6. Drink lots of water
7. Oh yeah...drink lots of water! :-)

I recently entered a Pacific Natural Foods giveaway contest on a blog I follow, Glugle Gluten Free. Since I rarely, if ever, win anything, I was amazed when I actually won! Within days, I was delighted to find a large box of goodies on my front porch that included all kinds of organic, gluten- and dairy-free soups, almond milk, and flavored almond milk. All in all, it was quite a nice gift. A huge THANK YOU goes out to Tia with Glugle Gluten Free and to Pacific Natural Foods for making my adventurous summer even better!

One of my favorite blogs is Adventures of a Gluten Free Mom, and I find myself following it almost religiously. Heidi has a great way of capturing your attention and blending all sorts of fun stories, recipes, and research into one site that is truly helpful, especially to gluten-free newbies like me that are searching diligently for informative websites. Heidi visited HealthNOW Medical Center too, and has explained some of her personal test results beautifully. Rather than try to muddle through the explanations of my tests and their results, I have decided to repost her recent blog because it was so helpful to me and because she has taken hours (5 months to be exact) to research her posting and I know the information is accurate. I hope you enjoy!

Adventures of a Gluten Free Mom - Cyrex Labs Array 4: Gluten Associated Cross-reactive Foods


Until next time,

Kathie Lea