Heat Be Gone!This Beliefnet Blogger is too young to remember but …Once upon a time, many years ago, there were no air-conditioners. (I can hear the gasps!) It’s true. No air-conditioners! How did ‘they’ get through the dog-days of summer and oh… those steamy hot nights?

White Rice to the Rescue: Dense and starchy, rice ‘holds’ cold for a long period of time. So … get those cotton socks out of the dresser, fill them up with white rice, tie the end in a knot and freeze for two hours before bedtime. Then … slide them under the sheets. Oh Baby …. Cool down as you turn hot to steamy!Catch an Island Breeze: Fill a shallow bowl with ice, place it in front of the fan and strategically stand or sit in front of it. The perfect ice melts: you cool ratio. Thermal Regulation: Keep a water-filled spray bottle or two in your fridge. It makes for a most excellent portable cooling device; you can spritz and spray anywhere. Bring one for a loved one. Lest, they keep borrowing yours! Send Chilling Messages: Start icing, spritzing and cooling your wrists first, followed quickly by your feet. Thus, you start cooling down the blood that flows through your veins. The blood vessels will send ‘chilling’ messages throughout your body.Cool Down with Hot Stuff: Hot chili peppers (and other spicy foods) contain a chemical compound called capsaicin. This spicy devil helps us to sweat. The sweat evaporates and we cool down. Bottoms Up: With all that sweating going on, be careful to replenish your liquids! Best sources are water (duh) and water-filled foods. Watermelon has more water content than any other food out there! (See watermelon straight-up.)Kitchen Closed: Do not even think about turning on the oven. Opt for summer salads. They are water filled, so they keep you hydrated and they are easy to digest. And in the cool of the night, get the grill a’going. When the sun is down, grill up extra fruits and veggies for the next day!Spread the word (NOT the icing!),JaniceFor more summertime recipes, check out these Soul Satisfying Summer Recipes.Join the Kick in the Tush Club!AND … pick up a copy of the best permanent fat removal book ever, All Is Forgiven, Move On: Our Lady of Weight Loss’s 101 Fat-Burning Steps on Your Journal to Sveltsville.