It's a scorcher!!!

It's summertime and that means more outdoor activities in the heat. This summer has been unseasonably hot which can be very dangerous especially for children, the elderly and pets (okay, so just about the entire general population!!). While you don't need to curtail your activities, it is a good idea to take some precautions if you will be out in the sun for a prolonged amount of time. Here are some helpful ideas on how to stay cool and protect yourself (and others!) from the summer sun and heat:

• Try to take advantage of the early morning or late evening when planning outdoor activities or work outs.

• Wear loose-fitting clothes that are in a light color to keep your body cool.
• Use fans to circulate air to make you feel cooler even in an air-conditioned home.
• Keep plastic bottles of water in the freezer and grab one when going outside. As the ice melts, you will have a supply of cold water to enjoy!
• Drink plenty of water or sports drinks when engaging in outdoor activities to replenish the electrolytes in your body that are lost when perspiring.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol since they promote dehydration.
• Use products with mint or menthol. Body washes, lotions and body sprays refresh the skin and create a cooling sensation.
• Wear a hat to keep the sun off of your face.
• Drink chrysanthemum tea. The tea is said to have a cooling effect on the body.
• Eat spicy foods. Yep, you read that right! Foods that create warmth in the body enhance circulation and causes sweating that will cool you down.
  
• Dogs are less efficient at cooling themselves than people are. If your dog lives outdoors, consider bringing him indoors during the hotter times of day and be sure to provide a shaded area in your yard for him (like a dog house beneath a tree).
• Always use sunscreen. And don't forget to put sunscreen on your pets too! Short-haired dogs are susceptible to sunburn especially on the bridge of their noses, tips of their ears and belly area. May sound silly but it works and can save Fido from a lot of discomfort later on!
• Your dogs paws can get burnt on a hot sidewalk or asphalt driveway. If it's too hot for your hand, it's too hot for their paws. If the dog MUST go out, keep the walk very short and keep him in the grass if at all possible.

Hope those tips help to keep you and your entire family safe during the dog days of summer. Now, go grab a cold glass of lemonade and head for the nearest pool! Until next time, keep it clean!!

Happy 4th of July!!

Monday July 4th will mark the day that the original thirteen colonies declared independence from Great Britain during the American Revolution. The Declaration of Independence was signed on that day in 1776 and now, the rest is history! Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending a picnic or barbecue. Patriotic themed decor is generally colored red, white, and blue in keeping with the colors of the American flag. Communities across the country have parades and fireworks displays (although safety concerns have led many cities to cancel fireworks displays due to drought and excessively dry conditions this year) happen in the evening at places like parks, fairgrounds, or town squares.

A few fun facts about the 4th of July:

• In July 1776, the number of people living in the newly independent United States of America was 2.5 million.
• THIS 4th of July, the U.S. Census estimates that our nation now has approximately 311.7 million people.
• Thirty-five places have “eagle” in their names. The most populous one is Eagle Pass, Texas (26,248).
• One place with “patriot” in the name. Patriot, Ind. (209).
• Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be the national animal but was outvoted when John Adams and Thomas Jefferson chose the bald eagle.
• Over $211 million has been spent on the importation of fireworks from China.
• The first Fourth of July party held at the White House was in 1801.
• The stars on the original American flag were arranged in a circle to ensure that all colonies were equal.

So there you have it, a few fun facts that you can use to dazzle all of your friends and family at those July 4th BBQ's you will be attending this weekend! Wishing you and yours a restful yet fun Independence Day weekend! And as always, keep it clean!

Water Conservation

When temperatures soar, so does most people's water consumption. You know what we do - we fill the pool in the back yard, water the lawn, take longer, colder showers etc. Right now, many areas of our country are trying to survive drought conditions which requires mandatory water conservation. Of course, conserving water is not something that should be limited to times of drought. Conserving our most valuable and life sustaining resource is vital at all times (plus, it can save you some money!).

Here are a few helpful and easy tips for conserving water:

• When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill up one sink with dish water and the other with rinse water.
• Don't leave your faucet running while you brush your teeth.
• Run your clothes washer and dishwasher when FULL. This can save you several hundreds of gallons a MONTH. Yes, you read that right - PER MONTH.
• When landscaping, use drought-tolerant native plants instead of plants that may require excessive watering.
• Switch your shower-head to a low-flow version especially if your shower fills up a gallon bucket in under 20 seconds.
• When doing laundry, always match the water level to the size of the load you are washing.
  
• Avoid watering your lawn on windy days. The water will just blow away and evaporate which doesn't benefit your lawn at all and wastes water.
• If you NEED to wash your car, try to find a car wash that RECYCLES the wash water.
• Washing dark colored clothes in cold water saves on energy and water PLUS it helps maintain your dark colors (a win-win situation!).
• When washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather your hands.
  
• Keep a pitcher of cold water in the fridge instead of letting the water run cold from the tap.
• Shorten the length of your shower by a couple of minutes and save about 5 gallons of water per shower!
• When washing fruits and veggies, use a pan of water to wash them instead of letting the water run over them.
• Check your home inside and out for any water leaks. Sometimes sprinkler heads leak and waste LOTS of water.

See? Pretty easy, huh? Maybe you can think of ways to save water that aren't on this list and you can share them with friends and family. If we all pitch in, we can save a ton (literally) of water. When you consider that the average American home uses about 260 gallons of water per day (during peak season the average household can use about 1,000 gallons of water in a day), a little conservation can go a LONG way!

Until next time, keep it clean (but save water while doing it!).

Breakfast

As you can tell by the subject this morning, I'm a little hungry! I violated the cardinal rule of mornings - don't skip breakfast because it is the most important meal of the day! I'm sure you can relate - you get into a hurry, didn't prepare the night before and don't have time to pick something up on the way to work (or you will be late and who wants that?).

Here are a few reasons why breakfast is so important:

• Eating breakfast gives you better focus, attention span and productivity
• Helps you to maintain a healthy, consistent weight
• Eating breakfast has been linked to better learning and cognitive ability
• It increases your metabolism
• Gives you more energy for your day
• It helps your body take in all of the nutrients it needs
  

Those are all pretty good reasons to have a healthy, nutritious breakfast! And it doesn't have to be something that's crazy complicated to make in the morning. A healthy breakfast can be some oatmeal with some fruit thrown in or an English muffin sandwich with an egg white, a little cheese and maybe a slice of tomato (I personally put spinach and mushrooms on mine...when I am good and make myself breakfast!). A few other easy options for a quick, nutritious breakfast are:

• A high fiber, low sugar cereal with fruit
• A pita pocket filled with lean ham, cheese and veggies (yes, it's perfectly okay to have veggies for breakfast!)
• A cup of Greek yogurt with fresh berries and granola
• A fresh, fruity smoothie
• An apple, cheese stick and a handful of walnuts
• A whole grain waffle with peanut or almond butter and a banana (seriously - try it!)
• And if you absolutely MUST stop off for breakfast in the morning, an Egg McMuffin is a good way to go! Yep, you read that right. Tell them to make it with no cheese and it's an even better deal.

Hope all of this gives you a few ideas on how to get your morning off on the right foot. Take the weekend to stop at the grocery store so you can be prepared for next week. I betcha that eating breakfast will make your days a lot better!!

Until next time, keep it clean!