With record temps and no end in sight, Denver-area residents need all the help they can get to keep cool. Try these tips when the sun starts to scorch.
1. Sheet trick. If your house starts to feel like a sweat lodge, hang a damp sheet in an open window. The evaporating water will cool incoming breezes. At night, ice your sheets in the freezer for 20 minutes. Remove them when it’s bedtime, and prepare to dream about polar bears.
2. Eat spicy. The FDA has linked salmonella to jalapeños, but chili peppers are still fair game. Pop one in your mouth, wait for the sweat to bead, and then enjoy the brief relief when the sweat evaporates. For spicy good times, check out Denver’s Hot ‘n Spicy Meetup Group. They’ll be at the Jaya Asian Grill at 1699 S. Colorado Blvd. in mid-August. For more information, call the restaurant at 303-757-7887.
3. Eat light. Make a summer salad with water-rich foods, like cucumber, lettuce and tomato – all available for purchase at the Wednesday farmers market in Denver’s Civic Center. Watery foods will help you stay hydrated and cool.
4. Breathe. Sit in a comfortable position with your eyes closed and hands resting on your knees. Stick out your tongue, and roll it up on both sides so that it forms a tube like a straw. Inhale through your tongue, and exhale through your nose. This yoga practice, called “sheetali pranayama,” will relax your body and lower your temperature.
5. Brew. Fill a half-gallon glass jug with cool water, and toss in five herbal tea bags. Cap the jug tightly, letting the lid hold the bags in place. Leave the jug in the sun for two or three hours, then enjoy.
6. Block the sun. You can reduce the amount of heat that enters your home by as much as 45 percent. How? Just close your curtains, the U.S. Department of Energy says.
7. Make a DIY air conditioner. Fill a shallow bowl with ice and place it in front of a wide fan. Revel in the cool breeze.
8. Rinse your wrists. When the mercury rises, hold your wrists under a stream of cold water to cool down blood as it flows through your veins.
9. Get out of the house. The Cherry Creek Mall, the Denver Public Library, and any number of the city’s many movie theaters will be blasting their AC this summer. Why not enjoy the free breeze – and save yourself the sweat stain and energy bill.
10. Head for the hills. On hot days, mountain tops can be significantly cooler and calmer than the sweltering city. Plan a hike to Mt. Evans, 30 miles west of Denver, or Mt. Sanitas, a classic Boulder trail with gorgeous summit views.
Liv Gold: 303-954-1311 or lgold@denverpost.com
