Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Are you heat stressed this summer?

by Katy Green
http://www.shoptobegreen.com/




They say everyone experiences the winter blues but what about heat stress during the summer?
 According to National Institute on Aging, as temperatures and humidity rise across much of the U.S., people over the age of 65 are among the most vulnerable to heat stroke and heat exhaustion. The primary reasons is because the body’s ability to regulate temperature through blood circulation and sweat glands tends to decline with age.

Ice Sculptures melting by Brazilian Artist Nele Azevedo

If you are excessively overweight or have heart disease or high blood pressure, or take medications that may be affected by extreme heat, you are more likely to experience heat stress as well.

Heat stress can also be caused by working in hot environments. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, heat stress can result in a heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heat rashes. Workers at risk for heat stress include outdoor workers and workers in hot environments such as firefighters, bakery workers, farmers, construction workers, miners, boiler room workers, factory workers, and others.
We are not promoting Perrier ..we thought the picture captures how we feel.



Heat Stress Symptoms include: (for information on treating this symptoms, CLICK HERE)
  1. Heavy sweating
  2. Extreme weakness or fatigue
  3. Dizziness, confusion
  4. Nausea
  5. Clammy, moist skin
  6. Pale or flushed complexion
  7. Muscle cramps
  8. Slightly elevated body temperature
  9. Fast and shallow breathing


Melting clocks.
Melting Clocks

The sun's hot rays can also increase your risk for sunburn, breakouts, age spots, and irritation. For those of you that have super sensitive skin like rosacea, dermatitis, or acne, the heat is not the only threat to your skin's health. 

The best advice for reducing sunburn is to stay out of the sun especially when the sun rays are the brightest or when the tempeture reaches the highest peak between 12 noon to 5 pm. Of course the time frame will vary depending on where you live but you can usually gauge the right time frame.


Melting ice on the Cook Inlet Beach in Kenai -  BRAD SNEAD 
  Shoptobegreen.com suggests the following remedies to soothe your skin:
  • Stay hydrated by drinking water.
  • Reduce your intake of alcohol, iced coffee and soda because they do not hydrate you in the hot weather.
  • Wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin and try to stay indoors in a cool area.
  • To re-hydrate dehydrated cells and extract toxins and reduce sun spots and tighten pores, try all natural Solay Detox Face Mud Mask
Solay Detox Face Mud Mask
100% Vegan
  • Sun, smoke, pollution, and stress create skin-damaging oxidants and free radicals. Load up on antioxidant like stocked green tea extract, alpha-lipoic acid, vitamins B3 and E, and vitamin C ester. For more information on natural antioxidants or preparing your own skin potions, check out Dr. Weil at www.drweil.com.
  • Reduce Stress and take a cool bath. Hot water can damage and dry skin any season. Try Stress Relief Natural Bath Soak with Himalayan salt
     
    Stress Relief Natural Bath Soak with Himalayan salt
    Ingredients: Himalayan salt, Aluminum-free sodium bicarbonate, chamomile flower powder, apple cider vinegar, rooibus red tea powder extract, lilac oil, lemon oil.



    

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Trees Please!

by Katy Green
http://www.shoptobegreen.com/


Central Park in the Summer
 Literary Walk
Central Park Promenade
Ever wonder about the trees in your area or about the trees in your local public park? Do you wonder about the history of the park?  Well, I do!

I think about the vastness of Central Park and whenever I go for a picnic with my daughter or for a stroll with my friends I am thankful I have this wonderland of green in the middle of the concrete jungle.


Central Park in the Spring
Literary Walk
Central Park Promenade

According to Ecorazzi, author Edward Barnard and birdwatcher Ken Chaya have mapped almost all of the 20,000 trees in the Central Park! 

It took the duo two and a half years of work and many miles of walking to list all of the those trees. Their hard work resulted in a map “Central Park Entire.” Barnard decided to create this amazing map while writing his book New York City Trees!




Central Park in the Fall
Literary Walk

Central Park Promenade




Central Park in the Winter
Literary Walk
Central Park Promenade

Green History:

All pictures of Central Park in this www.shoptobegreen.com article are of the famous Central Park Mall Promenade featured in many film numerous times; aka Literary Walk located between 67th and 73rd street.

Did you know the mall was originally designed as formal promenade for the upper class!
The park is lined with Elm Trees. There are many statues of literary figures along the Mall, including Shakespeare, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns. Literary Walk is located in the middle of the park and you can access it via the B or C at 72nd street.
 
For more on the 400 national parks in the USA, check out The National Park Service site.