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Batten down the hatches. Here comes summer in Mazatlán when everyone, from
the bus driver to the owner of your corner store, complains about the heat
and humidity. Temperatures will hover between 34ºC to 37ºC, with the humidity
count in the high 80-90% range for July, August, September, and into October.
The State government finally took pity on us, placing Mazatlán in the reduced
tariff F1 electricity category so that we can now run our airconditioners
without mortgaging the house to pay the bill. According to the American
National Center for Environmental Health, 8,015 people died in the years
1979-1999 from excessive heat exposure—more than died from tornadoes, hurricanes,
lightening and floods combined. The Center points out that particularly
at risk are “the elderly and children, people suffering from obesity, fever,
dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and
prescription drug use and alcohol use.” And pets are not exempt from heat-related
problems. The Florida SPCA warns that “dogs with short muzzles, such as
boxers, pugs and mastiffs, have an even more difficult time breathing during
hot, humid days.” They suggest you keep your pets indoors during the hottest
time of the day, walk him only in the early mornings and evenings, and do
not shave his coat, which protects him from heat and insects, and retains
cool water after you´ve given him a refreshing bath. Of course, never leave
your pet in the car! The good news is Maza-tlecos have been suffering through
hot, humid summers since the city was founded in 1531 and have come up with
strategies to make the summer days and nights bearable. Here are a few we
thought we´d pass along to you: • find airconditioning. Fans are not effective
in cooling the body in high heat and humidity. If you don´t have airconditioning
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home, go to the shopping mall and wander around for a couple of hours, or
the movies, or catch a cool drink in an airconditioned restaurant • drink
plenty of water, regularly and often, even if you don´t feel thirsty. Avoid
drinks with caffeine or alcohol in them. They can make the heat effects
on your body worse. This is especially true about beer which actually dehydrates
your body (sorry about that!). Gatorade and Pedialyte will help replace
electrolytes lost through perspiration • eat small meals and eat more often.
Large, heavy meals are more difficult to diest and cause your body to increase
internal heat to aid digestion, worsening your overall condition. Save the
nuts, meat, gravies and heavy desserts for winter • invest in a few white
facecloths. Carry them with you everywhere and wet them down when you can.
A swipe of a cool, damp cloth across your forehead, face and neck will leave
you refreshed for a few minutes • there is a reason the afternoon siesta
was invented. Take a tepid shower, lay down in a fan cooled room, and let
your body rest during the hottest part of the day • those voluminous Hawaiian
Mu-Mu dresses are out of fashion now, but the idea was right. Light colored,
loose fitting clothing allows the body to cool naturally. Wear a hat when
you step out into the sun, but when you feel your head getting hot find
a shady spot and remove the hat to let the trapped heat escape • and finally,
always walk on the shady side of the street, sit under a palapa or umbrella
at the beach, picnic in an airy, open place under a canopy tree, and walk—don´t
run! Life is good in Mazatlán in the summer. The city´s daytime pulse slows
down. In the evenings, families gather in plazas, along the Malecón and
in front of their homes to catch the evening breezes. And when the rains
finally come in September, the city sighs a breath of relief and puts away
the fans for another year. |
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