Top Tips for Staying Cool with Kindlewood

5 February 2019

With soaring temperatures and summer humidity in Durban, it’s important to keep your children and pets in mind when it comes to keeping cool.  They can have so much outdoor fun around the estate, but it’s easy to forget how dangerous the sun can be.  Children can get totally caught up in an exciting game out in the sun and pets can’t tell us when they’re overheating, but by keeping some simple top tips in mind, it’s easy to safely enjoy the long summer days.  Have a look at these essential tips for beating the summer heat.

Be sun smart – If possible, keep outdoor activities to the early morning or late evening when the temperatures and humidity are lower, but when you’re out enjoying the sunshine, do as the Australians do and slip, slop slap, seek, slide!

Slip on a shirt – cover up with a lightweight cotton or linen top. Not only will this offer good sun protection but it will keep the bugs off your skin too.Slop on the sunscreen – with the sun’s fierce rays and the thinning ozone layer, it has become more important than ever to apply a water resistant sunscreen of at least SPF30.  Make sure the one you use on the face is alcohol free so it doesn’t run and sting the eyes when sweating or swimming and don’t forget to reapply after each time you’ve been in the water.Slap on a hat – the sun’s UV rays are known to cause premature aging with much of the sun damage taking place in the junior years, so get into the habit of wearing a wide brimmed hat to protect the face and neck.

Seek shade – pop along to the lovely Kindlewood pool and grab a sun lounger under one of the nice, big parasols, or set up a gazebo on the beach.  The sun’s rays can still bounce off the sand so you must still apply sunscreen, but the shade will take the brunt of the rays and you’ll feel much cooler too.

Slide on a pair of shades – sunglasses are a great fashion accessory but their most important job is to protect your eyes from the sun’s UV rays.  Long term sun damage can include cataracts and damage to the retinas so when purchasing sunglasses, look for ones that block out 99% or 100% of both UVA and UVB radiation.  Children’s eyes are more vulnerable to sun damage as they have larger pupils so start early and get them into the habit of donning their sunglasses when playing outdoors.

Hydrate – it goes without saying that hydration throughout the day is vitally important when it’s hot but you don’t have to stick to plain water to stay hydrated.Summer fruit is in abundance and a delicious way to stay hydrated. Mix up a variety of different fruits such as pineapple, watermelon and nectarines for a simple, juicy fruit salad.  Or for the ultimate delicious smoothie, keep a Woolworths frozen red smoothie mix in the freezer which you can quickly mix up for a quick delicious treat everyone will enjoy.Everyone loves an ice cream for an instant cool-me-down.  Try one of the amazing ice cream, ice lolly and slushie makers by Zoku.  Not only are they quick to use but you’re in charge of the ingredients so you know exactly what’s in these delicious hydrating treats.

Cool Animals – pets can overheat in the summer as they can’t regulate their body temperature the same way humans do, so it’s important to take steps to prevent them overheating and to know what to do if they do.As with humans, our dogs and cats need a higher intake of water in the summer. Always make sure they have easy access to a bowl of fresh, clean water at all times. There are other innovative ways to keep your furkid hydrated.  Dogs love to play so help keep their water intake up while they’re playing with a hydration bone.  Just soak the sponge ‘bone’ in cold water for an easy way to keep thirst at bay while playing with his toy.It’s also good to remember that dogs paws can get burnt on a hot pavement.  Put your palm on the ground and if it’s too hot for your hand, it’s going to be too hot for your dog so wait until later to take him on his walk.Did you know dogs can’t sweat?  Keeping their coats trimmed in the summer is a must-do to help keep them cool.  Book them in with a mobile grooming service such as Dog-e-Style who will come to your home and give them a hassle free, refreshing wash and trim.

Dogs cool off by panting so an overheated dog will drool excessively.  He will become lethargic and his eyes will be bloodshot.  If you do see symptoms of overheating, find a shady spot and lay a wet towel down for him to lie on but seek medical assistance if they don’t show signs of improvement.

Cats also can’t sweat and so cool themselves down by grooming.  You can help this process by petting them with a wet cloth.  Generally though, they’re really good at finding shady spots and cool tiles to lie on to cool down.  They’ve even been known to sit in cool porcelain basins.

And what about the abundance of wild birds found on the estate?  Help keep them cool by putting a bird bath in the garden and make sure the water is clean each day.  They’re quite vulnerable to raptors and cats when they’re drinking or bathing so place it close to a shady hedge or bush so they have some protection from both the sun and predators.

Exercising Outdoors – training in the summer can be a really fun way to raise the vitamin D and endorphin levels, but the heat and humidity can be overwhelming. As with all outdoor activities in the summer, exercise early in the morning or later in the evening when it’s cooler.  Invest in some wicking clothes that will pull moisture from the skin so you really do feel cooler.  Wear a hat and sunscreen for extra sun protection and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.  Durban is often blessed with afternoon rain and you can’t get more fun than exercising in the rain and it will cool you down instantly too.  But head straight home if it’s thundering or lightening.  You don’t want to be outdoors in an electrical storm.Cool down with some essential oils like peppermint or eucalyptus oil.  Dab a few drops on the back of your neck and temples before your workout and not only will it provide a cooling effect but it will open up your nasal passages too so you can breathe a little easier when the air is humid.  The Ice Towel by Novo is an amazing innovative, lightweight sports towel you have to add to your next shopping list.  All you do is soak the towel in water, wring it out and shake to activate the most amazing cooling effect.  Perfect for draping around your neck after a hot workout for an instant cool down.

Summer star gazing – for something very ‘cool’ that the whole family can get involved in and will take advantage of the cooler evening temperatures, download the International Space Station app on your iPhone or Android smart device. Not only will you be able to see where the space station is currently in the world, you will be able to see when it’s going to next pass overhead.  It’s incredibly accurate and a brilliant way to share some of the wonders of space with the kids.  Set up a fun family evening picnic or even a tent for a bit of glamping at home, together with homemade ice lollies (for keeping cool of course), then wait for the big bright space station to pass in the sky.

What’s not to love about the long hours of sunshine we are so lucky to have during our summer months?  Enjoy and stay sun safe.

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