10 Tips For Surviving The Summer

The summer is at its strongest and it feels like you're just melting away. I know how that feels, so I gathered up a bunch of useful tips to help you keep your summer cool!
1. Dryer Sheets Keep Gnats Away Did you know that Dryer Sheets have a chemical in them that repels gnats? This was shown in a recent study on HortScience! Keep one in your pocket instead of using bug-spray.
2. Freeze Aloe Vera Gel in an Ice Tray You know that Aloe Vera is fantastic at treating various skin irritations like mosquito bites, burns, jellyfish stings and sunburns, but did you know that by freezing Aloe Vera gel in as ice-cubes is even more effective at relieving the irritation, thanks to the extra cooling of the ice?
3. Keep Your Feet Cool Your feet carry you all day, but did you know that they also have a powerful effect on your body-temperature. Our feet is where a lot of circulation happens, so they can really make you warm. Soak them in cold water and feel how quickly your body cools down!
4. Quickly Cool Down Beverages All you need is a bowl of water paper sheets! Soak a paper sheet in water, wrap it around a beverage container (cans/bottles) and pop it in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
5. Dripping Popsicles? No Problem! Grab a cupcake wrapper, slip the popsicle into it and PRESTO! No more sticky fingers!
6. Freeze Some Grapes Want to keep your wine cold but don't want to dilute it with ice? Simply put some grapes in the freezer, then put them in the wine, it'll stay nice and chilled. (They're also fun to eat frozen)
7. Treat Mosquito Bites With Vinegar Yup, that's right! Lightly soak a cotton ball with vinegar, then hold it tightly on the fresh mosquito bite – it will reduce the itching and swelling until it's gone. (psst! It also works on sunburns).
8. Keep hydrated by eating! The kids are refusing to drink water? Why not put a watermelon in the fridge. Rich in water (about 92% of it, actually), it's also very nutritious and delicious. Your little ones will feel like they're getting a treat while you make sure they're keeping well hydrated!
9. Drink a cup of hot tea Yes, that's right! While you think that it's better to drink a cold beverage on a hot summer's day, a hot cup of tea will raise your core temperature, and once you're done, you'll actually feel cooler!
10. Eat spicy foods Ever wondered why they eat such spicy food down in Mexico when it's so hot? The answer is similar to #9 – The chemical in the spicy food (Capsaicin) "tricks" your mouth into thinking it's eating something hot, which, in turn – raises your body temperature and makes you feel cooler.
5 Bonus pet tips:
1. If the asphalt is too hot for your feet – it's too hot for your dog.
2.  An ice cube in the water-bowl goes a long way – An ice cube with a treat in it makes an awesome summer snack!
3.  Brush your dog/cat's fur – this provides better circulation and cools them down.
4.  Keep the indoors cool – if you can't stand the heat inside, your pet can't as-well.
5.  NEVER EVER leave your pet in the car on a hot day! They can't cool themselves as efficiently as we can, so they can be in terrible danger.
Enjoy your summer!