Happy Sunday, Theia, Titaness of the Gleaming Sky, Mother of Helios!
Dieser Brief auf Deutsch · Questa lettera in italiano
Heartfelt thanks for the many letters with instructions for surviving the heat! Today here in Lugano it hit a blazing 35 °C, and I doubt it is much better where you are.
Dog days.
Did you know the word goes back to the ancient Romans, who coined the term dies caniculares 2000 years ago? These are the days when Sirius, the Dog Star, rises together with the sun: people believed it laid its own heat upon the day. The literal translation lives on in German (Hundstage), in English (dog days) and in Italian (canicola: the little dog, that is, Sirius). Who knows what kind of dog star is getting ready to lie down beside the sun in the years to come?
Below, in one summary, I gladly pass on the essential tips that will get you panting through to September without kicking the bucket as early as August.
With my team I have put together the perfect list for you: from the hints of the kind readers of the last letter, from Dr. Milena, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), the Canton of Ticino and Mum. Follow the list, and see you in September!
Good thing Villa Ciani in Lugano has built-in air conditioning! Five days of chilled writing: two places are still free, we start in a week!
My friend Adolfo Santoro keeps writing his wonderful articles (in Italian), which we happily publish every Wednesday.
And if the long-ordered fan finally arrives this week as well, I can let my thoughts flow through orderly conduits again, and keep thinking about the course of time. And writing.
See you soon, stay cool!
Markus
My Latest Letters
The Complete Dog-Days Survival Guide
How to make it safely to September without kicking the bucket in August
Basics (Milena)
- Drink a lot: 2-3 litres of fluids a day.
- Take in fluids through fruit and vegetables too, not only drinks.
- If possible, swap day and night: be active and air the rooms at night, rest during the day.
- Invest in good air conditioning.
- Accept rest: an active, no-longer-quite-young mind needs recovery.
- Do whatever it takes to pull the plug and switch off.
Added by the World Health Organization 1
- Dark urine is a sign you are drinking too little.
- Avoid alcohol.
- Avoid too much caffeine.
- Keep your home cool: below 32 °C by day, below 24 °C at night.
- Keep windows closed and darkened by day, open at night.
- Use fans only at temperatures below about 40 °C.
- Stay in the shade; in the sun it is 10-15 °C hotter.
- Cool your body with cool showers or baths and damp cloths.
- Wear light, loose clothing and a hat (!).
- Look out for people at risk: the over-65s, people with heart, lung or kidney conditions, and those living alone.
- Protect babies and children from the heat.
- Take warning signs seriously and get medical help in case of dizziness, nausea, fainting, cessation of sweating, confusion/delirium or loss of consciousness.
Added by the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health 2
- Prefer tap or mineral water, herbal or fruit tea, apple juice diluted with water.
- Avoid sweetened drinks.
- Anyone with a heart or kidney condition should clarify their fluid intake with a doctor.
- Eat smaller, lighter and more frequent meals.
Added by the Canton of Ticino 3
- Never leave people or animals in parked vehicles.
- Whenever you dare to step outside: sunscreen.
- Follow the weather through the MeteoSwiss 4 and AlertSwiss 5 apps and take the warnings seriously.
Added by my mum
- Eat salty foods to replace the mineral salts and electrolytes lost through sweat.
Added by Markus
- Be patient and kind: your sisters and brothers are hot too.
Sources
- World Health Organization (WHO): Heatwaves: how to stay cool
- Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH): Heat: recommendations and behaviour
- Canton of Ticino: Canicola (in Italian)
- MeteoSwiss app: iOS and Android
- AlertSwiss app: iOS and Android