So far this week (it is only Tuesday) I have received over 32 black fly bites to my forehead, neck and ears – DESPITE wearing a bug net. I mean really, the little buggers! I’ve also been subjected to both mosquito and horse fly bites to my hands and shoulders (through my gardening gloves and shirt). It’s around 30 degrees C outside with high humidity, like the rest of Nova Scotia I am hot and sticky.
So I am trying to be Zen about this… rather than feeling hot and bothered.
Here are my tips to stay Zen when you are red raw from bug bites and sun burn and feeling overly hot (not sexy) and really quite irritated.
- Take a cool shower
- Keep hydrated
- Wear floaty light cotton clothes rather than figure hugging tops and tight trousers.
- Walk bare foot on the grass
- Open the fridge and breathe in the cool air (I can cheat here because we have a cool room for our flowers and farm produce so I can immerse myself in cool but if you have air conditioning, crank it up high or get yourself in front of a fan!)
- Resist the temptation to scratch bites, I put on our Gardener’s Hand Salve or a fresh plantain poultice (simply chew the leaves up in your mouth and place directly onto the bites to soothe). I have also swabbed chamomile infusion or tincture all over my face too – this is great because it is anti-bacterial as well as calming for the skin.
- Remember to breathe, sounds silly but whenever you a feeling hot and bothered try placing your focus on your breath for a count of ten. You never know this might be the peace you need.
- Eat light good-for-you-foods rather than fried, heavy, sugary stuff. Think salads, smoothies, ice pops, chilled water melon, dips, BBQ grilled meats and seafood. ICE CREAM IS OF COURSE ALLOWED.
- Be kind to yourself and others – give EVERYONE a break
- Don’t take life seriously, have a laugh
- Stay out of the direct sun and heat, be a shade lover
STAY COOL BE ZEN