And another article, this one on managing summer without an AC

[conuly]

Or at least with minimal air-conditioning.

Comments

[leora.livejournal.com]

I know this article is aimed at normal people, and I really only mind when people say it specifically to me, but I am so sick and tired of hearing "your body adjusts" or "your body will get used to it".

As far as I can tell, no, my body will not. If I go into a cold pool I may begin to feel okay (or may not, last time I tried it and tried to adjust I just kept shivering endlessly until we decided this was a ~really~ bad idea and not worth the health risk), but either way, my body is not coping with it in a healthy manner. As far as I can tell, I don't really adapt to high altitude low pressure environments, and just keep using up excessive resources. I have serious issues in heat where sometimes I will begin to overheat in a way that I had never experienced before I became ill, and it feels like my brain is going to boil in my head and my whole body feels unspeakably awful (a quick sprinkling of cool water generally helps in these cases, but it feels like I need it urgently, don't know whether or not I do).

It's a good article and it's good advice. And I'm glad they stuck the little health warning at the end. I just want people to remember that while most people may be able to do these things, one should not assume it is safe for everyone.

That said, I don't have an air conditioner. They're not overly common in the region I now live in. And you can do a lot with fans, shade, and cool water. That's all good advice. But whether or not you can push your body to simply accept more extreme heat is a different issue, and you should take some care whenever your change is instead to push your body's limits.

There's just a part of me that imagines many well-meaning people reading this and then trying to convert others and being convinced that it must be okay for everyone, because all human bodies work the same way and have the same needs and so forth.

But I do support energy conservation. And it is good to think about what your options are and whether you really need all of the energy you are using.

[xianghua.livejournal.com]

THis!

Plus, a lot fo 'you'll get used to it' depends on what your routine is. I can live without air conditioning in fairly warm climates. (I've done it in MO, and I've had stretches of a few weeks down here in Texas in early summer, which sucked, but again, you can do it.) The problem is, my body adjusts by sweating copiously, which makes it hard to do things like be socially acceptable at work. :P