If you take a holistic approach to spikes in the mercury, you can remain cool and collected through these dog days of summer. Consider that every season has its nature and purpose. Perhaps we can take this time to reflect on our purpose especially, the weather affects us strongly.

Heat tends to rise as does our Qi, or life force. If we are hindered by the heat, we might ask ourselves what is blocking our Qi from rising and circulating throughout our body? An interesting thing to think about is that Qi is actually "IQ" spelled backward, so consider using your mind to restore your body.

If we focus and meditate, we can absorb, internalize and change. Comprehension and application support each other. Unfortunately, the weather doesn’t adjust to mankind. We must adjust to the weather. Get up early in the morning and enjoy the cool of the day. Drink water, not soft drinks, iced tea or alcoholic beverages. This is not to say that you can't have those other things, but they require digestion and they add calories. Water is simple, cheap and accessible. Try drinking down a full glass first thing in the morning, at 10 a.m., at lunch, at 3 p.m. and at 7 p.m. That should keep your fluids up without you doing laps to the bathroom all night.

An afternoon siesta is another commonsense, efficient way to treat your body during the hot summer.

And what about visualizing snow or other images that evoke refreshment! Close your eyes and imagine yourself sitting under a tree serving as your umbrella in the rain forest. Cool water cascades around you as you sip a delicious, icy fruit drink. Our bodies reacts to dreams (or daydreams) rather than to the physical environment, and these daydreams can help you feel cooler all over.

An obvious caution: Don't go jogging (or exercising at all) at noon! When the humidity and the mercury are in a race to hit 100, your most active part of the day should ideally be before 10 a.m.

If possible, rest during the hottest part of the day. There is a reason the siesta is a mainstay south of the border -- the hottest part of the day should be your stillest part of the day. Get your jogging, gardening, biking, swimming and mowing done in the early morning or long twilight hours.

Keep windows and shades closed against the sun. You may think that air conditioning is the greatest invention since sliced bread, but it can actually cause you to become more intolerant to the heat. However, for safety’s sake, those who are most susceptible to being medically compromised by heat -- the elderly, the sick and the very young -- need to be kept in the coolest conditions.

Yet, most of us do not have such special conditions. Having a twenty-five degree difference between the indoor and outdoor temperature will make walking outdoors feel as if you are entering the Gobi Desert and you are walking out to the scorched trek through an arid wasteland!

In addition, the more each individual household pounds the grid with the lowered thermostat demands, the more likely we will end up with roving blackouts. To help preserve our precious electricity, consider putting a fan on your desk or next to your bed and letting the indoor temperature flux a bit more with what nature is dishing out.

Speaking of nature, isn't it great that all these water-filled fruits and veggies are at their peak now? Hit the farmers market and stock up on melons, cucumbers, grapes, nectarines and plums. Be grateful for the abundance of summer.

With all that healthy advice said, a summer evening is also the best time to get a scoop of ice cream. Walk or bike to your local stand.