Greg Budell

It is August.

The “media” says it’s hot. Really hot. Like ‘it’s never been this hot before hot’ which is utter BS. According to these oracles, and accomplished scientists like Angry Greta and AOC it will be less hot when we all drive fossil-fuel charged electric vehicles.

Eye roll. The climate has been changing since The Big Bang. 10,000 years ago, the River Region was under a glacier. I assure you that glacier was not melted by a Range Rover. I’m glad it’s gone. That ice field left behind some nice lakes not to mention the Robert Trent Jones golf courses. with sentiment I purchased one and opened it while walking back to my car.

One bite, and the chocolate coating broken into dark brown tiles that slid onto my shirt bringing globs of melted vanilla with them. It won’t kill you, but it will make it look like you were crapped on by a Pterodactyl.

4. NEVER LEAVE LIQUIDS IN YOUR CAR DURING THE DAY This includes liquids inside of solids. Those 600 degrees interior temps will boil the ink in a ballpoint pen causing it to explode. I once left a pack of Cinnaburst gum not realizing it was vulnerable to heat exposure. The volcanic release took months to completely clean. My car smelled like Prom Night Breath until Halloween.

5. REALIZE YOUR SKIN BECOMES OPAQUE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT

I would have never known about the heat without “media” wisdom, hype and hysteria.

My plan is better. Let’s accept summer as the season where it’s seems like we’re living in a terrarium.

unmanageable hair. After a while you’ll get used to it.

2. START YOUR CAR AND A.C. 30 MINUTES BEFORE DRIVING

BOOMers, at this point in life we’ve developed the thick skin required to handle life’s challenges. Your actual skin however, is thinning out. In direct summer sunlight, it is possible to see your internal organs at work. Keep your shirt on until college football resumes.

For BOOMER’s spending their first summer in Alabama, let me help by offering the Ten Commandments of Summer. Obey them, and you’ll sail through the heat like a Frisbee.

1. ALWAYS WEAR RUBBER SOLE SHOES AND/OR FLIP FLOPS! Summer thunderstorms can erupt at any moment June-September. 60,000foot, atomic bomb shaped giants can seemingly emerge from nowhere, spewing lightning like a sneeze spews germs. Most Southerners are hit by lightning several times a year. Rubber soles allow the bolt to harmlessly pass through leaving behind little more than Your car interior can reach temperatures of 600 degrees while sitting unused in the sun. Unless you enjoy the smell of roasted flesh, you’ll let it cool down a good bit before going anywhere in daylight. Keep your windows snugly up because even the smallest crack can allow your car to lose 1 degree of comfort per second (CPS). Don’t be fuelish. Your car will kill you.

3. NEVER EAT ICE CREAM OUTSIDE IN A SOUTHERN SUMMER I broke this commandment one summer as I was leaving a gas station convenience store. An ice cream freezer offered nostalgic Eskimo Pies. Overwhelmed 6. OBSERVE THE SUMMER RULES OF EXERCISE An occasional one-inning softball game won’t kill you. Or 3 holes of golf (6 with cart). In this heat, you will burn thousands of calories doing things like going to your mailbox, bending over to pick up a newspaper or walking from your car to the front door of a store. Work out to your heart’s content indoors but wait a minimum of 3 air conditioned hours before returning outside. Spontaneous Human Combustion is always a threat here.

7. KEEP PLENTY OF WASP & HORNET SPRAY AT HAND Stinging evil flying insects love to build their hives of horror where they can’t be seen. Last year these daring beasts built a colony under the wing of my grill. Fortunately, the spray can was right there and I kept the swarming monsters at bay until they pushed me into our pool. If you simply enjoy shooting the bug spray stream at random flying insects for sport, stay in the shade (and it counts as summer exercise!). Like some species of people, they disappear when college football starts.

8. BE MINDFUL OF ELECTRIC BILL INDUCED HEART ATTACKS I suffered one when this year’s first summer bill came in at $627 for a 2400 square foot house. At first, I thought the outside unit was the issue. Further investigation revealed a shocking lack of insulation in the attic. It turns out, we bought our place from Lizard People. A nice couple, they enjoyed living without AC. Somehow. In Alabama. In the summer.

It’s insulated now. $1800 worth. That bill gave me a second, albeit minor, heart attack.

“Clear!”. Keep the paddles handy when you open that AP&L bill. Rates go up August 1 (fact). 9. KEEP A TOWEL HANDY AT ALL TIMES You can get a six pack from My Pillow cheap. Not for sweating or post-shower! Drape them over the back of anything you sit on during the summer. Your flesh softens in the heat and will absorb the imprint of anything you sit on without protection. It’s looks hideous and you might face public ridicule.

10. THOU SHALT NOT KEEL Your underarms can be hemorrhaging sweat like crushed juice boxes. The back of your neck feels like an oil slick formed by perspiration and hair products. Your clothes feel like they were upholstered to your skin. The cool BOOMer forges ahead without complaint. This ain’t our first summer rodeo and hopefully not our last. Ignore the climate shriekers. You can remain steadfast secure in the knowledge that BOOMer experience has taught us that the heat solution is close at hand.

It's called October.

(If you have a comment on this column, email me at gregbudell@aol.com. It's still fun to hear from new people!)

Greg Budell lives in Montgomery with his wife, Roz, Stepson, Sho, and dogs Hershey and Briscoe. He’s been in radio since 1970, and has marked 16 years in the River Region. He hosts the Newstalk 93.1FM Morning Show with Rich Thomas, Jay Scott & Jessie Lynn, 6-9 AM Monday-Friday. He returns weekday afternoons from 3-6 PM for Happy Hour with sidekick Rosie Brock. Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com.

The combination of the modalities of acupuncture (the application of very thin needles to certain pressure points across the body, usually to reduce pain,) and aromatherapy is a relatively new concept, but one that seems to be gaining traction in the last few years.

It basically uses the points that an acupuncturist would use, but instead of needles inserted through the skin, instead pressure is applied to the point using a thumb or fingertip. The aromatherapy part can be done in one of two ways. 1) via diffusion whilst an acupressure “massage “is conducted, or 2) applying specific oils to specific points on the body using the fingertips as the mode of application.

There does not seem to be one agreed upon name for the technique. I have seen it referred to as AAT (Aroma Accupoint Therapy), APT (Aroma Point Therapy), and Aroma Acupressure amongst others. They all mean the same thing though, a combined use of acupressure and aromatherapy. Just be sure of what you are actually getting should you approach a therapist who practices this.

There have been many clinical studies done already to see the effectiveness of the technique and all of them have shown positive outcomes with a conclusion that “more research needs to be done.” Each study that I looked at was viewing it in terms of replacing traditional pain killers or anxiety medications, particularly in young people, to avoid addiction to opiates and suchlike. If we could achieve that, that would indeed be something to celebrate.

A huge advantage of the technique, to my mind at least, is that there are many elements of it that you can practice yourself at home. You don’t need any fancy equipment, just a few essential oils and an awareness of the acupressure points that you need to address your personal issues. I have been following a course in self-help for menopause symptoms using just this technique and I have to say, it has helped me a lot. I’m sleeping better, not as many hot flushes, better concentration (for the most part ��) Four acupressure points and four diluted essential oils. That’s it. Of course, you will need advice on which oils to apply to which points, but that’s where the therapist comes in.

So, I am going to share with you one or two self-help techniques that you can all do at home, using Aroma Acupressure (for want of a better name).

The combination of essential oils with acupressure can bring relief from digestive difficulties, fatigue, tension, pain, and overall stress. Just as a brief introduction: Bergamot and Lavender are used to promote relaxation and for pain, Blue Tansy to release frustration, Rosemary, Black Spruce, and Saro gently lift the Qi to stimulate energy, and Fennel and Geranium can regulate the digestion.

Pressure point Extra-1 (Yin Tang) is used by many acupuncturists to help with stress or anxiety. Sitting comfortably, apply pressure with one fingertip to the point midway between your eyebrows. The pressure should be enough that you feel it, but not so much that it hurts.

You should hold it in place for 2-3 minutes before releasing. During that time, you may feel changes in energy in or around the point. This is normal. Using either Bergamot or Lavender will help release any tension and help you relax. Dilute with a carrier oil such as olive oil or avocado oil before application. 10 drops per tablespoon. If using Blue Tansy, use less, 4 or 5 drops per tablespoon.

For additional support in relieving anxiety, rub upwards to the hairline. The Du 24 point is located just inside the hairline straight above your nose. Gently rub in small circles in that location.

For upper body pain or headaches apply lavender oil to the LI4 (Hegu) pressure point — the fleshy web connecting the thumb and forefinger, applying pressure to the top. (Please note, this pressure point is contraindicated for pregnancy.) In this case lavender can be applied neat (undiluted) as we are trying to work on an acute and immediate issue.

I hope you get to try this at least once.

Let me know how your experience goes. I’d love to hear about it.

email: nyrbhalla@gmail.com I web: us.nyrorganic.com/shop/tracybhalla I www. LogHouseAromatics.com

Tracy Bhalla, independent consultant with NYR Organics and founder of LogHouseAromatics.com; after 25 years of using homeopathic remedies, it was time to take charge and complete my Aromatherapy Certification, which I achieved April 2020 and since founded LogHouseAromatics.com as a source for useful essential oil and general natural health information and a place to purchase certain products. email: nyrbhalla@gmail.com I am here to answer any questions you may have. 60 BOOM! August 2022

“There are six myths about old age: 1) that it’s a disease, a disaster. 2) That we are mindless. 3) That we are sexless. 4) That we are useless. 5) That we are powerless. 6) That we are all alike.” Maggie Kuhn