“LEGAZPI
CITY , Philippines – The mayor who made Donsol, Sorsogon the whale
shark capital of the world died Thursday while being treated at a
hospital after suffering from heat stroke. Mayor Jerome Alcantara,
who was running for re-election under the Nationalist People’s
Coalition (NPC), was campaigning last Tuesday when he collapsed from
heat stroke. Alcantara, 77, was rushed to the Estevez Memorial
Hospital and was later transferred to the Aquinas Hospital where he
succumbed to complications of the stroke at 11:25 a.m. on Thursday.”
- The Philippine Star Newspaper
They
say that the month of March is the “Fire Prevention Month.”
During this month, a lot of fire incidents happens, including death
and people blame it for being too hot. But being too hot is just
because March is also the start of summer! Summer is just one of the
temperate seasons here in the Philippines. The Philippines is along
the equator line which naturally is affected by the direct heat from
the sunlight. That is why summer is naturally hot. During this
season, different body-cooling paraphernalias including food,
beverage and services are offered and people most likely to pick them
to ease the hotness that they are experiencing. Among thesse body
cooling foods, beverages and services include:
- Eating halo-halo
Halo-halo
is the most famous delicacy for Filipinos during summer. It is
composed of different ingredients, usually fruits and other sweets
topped with crushed ice and evaoprated milk. What makes it special is
because you will not only get a treat but also you're body will feel
relief and cool. That is why halo-halo is on top of the list of the
treats to find during summer.
- Milk Tea
Drinking
tea or milk tea is a lot cheaper compared to drinking coffee. Iced
coffee will cost you at least more than a hundred bucks while milk
tea, with the cup being venti will cost only around P75 minimum. Dr
inking milk tea may also come with different delicious “add-ons”
or “sinkers” which only ranges from P10-P15. That is why if you
want a cold drink and a treat all together, we suggest buyng milk
tea. A beverage not only healthy but also suits the weather because
it cools our body.
- Iced Coffee
Of
course we do not want to be biased that is why iced coffee is still
on the list. This type of coffee that we are talking about is
sometimes an indicator of what class you belong to because of its
relatively expensive price. But nonetheless, thi beverage will really
suit not only summer but every season as they serve hot or cold
drinks.
- Travelling
Summer is the best time of the year to go swimming at the beach or visit places with cold climates. There are lots of beaches and resorts in our country like in Laguna, Boracay, Subic, and CamSur. If you do not like getting wet but want to escape the hot weather of Manila then go to places like Baguio and Tagaytay where the climate is cold. If you cannot bear the Philippine heat then go to other countries with cold climates like China, South Korea, U.S.A, and the others alike.
- Going to mall
If
you do not have the budget to go travelling then go to malls instead.
The malls are always air conditioned keeping you cool from the summer
heat. One mall that I can suggest is the SM Mall of Asia where they
have an ice skating rink that lets you play on the ice.
Those
are just some trends every summer which can coll our bodies. Common
denominator? They are all cold or iced! Selling ice becomes a very
profitable venture this summer so better start thinking what products
require ice or start making them.
However
this summer, it is not only our bodies who were greatly affected. Our
behavior is also affected as heat contributes to the locomotion of
our body and how we react to stimuli of the environment.
Psychological
approach on heat
It
has been long accepted that there is a relationship between heat and
aggression. Historically researchers believed that this relationship
was linear; as it gets hotter, people tend to become more aggressive.
Yet over time, research has shown that this relationship is a bit
more complex. In fact, many factors contribute to this relationship:
Time of day, population
density, and holidays to name a few. Even more recently, research has
shown that once the heat gets so high, there is a decrease in
aggression (a curvilinear relationship). So when people get too hot,
they will not engage in aggressive behavior. Rather the opposite,
they will even become lethargic, even passive.
Another significant factor in
how we respond to heat is a person’s expectations. When I go to hot
yoga, I expect the room to be hot and I am dressed and mentally
prepared for the heat. As a result, I welcome the heat and allow it
to help me relax. Yet when I did not expect to be hot at my office, I
was not mentally prepared. I was dressed in business clothes and
attempting to provide therapy. So I saw the heat as bothersome,
inconvenient, and my mood thus became negative.
During summer, In general our
expectation of early summer weather in Philippines is that it would
be warm - not consistently in the high 90’s and 100’s. Also our
shock and discomfort could also be related to the fear that if it’s
this hot in June, what will July and August weather bring us. This
thought might create anticipatory stress and anxiety about the
possibility of continued (and increased) hot weather.
Recent research has also shown
that when hot weather is also paired with high humidity, we tend to
see increased irrational and irritable behaviour. Furthermore people
have a decreased ability to sleep, lower activity levels, decreased
vigilance to safety, slower reaction time, and decreased performance.
So how do we cope with the summer
heat? Unless you can financially afford to schedule vacations to
cooler destinations during summers, you most likely are going to be
faced with a hot summer with high temperatures and high humidity.
Here are some suggestions to be more prepared for the heat -
physically and mentally:
·
Dress appropriately. Allow your body to cool down by wearing
comfortable and weather- appropriate clothing.
·
Stay hydrated. Do not forget to drink fluids.
·
Have reasonable expectations. Do not expect to have the same energy
levels that you have in the cooler weather, especially when engaging
in activities outside. Remember that your attention and desire to
follow through may be reduced. Plan to work and play at a slower
pace.
·
Be safe. Make self-interested decisions about how much exposure you
have to the heat. Plan your outdoor activities during the cooler
hours of the day.
·
Do not fight the heat mentally. If your schedule requires being in
the heat, then accept your situation and embrace it. As one of my
favourite yoga instructors frequently says, "Work with the
heat".
·
Remember to breathe. Taking deep breaths and focusing on what you can
accomplish versus "fighting" the heat you might find
yourself less likely to be bothered by the increased temperatures.
·
Smile. Finally do not under estimate the power of a smile. When you
feel frustrated and overwhelmed, just smiling can positively affect
your mood and become lethargic, even passive.
(http://www.thedanielislandnews.com/artman2/publish/Top_Stories_69/The_Psychology_of_Heat.php)
Regards,
Gapuz, Allain Vincent B.
-AB Organiztional Communication
Andre Dale Gueco
-AB Organizational Communication
David Kim
-AB/BS Psychology
