HOTFLASHES | July 2021

Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:

6 beefsteak tomatoes, (1/2 to 3/4 lb. each)

4 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

1 1/2 cups chopped tricolor bell pepper mix (from 1 [8-oz.] container)

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Step One: Remove and discard tops of tomatoes; then core and seed them.

Step Two: Stir together, chicken, bell pepper mix, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl until combined. Spoon about ½ cup mixture into each cored tomato. (Cover and refrigerate leftover chicken salad up to 5 days.)

Recipe from southernliving.com. https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/chicken-salad-stuffed-tomatoes

Sun Safety

While everyone is outside enjoying the summer by the pool or at the beach, Ultraviolet (UV) rays can sneak up on you. It’s easy to tell yourself that you won’t need sunscreen because it’s cloudy or you won’t be outside for that long, but sunscreen can help protect you from those harmful UV rays that can damage your skin and lead to skin cancer.

When choosing a sunscreen, it’s important to choose one that offers broad spectrum protection (against both UVA and UVB rays) with an SPF of at least 30 or higher. If you know you’ll be in the water, you may want to choose a water resistant sunscreen that will continue to protect your skin for a short period of time while you’re in the water. Even with water resistant sunscreen, it’s important to reapply every two hours while outside. You also want to ensure that you apply your sunscreen properly, paying close attention to your face, ears, neck, arms, and any other areas not covered by clothing.

While sunscreen is an important step to take in protecting your skin from UV rays, it’s not the only one experts recommend. You should also:

• Protect your skin with clothing.
• Wear a hat.
• Wear sunglasses that block UV rays.
• Sit in the shade whenever possible.
• Avoid tanning beds.

Information from cancer.org.  https://www.cancer.org/healthy/be-safe-in-sun/uv-protection.html

Keep Cool During Pregnancy

Being pregnant can already be uncomfortable, but during the summer, it can be downright miserable. We know it isn’t easy, but we’ve got a few tricks that might help you make it through to cooler temperatures.

Stay Hydrated: Staying hydrated is important for anyone out in the heat, but it’s all the more important with a bun in the oven. In addition to the 10 cups of liquid you should be drinking every day, you also need another 8 ounces for every hour you spend in the heat. Make staying hydrated a little more fun with a nice mocktail or an icy popsicle.

Avoid Swelling: Edema can be even worse when it’s hot outside, calling swelling in your calves, ankles and feet. You can help fight this by kicking up your heels (even when you’re not sitting poolside or on a sandy beach somewhere). Prop your feet up at home and at the office whenever you can. You can also try foot and ankle exercises and passing on the salt.

Beat the Heat: Even without summer heatwaves, pregnancy can make you feel hot all the time. Use this as an excuse to take a dip! A nice swim can help your lower your body temperature, and the weightlessness may help ease the stress on your body. If you don’t have access to a pool, try a plastic kiddy pool version or a cheap inflatable.

Choose Breathable: The summer heat and your growing body might have you chafing and sweating. To stay comfortable, choose loose, light-colored clothes that will keep you from overheating and allow sweat to evaporate.

Information from thebump.com. https://www.thebump.com/a/5-ways-to-survive-a-summer-pregnancy