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There are two critical components to summer cooling: actual sweating and the evaporation of that sweat. You can stack the deck against heat stroke by following a few common-sense rules that help out one or both cooling factors:

Drink water even when you’re not thirsty. Sweat needs fuel. “You basically have to force a balance of fluids into yourself,” says Dr. Auerbach. “Don’t rely solely on thirst.” A good field-test of whether you’re getting enough water is to take a look at your urine. “If it’s dark yellow, you don’t have enough water on board,” says Dr. Auerbach. As a general rule, stop and take a rest and liquid break every 30 minutes when you’re outside and active.

Keep it light, loose and layered. That’s the key formula for summer active-wear. Light colors reflect sunlight and so throw off extra heat. Loose clothing allows adequate air circulation so that sweat has a chance to evaporate. And layering allows you to adjust to the conditions you find yourself in. Keep it covered, though; a bare chest is an invitation to sunburn and extra heat absorption.

Beware humidity. High humidity is the enemy of sweat simply because the higher the humidity, the more dense the air is with water and the harder it is for your sweat to evaporate. It pays to be very wary of exercising when it’s both hot and humid.

Know the signs of heatstroke. Heatstroke occurs when the body loses its ability to regulate temperature. Those past the age of 60 and/or on certain medications that treat depression, motion sickness and nausea are most at risk. “If you begin to feel nauseated, weak or faint while in a hot environment, get someplace where you can cool off and drink some water,” advises Dr. Auerbach. Trouble standing, answering questions, or staying conscious all signal real trouble and should be followed up with emergency medical attention. Left unchecked, heat stroke can result in kidney damage or even death.

Med as Hell

Men aren’t very good at emotions

That’s a given. Some of us just don’t express any at all. Others make room for one exception: anger. Since all our emotional eggs are in one anger basket, when something sets us off, we really blow. Paradoxically, both of these extremes-expressing too much or too little anger-can set you up for some pretty serious health problems.

Healthy anger is what the experts call “reflective anger”: You feel the emotion, you step back and consider the source, and then you make a reasoned decision about how to express it. All three elements-feeling, thinking, expressing-are crucial. Here are some guidelines for developing a healthier approach to your anger:

Become more aware. Identify what your experience of anger is like. Consider how and where in your body you experience anger-do you clench your teeth? Do you tense your lower back? Work on relaxing those muscle groups.

Use reason. If you feel you’re about to blow up, slow down. Take yourself out of the situation and think about it logically. If you realize that your anger is unjustified or that you have no effective options for changing the situation, try to talk yourself down from being angry.

Know your history. Think back to situations in the past that made you angry. Are you bringing back “old” anger because, for example, your wife sounds like your mother? By knowing your anger triggers, you’ll be able to identify situations where you’re overreacting and ask for help in handling the anger rather than blaming the wrong person.

Suspend judgment. Don’t judge the emotion: You’re not a “bad” person for feeling angry, you just may be in a situation where you should act on that feeling.

Develop an inner dialogue. Explore possibilities for expressing your anger by mentally rehearsing possible situations, interactions and outcomes. For example, before confronting your brother about not paying back the money he owes you, consider what will happen if you call him a rotten SOB and demand the money that afternoon. What will he do? Will he yell back? Will you get the money back?

Learn to listen. Once you decide to act and formulate a strategy, enter the situation with a commitment to listen. Allow your partner to say everything on his/her mind without interrupting.

Reflect back. Repeat back what you just heard. If your wife tells you that she’s scared by the way you drive, first hear her out, then start your response by saying, “I hear you saying that you’re frightened by my driving.” It may save you a hurtful misunderstanding. For example, if you responded, “I hear you saying that I can’t do anything right,” you give her a chance to correct and reassure you: “No, I think you do lots of things right-it’s just that your driving frightens me.”

Describe your point of view simply. When you start to talk about what you’re feeling, give a nonjudgmental description of what’s going on. Try to use “I” in the statement: Instead of “you make me so frustrated,” try “I feel frustrated….” It sounds elementary, but by taking responsibility for your feelings, you sound less attacking. Make clear statements about how you feel and what you want from others.

Anger can be a constructive, energizing force in your life. It can sharpen your vision of what you want and who you are. By learning to express anger in a more balanced way, not only will you feel better, but your body will work better, too.