It's really, really hot!

It's hot out. Really, really hot out. And the heat is expected to continue with temperatures consistently climbing into the 90s with increasing humidity for the next two weeks.

We all know basic hot weather survival. Stay indoors. Wear light-colored clothing. Drink plenty of water. But is that all you can do? No. Here are some tips you may not have heard before to help stay cool.

•If you must work outside, do it during the coolest part of the day, which is typically between 4 and 7 a.m.

•Eat small meals and eat more often. Also avoid foods high in protein, which increase your metabolic heat. The "coolest" foods are: apples, berries, watermelon, orange, peach, pears, broccoli, cabbage, celery, corn, potato, tofu, zucchini and bitter greens.

• Hats can keep the sun off your face and neck but also trap body heat. Make sure you wear a hat with vents.

•Being in direct sunlight on hot, humid days can make it feel up to 18 degrees hotter than the temperature gauge.

•Fans don't cool the air but make you feel better because they help sweat evaporate off your body.

•Most major brands of sweat-proof sunscreen don't block your skin's pores and still allow you to sweat, helping keep your body cool. Make sure you check the label carefully.

• Water your plants early in the morning to avoid fungus growth, which can occur if you water at night.

Is the heat making you sick?

If you're feeling lightheaded, weak, nauseous or clammy, or are having trouble breathing, you could be headed toward heat exhaustion.

In children, watch for no tears when crying, no wet diapers for more than 3 hours, skin that doesn't fatten when pinched and released.

Heat cramps are muscle pains caused by exertion. To treat, get yourself into a cooler place and lightly stretch the muscle while drinking a half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes.

Heat exhaustion is a mild form of shock caused by your body diverting blood from your organs to your skin to cool you down. To treat, get into a cool place, remove or loosen your clothing and apply cool, wet towels to your skin while drinking a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes.

Heat stroke is when your body's cooling system shuts down and can cause brain damage and death. To treat, call 911 and get to a cooler place and immerse yourself in a cool bath while slowly drinking water, unless you start to vomit.

Source: Daily Herald reporting, National Weather Service and the Red Cross