Easy Tips to Cool Down a Hot Home

Keep as much heat out as possible.

• Hot air and sunlight coming in through windows heats up the inside. During the day, close the windows and shut the curtains and blinds.
• The exception: If some windows are shaded during the daytime, by trees or shadows from nearby buildings, open them. 
• If you can open two windows during the day, you will get a cross-breeze that will help the room cool down.
• When it’s cooler outside than inside, perhaps at night, open windows to allow cooler air to come inside.

Remember that heated air rises and cooler air sinks.

• You may be more comfortable downstairs than upstairs in hot weather. Basements are naturally cooler than attics.
• Switch the direction of ceiling fan blades when the seasons change. They should be spinning counterclockwise in hot weather. This creates a cooling downdraft. Remember to turn the fan off when nobody is in the room.

Lower the humidity.

• Moisture in the air doesn’t really add to the temperature. However, it does make the air feel hotter. Remove the excess humidity with an energy-efficient portable dehumidifier to make the room feel cooler than it is.

Don’t add more heat.

• Indoor appliances such as the dishwasher, clothes dryer and washing machine, oven and stove add heat to the air. Cook food in the microwave or outdoor grill if possible. 
• Wait until nighttime when it is cooler outside to use other appliances. 

Sorghum is the June Grain of the Month

Although sorghum is the fifth most widely grown cereal crop globally, it is not well known in the US. The Whole Grains Council has declared sorghum to be the grain of the month of June.

In North America, sorghum is mostly grown to make silage for animal feed and used as biomass in the production of ethanol. Many varieties of the tall plant are native to Africa, Asia, and Australia, where it thrives in areas prone to drought. Sorghum stalks are high in sugar, and can be crushed to yield a sweet juice.

Ben Franklin wrote about the use of sorghum as a crop. It was likely brought to this country by enslaved Africans. In addition to food for humans and animals, the fibrous stalks are made into brooms, earning sorghum the nickname “broomcorn.”

With its many varieties and multiple uses, sorghum is an important crop. The US is now the world’s largest producer, although sorghum syrup is no longer a common staple on breakfast tables here.

Sorghum is naturally gluten-free, and has high natural antioxidant levels. It may have several health benefits, including protection against insulin resistance, managing cholesterol, and inhibiting cancerous tumor growth. In addition to being a good source of fiber, sorghum seeds provide manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin B3.

Sorghum grains are easily cooked in water or broth, with a grain to liquid ratio of 1:3. More commonly eaten in the South, sorghum may appear in Cajun or Creole recipes. When cooked, the grains can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, and quickly reheated in the microwave. Sorghum grains can be ground into flour. The seeds can even be popped like popcorn!

Sorghum has been part of human diet for at least 8,000years. Are you ready to try cooking another ancient grain?

Displays and Exhibits for Healthinfo Island for June 2025

You can teleport to any of the eight displays and exhibits using the SLURLs in this posting. In Second Life, click on the poster with the same name as the title of the poster set, and you will get a notecard that contains all the text of the posters plus descriptions of the images.  If you click each poster, you will get a private message with additional information and live links.

NOTE: June is Men's Health Month. All the posters this month are about men's health.
Men's health is a family and community issue. Everyone needs to check out these poster sets!
*Due to current news about prostate cancer, three of these exhibits deal with that health issue.

June is Men's Health Month
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22

Men Get it Too!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/190/181/24

You've Been Diagnosed with BPH!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22

Men, What Screenings Do You Need?

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24

Gay, Bi & Trans People Have Distinct Health Issues
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26

* Prostate Cancer
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/50/28/28

* Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/24/23/30

* Addressing Prostate Cancer Risk Factors
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/21/63/32


Check out the calming breathing exercise on the back wall!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/128/126/24

Thank you to Mook for help with the posters this month.

Tips for Accessing and Affording Specialty Medications

Some specialty medications are expensive or difficult to obtain. Be sure to use your insurance to cover as much of the cost as possible. Then consider other routes to affording your prescriptions.

Here are some common barriers to accessing specialty medications.

• Health insurance may require prior authorization before covering a specialty medication. This can be a lengthy process, requiring very specific coordination among the insurer, the prescriber, and the pharmacy.
• Health insurance plans are written in language that may be difficult to understand. Ask for clarification of terms that seem confusing.
• Many specialty medications are considered limited distribution drugs (LDDs). This means that they are often not stocked at pharmacies, unlike the more commonly prescribed medications. If your prescribed medication is an LDD, it may not be available in a timely manner or at all where your local pharmacy is located.

There are potential solutions to these barriers.

• An appeals process is available from your insurance plan. If your initial prior authorization is denied by the insurer, your healthcare provider can submit an appeal. They will need to describe in more detail the reason for that particular prescription. They will also have to explain why the medication the insurer recommends is not appropriate for your case.
• A specialty pharmacy may offer mail-order services for difficult-to-find medications, and can help you find financial assistance or suggest lower-cost alternatives. They will keep track of all the require paperwork, including annual changes in Evidence of Coverage (EOC).
• Patient advocates can do the background research needed to create a successful appeal of a denial. They can also help you get a second opinion, locate financial assistance, or apply for disability. They may be available through clinics, health plans, or peer support organizations.
• Financial assistance may be available when, even with approved insurance coverage, copays are unaffordable. 
• Manufacturer copay cards are often available for medications for which there is no generic version. 
• Manufacturer patient assistance programs may offer low-income persons free products.

Nonprofit foundations may have grants to help offset high prescriptions costs for patients on Medicare who have high copays. Some of these foundations are:

• The Assistance Fund
• Good Days Fund
• Healthwell Foundation
• Patient Access Network
• Patient Advocate Foundation

Nobody should have to go without necessary medication due to inability to pay.