Tips Foods and Herbs to Keep Your Body Cool in the Summer

Drink fresh pure water

During summer in intense heat our bodies lose more water through sweating which can lead to dehydration. It’s important to drink water and stay hydrated. Consuming more liquids and staying well hydrated will help you stay cool.

Eat fresh fruits, vegetables and salad

Consume more fresh fruits, vegetables and salad during this hot period. The water content in fruits and vegetables are a good way to stay hydrated. Add beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, steamed fish or chicken into your salads for healthy proteins and fats.

Eat plenty of leafy greens and vegetables to maintain good health. Foods with cooling properties include cucumbers, mulberries, and watermelon. Enjoy smoothies and homemade sparkling drinks to avoid the toxic additives in conventional soda which will make your body work harder.

Raw Vs Cooked Foods for the Summer

Eat raw as much as you can during the summer. If you are around hot food, especially around a barbecue this will make you feel hotter. If cooking food try steaming rather than heavy fried foods.

Eat less heavy meals

Reduce meat products and animal based foods which may be too heavy for digestion. Try to avoid too many fried foods. To make sure you maintain an adequate intake of protein and fat you can eat nuts and seeds or lighter animal proteins such as fish.

Avoid alcohol

During the summer season it is best to avoid alcohol as alcohol consumption will raise body temperature.

Cooling herbal teas

When drinking a warm drink the body compensates for the extra heat by increasing sweating. The more sweat is produced the more the body reduces its heat storage from evaporation of sweat. This has an overall effect of making you feel cooler. Many teas have properties that help cool the body.

Sweating is also a good way of releasing toxins such as heavy metals and other toxicity. It is also a good idea to supplement with essential electrolytes such as potassium and sodium. Also make sure you have an adequate intake of calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, and iron.

Herbal teas that have cooling effects include:

Lemongrass Tea

Lemongrass tea has many medicinal properties. Lemongrass has been used as a medicinal tea in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. One of its health benefits for which it has been used for is to bring down fevers by promoting sweating and the cooling of the body. This tea also has a relaxing, calming effect which can help with sleep.

Lemon Balm Tea  

Lemon balm tea is a member of the mint family and like most mint teas it has the ability to create a cooling effect in the body by gently dilating the pores so that heat can escape. Lemon balm tea is often recommended by herbalists for people who stay in the sun for long hours. It will also help combat fatigue which can be caused by being in the sun for long durations. As well as its cooling and soothing effects lemon balm has numerous other health benefits.

Chrysanthemum Flower Tea

Chrysanthemum flowers used in tea has cooling properties. This tea can also help with detoxification and having an overall calming effect. The benefit of using this tea is it can cool the body without cooling the digestion.

Mint Tea

Spearmint tea and peppermint tea are a refrigerants which will help lower body temperature. Spearmint tea however, should not be consumed by men too often as a study has revealed that it has produced baldness in men. In women spearmint does not produce baldness and in fact can help with hormonal imbalance where a woman is producing high levels of testosterone. Peppermint is the safer option for men.

Rosehip Tea

This tea helps to cool the body while providing an abundance of antioxidants and Vitamin C.

Red Clover

Red clover has been used for hot flashes in women. This tea improves circulation and has a cooling effect on the body.

Ditch the ice cream and stick with iced drinks

Unfortunately ice creams and ice cubes in drinks cannot always keep you cool. Cold food in general is bad for digestion and instead of lowering body temperature it increases it.

If eating ice cream only do so occasionally. Drink iced drinks prior to exercise and in environments that are hot and humid may provide some benefits.

Wear light breathable clothing

Wear clothing that are light and breathable. Bamboo material is excellent as it is highly breathable and can make your body feel cool in intense heat. Cotton and linen clothing are also a good option. Avoid any materials that are too insulating such as wool.

Avoid cold showers during summer

The body responds to any adverse changes in climate and tries to regulate the core temperature. Cold showers will send the wrong signal to the body and increase body temperature. Your water should be warm at about 30⁰C. Anything lower will be too cool for the body.