Come summer, heavy sweating, constantly feeling thirsty and exhausted, and prickly heat rashes are common. With excessive sweating, your body loses not only water but also some vital minerals. Making up for the lost electrolytes is crucial, lest you may fall ill due to dehydration. People in scorching places such as in the tropics are prone to heat strokes as well. So, how do you take care of yourself during summer? Here are five proven tips to keep you cool in summer!
1. The many fruits for the rescue
Nature bestows us with plenty of delicious fruits that can help ease the troubles associated with summer. This is when eating seasonally available fruits & vegetables can be highly beneficial in nourishing your body and soul!
Summer fruits such as mangoes and melons can help you stay hydrated easily. So, whenever you feel thirsty, reach for mango or melon in the form of cut fruits or a juice rather than a bottled cold drink to quench thirst. Other fruits such as pineapples, berries, grapes, pear, kiwis and apples are also excellent choices to munch on; it will add variety too.
Also, most of us yearn for a refreshing drink during the summer days, especially if we are out in the sun. Sugarcane juice, tender coconut water, barley water, and buttermilk are a few excellent options to quench your thirst and add vital electrolytes.
Not only do such choices help you rehydrate, but they supply numerous essential nutrients to your body. This way, you can healthify yourself effortlessly and stay cool in summer.
2. Veggies can also hydrate
Vegetables such as bottle gourd, zucchini, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, radishes etc., have more water content. You can use them in your meals to “eat your water”.
You can also prepare a healthy salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, carrots and bell peppers and enjoy beating the summer heat naturally.
3. Do not underestimate water
Though you can include some fruits and other hydrating drinks, remember to drink plenty of water as well during the day. On any day, water is essential as it regulates many bodily functions. And, on a summer day, it is quite important to drink water. Drinking at least 2 litres of water a day is deemed essential and is one of the most important summer tips you must remember.
4. Ideas to make water more interesting
If you get bored of drinking water, try opting for infused waters. Prepare a simple one by adding a few slices of lemon, cucumbers and a few mint leaves to a pitcher of water. Allow the ingredients to sit in the water for a couple of hours, and then you can enjoy the refreshing drink throughout the day. You can also opt for fruit-infused water using oranges, berries or kiwi.
Products such as these are great for those trying to up their fluid intake as the fruit infusers help make plain water more palatable. And, you can easily carry it along wherever you go. It also helps prevent wastage from making big batches of infused water.
Simply throw in a few pieces of lemon or cucumber to start with, and then start experimenting with other recipes to keep it interesting.
Stay hydrated!
Another alternative to plain water that you can consume throughout the day is jeera water. You can prepare jeera water by boiling some cumin seeds in water and have it for the day.
5. Manage prickly heat rashes
Taking measures to keep your body cool in summer is important to prevent prickly heat rashes and skin breakouts. The following are a few effective tips to prevent and manage prickly heat rashes during summer.
- Taking sips of tender coconut water or jeera water helps prevent heat rashes.
- Applying any one of aloe vera gel, sandalwood paste, papaya pulp, jeera & coconut milk paste, or cucumber pulp helps in reducing prickly heat rashes and keep your skin supple and healthy.
Common mistakes to be avoided
- Consuming ice-cold drinks might be more appealing when you are thirsty, but they will not help you much to quench your thirst. Opting for room temperature or warm food and drinks are very effective to stay cool in summer. And the key is not to reach the point where you feel extremely thirsty; it is best to hydrate yourself at regular intervals.
- Another common misconception is that you must increase your salt intake during summer when you sweat more. It is unnecessary to increase salt intake. Doing so can also be adverse to your health. So, when you reach for that bag of salty chips you enjoy, think twice. Similarly, stay away from processed foods, fried foods and spicy ones for the same reason. Opt for fresh foods to avoid dehydration and its associated issues such as exhaustion and headaches.
-> Would like to know a few effective headache remedies? Read here.
A useful tip
If you get stomach pain due to heat, you can apply castor oil over your belly button area. It will help relieve the discomfort.
Always stock up on a good quality edible-grade castor oil like this one in your pantry, as you never know when you might need it. Apart from applying it on your belly button to relieve stomach discomfort due to heat, you can also use it as a laxative, treat fungal infection or even heal chapped lips!
The takeaway
Hot summer days can turn troublesome if you don’t keep yourself hydrated and replenish with nutrients. And, as you can see, seasonal fruits and vegetables are aplenty that can supply your body’s nutrients and water needs. Go ahead, pick the fruits and vegetables of your choice, and stay cool in summer!
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