Healthy ways to beat the heat

Summer is in full swing and drought situations are on the rise across the country. Most cities have never seen the temperature rise up to what this year has brought about for netizens. Travelling for work or otherwise has rendered people exhausted, tired, sweaty and on the verge of getting heat strokes and palpitations, if it has not already happened.

What does one do in such crisis one might ask? Here is a list of things one MUST do and Must not do in the heat of the unforgiving and scorching sun.

Water, water everywhere…

H₂0 aka water aka aqua. The solution to all world problems. Well almost… Although this is an oft repeated formula to beat the heat, one cannot let go of the fact that drinking loads and loads of water will save you a lot of trouble. Our body needs at least 3 liters of water every day. Thirsty or not, said amount of water must be consumed to keep one hydrated.

Cool Juices

Yes, keep those juices coming! Whether it is fresh fruit juices that keeps your stomach cool like fresh watermelons or skin cleansing agents such as orange or lime, drink em all. Tender Coconut should be your ‘Go to’ drink for the entire season of summer due to its enormous health benefits. Leechi, Sapodilla, pumpkin and muskmelon are all things that will agree with your intestines and stop you from constipation (highly likely during the heat). Buttermilk is another favorite that will keep you hooked, once you begin having this delicious lip-smacking natural coolant.

Go swimming!

One of the best ways to lose weight, stay cool, be fit AND exercise and perhaps drink some water too (pun intended) is to go swimming. How many exercises or fitness regimes do you know of, that covers this very wide spectrum of benefits? That’s right. None. If you can avoid entering an outdoor pool, do so by all means unless you want to look like a baked version of yourself. Early mornings or late evenings are the best time to go to outdoor pools if this cannot be achieved.

Vacation at the hills

Has your workload or college assignments and the blessed sun tested your patience? Hill stations are the place to go then. Although there has been a sudden increase in population in these very cool places whose reason of course requires no pointing fingers, one could still visit the lesser known hill stations other than Ooty, Shimla, Manali and the like. South India itself has its variety of hill stations. Some of the must visits are Devikulam, Idukki, Devikulam and Araku Valley. A couple of weeks spent in healthy, clean and fresh air would do one a lot of good.

What you eat is what you get

“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” – Ann Wigmore

Diet plays a huge role on how one can balance one’s body’s reaction to extreme heat and high temperatures. Apricot, Watermelon, Honeydew Melon, Cucumber, Mint Leaves, Radish, Sesame Seeds, Fennel Seeds are all food types that one could make a part of their everyday diet that would keep one’s body cool, hydrated and happy. These natural coolants will dispel most of the discomfort that one might otherwise feel with soaring temperatures.

Where’s my ice cream?

Make sure you have your refrigerator stocked with Ice Candy, Ice cream, Ice Cubes and more Ice Cubes. Having these between light meals helps dispel the heat like nothing else does.

Say bye to black

If you love black clothing, it’s time to shove those into the basement until you feel you will not sweat right after you take a shower. Try to keep your clothing to very light, loose, and thin materials. All those corduroys, thick jeans, sweaty satin and jute has got to go. Light cotton should be your buddy along with sunscreen to protect you from the UV rays when you step out into the harsh sun rays.

Caffeine addicts, watch out!

Did you know that caffeine and alcohol dehydrates the body? If you are a coffee or tea addict, you must try and limit your drinking habits to a bare minimum unless you want your body to suffer from dehydration which is likely to happen during summer.

Home is where the heart is

If all you want to do is stay at home and chill, do so with all your windows and curtains open to let the breeze in. Keeping your windows closed during the heat is confining yourself to a very hot and humid atmosphere and that would not very likely do you any good. But one should also make sure that the blinds are closed when direct sunlight hits places in the house. If you could avoid staying in the upper most floor of a building you should.

Soak those achy feet

Soaking your feet up to the ankle is a sure way of bringing relief to your body. Adding some lime in to the solution with salt will bring relief with sure signs of pleasure to follow