Delicious Foods To Keep Yourself Cool During The Summer

Keep yourself cool by considering these delicious foods!

by Cody George, Lifeguard Times.

The summer months are considered the key months where individuals finally have the chance to relax. After children are finished with their schooling for the year, families take advantage of the free time found in their schedule and take a vacation to exotic locations, or even places more intimate such as the beach. Though the summer is typically full of fun and relaxation, there are components to keeping your summer a healthy and happy one.

Being exposed to the sun for a prolonged period of time can have negative effects on your skin and body. There are simple tricks to keeping your skin from being damaged from the sun and keeping you internally cool as well. Some certain vegetables and fruits are commonly known to keep yourself cool from the inside out – and they’re tasty, too!

What to eat:

If exercising during the summer, keeping hydrated by drinking upwards to two liters a day will help prevent overheating. Starting your day off with a high-protein meal full of foods that help keep yourself cool is a necessity if you are planning on being out in the summer sun for an extended period of time. Fish, brown rice and soy milk are high-protein and delicious foods that will supply you with enough energy to keep you going throughout the day and keep your internal temperature low.

Fruits such as watermelon and oranges contain a high water content as well as electrolytes and essential vitamins that aid in how your body processes energy. Fruit salads containing these fruits as well as kiwis, grapes, and cantaloupe are sure to keep you full of energy and will help sustain your body if you’re planning on keeping up a considerable amount of physical activity this summer.

Having a consistent eating schedule is suspected to help keep your body regulated and your mind sharp. Try eating a salad mid-day as a filling and revitalizing dish. Adding leafy greens to the salad – such as kale and spinach – is known to help keep your internal temperature stabilized. Adding vegetables with a high water content to this dish, such as cucumbers and tomatoes, will help you keep hydrated through the long and hot summer days.

What to avoid:

As a common rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to avoid meals that are high in sodium concentration. Keep an eye on your fluid intake when eating food with high amounts of salt. The function of salt is to help your body retain water. If your body is retaining too much water, however, you may be subject to blood pressure problems!

Alcohol is considered a vasodilator, which means it opens up your arteries and helps travel blood through your body. As a result, your extremities feel much warmer than it would otherwise. If you do drink alcohol during the summer season, drinking a proportionate amount of water to alcohol imbibed can help prevent stress on your internal organs and may help keep you hydrated as well.

What to consider:

In South and Central America, where the temperature is generally much more intense as well as humid, locals dominantly have a diet of hot and spicy food. This may seem counter intuitive, but this is actually a very beneficial diet when trying to keep cool!

Certain hot spices such as red clover, peppermint and ginger initially warm you up, but overtime help keep yourself cool. These herbs and spices make you sweat, which helps cool you down faster and stay cool. Instant relief from the sun, such as ice cream and water, may actually deliver a shock to your system and in turn, the cooling effects will only be temporary.

As an added bonus, adding spicy foods to your diet is beneficial in that these ingredients act as a detox agent from within your body. Hot herbs and spices are widely known to help boost your immune system and keep away common illnesses such as the cold or the flu. Try adding fresh ginger to your salad the next time you feel a cold coming on!

Now you know!

Keep this information in mind if you are considering keeping up your exercise regiment during the summer season. Even a simple trip to the beach has hidden dangers – like dehydration, overheating, and heat strokes. Eating healthy and delicious fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices are a good way to keep yourself cool against the intense summer sun! ╚