Must Have Foods to Keep Cool in Summer and 4 Surprisingly Simple Tricks to Cool Down on Especially Hot Days (2020)

The fiery heat of the sun can easily drain even the hardiest and most resilient, hence, if we do not take proper care of ourselves and follow a proper routine, we will be putting our bodies in grave danger.
While most people get dehydrated during the summers, others feel a drop in energy levels once they get affected by the scorching sun. Moreover, sweat and skin eruptions can also cause a lot of damage, and so we need to take proper care of ourselves during these months. This can include keeping away from the direct sun, eating cooling foods like the ones mentioned below, and drinking lots of water. So, let us get started with the things to do during summer to keep your body cool.

Here are some foods that will not only help to keep your body hydrated during the whole season of summer, but also help to keep medical conditions like constipation away from you.

With nearly 91.45 per cent water, watermelons are among the foods with the highest amounts of water. And due to its high water content it can really help fulfill the liquid requirements of your body, hence preventing dehydration. It also has antioxidant properties which make it the ideal choice if you want to cool your body down. Moreover, it is a seasonal summer fruit and is easily available in the market during summers.

Another great choice is curd as it is extremely easy to make and helps with the fight against summer heat. It also suggested because, due to the nutrients like calcium, Vitamin D, proteins and gut bacteria in it, curd can really help keep you cool while also improving your digestion which in turn makes your bones stronger, prevents vaginal infections, reduces high blood pressure, and provides healthy and beautiful skin. While yogurt can be had on its own, to further improve its flavour and nutritional profile, you can eat curd in many different ways like making a smoothie, adding fruits like bananas to it, or eating it simply, without any additions.

Avocados contain huge amounts of monosaturated fatty acids that help expel toxin and heat from our blood, making our bodies cooler. They are also easily digestible and lower the risk of cancer, depression, and bad vision while also preventing osteoporosis, making the heart healthier, and improving digestion. These can be eaten in a bowl of soup, by grilling them, adding them to BLT, turning them into brownies, making fries of them, making gelato out of them, making a chocolate mousse of them, by stuffing them with crab meat, or even in a salad, among other ways. You will be able to find all these recipes online.

Mint is an extremely cheap but beneficial herb that is widely available in the market. Just like the rest of the cooling foods, mint also has relaxing and cooling properties that help fight against the summer heat. Moreover, it helps with digestion, treats asthma and common cold, cures headache, helps in weight loss, improves brain power, helps in skin cleansing and brightening, helps ease nausea, and also prevents stress and depression. If this hasn't impressed you, this food can also be eaten in various ways like by adding to curd, in chatni, in a salad, or even in your iced tea.

Staying hydrated is important the whole year but is especially important during summer, when your body expels a lot of water from your body in the form of sweat to cool you down. When the body heats up you sweat to release the heat, so, if you don't drink sufficient water you will get dehydrated, resulting in your fainting or worse health conditions.

You can keep yourself hydrated by drinking plain water or through other drinks and juices. You may even eat watery foods like watermelons and melons for this purpose. You should aim at drinkingup to half your body weight in water, i.e. if you weigh 120 pounds, drink 60 pounds of water, daily.

You probably won't be aware of this tip but it is very effective. Sitali breath is a yoga breathing technique that has a cooling impact on your whole body in much the same way as mint. Sitali breath, when done properly can benefit you both mentally and physically by cooling down the body and relaxing the mind.

For this exercise, get in a proper seated position before sticking out the tongue and rolling the outward sides together, just like a hot dog bun. In case you have difficulting rolling the tongue, you can also pucker purse your lips. Now, you are going to inhale through your mouth slowly before exhaling through your nose. Continue this exercise for about 5 minutes.

This doesn't mean simply wearing light clothes. In fact, it contains everything you wear, from the head to your toes. All of these things should be light and should be bright-colored as well. People often forget a head gear but keeping your head covered can significantly protect from the heat and prevent sun strokes. You should wear either caps or carry an umbrella for cover.

Also wear sunglasses and loose fitting clothes. Natural fabrics like cotton, linen and silk are the best as they allow the body to breathe, but you can also consider clothes made of semi-synthetic rayon, and semi-synthetic modal. You may also wear thermal regulation fabrics or the ones made for outdoor activities and sports but ensure you pick the kind that wick moisture. You should also wear shorts or light trousers, along with ankle-length socks and light shoes or sandals.

Taking baths not only cleans off all the dirt and sweat from your body but also keep the outer part of your body cool. For this reason, you should take baths routinely. You are suggested to take a bath at least two times every day so that you can reduce the effect of the heat on your body.

Avoid either very hot or very cold water, tepid or cool water is best. Often temperatures during summer soar to the point that even tap water becomes hot. If that is the case fill a bucket with as much water as you need for your bath and let is stand for a few hours or overnight till it reaches the desired temperature, or consider adding ice cubes to cool it down if you need to cool it down immediately.

Though these tips and foods can help you stay cool and hydrated even when you are out of your home, you are still suggested to stay inside your home. You should also spend most of your time in an air-conditioned room, and relax for the most of the time. In case you get hit by a heat wave or suffer a sunstroke, you should immediately visit a doctor and get advice in order to stay safe and out of any further danger.