Staying Cool!

TIPS ON STAYING COOL THIS HOT SUMMER!

Summer is finally here and the temperature is already in triple digits as I sit and write this.

Well here are a few practical tips to keep cool during these HOT days and nights.

1.    Eat smaller meals, more often. Decrease your protein intake.

2.    Hold your wrists under a cold running tap for 10 seconds every hour (will cool the veins and the blood).

3.    Take a shower or bath with lukewarm water, especially before bedtime. Bathing in cold water will cause the body to generate more heat to compensate.

4.    Eat more spicy foods (sweat generated by spicy foods cools the body down).

5.    Wear light colored cotton clothes.

6.    Draw your curtains to keep the inside of your rooms cooler.

7.    Drink more water.

8.    Drink less alcohol, even ice-cold beer or wine (as they draw water out of the tissues).

9.    Avoid coffee and colas (caffeine generates heat).

10.                       Drink ‘Crysanthemum Tea’ which cools the body.

11.                       Use a feather or down pillow with cotton cover. Foam pillows retain heat.

12.                       Try taking ‘Black Cohosh’ (a Native American herb) which helps regulate body temperature.

13.                       Place your sheets in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 2 hours before going to bed. Cold sheets should help you fall asleep faster.

14.                       Dream of snow, ice and cold weather – daydreaming helps the mind cope better with reality. (So dream of being on Mount Everest or Alaska, while baking in the California sun).

15.                       Above all, be prudent and smart. Avoid going out in the heat during the afternoon hours, wear a hat and carry fresh, cold water.