It’s the third day in a row of record heat in the Northeast! If you are having trouble cooling down during this heat wave you may want to look into what you are eating. Your diet should be considerably different then what you eat in the cold winter months. There is a reason watermelon is everywhere in the summer!
I just ate a nice cooling sandwich made with avocado, tomato, cucumber and lemon juice. I even used two of the cucumber slices on my eyelids and it felt great!
The basic idea for eating to cool your body is to eat raw fruits and veggies and not animal products. Eating a hamburger with cheese will surely raise your body temperature and have you cranking the A/C. Sadly beer and ice cream are also on the list of food to avoid. You might feeler cooler at first but just after 20 minutes your temp will rise again. Interestingly enough hot spices such as cayenne are on the list of cooling foods and will do the opposite of beer or ice cream, it may raise your temperature at first but after a while you will feel cooler. It increases perspiration and opens up your blood vessels to promote cooling.
What to eat:
- Watermelon/Strawberries/Mangos – All fresh fruits!
- Citrus Fruits: Lemons/Oranges etc.
- Tomatoes/Cucumbers/Squashes
- Salads comprised of vegetables such as chopped cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, beetroot, lettuce, sprouts, and lime juice
- For protein eat bean and peas
- If you are daring spice things up with some cayenne!
Reduce these foods:
- Anything consisting of mayonnaise, cream cheese, or sour cream
- Additional Fatty Dairy Products
- Meat, Poultry, Eggs
- Processed Food, Fast Food
- Oily and Fried Food: Potato Chips, Fries etc.
- Food high in sugar and flour
- Excess Caffeine
- Cold Food that is high in calories such as beer and ice cream
Also remember to drink plenty of water. For extra cooling add fresh squeezed lemon and/or cucumbers. Good luck and stay cool!