Physical Wellness

Five Ways to Combat the Heat with Food

By Cheri Cheng | Update Date: Aug 28, 2014 02:13 PM EDT

Even though summer is winding down, there are still days where the temperatures can rise back up. Instead of staying indoors all the time with the air conditioning on full blast, people can enjoy time outdoors without having to sweat too much by taking these preventive measures.

Here are five ways people can combat the heat with food:

1. Eat Light

During the summer time, eating heavy and spicy foods might not be as appealing. Instead of reaching for hot pizza or fried foods, which can cause profuse sweating, people should turn to lighter meals, such as salads and yogurt. These foods can help cool the body because they contain higher water content and do not overheat the body. Lighter meals are also kind to the waistline.

2. Freeze your Snacks

Many healthy snacks, particularly fruits, can be extremely tasty and cooling when frozen. On the nights before projected hot days, people should prepare and freeze bags of their favorite fruits and vegetables so that they can have these snacks ready throughout the day. These frozen snacks are also considerably healthier than ice cream.

3. Use a cooling mask

For people who want to avoid the high electricity costs caused by turning on the air conditioning, a cooling mask can come in handy. Not only can a mask cool the face, it can also nourish the skin. One simple mask that people can make involves mixing plain yogurt, cucumbers and nonfat powdered milk.

4. Eat Cooling Foods

Certain foods can have a cooling effect on the body, according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). These foods, according to MSN, include "bamboo shoots, bananas, clams, crabs, grapefruit, lettuce, persimmon, salt, seaweed, star fruit, sugar cane, water chestnut, watermelon, cucumber, barley, bean curd, chicken egg white, marjoram, oyster, pear, peppermint, radish, strawberries, tangerines, yogurt, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, corn, tomatoes, pineapple and turmeric."

5. Eat Foods high in Water Content

Another way to keep the body hydrated other than drinking water is to eat foods with high water content. These foods, such as watermelon, berries, grapefruit, broccoli, cabbage and carrots, can help the body cool down.

Keep these five food tips in mind during hot summer days.

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