This summer has been a hot one to say the least. We’ve had high high 80-degree day’s and days in the 90’s already in Michigan already in July. August should be a very hot month also. It may be reassuring to know that air conditioning and water aren’t the only two ways that you can cool down this summer. Air conditioning is a great luxury but you sit in air conditioning at your own expense.
Air conditioning makes that electric bill number a bit higher. It also means that you have to close the windows and breathe indoor air which is known to be up to 500% more polluted and toxic than outdoor air.
I don’t know about you, but in my world paying for an extra luxury that I can tough out doesn’t make much sense. So you can take time to utilize your diet as a tool to keep your body cool this summer all the while benefiting your health.
The great thing about food is that not only can it be beneficial nutritionally but it can make you feel a certain way. Food has the capability to change your emotional state, your brain, your nervous system, sleep patterns, energy levels and so much more. Food also has the ability to easily and quickly change your body temperature.
In the wintertime I tend to eat more cooked food. Why? cooked food is hot food, it’s inherently warming to your body. If it’s cold outside you aren’t going to reach for watermelon when you walk in your door. Your shivering body and numb fingers don’t want to touch cold watermelon.
The idea of eating seasonally is in line with this. You eat seasonally to benefit from the seasonal growing. At the same time this idea applies to cooked and raw food. I’m a huge advocate of raw food, eating food uncooked. I’m also an advocate for cooked food too though. In the wintertime eating a hot soup or cooked potatoes keeps your metabolism and digestive fire active. It keeps your body warm and metabolism humming when it needs to be.
The same applies in the summertime. The foods that keep you cool also give you plenty of energy on the hot summer days.
8 Foods That Keep You Cool In The Summer
1. Cucumber:
If you want to cool down in the summertime then grab a cucumber and cut some slices up. There’s a reason people say you’re cool as a cucumber all the time, it’s one of the most cooling foods. The water content in cucumber is higher than most foods on the planet so you’re hydrating and cooling your body at the same time.
2. Watermelon:
Watermelon is also one of the most hydrating water dense foods on the planet. Because of this it’s inherently cooling to your body. Think of watermelon as an internal air conditioning unit, just keep it on and keep eating! This addictive summertime fruit also contains lycopene which is an antioxidant that prevents sunburn and UV ray damage. It’s made for summer consumption.
3. Peaches:
Peaches are a cooling and enriching summertime treat. They’re naturally hydrating to the body and contain nutrients that benefit your health in many other ways.
4. Apples:
Let’s get crispy! Apples offer that cool, refreshing, crisp crunch that make summers a bit easier and more bearable. They’re always a cooling bite away.
5. Pineapple:
Pineapple is another water rich fruit that is cooling and refreshing to the body. This is a great fruit to add to a smoothie. Take a bit of pineapple, banana, kale and cucumber and you’ve got yourself a superfood nutrient dense cooling smoothie.
6. Lemon:
Lemon is a rich source of vitamin c and gives you a refreshing cool kick of energy as well. Foods that cool your body and give your body energy do more as the heat wears your body down. Squeeze an organic lemon into a glass of water and enjoy.
7. Leafy Greens:
In general leafy greens are a good go to food to grab on a hot summer day. All leafy greens contain water and minerals, which help to balance your body by replenishing the adrenal glands which become stressed under heat exhaustion. Leafy greens are also one of the easiest foods to digest which means your body doesn’t have to burn as much energy (creating heat) to digest them.
8. Zucchini:
Zucchini is a great source of both vitamin C and manganese. Both important nutrients for fighting free radical damage caused by sun damage and excessive body heat.
Additionally you want to make sure that you’re drinking enough water. Staying hydrated is crucial for health and well-being but even more crucial during the summer months when you sweat out electrolytes. Beyond water one of the best cooling and hydrating drinks is coconut water. Coconut water is cooling naturally and also contains electrolytes to replenish your body of the electrolytes lost from sweating.
You can also learn how to keep your home cool in the summertime using these 9 creative techniques without turning the air on by reading this article. This allows you to keep the windows open for fresh healthy air along with keeping that AC bill low.
Keep in mind that during the summer months eating more raw food and less cooked food will help also.
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