A Smart diet to gear up for the summer heat

With the onset of summer and the mercury shooting through the roof one tends to feel listless. The record breaking heat makes it harder than usual to come out of the laid back mode of long summer days. Body mechanism seems out of control and many feel sick and faint.

 Working or over exercising, dieting and improper food intakes are the main causes of heat exhaustion. However, this medical emergency can be avoided by following a smart diet.

‘Plenty of water and a little addition of salt in the diet can prevent heat strokes, advice Dr Subhash Tiwari. Staying cool and hydrated by consuming enough water at regular intervals is essential but following a healthy diet is equally important.

He also says that along with ample water, peppermint tea can bring solace to the soul as the methanol in the tea, leaves one with a sparkly cool-feeling.

Dietician/nutritionist Nancy Kashyap, talks about an extensive diet plan which could be followed to respond to a thermic fever. She adds, “Consuming food along with enough quantity of fruits and vegetables will help enjoy summer without stress”.

Fruits and vegetables including pineapple, water melon, cucumber, apples, pear, tomatoes and oranges should be consumed as they have high water content, especially water melon. It is beneficial in hydrating the body and can be eaten in chunks or simply by adding it in a fruit salad. Eating food which contains essential fatty acids such as seaweeds, leafy greens, carrots and seafood can also help beat the rising temperature. 

One can often include nuts, like almonds, cashews and peanuts too. Food rich in minerals, such as broccoli, kale and collards, should also be added to the diet. According to a study, these foods support the proper functioning of hypothalamus, a part of brain that controls body temperature, hunger and thirst. In order to increase liquid in the diet, one can always consume broths, soups and cereals with low fat or nut milk.

Spicy food is not generally recommended to beat the summer heat, but one may consider eating spicy food as it increases blood circulation and encourages the body to sweat more without raising its temperature. It makes one feel cooler as the sweat dries. Also, onion is a great preventive food additive against heat stroke. Adding raw onions to the diet in form of salad or fried onions before facing the heat can work wonders. 

In a harsh summer like this, where laziness finds its way, one can relax and kick heat with these healthy and cool treat.