Summer brings unbearable heat and discomfort to people. So how do you avoid the heat, cool down and relieve your body quickly when the temperature can rise to 40 degrees Celsius? Experts suggest some tips on diet and lifestyle that can help your body cool down more effectively.
Quick Body Cooling Tips
Drink plenty of water
On a hot day, the earliest sign that you are dehydrated is thirst and a rapid heartbeat. Another obvious sign is the color of your urine. Dark urine also means concentrated, and your kidneys are working overtime to keep your body hydrated.
Drink enough water so that your urine is no darker than very weak tea. During this record heat, that means you should be drinking two to three times as much as you normally do.
Note that water with a little salt and glucose will help your body absorb it much faster than plain water, and is therefore very helpful for people who are really dehydrated.
In contrast, carbonated water causes your body to lose water more quickly.
Wear light-colored clothing
Comfortable, loose-fitting, sweat-wicking clothing can help keep the body cool when temperatures are high. Light, cool colors will reduce the feeling of stuffiness and make you more comfortable.
Do light exercise
In the summer, you should choose light sports and try to choose a cool time to go out, such as early in the morning or in the evening. Exercise such as yoga, walking, and swimming can be very helpful in cooling the body during the hot season.
Use cooling masks
You should use moisturizing creams that have a high cooling effect, such as aloe vera gel or green tea. Aloe vera and green tea extracts can soothe the skin's temperature. You can also use fresh aloe vera to cool down directly when the temperature is high.
Use cold towels
Applying a cold, damp towel directly to the skin can help lower body temperature. Experts recommend placing it on sites where blood vessels are close to the skin — such as the back of the neck, under the armpits, on the wrists, or on the groin. In these areas, blood vessels are near the surface of the skin, which means that the cold will draw more heat away from the body and help cool it down faster.
To make a cold towel, wet a towel with cool water and then wring out the excess water so that the towel is damp. Then put it in the refrigerator, the longer the better.
Remember to never apply ice directly to the skin, as this can cause skin burns. Instead, wrap the ice in a towel or blanket and apply it for no more than 20 minutes at a time, every two to four hours.
While it may provide temporary relief from the heat, taking a cool bath or shower actually increases our body temperature. Your skin temperature will drop and you will feel cooler, but the cold water reduces blood flow to the skin, so your body actually retains more heat internally.
Use sunscreen
Your skin is your body's shield. Therefore, you need to use sunscreen to protect your skin from the effects of the sun in the summer. Choose a sunscreen with an appropriate SPF to block the effects of ultraviolet rays on your skin. If your skin gets sunburned from working outdoors for too long, use aloe vera gel or fresh aloe vera to cool and soothe the skin immediately.
Soak hands and feet in cold water
Soaking hands and feet in cold water also helps to dissipate heat from the body and reduce heat.
To cool down an overheated body:
George Havenith, Professor of Environmental Physiology and Ergonomics at Loughborough University, suggests applying cooling pads to those areas or soaking in water. If possible, swimming or taking a cool bath is also very effective. You can also spray water on your skin to help it cool down, which is like sweating but without losing moisture from your body.
Eat Light Snacks
Eating light snacks like salads is also a solution for cooling down because snacks don't require much energy to digest and produce less heat inside the body.
Vegetables contain a lot of water, which can help hydrate and cool you down. For example, lettuce is 95% water; cucumbers are 96% water. In addition, salads do not need to be cooked, so you don't need to turn on the stove, which will help keep the house cooler.
Peppermint drinks: Peppermint is a calorie-free supplement that will cool any drink or snack.
According to Owen Jeffries, a Lecturer in Physiology and Sports Science at Newcastle University, the fancier the food, the more heat it generates when it is digested. However, Jeffries warns that hot weather can make you lose your appetite, so it is more important to make sure you are eating enough.
Wear Light, Loose Clothing
On a hot day, choose natural materials like cotton and linen to better absorb sweat and encourage air flow to the skin. Specifically, researchers from the University of Oregon found that a blend fabric of 95% cotton and 5% spandex is the best choice for hot weather. These fabrics will feel cooler against your skin when it's hot because they conduct less heat than other fabrics.
According to a small study in 2014, if you are working or exercising in the heat, you should wear clothing made of moisture-wicking materials, such as polyester or nylon. These fabrics protect you from the sun while encouraging evaporation to keep your body cooler.
Harmful Habits to Avoid When Coming in from the Sun
Sitting in front of a fan or air conditioner as soon as you come in from the sun
Dr. Tran Anh Thang, Deputy Director of the Hanoi 115 Emergency Center, said that this is a common habit when the weather is hot. Fans and air conditioners can help lower body temperature, making the body feel cool. However, this is a bad habit because when the body temperature is high, sitting in a cold room and in front of a fan will cause the blood vessels to constrict, causing stiffness in the neck, shoulders...
In some cases, people may experience paralysis of the facial nerve number 7 due to sudden changes in temperature. To ensure safety, people need to be aware: If you come in from the sun, you should rest in a well-ventilated, cool place to lower your body temperature to normal or you can turn on a small fan and let it rotate, but do not let the wind blow directly on your body.
Taking a cool shower as soon as you come in from the sun:
Many people have the habit of taking a cold shower as soon as they come in from the sun to cool down. This habit seems harmless, but it is actually extremely dangerous. Many people have had to be hospitalized because of this bad habit.
When your body is at a high temperature, cooling down by taking a cold shower can cause a state of heat shock: fainting, local cerebral ischemia, headache...
"People should rest, drink plenty of water, and when their body temperature returns to normal, they should take a shower. When showering, you should not soak yourself in water for long periods of time," said Dr. Thang.
Drinking cold water
When you come in from the sun, your body loses water and your body temperature rises, a glass of cold water can help you cool down quickly. However, according to Dr. Thang's recommendation, like sitting in a fan or air conditioner, the habit of eating cold food is not good when you have just come in from the hot sun. Because, cold water can reduce body temperature suddenly and cause sore throat, sore throat, loss of voice...
According to Dr. Thang, the best way to drink plain water is to drink oresol to make up for the amount of water lost through sweating.
Suitable Foods
Cool down the house
White curtains will significantly reduce heat in your home on hot days. (Photo: ranzom).
Before going to bed
To actively prevent the spread of disease during the hot season, the Bureau of Preventive Medicine recommends:
People should eat cooked food and drink cooked water; ensure food safety. Each person needs to drink enough water and increase nutrition, eat lots of fruits to ensure enough vitamins to increase the body's resistance.
People should increase personal hygiene, wash hands frequently with soap especially before preparing food, before eating, after using the toilet; clean nose, throat daily with saline; clean surfaces and objects that are in contact daily such as toys, school supplies, doorknobs, stair handrails, countertops/chairs, floors with soap or common detergents.
Families should use sanitary latrines, children's waste should be collected, treated and disposed of in sanitary latrines. People also need to regularly carry out measures to kill mosquito larvae (larvae); remove waste materials, natural water holes, and prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs...
Summary
Staying cool and hydrated is important during hot weather. There are a number of things you can do to cool down, such as drinking plenty of water, wearing light-colored clothing, and taking cool baths or showers. You should also avoid harmful habits such as sitting in front of a fan or air conditioner as soon as you come in from the sun, taking a cool shower as soon as you come in from the sun, and drinking cold water.