Some Unusual, But Effective Tips To Help Cool Off:

What’s your favorite way to cool down?

Mine is spicy food, a warm glass of water, and a nice spot in the shade.

Now, for some people, at least two of those would seem pretty odd…

But I can explain.

While the wonderful weather may seem like a blessing – everything is best in moderation.

If you’ve been looking for any and all methods of cooling down, and escaping the heat…

Then here’s the logic behind my advice:

#1: Let’s Start With Spicy Food

Now snacking on something spicy may sound like the worst way to manage a hot day. There’s some science to back up why you should give more spice a try.

“hot” foods like cayenne, jalapeño, and habanero peppers get their heat from the chemical capsaicin, which excite the receptors in the skin that normally respond to heat.

Eating spicy food may send an initial flush of heat through your body but this heat makes the skin sweat. Once air makes contact with sweat on your skin, it starts to cool down the body’s temperature.

#2: Heat Drying You Out? Try A Warm Drink

This is another piece of advice that may seem somewhat backwards, but enjoying a warmer drink to quench your thirst on a hot day can also help to cool you down.

Similarly to the way spicy or pungent foods can cause us to sweat. Hot drinks can do the same by causing our blood vessels to dilate.

Sure, at first that hot drink will make you feel even warmer, but in the long run we cool ourselves more than we would with a cold cup of water through sweat evaporation.

Cold drinks only cool down our body temperature, but this can force the stomach to work harder to produce the heat needed to digest food, which makes you hotter and more thirsty.

#3: Are you a fan of proper airflow?

Now this is a tip that can go right over our heads – literally!

Did you know that ceiling fans actually have adjustable blades? It’s to direct the airflow in the center of the room either up, or down depending on the temperature.

During hot summer months you should rotate them counter-clockwise (lefty-loosey).

This will direct the air current downwards into the room, pushing cooler air up and around the sides creating flow.

#4: Lastly, If you’re out in the sun; take precautions!

A bit of sun may seem serene to start, but ensure to take proper precautions to avoid getting scorched!

Extreme heat is no joke; it can lead to heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and possibly even worse.

The scary thing is, it’s our kids and our grandparents who are at highest risk.

So when making any plans to head outside, try to schedule activities outside of hours when the sun is highest, and hottest, in the sky.

If you do go outside, make sure to protect yourself through proper use of sunscreen, and find a cool, pleasant spot of shade under trees and canopies.

Remember to watch your water intake – drink plenty of water throughout the day, and replenish electrolytes by adding a little citrus and salt to your water.

In particular watch out for: