COLUMN: Ten Ways to be Cooler in This Heat
By Dr. Brenda Gill
It’s been a challenge for most of us to handle the abnormally high temperatures and constant sunshine over the last two months, so drink and eat to be cool!
1. Drink cooling herbal teas. Many herbs are cooling to the body, so, blend a tea with peppermint or spearmint, put it in the fridge and drink during the day for your fluids. Chrysanthemum tea is also cooling.
2. When exercising, drink water with electrolyte powder. I like Ultima ― it’s naturally sweetened and has the right balance of calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium and comes in a variety of flavours. Please avoid the sugar sweetened, artificially flavoured and coloured “sports” drinks. They are full of refined or artificial sugar, dyes and flavours and have few electrolytes. A scoop of Ultima per litre of water will prevent dehydration and muscle cramps and can be found in any health food store.
3. Another cooling drink is coconut water. Add a sprig of peppermint or spearmint and you have a lovely treat.
4. Eat fruits that are cooling. Make a smoothie with a combination of apples, kiwi, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, mango, pineapple and star fruit.
5. Have salads as part of your veggies to lower your temperature. Make a mix of dark leafy lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, kale, swiss chard, arugula, beet tops, parsley, bamboo shoots or cilantro.
6. Lunches could include celery, kohlrabi or cucumber. If you make a dip with organic yogurt, dill and celery seed or salt, it will be wonderfully satisfying and chilling. Another idea is avocado filled with chopped eggs, yogurt, tamari or Braggs with gomashio (toasted sesame seeds ground with salt).
7. Consider roasted veggies on the BBQ to keep the heat outside. Asparagus, mushrooms, broccoli, red/orange or yellow peppers, zucchini, beans and eggplant are all cooling.
8. Compliment that with a pot of clams, crab, or scallops or BBQ slices of tofu or a filet of halibut or put a rabbit or chicken on the rotisserie, since these are all cooling.
9. Make the main part of a dinner a cold salad made with cooked barley, millet, wild rice, brown rice or buckwheat with cooked mung beans. Season with a dressing using sesame oil, olive oil, rice vinegar with tamari. Add roasted corn on the cob and you have a satisfying meal.
10. Have watermelon or other melons for dessert. They are not only cooling, but also satisfying.
