Fighting the Heat During This Summer

According to Chinese medicine and Ayurveda there are foods that can cool down our body in these summer time. For example, these are strawberries, apples, pears and plums, summer vegetables such as melons, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, lettuce, cucumber, zucchini…

However, ice cream and cold beer are not the best means to do it. Here is what should be the principles of the summer diet. First of all, one of the most common misconceptions when we want to cool down is to take cool foods. The aforementioned ice cream and cold beer will actually lead to a cooling effect in the first 15-20 minutes of ingestion. But prof. Gerard Mullen, from Johns Hopkins Hospital, and professor Barry Swanson – the University of Washington, explains that the body responds physiologically to the cooling of any of his parts by redirecting blood flow in the cooled area, so the temperature back to normal, or even raise. Thus, our attempt to cool down eating cold foods after a short time produces the opposite result.

Vegetables and fruits that cool slowly
The foods that can act as coolers are strawberries, apples, pears, plums, melons, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, lettuce, cucumber, zucchini, radish, beet, cereals, legume sprouts as well as mushrooms. Fruit of moderate climate area- apple, pear, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries.. also has a cooling effect, but an even greater cooling effect have tropical or citrus fruit (lemon, orange, banana …). These foods are refreshing, relaxing, helping to reduce the sudden emotional reactions and reduce cravings for unhealthy forms of candy (with a lot of refined sugar and artificial flavors). They help us feel easy and even actively even directly after meals.
Another thing that helps us to cool down are spices. It is not unusual that the people of warm regions tend to eat very spicy foods. Especially spicy food increases body perspiration and the body is cooled by evaporation. It also causes the activation of hormones from the class of endorphins (the hormone of happiness), of which you become comfortable, and forget the dull heat.

Tea instead of water
According to Chinese medicine, it is better to drink tea instead of pure water because of great loss of minerals due to the introduction of water. So the following tea mixture is recommended, which is extremely tasty and effective in fighting the heat:
1 tablespoon of pomegranate (compensates for liquid)
1 tablespoon of hibiscus (keep pores under control, helps to reduce sweating)
¼ teaspoon of ginger (pores and skin’s ability to adapt)
1 tablespoon of lemon balm (relaxes muscles, pores, very good for blood vessels)
2-3 bags of Rooibos tea (dilutes lymph and help clear the body)
3 dl of juice from the berries, blueberries, blackberries or cherries (prevents dehydration)
In particular, boil half a liter of green tea

Tea and ginger mixture pour with 4l of boiling water and let stand 20 minutes.
Strain and add green tea and juice. It can be sweeten with 2-3 tablespoons of honey or maltex
This drink is a cold drink, but should be at room temperature.

Barley cools
Tea made from barley is recommended by macrobiotics as a very good cooler. Barley has to be fried, ground, and then cooked as a tea. In Japanese restaurants, guests drink barley tea before meal.

For heat shock
Chinese medicine advises that a cup of cold bitter coffee can help in a very strong reaction to heat, such as severe dizziness, migraine attacks, nose bleeds, nausea with desire to vomit, sudden weakness and weakness in the legs (1 teaspoon of apple cider in coffee will enhance its effect).