Beat the heat this summer

Keep your body cool:

This is to prevent excessive loss of heat from the body.
It can be done by the use air conditioning or a fan, wearing light and loose-fitting clothing, and keep skin wet, using a spray bottle or damp sponge and by taking cool showers. You can also use cold packs and wraps, towels, sponging, and foot baths to keep cool. Wear light, loose-fitting clothes of natural materials. If you go outside, wear a wide-brimmed hat or cap and sunglasses.
Heat escapes through the skin, which is the largest organ in the body. So, the more skin you can cool down, the better.

There are various methods for how to cool your skin down in baking hot weather:

• Drenching a t-shirt and keeping it wet can be very effective.
• Buy cooling spray.
• Having a cool shower - avoid extreme cold water as you should cool down slowly.
• If a shower is not available , you can quickly cool yourself down by putting your hands and feet in cold water. Wrists and ankles have lots of pulse points where blood vessels are close to the skin, so you will cool down more quickly.

Stay hydrated:

during days of extreme heat, keep drinking water before you feel thirsty, especially if outdoors or performing physical activity. Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes are just a few examples that are a great source of water and vitamin C in the summer. They might help reduce body temperature and boost energy. Additionally, vitamin C is a fantastic nutrient for preventing skin issues brought on by hot weather.
Cucumbers, melons, water melons, grapes, kiwis, dragon fruits are some fruits with high water content and are highly recommended during hot weather.
Buttermilk, milk shakes, smoothies, yoghurt can also be added to summer diets.
When it's hot, you are far better off sticking to light, well-balanced, regular meals. Food with a high water content like strawberries, cucumber, celery, and lettuce, will also help to keep you hydrated and cool in summer weather.
You can also try foods with high fluid content like soups and stews that contribute towards hydration levels.

Limit physical activities to cooler times of the day:

Take the temperature into consideration when planning your day and, if you can, limit physical activity to when it's cooler.

. Travel outside or commuting can be planned in the early morning or evening hours to avoid direct sunlight. Exercises or work outs can be planned in the cooler parts of the day; don’t forget to drink lots of water or isotonic fluids after workouts to replenish the lost salts and water.

When out in direct sunlight remember:

• Wear (and regularly reapply) sunscreen.
• Cover your head with a hat or use an umbrella
• Take regular breaks indoors or in a shady area to avoid getting heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
• Wearing light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing will also help you to stay cool.

Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol

In hot weather,it's important to avoid caffeine and make sure you're drinking lots of water. If possible, drink isotonic sports drinks to replenish the lost salts, sugars, and fluids.
Both cool and hot drinks will work to keep your core temperature at the same temperature. Consuming hot drinks will not cool you down more effectively than cold drinks. In the heat, you should avoid drinks containing caffeine, including tea and coffee, it's typically best to stick to water.
Alcohol causes dehydration, which can hit especially hard if your body is already struggling to stay cool in the summer. Drinking alcohol can also make it harder to get a good night's sleep, something that's already difficult in warmer temperatures.
While you may fall asleep quickly, you're likely to have poor-quality sleep and wake up earlier than usual - not exactly the refreshing sleep you'll need

Symptoms of dehydration :

As you sweat throughout the day, the liquids you are losing need to be replaced to avoid dehydration.
Symptoms of dehydration include a dry mouth, dizziness or confusion, headaches.
If untreated, dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion.

Keep your home and work place cool:

Make sure windows are covered to protect from direct sunlight like blinds, curtains, or external shutters.
Shut windows during the hottest parts of the day, to keep the warmer air out.
Open windows when the air feels cooler outside than inside, for example at night