Besides eating and drinking plenty of hydrating and electrolyte-rich foods and beverages (see the recipes below!), here are a few off the beaten path tips on how to cool off quickly:
Peppermint foot bath - soak your feet in a bucket of ice water. Add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to add a cooling effect.
Breathe - try the yogic Satali breathing technique to calm your mind and cool down your body.
Sitting comfortably, stick out your tongue and roll it into a hot dog bun shape. If your tongue doesn’t roll, pucker your lips.
Slowly inhale through your mouth, and exhale through your nose.
Continue this gentle breathing for 5 minutes as you let go of any tension in the mind and body.
Heat up to cool down - It might seem counterintuitive, but sometimes heating up can actually cool you down! Hot teas and spicy foods encourage sweating. When the sweat dries and evaporates into the air, it cools down the skin. This works really well in dry climates when you’re wearing breathable clothes that won’t trap the moisture in. Humid climates, however, make it more difficult because the moisture doesn’t evaporate as easily.
Aloe vera- Applying aloe vera on the skin fresh from the plant or in gel form can have a cooling effect on the skin and body.
Buttermilk - This fermented drink is packed with protein, vitamins, minerals and probiotics and drinking it diluted (4:1 ratio of water to buttermilk) is a common way to mitigate heat strain in India. A study looking at its effects on physically-active workers in hot climates demonstrated that it helped to cool the whole body, lower rates of sweat, improve hydration and reduce hormonal stress.
To discover which techniques are appropriate for your individualized body and health situation, reach out today to schedule a free virtual introductory session with me.
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