Summer brings with it the ability to spend hours on end at the beach or by the pool and endless days of fun in the sun. Unfortunately, summer also brings with it an increase in cases of heat stroke and other heat-related ailments.
There are a number of ways to avoid heat stroke. Wearing light colored clothing and staying hydrated are some of the more common methods of prevention. Lesser known tactics for staying safe this summer can be found in your kitchen. There are a lot of foods that will help your body temperature stay regulated and even more that serve as remedies when heat stroke does occur.
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Prevention
The hypothalamus is what controls your body temperature, hunger and thirst. Heat stroke occurs when the body temperature is too high and your body starts to produce more heat than it is able to release.
Since we want our hypothalamus to be functioning as efficiently as possible, you will want to eat foods that support its purpose. Foods like seaweed, leafy greens, carrots and seafood containing essential fatty-acids are all very beneficial when it comes to the behavior of the endocrine system. Any food that is high in essential fatty-acids and high in minerals are going to give your endocrine system and hypothalamus the extra help it needs when you are out in the heat.
Photo by Charlotte Hull
Eating fruits and vegetables that have high water content are also favorable additions to your diet when you plan on spending a lot of time in the heat. Foods like cucumber, pineapple, pears, apples and watermelon will help to keep you hydrated. In addition to fruits and veggies that have high water content, eating meals like soups, broths and cereals are also beneficial in the same way.
Photo by Kathleen Lee
#SpoonTip: Avoid fried foods, caffeine, chocolate and alcoholic drinks that will cause your body to become more dehydrated.
Remedies
The foods that you should consume to remedy heat stroke are similar to those eaten to prevent it. Foods that have high water content, contain essential fatty-acids and have a lot of natural minerals are all going to help a person who has been affected by heat stroke.
However, the major remedy when it comes to heat stroke is buttermilk. It has actually been proven recently that milk is superior to water when it comes to hydration, making it more effective when rehydrating a heat stroke victim.
Photo by Rebecca Simonov
Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, but keep in mind that it can also be dangerous. Be cautious when spending time outside and be mindful of the foods that you are fueling your body with each day over the summer. Heat stroke can be very dangerous, but it is also easily preventable.