How to Beat the Summer Heat

Summertime is a time of excitement, it’s lighter later, more time to be outdoors, dining out sitting on the sidewalk, enjoying rooftop events, going on holidays planned with family and friends, outdoor activities galore! Picnics, Farmer’s Markets, outdoor concerts, being on the water, the list goes on and on. We also must consider the not-so-great part of Summer, the endless heat and humidity beating down on us day after day.
 
Summer heat can have a way of making us fussy and tired. Kind of sounds like a toddler. So great, we are all running around in toddler mode. Well not exactly but we can certainly be fussier, shorter with people we encounter and feeling like we need to take a nap more times than not.
 
We are in the last stages of summer and the month of August seems to be the hottest. So how do you keep your sanity these last few weeks of the “Dog Days of Summer”?
 

Here are a few amazing ways to keep your cool and beat the summer heat:

Did you know that putting a cold towel or purchasing a neck cooler really does cool you down? The neck is one of the places on your body that releases the most heat, the neck and your wrists, temples, and chest. If you apply a cold towel or neck ring to specifically your brainstem, the back of your neck, this will create a cooling sensation throughout your entire body. You can use this when you are out taking a walk or riding your bike. You can even put this on your neck when you get home as a way of cooling down and relaxing right when you come in from the hot outdoors. You can have it on while you are sitting under your umbrella at the beach. You can instantly cool yourself down anywhere you are. This also helps your body from having heat stroke when you must be out on those super-hot days.
 
Eating cooling foods. Did you know that certain foods cool your body down naturally? They cool the body based on how they affect the body’s digestive system and metabolism.
 
Some of these foods include water-rich vegetables such as celery, tomatoes, cucumbers, asparagus, various greens, zucchini, and radishes. Strawberries, berries, and cherries. Tropical fruits are wonderfully cooling like pineapple, mangoes, and papaya. Melons including honeydew, watermelon, and cantaloupe. Coconut water and coconut milk. Tofu and other soy products such as tempeh. Water-rich foods such as kiwis and grapes.
 

Here are some wonderful recipes to make that are not only cooling but nutritious and delicious.

 
Gazpacho Soup
Gazpacho, cold soup of Spanish cuisine, especially that of Andalusia. It is an ancient dish that was mentioned in Greek and Roman literature, although two of the main ingredients of the modern version, tomatoes, and green peppers, were brought to Spain from the New World only in the 16th century. Just a little background for those of you who don’t know where this wonderful soup originated.
 

• 10 Roma tomatoes 2 lbs

• 1 small green bell pepper

• 1 small cucumber

• 1 large clove of garlic

• 1 tsp sherry vinegar

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 3/4 cup cold water

• pinch sea salt (I love Himalayan Pink Sea Salt!)

 
Dice the tomatoes, green bell pepper, cucumber. Then mince the clove of garlic. Add all these ingredients to your blender add into the blender the sherry vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and cold water with the pinch of salt. Blend until you have your desired consistency. Add more water if needed but not too much as to weaken the flavors. Consistency may be very blended, smooth, or less blended to have a few chunks of the vegetables stand out for a different texture.
 
Serve immediately or keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil when serving. Will keep in refrigerator for 3 days.
 
Makes 4 servings

Watermelon Spritzer

This recipe is great for that afternoon mocktail.

• 1 ½ cups of cubed watermelon

• 2 leaves of fresh mint (mint is a cooling herb)

• ¼ cup sparkling water

Put watermelon and mint into the blender and blend until smooth.
Pour into a glass ¾ way full and add top off with the sparkling water.

Makes 2 servings

Now you have three ways to beat the heat. Put the cooling towel on your neck whenever possible while in the heat. You have a few recipes to try and a whole list of cooling foods. We only have a few weeks left of Summer so let’s make the best of it! Enjoy these next few weeks and keep your cool. Think about sharing this article with friends and perhaps even make the recipes with them for a Summer lite dinner.

Love, Peace & Happiness!
Xx,
Kirsten Louise Cantley