Record-breaking heat: the most effective natural remedies to protect yourself

The scorching heat must be tackled first of all with some very effective natural remedies. These are simple defenses  To cope well, without suffering or complaining, with high temperatures. For example: drink plenty of water, seek shade wherever you are, walk and move slowly, wear light, light-colored, breathable clothing made of natural fabrics (from cotton to linen). Choose certain foods that are particularly suitable for the heat, and avoid excessive coffee.

How to beat the summer heat

• Don't underestimate nutrition: avoid foods that raise body temperatureThese include spinach, radicchio, beetroot, onions and garlic, dried fruit, and fried foods. Meals should consist primarily of: fruit e vegetablesThey should never be missing from your daily diet. peaches, cherriesMelon: they're thirst-quenching and provide energy. Hot weather foods are light and high in water (like fruits and vegetables), and always be careful not to leave food out in the open longer than necessary.
• Hydrate your body drinking at least two liters of water a day and consuming herbal teas, ideally those based on artichoke, birch or dandelion. Avoid industrial and sugary drinksOlder people should drink at the same rate even if they don't feel like it or need it.
• Don't overdo it with coffeeExcessive use combined with heat can cause tachycardia and sleep disturbances. Instead, opt for other natural solutions that have similar effects to caffeine, such as plants such as guarana, ginseng o Eleutherococcus, always combined with good hydration which translates into drinking a lot!
• In hot weather, legs tend to swell. Counteract this discomfort by soaking your feet in a basin of warm water, in which you have added: salt e bicarbonate. Also, at night you can sleep with a pillow under your legs to keep them raised. And at the beach, you can long walks on the beach with their ankles immersed in water.
• To give skin relief, in the shower use yogurt and honey creating a cream to spread on the body and then rinse off.
• Before sleep open the windows wide and air out the room, leaving the lights off. To combat insomnia caused by the heat, take a few showers. essential oil of lavender on the pillow. Protect windows exposed to the sun with blinds, shutters, and curtains. Close windows during the day and open them only during the cooler hours of the day, in the evening, or at night.
• To lower your body temperature when you are out of the house, try chewing a piece of crystallized honey wrapped in gauze. As soon as you're near a fountain, take advantage of it! cloth soaked in cold water It's a real relief on the neck. To lower your body temperature, take warm baths and showers at home and splash your face and arms with cool water.
• Avoid wearing nylon or acrylic clothing and always opt for cotton e pipeline, which definitely keep the skin cooler.
• If you can do it, avoid leaving home between 12 and 17 pmIf you leave home with your car parked in the sun, open the doors wide before getting in, then begin your journey with the windows open or use the air conditioning system. Make sure the area where children are sitting is not too hot, and never leave the car with people or animals inside, even for a few minutes.
• Change your daily schedule sport activity: move the exercises early in the morning or in the eveningIt would be impossible to do them at any other time of day! Remember to always drink plenty of water, even during your workout.

How to behave when it's very hot

Among the natural remedies against the summer heat, there are also some precautions that seem trivial, but can make a difference.

• If you are exposed to the sun, or you have decided to take it for tanning, always do it with one hair. And with the related protezioni.
• When the heat is scorching Exclude jogging from your physical activities, and if at all, do it in the evening, well after sunset.
• If you go out by car, Avoid parking it in the sun and if you have no alternative, when you pick it up, before setting off, open the windows wide and start the journey with the windows open or with the air conditioning already on.
• Remember to keep in the refrigerator for medicines for which a storage temperature not exceeding 25-30 degrees is required.
• Take care with Older peopleThey are the group most at risk from the scorching heat. They can't stay indoors, but they must be carefully cared for (for example, by checking their blood pressure frequently), even when they go out, and in any case, they shouldn't be left alone.

What to eat 

Diet can also help protect you from the heat. Eat lots of seasonal fruit, lots of fresh vegetables, grilled fish, and white meat. And if you really can't give up pasta, opt for cold pasta. Avoid heavy, spicy, or overly salty foods.

How to deal with the heat at home

The heat is very painful at home, especially during the daytime hours. And even in this case, apart from the conditioners which must be used carefully to avoid waste, and after trying a dehumidifier and a fan (it consumes 15 times less than an air conditioner), there are some simple natural remedies that can be very useful.

• Create anywhere air corridorsIt's an ancient and effective method: the air, simply by circulating, cools down and reaches your area, giving you a feeling of refreshment.
• During the day shutters and blinds must be closed, especially if the house is exposed to the sun. This way, the muggy heat won't be able to circulate inside the rooms. This natural remedy is estimated to reduce the heat entering the home by about 30 percent. Conversely, in the evening, when you go to bed, or when the sun is no longer shining, you can open windows and shutters wide.
• Use appliances to a minimum and avoid steaming. Use sunlight whenever possible and turn on artificial lights (strictly LED) only when necessary.
• Take a nice cool shower before going to bed or even during the day if the heat doesn't give you any respite.
• If you have an outdoor space, from the balcony to the terrace, from the garden to the terrace, try to fill it with plants and flowersThey absorb heat naturally, before it enters the home.

How to deal with the heat at night

Overnight The sultry heat does even more harm than during the day: it ruins sleep and prevents us from sleeping. Therefore, natural remedies, in this case, are also useful to let's not waste our sleep.

• Doors open of the room where you sleep, and if the bathroom is behind or in front of you, open its windows: this air corridor will help lower the air temperature throughout the night. Obviously, it's best to position the bed in the center of this natural air current.
• Choose only sheets and pillowcases (not too big, as it increases the heat) made with natural materialsFrom cotton to linen. As for color, white is ideal.
• Take a shower before going to bed, and in any case, wet your wrists and ankles with cold water in a basin for a few minutes: these are measures that provide immediate benefits for your battle against the heat.
• The lower the bed, during the summer, and the less you will suffer from the heatThe reason is simple: heat tends to rise, and so you'll feel it more intensely if your bed is high, as is the case with spectacular canopy beds.
• You can also use the old one hot water bottle, and this time fill it with cold water.
• Even the pajamas must be very light and natural cotton. You can also opt for a simple white T-shirt made of thin cotton. That's more than enough.
• Drink a lot: water is also a precious ally against the heat.

Heat waves and warning signs

The first signs of suffering due to the heat are:

• feeling of exhaustion
• weakness
• headache
• high body temperature
• intense thirst
• loss of consciousness
• muscle cramps
• tachycardia

If these symptoms occur, it's necessary to immediately lay the affected person down in a cool place, elevate their legs, hydrate them with water, and wet their face to lower their body temperature. If the affected person doesn't recover, contact 118 immediately.

What to take to avoid suffering from the heat

There are no miracle products that will make you feel less hot. And don't be fooled by pharmaceutical marketing. Instead, besides water, try to eat products that contain mineral salts like Potassium and MagnesiumThe best herbal teas for the heat are those with berries, passiflora, with sage, with chamomile and marigold. Among the anti-heat foods, remember salads, cold pasta, lean meats, and fruit salad.

What does heat do to the brain?

One of the parts of the body most affected by extreme heat is the brain. A very comprehensive study, conducted by a team of scientists led by Rachel Malcom of the Department of Sport Sciences, Sport, Health and Performance at Nottingham University, has demonstrated how the brain It struggles to function at high temperatures. In particular, its perceptive and cognitive faculties become impaired. It becomes more difficult to plan, stay focused, and remember things. Previous research conducted by American and Chinese scientists and published in PloS OneThis particular study demonstrated that heat significantly slows and makes the brain's decision-making process more difficult. But what is the temperature above which the brain struggles to function? There's no set threshold, but most scientists place the heat-related danger level on the brain at 37 degrees Celsius. And science, with its increasingly up-to-date research, simply confirms the ancient wisdom of a popular saying: "Cool your thoughts." It's no longer just a saying, indicating the brain's need to avoid overheating, but also a precaution dictated by the warnings of preventative medicine.

Ministry of Health recommendations for heatwaves

Read also:

• How to sleep well in summer
• Is air conditioning bad for you?
• Cooling your home without air conditioning
• Homemade refreshing drinks