Proper drinking in the heat: Lukewarm is great!
Practically! Our body is an air conditioner
Cooling down in the heat is not a problem for our body. Provided we give it liquid. Then it can secrete sweat more during heat, which evaporates on the skin and cools us. In addition, he dilates the blood vessels to release heat through the skin. With these 8 tips, we support our body in cooling:
1) Lauwarm is great!
We crave ice cold - why?
Room-warm mineral water and lukewarm tea are not exactly the drinks we long for, when the sun is burning from the sky - we would much prefer ice corking spritzers. Nevertheless, we know from the desert dwellers that cold drinks are not ideal in the heat. Because they stimulate the body to produce heat, we sweat even more - and lose even faster fluid.
Ideal are lukewarm drinks, which bring us discreetly to sweat. This cools the body without causing circulatory problems.
2) What's to drink?
The best are mineral water and herbal or fruit teas. Peppermint, lemon balm and hibiscus tea have a cooling effect, green tea provides minerals and sage tea counteracts heavy sweating.
Those who do not replace sweated minerals in time will have circulatory problems - especially women who tend to have lower blood pressure than men. Therefore, mineral water is ideal, containing at least 200 milligrams of sodium and 50 milligrams of magnesium. Sweating causes the body to lose salt, magnesium, sodium, potassium, magnesium and zinc. Tap water is rather low in minerals. Electrolytes can also be replaced by salty foods such as vegetable broth or pretzel sticks.
3) And what better not?
In tropical nights, as we expect them these days, it's great to drink cocktails or white wine outside. But you probably already guessed: Alcohol is not good at heatbecause it pollutes the circulation, promotes the elimination of water and mineral loss. Even worse is the combination of sugar and alcohol. If you drink alcohol in the heat, you should drink more water in between than you already do.
Even with our beloved coffee and black tea, we should now be reserved - Like alcohol, these drinks are stimulants and not thirst quenchers. Caffeine increases the pulse and acts sweat-inducing. Of course we do not want to give up coffee altogether - but in the heat it is even more important that we drink a glass of water with it.
4) How much do we have to drink?
An adult loses up to two liters of fluid on a normal day - sometimes three times that amount on hot days. The fluid loss can lead to poor concentration, fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramps and digestive problems. In the heat we should drink two to three liters - even if we are not thirsty. In addition, we can increase the hydration via hydrated foods: with melon, cucumber and salad.
5) And when?
One should drink before the thirst comes, because thirst is a warning signal for missing fluid in the body. It does not help to quickly fill large quantities, as the intestine can absorb at most one liter per hour. Better, you drink evenly throughout the day.
6) ice cubes? Get on the skin!
A little rub with ice cubes is more than just cool: It trains the vessels, tightens the tissue easily and is therefore ideal for décolleté and thighs. So that the skin does not get cold shock and we stay nice and fresh: just drive over it with a cube or wrap several cubes with a washcloth.
7) And in the shower?
Taking a cold shower is not a good idea in the heat. The cold water boosts the blood circulation and we sweat even more. As with drinking, lukewarm water is best when showering, so that the body cools down without developing any adverse reactions.
8) The "kneippian espresso"
A cold arm bath, also called "kneipp'scher Espresso" - guarantees caffeine-free refreshment in between. To do this, dip your arms in a sink with cold water for 20 to 30 seconds and gently agitate. Air dry.
