Soaring temperatures across the UK this week have left commuters complaining about the lack of air conditioning on public transport and office workers wondering what to wear to work.
But while even relaxed dress codes don’t seem to cut it when it’s nearly 90 degrees outside, there are some simple things we can all do to cool down that won’t get us in trouble with HR.
What we choose to consume during the day, for example, will influence how warm or cool we feel, but it’s not as simple as it seems.
Eating ice cream on a hot day may seem normal, even sensible, given the literal coldness of the sweet treat, but the reality is more complicated.
Talking with him ExpressDr Alasdair Scott, chief scientific officer at health testing company Selph, explained: “It may come as a surprise, but ice cream can actually warm up the body.
While most of us reach for ice cream when it’s hot outside, it can actually cause the body to heat up during the more difficult digestion process (file image)
‘Ice cream is generally high in fat, protein and carbohydrates, which can heat up the body while it digests food.’
Since different foods require different amounts of energy to digest, Dr. Scott recommends avoiding foods that make the body work harder, such as “complex carbohydrates and whole grains, such as brown rice.”
These staple foods, he explained, can be difficult for the body to digest and, as a result, cause body temperature to rise.
Dr Scott added: “Anything containing complex carbohydrates and highly processed foods will generally be more warming than cooling.”
What foods should you eat during a heat wave?
Foods with a high water content are the most hydrating and therefore refreshing. These include:
Watermelon (pictured) is guaranteed to refresh you due to its high water content.
In addition to urging people to avoid foods that heat up the body because they are harder to digest, Dr. Scott was clear about what we should add to our diets to better withstand the heat.
While spicy foods may seem like an unlikely choice in hot weather, they are in fact “cooling foods” because of the way they induce sweating, which in turn evaporates from the skin and cools the body.
But if spicy dishes aren’t your thing, there are other ways to lower your body temperature through the foods you eat.
Since staying hydrated is the most important thing you can do to stay cool, Dr. Scott recommends eating fruits and vegetables that contain lots of water.
She explained: ‘Foods like these are easy for the body to digest due to the high water content, so they will help you stay hydrated and well nourished.’
He Good food website agrees that ‘strawberries, melon, cucumbers and zucchini are all great choices.’
When it comes to staying healthy during a heatwave, it’s equally important to give up alcohol.
Alcohol is a diuretic that causes more urination and can leave you severely dehydrated.
“Alcohol makes us urinate more and more frequently, and the fluid that leaves our body at this rate can cause dehydration if not replaced,” explains Drink Aware.
‘It is important to replace lost fluid by drinking water if we decide to drink alcohol.
‘The effects of dehydration include feeling thirsty, dizzy, light-headed and tired, experiencing dryness in the mouth and lips, and dark yellow, strong-smelling urine.’
Alcohol also causes the blood vessels in your skin to dilate, making you feel hotter.
Dr Donald Grant, GP and senior clinical adviser at The Independent Pharmacy, added: ‘Hot weather combined with alcohol can increase the rate of dehydration exponentially, so it’s crucial to monitor water intake to avoid becoming ill.
‘While it’s easy to get carried away at events, prioritizing hydration is one of the key ways to stay safe during a heatwave.’
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