Pass the peppers! Five surprising ways to beat the heat
Need to cool down? Here are some surprising ways to beat the heat!
Pass the cayenne pepper and jalapeños! It may sound counter-intuitive, but spicy foods are great in the heat because it can increase sweating without raising body temperature. As moisture evaporates from the skin, the body cools down.
Take your vitamins. Some studies have shown that increasing Vitamin C can regulate body temperature and support the immune system's response to heat-related illnesses such as heat rash or heat exhaustion.
Seek shade. That may seem obvious, but here's a lesser-known fact: Shade from a tree will feel cooler than the shade cast by a building, thanks to a phenomenon called "transpiration." Transpiration occurs when water vapour is released through a plant's leaves, creating a cooling effect on the surrounding air.
Here’s some food for thought: Cool treats, like ice cream and icy beverages, won't necessarily cool you down. Ice cream provides a cooling effect because of its high-fat content, which requires more work for the body to digest, triggering a rise in internal body temperature. As for drinks, hot can be a better choice than cold, because warm drinks will maintain hydration and promote the cooling effect of sweating.
But icy treats make me feel cooler. What gives?
"The cooling effects of cold liquids are more likely explained by their rehydration effects," writes Peter Poortvliet, a post-doctoral research Fellow in neuroscience at the University of Queensland.
"Sweating is the most effective way our bodies lose heat. Sweating occurs when an increase in core body temperature is detected by the brain, which responds by stimulating the sweat glands distributed all over the body to produce sweat."
Choose your clothing wisely. Dark materials heat up faster than white ones in the sun because the dark colours allow clothing to absorb more heat energy.
Wired recently tested this theory out using shirts in a variety of colours that were left in the sun using data recorded by an infrared camera.
In a series of tests, the white shirts appeared to be the "cooler" choice, because they don't absorb as much visible light.
Sources: The Conversation | Wired
