Cool As a Cucumber

We are into the thick heat of summer, better late than never.  I crave this time of year, and then when it comes I wonder why.  I'm really not into being overly hot, sticky, and uncomfortable.  I assumed that losing weight would help with this, and it has, but the feeling certainly hasn't alleviated much.

I've always had trouble dealing with the heat, my bod just doesn't seem to like it!  When I was younger I would spend the hot summer days in my parents basement, and only spend time outside before 9 AM and after 5 PM.

Things have gotten better since those days, and I thought I would share with you my top two stay cool tips (as in body temp, not popularity):

1. Hydrate hydrate hydrate.  Duh.  But seriously, with water.  I was just learning about hydration in school, and a lot of the beverages that people drink these days tend to actually further dehydrate their bodies.  If you choose something sweet like juice (I'm talking refined, from the store juice; not juice you made in your juicer), for example, your body will pull extra water from your body to try and dilute the sugar.  So try to stick with water or something like coconut water which has natural electrolytes. 
2. Eat cucumbers!!!  My mom had heard this trick many years ago and urged me to try it out.  Totally works.  I try to incorporate about a 1/2 cucumber into my meals per day and it seriously keeps my body cooler, plus it's delicious!  Try slicing up half a cuke and topping with some rice vinegar and a touch of olive oil.  Perfecto.

Here are a couple of articles that I found on foods that help you to stay cool, I plan on incorporating a lot of them into my summer meals.  Happy eating!!

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/top-30-hydrating-foods

http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/blogs/10-foods-that-will-help-you-keep-cool

XO - Michelle