Staying Cool in Summer Heat

A few ideas for staying cool:

- In India, they have found intentionally breathing in and out of the right nostril can create heat in the body and the left cooling.  I've found it works for me.  Just don't do after drinking as it can cause dizziness and if you get dizzy, stop.  (Check with a doctor if you have a heart condition.)

- There is an acupressure point at the base of the thumb on the wrist (the inner side of the wrist).  Placing ice here can have a cooling effect on the entire body.

- In asian medicine yin foods create a cooling effect, examples are watermelon, pineapple, zucchini, egg whites of chicken, water chestnuts, lettuce, cucumber, yogurt (no fake sugars please, they are heating), pears, peppermint, lemon and the list goes on. 

- Also, the way we cook food can change a food from cooling to heating.  Frying food usually creates more heat in the body, so trying to limit the frying of food will benefit if you are trying to stay cool.

And I little trick I like is to put a towel or cushion in the freezer and sit on it outside.  There are acupressure points on the buttocks and sacrum (base of the spine) and I've found it helpful - especially when I lived in Arizona and while they say it's dry heat, 125 degrees was hot regardless ;)

Hope this helps you stay cool! 

Hugs,

Jen