How to: fight the heat with these 7 easy tips ~

Walking and working under the sun, even during the hottest hours, are a summer nightmare, no matter if summer is at its roaring start or final days.
This is a comprehensive guide for people who want to enjoy the sun and outside activities or work safely without suffering the heat like hard workers, tourists, athletes and archaeologists.

So what to do if you can’t litterally lock yourself at home with your air conditioner at full power (not a recommended nor ecological choice!)?

Follow my easy-peasy steps to fight the heat and have a safe sunny day.

1 Wear a hat: protect yourself from the heat starting from your head: you’ll avoid heat strokes as well as protect your face and eyes from harmful sunrays.

2 Choose your clothes with consciousness: wear comfortable clothes, in light shades, made up of natural fibers like linen or responsible crafted cotton, so that you full body will “breath”.

3 Drink a lot of water: 80% of our bodies consists in water, drinking at least 2 liters of water per day is recommended by doctors to keep the body hydrated and eliminate toxins. Continue to drink water even if you don’t actually feel the urge. Have a thermos filled with fresh water with you.
Need a little encouragement?
The more water you drink, the purest and finer your skin will be.
This is something I’ve noticed with my biggest surprise during my first excavation when I drank more than 2 and ½ liters each day and my skin looked smoother, glowing and gorgeous!
This is exactly what Sarah Smith, a 42-year old women from the UK, has experienced. In fact, in order to find a cure to her headaches, she started drinking 3 liter of water each day for 4 weeks as her doctors suggested her. After the “water treatment” she has looked way younger and her health has improved considerably.

4 Recharge your minerals levels: as we sweat we loose fluids and minerals our bodies and minds need to work properly.

Magnesium and potassium are two important elements we have a deficit in summer.
They are both fundamental, indeed magnesium helps to regulate the transmission of nerve signals, it’s responsible for muscle contractions and also facilitates muscle relaxation, helps control heart rate and stabilize blood pressure.
While potassium controls neuromuscular excitability, heart beats and water retention.

So, how to recognize a potassium or magnesium shortage?

Symptoms are quite similar: if we have a lack of potassium, we can feel tired, nervous, we can have cramps and suffer from insomnia or depression.

When we don’t have enough magnesium in our bodies, we can feel fatigue, cramps and irritability.

Instead of sports drinks that have too much sugar or sweeteners, I suggest supplements for a quick fix. I prefer effervescent tabs and granulate powder. They usually have orange or lemon flavours and are really refreshing as well as easy to find and inexpensive.

5 You are what you eat, then: eat small portions and fresh meals.

Choose seasonal vegetables and fruits which are richest in minerals, vitamins and… taste!

Eat watery foods like cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, melons. apples, grapes, peaches… and the list goes on!

6 Select your drinks: avoid coffee, caffeinated, alcoholic and sport drinks which may make you urinate too frequently; opt for light teas, herbal teas, water and lemon, fruits and veggie juices.

You can make your own mixes and beverages and take them with you.

7 Stop for a while and breath. Relax, take five-minute off from your job, sit down, possibly in the shadows, and breath deeply.

No stress! You can enjoy sunny days at the beach, work in the field or visit a hot city without struggling thanks to these quick steps.
Sometimes things are really easy to solve…

Valentina Chirico aka Valens