Summer is meant for having fun, so there’s no reason to let the usual hot-weather culprits interfere with your good times. Fortunately, the most common summer complaints are easily prevented or, if need be, treated with proper nutrition and natural medicine. My favorite summer regimens…
When the temperature climbs above 80°F, you must stay well hydrated to avoid heat exhaustion, a condition that can occur when you sweat profusely for too long, leading to fatigue, weakness and a rapid pulse. If you think you’re suffering from heat exhaustion, immediately stop what you’re doing…get to a cooler location…and drink cool water. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for a more serious condition—a heat stroke, which can be deadly. My advice: Drink one-half ounce of water per pound of your body weight daily. Also, during hot weather, try to limit heavy proteins and starchy foods, such as corn or potatoes—these foods require more energy to digest and increase body heat. Instead, focus on foods that are very rich in electrolytes, easy to digest and watery-fresh fruit, especially watermelon, melon and kiwi, and green salad.
A great “cooling” food: The cold soup gazpacho. This tasty blend of tomato, cucumber, fresh peppers and spices, such as garlic and parsley, is rich in electrolytes and helps with hydration. Mix the ingredients in a blender for one minute, and chill for at least one hour.
. If you’d rather not use chemicals on your body to help guard against bugs, tweaking your diet during the summer can help reduce the frequency and severity of bites from insects such as mosquitoes, ants and flies. My advice: Each day, consume minced garlic (one clove) and one-half teaspoon of brewer’s yeast (try it in berry smoothies, on popcorn or in a vinaigrette dressing). Though research is mixed, some people find a B-1 (thiamine) supplement (100 mg daily) also helps. Check with your doctor first if you take any medications, since garlic, brewer’s yeast and B-1 could interact with them.
If you do get bitten: Insects often carry bacteria that can enter your body via the bite, so clean the insect bite with mild soap, such as Ivory, and water. Then apply a tincture of calendula, which is an antiseptic, to the bite using a cotton ball. Reapply calendula four times daily until the bite is healed. See a doctor if you have a fever or the bite is red, tender and/or swollen.
If you come down with food poisoning after a barbecue or picnic, the diarrhea and abdominal cramping can be brutal. For these symptoms, I usually prescribe peppermint tea, activated charcoal capsules (available at natural-food stores) and probiotics. How to take the regimen: Every three waking hours, drink eight ounces of unsweetened mint tea (hot or cold) and take two activated charcoal capsules. Peppermint will reduce gas and cramping, while activated charcoal binds to the offending organisms, helping you to excrete them. To replenish your gut’s healthy bacteria, take 1 billion to 2 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) of the probiotics acidophilus and bifidus four times daily. If symptoms from food poisoning last for more than 24 hours or include fever or severe pain, see your doctor. It could mean you have a potentially serious infection or dehydration, requiring more aggressive treatment.
