03 JUL 2018: As Canada rang in another birthday; many of us were paralyzed by excessive heat and humidity. This year seems to be making up for the cool and rainy summer we experienced last year, and we are reminded to be careful what we wish for. Outdoor festivals and cottage long weekends tested our bodies’ limits with a bevy of celebratory alcoholic beverages. Whether you’re traveling to warm destinations or simply enjoying the great outdoors this summer here are my top tips to keep cool.

While a leather jacket and some hair gel might help you feel cool, in these conditions you’ll suffer a heat stroke faster than you can say “Ayyyyy” (thumbs up optional). The cool I’m referring to is less about how you look and more about how you hydrate.

That icy cold beer or spritzer in the fridge may be refreshing on the lips, but it is dehydrating for the rest of the body. Water is what helps your body regulate its temperature, which is why we sweat. The moisture created on our skin allows the excess heat to evaporate away. But have you ever noticed the saltiness when you lick your lips on a sweltering summer day? When we sweat profusely, as the majority of us did this long weekend, we were losing a lot more than just H20.

We Were Also Losing Electrolytes

These are the fancy substances that gave sports drinks their claim to fame. Maintaining the appropriate balance of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, chloride etc. is absolutely essential for the normal functioning of our body cells and organs. In the heat, we need to replenish them, and water alone is not enough. Sports drinks, while commercially popular, are actually quite high in sugar and, similarly to pop, they actually reduce the amount of water your body is able to retain. A large amount of sugar in the intestines attracts water to flow from the body into the gut to balance the concentration – creating the opposite effect of what you want.

Fortunately, you can easily make your own electrolyte drinks. Simply add a pinch of sea salt to your water! I highly recommend pink Himalayan salt as it has 84 trace minerals, including electrolytes, compared to table salt, which is essentially only sodium. The slight saltiness helps to encourage the absorption of water into your system and gives your hydration more staying power. You can also add in a few drops of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to boost electrolytes and add a touch of flavour. For those who prefer to simply open and enjoy, aloe drinks and coconut water are great cooling and hydrating options.

Eat Your Water

Regardless of how much you sweat there really is only so much water, salted or otherwise, you feel like drinking. So eat hydrating foods to supplement! Cucumber and watermelon are essentially pure water, so enjoying these foods is refreshing, hydrating as well as offering some sustenance. Salads and leafy greens are great choices that lend themselves well to waning summertime appetites. Add in some tomatoes for an antioxidant boost to help protect against the sun’s UV rays.

Summertime Fresh

Mint has incredibly cooling properties which can be released when mashed. I enjoy a variation on a virgin mojito to hydrate and keep cool. Simply mash mint leaves with a wooden spoon over a pinch of pink salt and coconut sugar. Fill the glass with coconut water, add a wedge of lime on the rocks and I will see you dockside!

If, despite your best efforts, the heat gets the best of you, the most effective way of dissipating the heat from your body is to apply cool icy water to your hair and forehead. We lose the majority of our body heat through our scalp, which is what makes toques so popular in the North. Conversely, we need to take advantage of this in the opposite conditions. Its summertime, but the living is not easy when you’re suffering from heat exhaustion. Seek shade, keep your head wet with cold water and enjoy a cooling and electrolyte rich hydrating beverage to soak up all that summertime vacations have to offer.