It is July in Wisconsin, and as if on cue the hot humid weather is moving in. Many people have a hard time dealing with the hot humid weather of mid summer. Most people simply suffer through this time and hope it ends soon. There are some proactive things in regards to foods that can help your body adjust to this weather.
Most people will grab a ice cream or frozen treat to help deal with the heat. While that generally feels good, it does less than many people think in regards to helping you stay cool. You body cools itself by sweating and expelling heat through the skin. Frozen treats pull heat into the body rather than dispersing. For the short span of hot humid weather we get in Wisconsin, this is not a problem.
If you really have a hard time dealing with the humid heat, you may want to look to the advice of people who deal with this type of weather all the time. In India and other parts of Southeast Asia where hot humid weather is common, people beat the heat by drinking hot green tea, and eating a lot of foods that are spiced with very aromatic spices. In the Southeastern US, the tradition was to use a lot of mint and tea to accomplish the same thing. Fresh Fruit can also help.
Green tea and aromatic spices open up the body and promote sweating and the movement of heat out of the body in order to maintain energy and proper functioning of the body. In the West the spices used in Southeast Asia are collectively known as curry. Curry is a mix of various spices depending on the food and regional variations. Generally preprepared curry powder in the West is a mix of spices that may include; ground turmeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, mustard, chili, black pepper, salt. allspice, white pepper, ground mustard, ground ginger, cinnamon, roasted cumin, cloves, nutmeg, mace, green cardamom seeds or black cardamom pods, bay leaves and coriander seeds.
If you are really having a hard time with the heat and humidity, try an experiment. Head to your local Indian restaurant and order a curry dish, with some hot tea. You may be surprised at how you feel for the rest of the day.
For more on dealing with summer heat see these links, summer stress, restaurant eating for the weather,
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