In southern Spain, heat waves have become common, with all the inconveniences that this implies. There are many people who go outside at times when the temperatures are very high and they do not have good hydration. The result is hyperthermia, or heat stroke. This happens when our body is unable to lower its temperature and exceeds 40ºC. The most common symptoms are dizziness, nausea or headache, but it can also have a fatal outcome.
Children and the elderly are the sector of the population with the highest risk, but it can happen to anyone who is exposed to a high temperature or great physical effort. You will have seen cases of people fainting from waiting a long time for a concert, for example. Logically, summer is the time when there is a greater number of heat strokes, especially if we do not know how to hydrate well.
I am waiting for you to ask me the question of "how much water do I have to drink?" You will like to know that hydration is not achieved only through water, there are numerous foods with a high water content and that are crucial to avoid dehydration.
What options prevent heat stroke?
When we want to avoid suffering any negative effects caused by heat, the first thing we think about is being accompanied by a cool bottle of water. This will encourage us to drink continuously, and take small sips, even if we are not "thirsty." However, this trick is not the only one we can do to improve hydration.
It is true that water is the main source of hydration, but there are variants to motivate you to drink. Although they are not very common, the hot infusions They help improve body temperature control. Of course, do not confuse it with eating hot meals (such as a stew), since the infusions are digested quickly but the food is not.
In addition, water reduces headaches, favors proper intestinal transit and improves digestion, so you will reduce the chances of suffering from heat stroke.
On the other hand, you can also incorporate natural juices and smoothies. Although they are known as "detox", avoid thinking about detoxifying and bet on a hydration full of nutrients. Make them with vegetables and fruits, in addition to adding cold water to make it more appetizing.
Even so, remember that anything in excess is counterproductive to your health. Even though you are using healthy foods, you are removing the fiber from all of them by mashing them to drink. The ideal is to take the fruits or vegetables in their original version to replenish complete nutrients.
Choose foods rich in water
If you are going to eat unprocessed foods, think about those that have a high percentage of water. These will help you stay hydrated when you go out training in high temperatures, as well as take a bottle of water with you. Some very apt examples are the cucumber (95% water), the watermelon (94%), the celery (94%), the tomato (93,9%), spinach (90%) or orange (86'34%).
Another trick, quite striking, is to consume moderately spicy foods. This will make you drink more frequently at mealtimes and favor temperature regulation processes and the generation of sweat due to the stimulation of the thermosensors in the mouth.
Can food cause hyperthermia?
There is no study that affirms that food causes heat stroke, but it can enhance the symptoms and their appearance. For example, it is necessary to avoid consuming those that favor the fluid retention (coffee or salt). On the other hand, experts advise against drinking very cold drinks in a short time. A few days ago we explained why does it give us pleasure to drink cold water, but always in moderation.
Foods rich in saturated They don't help either, as they cause heavy digestions. For example, those meats that are used for typical summer barbecues do not provide many healthy benefits. This type of food accelerates thermogenesis (the process by which the human body generates heat) and makes digestion difficult due to its high protein content.