What is Body Heat / Temperature?
Our body regulates temperature through an internal mechanism maintaining it at 36.9°C normally (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
Normal Body Temperature: A Systematic Review
Go to source). This temperature is constant within acceptable varying limits in spite of the changing weather conditions. Body heat is the rise in temperature due to various reasons when the body is not able to cool itself. Exposures to high temperatures result in sweating, which helps to maintain the optimum temperature of the body under normal conditions. When the body is not able to keep cool, the body temperature keeps increasing, causing body heat. Extreme temperatures, low or high, can cause severe damage to internal body organs affecting their functioning.
What Causes Internal Body Heat?
Rising body temperature can be alarming. It can be a symptom of bacterial or viral infection and medical conditions like increased thyroid production, seizure and neurological disorders. Excessive sun exposure and dehydrated body are the most common reason for body heat in summer. Spicy foods, excessive intake of alcohol, caffeine and neuro-stimulatory drugs like cocaine are all factors that can cause a rise in internal body heat (2✔ ✔Trusted Source
Causes Of Internal Body Heat And How To Overcome Them
Go to source). Wearing tight clothes and extensive workout without proper hydration can also make body temperature to rise (3✔ ✔Trusted Source
Individual Responses to Heat Stress: Implications for Hyperthermia and Physical Work Capacity
Go to source).
Body heat if not treated can result in heat stroke and hot flashes. It can also damage the organs and cause dizziness, fatigue, muscle cramps, nausea and nose bleeds. People with medical conditions such as thyroid and hypertension must remain cautious before going out in the sun or eating foods that may increase body heat. Elderly person, small children, pregnant and lactating mothers, infants and physically unfit people are at higher risk of heat stress and must remain careful. Here are some home remedies to reduce body heat naturally and how to get rid of hot flashes.
Disclaimer: The home remedies suggested here are not a substitute for treatment by doctors. It is highly advisable to seek an expert’s opinion. All the remedies listed here may not be suitable for everyone. It is recommended to check for allergies or do a patch test before using the remedy.
Home Remedies to Reduce Body Heat
- Water is the best therapy: Cool water may help in minimizing the internal body heat. An increase in body temperature is majorly due to a lack of hydration (4✔ ✔Trusted Source
Hydration effects on temperature regulation
Go to source). Cool water keeps you rehydrated and helps to lower your body temperature. Drink a large glass of ice cold water or take a shower in it, or just immerse your feet in cool water with some ice cubes to feel better (5✔ ✔Trusted Source
Whole body cooling by immersion in water at moderate temperatures
Go to source).
- Lemon refreshes: Lemon consists of vitamin C and other antioxidants which may help the body remain hydrated during hot summers. A dash of lemon juice in cold water with sugar or honey or salt may help beat the heat out of your body (6✔ ✔Trusted Source
Lemon: A Versatile Fruit of Multiple Uses
Go to source). Drink it 3-4 times a day to keep you refreshed and full of energy.
- Buttermilk: In India, buttermilk has been used for ages to lower the body temperature and to keep you cool after scorching sun exposure. It is also a probiotic which may replenish the lost electrolytes and minerals and make up for a good digestive system too. According to a study, hydrating the body using buttermilk helps in reducing the body heat (7✔ ✔Trusted Source
Exploring how a traditional diluted yoghurt drink may mitigate heat strain during medium-intensity intermittent work: a multidisciplinary study of occupational heat strain
Go to source). Drink a glass of buttermilk daily to abandon heat during summer. - Tender Coconut water: Tender coconut water contains important minerals like potassium and calcium and is full of vital nutrients. It balances the electrolyte levels in the body, rehydrating it completely. Drinking tender coconut water each day may help maintain the proper osmotic level of body fluids and provide energy. Pregnant women are advised to keep themselves hydrated and coconut water is one of the best remedies to reduce body heat during pregnancy.
- Mint: Mint has some cooling properties. It soothes the body and may help to reduce internal body heat. A cool peppermint bath with a concoction of mint leaves or mint essential oil added to cool water may help in reducing body heat. Drink an ice cool mint tea 3-4 times a day to lower your internal body temperature. Drinking hot mint tea may also have a cooling effect on the body (8✔ ✔Trusted Source
Mint tricks the body into feeling cool
Go to source). After long working hours, a soothing head massage with mint oil is another good option to reduce body heat for men and women.
- Watermelon: Watermelon is rich in nutrients and contains plenty of water. This perfect combination of essential elements not only hydrates the body, giving proper nutrition, but also detoxifies and clears off unwanted toxins from the body and reduces heat inside the body. Watermelon can be combined with other hydrating fruits and vegetables like muskmelon, strawberries, and cucumber to make a salad or drink a cool, refreshing watermelon drink to maintain body temperature levels (9✔ ✔Trusted Source
Whether Watermelon Is Heat or Cold for Body?
Go to source).
- Sandalwood: Sandalwood is used to reduce body heat and pimples (10✔ ✔Trusted Source
Book cover High-Tech and Micropropagation II pp 193–210Cite as Micropropagation of Sandalwood (Santalum album L.)
Go to source). Sandalwood powder, when mixed with cold milk and rose water, can be made into a paste and applied on forehead, face and neck to get relief from heat, excess oil and pimples. If you feel a burning sensation under your feet, then apply this paste on to your feet before going to bed. Keep it for 5-10 min and wash it off to get a soothing cool effect. A face pack of fuller’s earth with sandalwood powder may help in getting free from skin problems due to excessive body heat. - Aloe Vera: Freshly extracted aloe vera gel is another remedy for keeping skin hydrated and moisturized. Apply it all over your body each morning to stay hydrated all day long. It is a soothing moisturizer that does not let the skin dry even during breezy days and helps reduce body heat in winter. Aloe Vera juice is also a good option to lower body heat (11✔ ✔Trusted Source
Aloe Vera Barbadensis Miller as an Alternative Treatment for Children with Fever
Go to source). - Cardamom: Cardamom has been used since ancient times to reduce the body heat. Many Indian food preparations include cardamom, which may help lower the body temperature and reduce internal heat.
Do’s and don’ts
- Keep yourself rehydrated during long working hours or extensive exercising activities (12✔ ✔Trusted Source
Why It's Important To Drink More Water At Work
Go to source). - Do not wear too tight clothes when out in the sun. Pregnant women should wear comfortable clothing that allows air passage (13✔ ✔Trusted Source
Summer Science: Clothes Keep You Cool, More Or Less
Go to source). - Eat a healthy balanced diet.
- Consume more water rich fruits during summers to keep heat away (14✔ ✔Trusted Source
Stay Hydrated and Beat the Summer Heat with these Water-rich Foods
Go to source). - Children should not play in the sun and must drink plenty of fluids to prevent heat stroke.
- Avoid smoking, too much of alcohol and caffeine during hot days.
- Avoid spicy and oily foods that generate heat inside the body.
