The human body has its own mechanism of regulating its temperature and in normal status, it is often at 36°C. In normalcy, this temperature is constant even if the weather condition changes. There are various reasons that can lead to a rise in body temperature especially when the body lacks the ability to cool down on its own.
Furthermore, extreme temperature whether cold or hot can lead to severe damage of the internal body organs and this can negatively impact the normal functioning. There are times when your body temperature may rise and this condition is referred to as heat stress.
Causes of body heat
Before learning the best ways how to reduce body heat, it is important to know where it comes from and the most common symptoms. Actually, a rise in body heat should be given the seriousness it deserves because this could be a sign of viral or bacterial infection or other medical conditions such as neurological and thyroid production disorders.
Another cause is excessive exposure to the sun rays and dehydration especially in summer. Other contributing factors to excess body heat include the taking of caffeine, excessive alcohol, spicy foods, nuts, meats, foods with high protein and neuro-stimulatory drugs such as cocaine. People who wear tight-fitting synthetic clothes are prone to body heat because these types of clothing trap a lot of moisture and if they are tight, then there will be no flow of air in an easy manner.
If you spend your time in extremely hot and humid weather especially in direct sunlight, doing an extensive workout without proper hydration could increase your body temperature. The increase in body heat is because of intense physical exercises, active muscles and the blood circulation activities end up creating a lot of heat.
A thyroid disorder known as hyperthyroidism is a cause of a rise in body temperature. This is because it causes the body to produce too much thyroid hormone. There are also drugs that can cause high body temperature and a good example would be antibiotics, and antihistamines. If you don’t hydrate your body properly, it will lack the ability to sweat and this is the best way your body is able to emit heat and maintain the normal body temperature. If you suffer from an inflammatory infection you are also prone to getting a fever.
How to reduce body temperature
Taking the required precaution to control body stress is very important because failure to do this, you may suffer from dehydration and this can lead to heat stroke and this could be fatal. Now that you know the importance of staying hydrated, the information below is meant to help you lower your body heat as quickly as possible in the most effective ways possible:
1. Sitali breath
This is a yoga breathing technique that is known to have a cooling effect on your body and mind. It will also help you to relax and cool down both physically and mentally. To achieve the best out of this, get a comfortable sitting position, stick your tongue out and roll the outer edges together or just pucker purse your lips, inhale through your mouth in a slow motion and then exhale through your nose. Repeat the same procedure for about 5 minutes and you will be impressed by the results.
2. Appropriate dressing
If you know you are going to have contact with direct sunlight, then it would be nice to have a hat with a wide brim, sunglasses, a parasol or even an umbrella. Yes, you got it right, an umbrella is not used during rainy seasons only, you can use it to protect yourself from direct sunlight as well. Clothes that are able to emit heat faster include clothing in natural fabrics like cotton, linen or silk.
If you want to reduce internal body heat, you can wear semi-synthetics such as rayon and modal. There are other fabrics that are being developed by scientists with an aim of keeping your body cool. An example of such is thermal regulation fabrics. However, the products made with these fabrics are mostly designed for sports and outdoor activities.
3. Using cool water
This is actually one of the simplest ways to reduce body heat immediately and helps your body to recover rapidly. It has the ability to reduce body temperature and protect you from any possible side effects that may be caused by high temperatures.
Immediately you detect a rise in body temperature, drink a glass of cool water and continue to do so after every 15 minutes. This will ensure that your body is not dehydrated since this can worsen your body heat condition.
Another alternative would be adding some ice cubes to the foot tub and immersing your feet in that foot tub full of cool water for about 15 minutes. Do not hesitate to have a cool bath because that will also reduce heat in body naturally.
4. Watermelon
Watermelon has a high water content and this is good to reduce body heat naturally. If your body is having harmful toxins that are contributing to body heat, the watermelon has a solution for you because it is also a detoxifier and so it will help remove all the harmful toxins in your body. There are different ways of consuming your melon and the best way entirely depends on you.
You can consume it in the form of slices and mix it with cold milk and sugar to come up with a sweet refreshing beverage. Another way to consume it is to mix some cubes of watermelon with muskmelon and cucumber, drizzle some olive oil with balsamic vinegar and mix them together to come up with a healthy salad.
5. Buttermilk
This is a good way to treat body heat especially to women suffering from hot flashes and men with a high metabolism. Buttermilk can also provide the human body with the required vitamins and minerals because it is probiotic. These vitamins and minerals are mostly lost during workouts or if you have excessive sweating. You can take a glass of buttermilk every morning with your normal daily breakfast to enable your body to stay cool throughout the day.
6. Mint
This is one plant that has a great cooling effect and it can soothe and reduce human body heat in the right way. To get the best out of mint, you can have a cool bath of mint by adding this essential oil to the cool water. You will definitely like the results because it has been proven to reduce body heat effectively. Alternatively, you can choose to drink a cool mint tea for 3 to 4 times a day. Take it when you feel an increase in body temperature, after a hard working day or use it to soothe your head for that cooling effect. It works well for both men and women.
7. Sugar cane juice
Although sugarcane juice can increase the energy level in the human body, it also has a cooling effect on the body as well. It is a very simple method of acquiring a stable body temperature, especially during hot summer days because you just need to consume one cup of sugar cane juice every such day.
8. Poppy seed
Poppy seeds are also referred to as opium and they have a great cooling effect since they have the ability to reduce body temperature in a natural way. For maximum utilization, crash the poppy seeds and mix one teaspoon with a small amount of sugar. Make sure you consume this mixture on a daily basis especially during the hot summer days for a great body cooling effect. You can also eat a small amount of poppy seeds just before you go to bed. However, it is very important to note that large amounts of poppy seeds are not good for your health and these seeds are not suitable for children either.
9. Aloe Vera
This is also another great home remedy and it is very effective for treating body heat. Since it is a versatile plant, it has the ability to cool and soothe the body and in return maintains the normal body temperature. The best way to use aloe vera to treat body temperature would be extracting the gel of a fresh aloe vera leaf and rub it over your body. After about 20 minutes, take a cool bath. You can repeat this routine a few times in a day or any time you desire to cool off your body.
Another method of using aloe vera is by making a homemade aloe vera juice. It is made by mixing 2 tablespoons of the gel of aloe vera with some water. Consume it but do not exceed 2 tablespoons of this gel a day.
10. Peppermint
This is yet another home remedy that is worth trying. Peppermint has a soothing and cooling effect and that is why it is a good remedy for reducing the body heat. The first method of using peppermint would be simmering a proper amount of peppermint leaves in a pot of boiling water for about 15 minutes. Strain out the leaves and leave the water to cool down. Add this amazing mixture to your bathtub that already contains cool water. Soak yourself there for about 20 minutes. You can also add peppermint to your cool bath water and you will get the same cooling effect.
The other method is taking a teaspoon of either fresh or dried peppermint leaves and add it in a cup of hot water. Wait for some time and strain it, after which you will add some raw honey and stir. Put the mixture in the fridge and you can now take it several times throughout the day to get that cooling effect you desire. This method can also help relieve headaches and nausea.
The bottom line
The above remedies are quite effective and they are meant to reduce heat in our body and give you a sweet cool feeling. However, if you have tried these methods and you are not getting positive results, you should consider seeking medical advice. It is actually very important if you have a medical condition, your age is 65 years or above, you are pregnant or nursing a baby or if you have observed a young child or a baby suffering from this condition. Remember heat stress can turn into heat exhaustion or heat stroke if not given the necessary treatment. It would be advisable to seek medical attention if you or your loved ones have extreme heat discomforts that are not going away easily.
