Beat the Berkshire County Heat with These Awesome Tricks!

It’s going to be hot this weekend…really hot.

From Boston to Springfield to Pittsfield, temperatures are expected to soar into the 90’s, and the potential is there for record breaking heat this weekend.

By now, you know all the usual tips for keeping cool:  drink lots of water, go for a swim, find some shade, etc etc.  However, what are some lesser known, but equally practical tips to help you beat the heat this weekend, especially if you don't go swimming or can't be inside with an A/C?

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Here are some of the more interesting, proven tips I’ve found:

-Eat Spicy Food.  Yes, for real.  When you think about it, many spicy foods come from countries with hot climates.  Why is that?  Well, eating spicy foods helps you sweat, and sweating is part of your body's natural cooling system.  It sounds counter-intuitive, but eating something spicy can actually help cool you off!

-Find Your Pressure Points.  I remember learning about this playing Little League Baseball.  For quick relief from the heat, you want to take an ice pack or a cold towel and place it on a cooling pressure point.  Your wrists, back of your neck, back of your knees and your temples are all good places to focus on cooling off first.

-Drink less beer.  I made this mistake years ago, when a friend of mind offered me a beer after I finished mowing a lawn.  I was drenched in sweat, and while the ice cold brew felt good at first, let me tell you my body didn’t appreciate it shortly afterwards.  Your body works hard to metabolize things like alcohol, sugar and caffeine.  So stick to the water and sports drinks, and avoid the sodas and beers to help cool off.

-Get in Shape.  If you’re not in shape (like me), this one is specific for the long term.  Experts say that exercising and getting in shape hit your body with heat stress.  The more you exercise, the more your body adapts to that stress, the easier you tolerate extreme heat.

-Drink some cold peppermint tea.  It doesn’t even have to be tea…anything that's cool and peppermint will help cool you down.  Why?  Mint contains menthol, which is a natural chemical that triggers sensors in your skin to stay cooler.  Even peppermint body-wash will help in the shower!

-Take an Alaska cruise.  Ok, not very practical, but you’ll beat the heat, right?

Stay safe and cool this weekend, and throughout the rest of Spring and Summer here in Berkshire County!