LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Air conditioning. An ocean breeze. Food? Yes, food can play a role in helping to keep your cool as the temperatures rise. It's also important to stay hydrated, as heat increases the rate at which we perspire, causing us to lose fluid - along with minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium - in the process.
"Drinking the right liquids and eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables can really make a difference in helping you to beat the heat," says Luigi Gratton, MD, vice president of medical affairs at Herbalife. "Not only do these foods help to replace fluids and minerals that are lost through perspiration," Gratton notes, "but fruits and veggies also contain antioxidants that can help protect your body against sun damage, too."
Next time the heat is getting you down, here are some of the best foods to help you keep your cool:
-- Cantaloupe - Nothing says summer like melons. They're all great sources
of potassium, but cantaloupe has nearly three times the potassium found
in watermelon. And, cantaloupe gets its orange hue from a beta-carotene,
a powerful antioxidant
-- Berries - Too much sun? Sweet, delicious berries naturally contain
compounds related to aspirin that can reduce inflammation, and may help
take the sting out of sunburn. They're also a great source of
antioxidant vitamin C.
-- Spinach - Leafy spinach has lots of water and is a terrific source of
magnesium. Further, spinach gets its green color from lutein - an
antioxidant that helps protect the skin and eyes from sun exposure.
-- Chili peppers - Hot foods during hot weather? You bet. Those vitamin-C
laden spicy peppers can stimulate perspiration - which, as it evaporates
off the skin, helps to cool you off. If you're not a chili pepper fan,
other pungent foods like garlic and ginger have similar beneficial
effects.
-- Sports drinks - Plain water is a great fluid replacer, but if you are
exercising in hot and humid conditions, sports drinks might be a better
choice. They help replace valuable minerals and electrolytes and they're
specially designed to help maximize fluid absorption. And, their light,
sweet flavor might encourage you to drink a little more.
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About Herbalife
Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF) is a global network marketing company that sells weight-management, nutrition, and personal care products intended to support a healthy lifestyle. Herbalife products are sold in 70 countries through a network of over 1.9 million independent distributors. The company supports the Herbalife Family Foundation and its Casa Herbalife program to help bring good nutrition to children. Herbalife's Web site contains a significant amount of information about Herbalife, including financial and other information for investors at http://ir.herbalife.com. The company encourages investors to visit its Web site from time to time, as information is updated and new information is posted.
Source: Herbalife Ltd.
Released Jul 2, 2009 • 12:41pm EDT