After waiting so long for summer to finally arrive, prolonged warm weather is finally here.
While it’s so much better than a rainy and cool August, the temperatures rising can have an impact on your body – and it’s a good opportunity to be mindful of your health.
If you’re finding your appetite has reduced in the heat, you’re not alone. “Your body works hard to stay cool in hot weather,” explains Well Pharmacy’s deputy pharmacy superintendent, George Sandhu.
“Digesting food generates heat, so your body might reduce your appetite to avoid increasing your internal temperature further helping keep your body cooler. High temperatures cause you to sweat more, leading to fluid loss and dehydration. Dehydration can affect the balance of fluids in your body and make you feel less hungry.”
It’s important to make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, and the foods you eat – and those you avoid – can help keep you feeling fresh during sticky days.
What to eat…
It might be a no-brainer, but hydrating foods are a must during hot weather. “Fresh fruits and vegetables with high water content, like watermelon, cucumbers, oranges, and berries, help keep you hydrated,” advises Sandhu.
Dr Unnati Desai, national lead for GP Services at Nuffield Health, is a particular fan of eating (or drinking) watermelon. Not only is it over 90% water, she says it also has “other minerals, vitamins and nutrients that are key”, such as vitamin C, electrolytes, fibre and amino acids.
“This means that not only does it keep us hydrated, but it improves digestion, skin health, eye health and boosts the immune system. It’s also an anti-inflammatory and relieves oxidative stress in the body, promotes general wellbeing physically and mentally, aides in muscle repair and joint/bone health, aides in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure,” Desai adds.
Registered nutritionist Lara Buckle is a fan of leafy greens as the mercury rises. Things like “lettuce and spinach have high water content, which helps with hydration”, she says. “They are also rich in fibre, aiding digestion, and contain essential minerals like magnesium and potassium, crucial for maintaining fluid balance and muscle function.
“Spinach’s iron content supports healthy blood cells and energy levels. Lettuce, particularly iceberg and romaine, is low in calories but high in water, making it perfect for hydrating salads.”
In fact, if you want to pack your salads with water-rich foods, Buckle recommends radishes (which are around “95% water, making them one of the most hydrating vegetables. They also contain vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants, which support immune health and fluid balance”); courgettes (which “can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in various dishes to boost your fluid intake”); tomatoes (around 93% water and rich in “vitamin C, potassium and fibre”) and bell peppers – great in salads, but also satisfying as a crunchy snack.
But it’s not just fresh fruit and veg that can help keep you hydrated and cool in the warm weather. Sandhu recommends lean proteins “such as chicken, fish, tofu, and legumes”, as they are “easier to digest”.
In a similar vein, he adds: “Foods like brown rice, quinoa, and whole-grain bread provide sustained energy without the heaviness.”
What to avoid…
“During a heatwave, it’s wise to avoid certain foods that can make you feel worse or add to the strain on your body,” Sandhu says.
These could include heavy, fatty foods – like fried things, fatty meats and creamy dishes – as they “can be hard to digest and generate more body heat, making you feel hotter and more uncomfortable”.
And if you don’t regularly eat spicy foods, a heatwave might not be the time to start. “While spicy foods can make you sweat and potentially cool you down, they can also raise your body temperature initially and cause discomfort, especially if you’re not used to them,” Sandhu says.
This one is perhaps pretty obvious, but you’re also wise to steer clear of salty foods – like “crisps, processed snacks and fast food” – in warm weather, with Sandhu saying they can “contribute to dehydration and make you feel more thirsty”.
And while you might not be eating alcohol and caffeine, it’s worth watching your intake of them too. Alcohol “dehydrates your body, which is particularly problematic in hot weather when you’re already losing fluids through sweat”, Sandhu says, and caffeine “can have a diuretic effect, leading to increased fluid loss and potential dehydration”.
