The first way that your body gets rid of heat is through sweating. The blood absorbs the extra heat in your system and channels it out through the sweat ducts. As the sweat evaporates off your skin, the heat goes with it. So you actually want to eat foods that will make you sweat. Notice that cultures which live in hot climates usually cook a lot of hot, spicy foods. They know that sweating keeps you cool, and if you've ever eaten a spicy goat curry on the beaches of Trinidad and Tobago, or Jerk Chicken in Jamaica, you know what I mean. "Get me a towel!". Aside from their great taste, hot peppers are your best sweat-inducing foods and you should acquire a taste for them if you want to keep cool in hot weather. Hot peppers contain a substance called capsicum which cause your body to sweat. These include all types of hot peppers, and anything with cayenne. Getting used to eating hot peppers requires a little time and practice. But if you can't handle spicy foods, don't worry. I have other suggestions below.
Another method your body uses to get rid of heat is through urination. That's why we're able to write our names in the snow so legibly! A diuretic is a substance which makes your body get rid of fluids through urination. If you don't like to sweat, I suggest eating diuretic foods, which mostly come in the forms of liquids. Apple cider vinegar, caffeine and cranberry juice are all diuretics, and they will help keep you cool. Coconut water is also a diuretic, which would be tragically ironic if you were ever stranded on a deserted island and needed coconut water to survive! The only issue with diuretics is that you risk becoming dehydrated. So make sure to keep drinking.
The speed and thickness of your blood is also a factor. Thinner blood will circulate more easily through the body with less effort. This will have a cooling effect. Foods that are natural blood thinners are cayenne pepper, ginger, cinnamon and vinegars.
By following these guidelines you should be able to keep cooler this summer, and if you're lucky, maybe even lose a little weight!
Here is a recipe for the ultimate cool down meal:
Cucumber, Hearts of Palm, Tomato, and Avocado Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette and a tall glass of Cranberry Coconut Juice
Salad Ingredients:
1 Avocado
1 Heart of palm
1 hand full of cherry tomatoes
1 Field cucumber
Extra virgin olive oil
Apple cider vinegar
Cayenne hot sauce
Sea salt and pepper
Put avocado slices, sliced heart of palm, cherry tomato and cucumber slices into a bowl. Put 1/3 cup of olive oil, and a small splash of apple cider vinegar (to taste) and as much hot sauce as you like over the salad. Season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.
For the drink, mix 1 part coconut water and 2 parts cranberry juice. Add to a glass of half-full crushed ice.