Summer is here and here are some useful lifestyle tips you can follow to beat the summer heat.

1. Water is the best option to quench thirst.

It is a key ingredient in keeping the body cool. With high humidity levels, sweat will not evaporate quickly. This prevents the body from releasing heat in an efficient manner. This is why it is necessary to hydrate and drink water, even when you are not thirsty. Increase water intake regardless of your activity levels.

2. Avoid caffeinated or carbonated beverages, alcoholic beverages, and those high in sugar.

All these drinks contain preservatives, colors, and sugars. They are acidic in nature and act as diuretics. They cause loss of fluids through urine. Many soft drinks contain diluted phosphoric acid, which damages the inner lining of the digestive tract and, therefore, affects its functions. An excessive intake of soft drinks increases phosphorous levels in the blood. This separates calcium from the bones and moves it into the blood. This calcium displacement from the bones makes them porous and brittle. It also causes plaque on the teeth, kidney stones, arthritis and bone spur. Soft drinks also reduce mineral levels in the body to such an extent that enzymes are unable to function well, resulting in indigestion.

3. Do not drink very chilled liquids.

They do not really help cool you down in summers, though they make you cool for some time. Drinking really cold liquids when feeling hot may lead to a slight constriction of the blood vessels in the skin and decrease heat loss, which is not advisable when trying to cool down.

4. Limit all strenuous activity. Avoid doing vigorous physical activities so that your perspiration level remains good and you don't get dehydrated.

5. Eat light, nutritious and non-fatty meals. This is important to note as the body needs a regular amount of calorie intake but in summers, these intakes should be in the form of light, nutritious and hydrating meals.

6. Reduce intakes of heaty vegetables and fruits, like spinach, radish, hot peppers, onions, garlic, beetroot, pineapple, grapefruit and ripe mangoes (if you cannot resist mangoes, soak them overnight in water).

7. Minimize the intake of dried fruits. Increase the intake of fresh fruit. Dried fruits are mostly heaty which heats up the body so try eating fresh fruits which will increase the body water and sugar levels.

8. Use sabza (tulsi seeds) in your drinks -- this has a very cooling effect on the body.

9. Include lots of fruits and vegetables in the form of salads and fresh juices, preferably without sugar, in your diet.

10. Drink lemon juice, coconut water, and thin buttermilk, to replenish the fluids that are lost in sweat.

11. Avoid sugary foods, especially molasses and other artificial sugar substances, and stick to natural sugars available from fruits and veggies.

12. Minimize the intake of hot, spicy foods and extremely salty foods. The body retains salt in the organic form found in fruits and veggies; the inorganic salt, meanwhile, is digested and needs to be thrown out of the body. And this is why you need to drink water!

13. Cut the intake of fried foods, like vadas, samosas, chips, bhajias, farsans, etc. Fat has a thermal effect.

14. Maintain good hygiene levels. This means that you should maintain proper hygiene, bath daily and properly so that the sweat and germs can be cleaned also you should apply talcum powder to avoid summer rashes.