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If we asked you to name the perfect food to eat on a hot day, you might say ice cream, or maybe watermelon. But here are three not-so-obvious choices that can help you cool down . . .

1. Something with chili peppers in it.  It might make you feel hot at first.  But chili peppers trick your body into THINKING it’s hotter than it is.  So they make you sweat, which ultimately causes your body to cool down.

2. Spinach.  It helps level out your blood pressure, which helps keep you feeling cool.

3. Soup.  Again, it tricks your body into thinking it’s hot, so you start sweating.  And the moisture on your skin ends up cooling you down.

If you just want to stick with watermelon, that’s fine too.  For two reasons:  First, it’s mostly water.  But it also contains an amino acid that helps cool you down by dilating your blood vessels and helping with circulation. Two things to AVOID on a hot day are carbs and meat.  Your body has to work harder to digest them, which tends to up your body temperature.  (SWNS)