Cool, Alternative Ways to Head Off Heat Exhaustion.

Talk about hot and bothered! With heat exhaustion, your body is way too hot, because you haven't been drinking enough fluids to keep it cool. And you feel extremely bothered. You're likely to be pale, dixzy, nauseated, and thirsty, with a headache the size of the sun.

If you're outside and start experiencing those symptoms, go inside, preferably where it's air-conditioned. And start drinking lots of fluids, either water or a sports beverage. If you don't feel any better in 30 minutes, see a doctor.
Preventing heat exhaustion is a matter of common sense— drinking plenty of fluids, exercising during the coolest parts of the day, and wearing loose-fitting clothes that help keep you cool, including a hat. Plus, alternative healers have a few extra tricks, for both prevention and treatment, up their loose-fitting sleeve's.

LIQUID MINERAL: For Prevention
One reason for heat exhaustion is that the body runs out of electrolytes, the minerals that help prevent muscle cramps, says Beverly Yates, N.D., a naluropathic physician and director of the Natural Health Care Croup in Seattle. To avoid the problem, especially if you're planning to be physically active in sunny, hot weather, take liquid mineral supplements during the hotter times of the year.

Dr. Yates says to look for supplements that include magnesium, calcium, and manganese and recommends those that are water-based to help with rehydration. She favors the liquid variety because she says that they're better absorbed. The dosage is 1/2 teaspoon in 4 ounces of water three times a day.

LEMON BALM: Keep Your Internal Temperature Down
Some people are more sensitive to hot weather than others, says Pamela Fischer, founder and director of the Ohlone Center for herbal Studies in Concord, California. If summer weather makes you feel as gritty, sweaty, and crumpled as a used beach towel, try drinking a few-glasses a clay of herbal iced tea made from lemon balm (also known as melissa), which is cooling to the body.
To make the tea, add ¼ cup of the dried herb to 1 quart of boiled water. Steep for 30 minutes to an hour, strain, and refrigerate until chilled.

FLOWER ESSENCES: Be Sensitive to St. John's Wort
Take four drops of St. John's wort flower essence a day for at least a month if you seem to be extra-sensitive to the sun or prone to symptoms of heat exhaustion. This flower essence, from the herb that is used to treat depression, can treat all maladies related to darkness and light, says Patricia Kaminski, director of the Flower Essence Society in Nevada City, California. You can take this for up to several months until your sensitivity improves.

FOOD: Eat As If You're on Vacation
If you travel to tropical climes during the summer, heat exhaustion is more likely because your body will face a number of significant stress-ors besides a hotter climate, including changes in time zones, language, and foods. To minimize the stress, Dr. Yates suggests that you change your diet before your trip, emphasizing foods that are eaten in that climate.
"A lot of tropical fruits are very tasty and full of electrolytes and water," she says. They include mangoes, papayas, guavas, bananas, and pineapple.

HOMEOPATHY: Cool Your Symptoms with Glonoinum
This cooling remedy is for people with heat exhaustion who have a "throbbing, bursting headache" and a "glowing red face," says Dr. Yates. She recommends dissolving two pellets of 12C potency Glonoinum under your tongue every 15 minutes. If you don't feel better after two closes, see a doctor. If you do improve, take two pellets every 3 to 4 hours for the rest of the clay.