10 Must Try Naturally Cooling Ayurvedic Drinks To Beat The Summer Heat
So what are your options when it comes down to dialling down the heat from within?
Staying in AC for too long. It is not an ideal solution since it can cause dehydration and other health implications.
Eating ice creams and cold drinks. While this option sounds tempting, the cooling only stays in your mouth for some time. As soon as these enter your stomach, the body fires up to burn the calories that come along with it. Hence you are sending your body on a drive to produce more heat rather than reduce the heat. Again this is not an ideal solution.
If you are wondering about your best bet, we say Ayurveda.
The ancient holistic healing treatise Ayurveda’s fundamental principle lies in changing the dietary and living habits according to the season. While most of us are struggling and finding ways to combat the heat during the summer, this classical text provides simple yet effective remedies to make the summer a breezy affair.
Summer – The Season Of Hot Weather
Ayurveda offers remedies based on the tri-dosha of the body – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
Dosha defines deha Prakriti or body composition. Vata is characterised by dry, cold, rough, light, clear, and subtle features. Pitta is characterised by hot, sharp, oily, liquid, and mobile features. Kapha is characterised by heavy, slow, smooth, oily, soft, and stable features.
Summer is characterised by increased heat. Hence the primary goal during this season is to balance the heat and thus the dryness in the body.
Most of us crave lighter and easy-to-digest meals during summer to ease the agni in the body to lessen the heat generated. The body demands more fluids during this season to combat dehydration and excessive sweating. Hence we say to give in to these demands. Consume more healthy liquids such as tender coconut, buttermilk, and fresh fruit juices, along with drinking an optimum quantity of water.
10 Ayurvedic Remedies to Dial the Notch Down on Summer Heat
Knowing your body type makes it easier to adapt to the changing seasons and Bring changes to your diet. However, here is a list of cooling summer herbs that can provide respite from the heat and act as a home remedy to treat heat stroke when used wisely.
Kokum: The coastal area has humid weather, especially during summer. Grown extensively on the western coast, kokum is a natural coolant that cools your body from within. You can find the hosts from the coastal belt offering kokum sharbat when one visits them during this hot season. Hence, do not shy away from trying this herb from the coastal areas of India To combat the summer heat.
Nimbu/Lemon: One of the most extensively used remedies to beat the summer heat is the nimbu sharbat - a natural cooling drink. Lemon acts as a cooling agent and brings down body heat. So generously add the dash of lemon syrup into your salads, soups and other dishes, which can taste great after adding this summer wonder.
Ushira: Ushira or the khus khus grass, is the commonly used Ayurvedic herb to pacify the Pitta dosha. This herb is also enriched with anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-fungal properties to combat the diseases that occur during summer.
Nannari / sogade beru: People in the eastern coastal region rely predominantly on nannari to combat the summer heat. Summers are especially harsh in this region. You can prepare juice or soak it in the water overnight and have it throughout the day. The cooling effect that it has on your body is simply unbelievable.
Tamarind: The summer season brings along ripe tamarinds as though telling us this is one of nature's best remedies to combat the heat. The South Indian gravies generally use tamarind to give a tangy taste. Hence we say try having South Indian sambar or rasam during the afternoon this summer to cut down the blazing heat.
Chandana: One of the lesser-known remedies to combat the summer heat is Chandana or sandal paste. It is often applied on the forehead when people are running high temperatures. So imagine the wonders it can do when consumed in small quantities. Various recipes are available online that include white or edible sandal powder as a summer coolant. Dive into the Internet and try something new this summer.
Coriander seeds: One of the commonly available herbs in the Indian kitchen is coriander seeds. Known for their aroma, the coriander seeds are also great coolants. Simply soak them in water overnight and have them the next morning on an empty stomach to feel the heat draining out of your body. You can also include these coriander seeds in your daily diet and see them bring a change in your summer.
Fenugreek seeds: Methi or fenugreek seeds are one of the common house remedies used to control the Pitta dosha. Again, you can soak the fennel seeds overnight in water and consume the water the next day morning. One of the alternatives is an external application of ground fennel seeds on top of your head. Both of these are effective in draining out the heat from your body.
Raisins: The dried-up grapes have amazing heating-combating properties. Soak them overnight and drink the water along with eating the raisins, they not only provide relief from the heat but also have anti-inflammatory properties helping your body build up the immune system. They are excellent remedies to avoid heat strokes in summer.
Mint: Another commonly used herb to combat the summer heat is mint. The mint has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties making it one of the best herbs to calm your nerves when you feel heat dials up a notch during this season.
These are the herbs curated from our Ayurvedic specialist's desk. Let us know how many among these you try and how you felt about them. Tune in to read more such blogs that can help you make healthy choices and lead a happy life through seasonal changes.
