Summer is back again - and so are the foods, coolants, shades, travel and home projects that we get to do! It is also a time where life bursts in with abundant varieties of fruits vegetables and fauna, along with longer day time. As the temperatures soar outside, let’s look at the multitude ways to beat the heat this season.

COOL INTERNALLY TO BEAT THE HEAT

Come summer (from April to July) and we see a rise in temperatures, heated land surface, loss of surface moisture, dry air, loo winds, heat waves and sunstrokes.

The excess heat and sweating can cause fatigue, dehydration, skin rash and allergy occurrences; while quick fermentation of food can result in vomiting, diarrhoea and gastric issues.

To beat the heat that is outside, our bodies can counter it with many ways to cool from the inside. Like, the fruits and vegetables that we get in this season are the most suited to meet the increased body needs that take place with the changing weather.

FRUITS

1. The biggest help comes by eating generous portions of seasonal (summer) fruits such as

- watermelons

- musk melons

- mulberries (Shehtoot)

- pineapples

- grapes

- fresh lime (mosambi)

- mangoes

Fruits can be eaten raw or by simply blending them into smoothies .

VEGETABLES

2. Water rich and seasonal vegetables such as:

- cucumber (kheera)

- bottle gourd (lauki)

- ridge gourd (turai)

- ash gourd (petha)

- snake gourd (padval)

- tomatoes

- greens

The water and mineral content in these summer veggies keeps the body well hydrated. These should be preferably eaten raw as in salads or juices. This way their organic compounds and enzymes remain intact and thus provides us the best nutrition.

3. Lemons can be taken as shots (concentrated) or a simple juice or by adding to raw vegetable salads.

4. Onions, amla, coriander leaves and mint (pudina) are extremely good.

NATURAL COOLERS

Satiating the increasing thirst calls for some tasty and natural coolers!

5. Coconut water - being high in water, minerals and energy is our best friend in summer

6. Sugarcane juice - provides instant energy.

7. Soaking ‘nannari’ - (Indian sarsaparilla) roots in drinking water, or boiling this root powder in water to make it as juice, is a very good option.

8. Soaked kokum - blended with water makes a great ‘sharbat’.

Check out the recipe Kokum Sharbet.

9. ‘Aam panna’ - made with raw mangoes, is another delicious way.

Check out the recipe Aam Panna.

10. Bel juice (woodapple) – can be made easily at home.

Check out the recipe Bel juice.

SEEDS & CONDIMENTS

Some easy ways to keep the stomach cool this season are:

11. Soaked sabja (Tukmaria) seeds can be had plain or added to other coolants.

Check out the recipe Lemonade Sabja cooler.

12. Khus Khus (Indian poppy seeds) when soaked and ground is a superb coolant.

13. Roasted cumin (Jeera) powder, dry ginger powder, dried mango powder are the most suitable for these months.

HABITS & LIFESTYLE

14. Consumption of cooked food needs to be reduced. While, intake of fruits & raw juicy vegetables needs to be increased; along with lemon shots and natural juices (mentioned earlier).

Oily/ spicy/ processed/ refined/ non-vegetarian food, as well as tea/ coffee/ milk and other dairy requires a lot of energy to digest, leading the body to generate more heat and increasing acid levels inside. Hence these should be avoided in summers.

Alcohol or smoking can damage health and create havoc in a heated body.

Image credit:johannatherealtorvia Pixabay.com

15. Using earthen pots for drinking water is wonderful, as it cools the water significantly, removes many impurities in it and adds a wonderful taste too.

16. Stress – When we are already facing heat from the outside, working continuously without regular breaks, can lead to overheating inside the body. Hence it is very important to take conscious rest breaks after every few hours in the day.

17. Calming activities - like yoga, walking and swimming can help us cool down.

18. Sleep – The body requires sound and 7-8 hours of complete sleep. Sleeping late or cutting sleep time can result in body heating a lot, feeling fuzzy and fatigued.

As we continue to the next part of beating the heat this summer, we will look at ways to cool ourselves externally. Read our blog -Keep the heat out - Naturally.

Recommended watch

- Beat the heat

Recommended Reading :-

1. The Raw story

2. Are you eating water or drinking it?

3. Raw foods