Stay Cool
Stay Hydrated and Inspired All Summer Long
Summertime is ruled by pitta – the fire/water element. That means summer is the time when visionary, expansive, creative, wild and passionate energies rule. It also means we can easily overdo and overheat. According to Ayurveda, when it’s hot and dry, we need wet and cooling foods and practices to keep us healthy and hydrated!
Summer is the easiest time to become dehydrated. Common signs of dehydration are:
excessive peeing (even when you drink a lot of water)
dry skin, mouth, lips
cracking joints
sore muscles that won’t recover
shiny “oily” looking face
big bags under the eyes (kidney area of the face)
slower brain function (think of how out of it you feel when hungover)
overeating
irregular bowel movements– can be dry/hard or loose or full of mucous
1.
Up your electrolytes! Electrolytes are a combination of minerals (magnesium-calcium, potassium-sodium, chloride, hydrogen phosphate, hydrogen bicarbonate) that we need for optimal functioning. The best way to get electrolytes or “trace minerals” are from naturally occurring “good salts”. These “good salts” include Celtic Sea, Atlantic Grey, or Pink salt. According to author Dr. Barbara Hendel, co-author of Water & Salt, The Essence of Life : “These mineral salts are identical to the elements of which our bodies have been built and were originally found in the primal ocean from where life originated…. We have salty tears and salty perspiration. The chemical and mineral composition of our blood and body fluids are similar to sea water. “
We are often told to avoid salt– but it’s really table salt (including kosher and “natural sea salts”) that we need to avoid. These “bad salts” are often bleached, refined and striped of their minerals. Good salt, on the other hand is critical to our health and will not spike blood pressure levels, because it doesn’t contain excessive sodium or refined sodium chloride. Unlike table salt, which causes swelling, bloating, and edema, good salt actually hydrates you. Switch to a “good salt” and watch your intake of “bad salts,” which are hidden in tons of common foods like crackers, chips, pretzels, olives, cheese, pickles, and take out-food.
In addition to eating good salt, which provides enzymatic support for the pancreas to break down sugars, taking good salt straight in water, called sole, gives the adrenals and kidneys a boost for the hot sweaty days ahead. Start your Summer’s days with an electrolyte drink called sole. See the glossary for directions.
2.
Take more RAW oils–In order to absorb our electrolyte-filled water, we need essential fatty acids (EFAs). EFAs are oxygen-rich oils that bind with the oxygen in our water and allow for our cells, skin, and organs to be hydrated, healthy and pliable. EFAs also assist healthy brain function, alleviate depression and help synapses in the brain fire more smoothly. The key to using EFAs is that they are RAW and cooling oils, such as olive, flax or hemp (often RAW oils are labeled “cold-pressed” or “extra virgin”). However, the oxygen molecules in these oils cannot withstand heat, so when you heat them, their molecules shifts to mimic free radicals (pre-cancer cells) in our bodies. Rather than sauteing in oil, begin to steam, grill and poach your food, or saute with water and spices. If you need to use an oil, try coconut oil or ghee, which are never EFAs. To get the healthful EFAs, put up to 4 TBS per day of RAW oil on your food. It will bring out the unique favor of the food and retain the healthy, raw quality. Feel free to use these cooling oils in a salad dressing or just drizzle them over salads, veggies, soups and grains.
3.
Eat your (wet white) veggies – Pitta is ruled by the fire of digestion and during the summer you want to eat as many cooling, alkaline veggies as you can. Go for alkaline and potassium rich, wet, white veggies. Load up on cucumbers, jicama, bok choy, turnips, radishes, daikon, fennel bulb. If you’re not sure, taste test some at a local farmer’s market. Turnips are great sliced like chips and dipped in hummus. You can also cool off any foods by garnishing with fresh cilantro, basil, mint, fennel root, and lots of lemon and limes. So next time your need a summer taco fix—smother them in lime and cilantro, and munch on radishes!
4.
Cool it off- Hydrate your whole body by spending more time in the water! Truly, a good swim or cold shower can really help cool off a hot body and over-active or frustrated mind. Make sure you get your head wet to blow off steam, and take deep slow breaths. After a shower or swim apply coconut oil to wet skin to keep it moist. This traditional practice of abhyanga, or skin oilination, is helpful to ground and hydrate the body. Use coconut oil in the summer. See glossary for details.
5.
Do less—The pitta person, often a natural leader, is always over-doing and under pressure. And summer, even though it’s supposed to be fun, is often full of doing. The flip side of overdoing is burn-out! Whether it’s simple exhaustion or full-blown adrenal fatigue, it’s important slow down and do less. Make a list of all the ideas, projects or trips you want to do this summer and decide on three to really focus on and follow through with. Put the others on hold, or let them go! And have a truly sweet, sweaty and cool summer.