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Beat the heat: 5 Ayurvedic tips for summer

The arrival of summertime in Scotland might not exactly usher in months of hot, sultry weather, but there are definite reasons to celebrate now that the days stretch on near endlessly and the nights are fleeting. The heavy winter layers can come off for starters, and even if you’re not typically an early bird, you may well find yourself rising without an alarm and enjoying the extra daylight hours after work to play outdoors and visit with friends. The supermarket shelves are piled high with sweet, juicy fruits and best of all, we generally experience more robustness and less sickness now than at any other time of year.

But despite summer’s notable gains, as the warm months wear on, you might be reminded that too much of anything, even sunshine, is never a good thing. While summer’s long days and warmer temperatures can ply you with abundant energy and optimism, if you’re not careful to balance your activity with rest and tailor your diet to suit the season, you could be more prone to burnout, injury, emotional stress, inflammation and digestive issues at this time of year.

Summer: an Ayurvedic perspective

Yoga’s holistic sister science, Ayurveda, focuses on maintaining health throughout the year with seasonal routines, called Ritucharya, which indicate small but important shifts that you can make in your diet and daily behaviour to align with the rhythms of nature. Ayurveda views everything in life through the lens of the five elements: earth, water, fire, air and space. It will come as no surprise, then, that summer, known as Grishma, is dominated by the fire element.

Warmer temperatures and long days initially promote ripening in nature, but as the months wear on, they have a drying effect. That’s why earlier in the summer you see beautiful blossoms and sweet fruits on the trees, but by the end of summer the leaves and grass are starting to dry up. You might notice a similar effect in your body – around the time of the summer solstice, you’re practically bursting with vitality, but by summer’s end, you can feel a bit crispy and overdone, both physically and emotionally.

From an Ayurvedic standpoint, the excess of heat in summer has a drying and depleting effect on your tissues. Furthermore, in response, your digestive fire (Agni) actually becomes weaker to balance the heat outside. To cultivate balance, Ayurveda relies on the principle of opposites, known as Vishesha, which means that we treat heat with cold, dry with oily and so on. As a result, it’s vital during the summer months to focus on foods and behaviours that are sweet, mellow and cooling to balance the heat and sharpness that dominates.

Suggested seasonal rhythm for summer

  1. Eat for the season

According to one of Ayurveda’s principle texts, Charaka Samhita, it’s best to cut down on eating too many sour, salty and spicy foods at this time of year. Go easy on fermented foods like cheese and vinegar, salty crisps and hot curries and instead, embrace what’s fresh and in season.

Prefer digestible foods that are sweet, bitter and astringent in taste. That means lots of sweet, juicy fruits like peaches and cherries with breakfast, vegetables like courgettes, leafy greens and asparagus paired with legumes and whole grains for lunch and dinner. Even though you might think of summer as salad season, unctuous meals like soups are actually preferable – just make sure they’re not too hot.

On hot days, take lots of liquids such as fresh fruit juices and smoothies, cooling coconut water and mint tea throughout the day. Make sure you eat enough to fuel your summer activities but don’t overeat.

Finally, though there’s nothing better than enjoying after work drinks on a sunny patio, take care not to overdo it with alcohol, which is both heating and drying. Mix things up with fruity mocktails like muddled mango spritzers instead.

2. Slow your flow

Because your energy may be better, it can be tempting to seek out vigorous yoga classes at this time of year, but intense exercise is actually contraindicated in the summer, especially on hot days. Enjoy gentle yoga and focus on those gorgeous heart opening poses and side bends that feel like opening a window to let in some fresh air on a hot day. Make time for Yin and Restorative Yoga, especially if your summer routine involves a lot of intense activities like hillwalking, biking and running.

Speaking of exercise, if summer for you is all about getting in shape or training for that half marathon, you might find yourself pushing your limits a bit too much. Summer is peak time for sports-related injuries and conditions related to overheating and dehydration. Listen to your body for warning signs of exhaustion and avoid pushing yourself beyond your natural capacity or getting too caught up in the competition.

Instead, exercise outdoors and in nature when you can, but head out early in the morning or later in the afternoon when it’s cooler, seek out shaded trails and safely enjoy swimming and water sports to cool off. Remember, it’s ok to stop and smell the roses, especially since the scent of rose and jasmine are considered the most balancing for summer’s heat.

3. Chill out

We all make a beeline for the beach in the summer and it turns out that that impulse is a great idea when things start to really heat up. Spending time on or near water can be incredibly calming when you’re starting to feel some heat building, whether that means prickly heat or intense emotions like jealousy. You can definitely cool off with a refreshing dip in your favourite loch or river, but simply sitting near a waterfall or by the sea can be amazingly cooling and soothing. While you’re there, dress in light colours to keep from overheating, and prefer natural fabrics like cotton and linen which breathe well.

4. Find stillness

A natural side effect of these long days is that you might get less sleep in summer. Now that may be a welcome change for those who tend to oversleep, but for many, it can lead to increased stress. In fact, a 2018 study by the American Physiological Society found that the stress hormone Cortisol spikes as temperatures rise. Chances are you’re waking up earlier at this time of year anyway, so schedule in 10 minutes of meditation before you go about your day and approach your activities and challenges mindfully.

5. Worship the moon

There’s no doubt that you’re getting enough exposure to the sun these days, and Ayurvedic wisdom recommends balancing that by increasing your exposure to the moon. Try to spend time outdoors on nights when the moon is full or close to full and if you can, find somewhere safe and cool to sit and gaze at the moon. When it’s time to go to bed, sleep in a room that’s cool with light, breathable sheets.

Writer, yoga teacher and Ayurvedic Practitioner, Julia Clarke has traveled far and wide in pursuit of knowledge and adventure. En route, she's been a radio presenter, winemaker, yoga studio owner and authored the book Restorative Yoga for Beginners. Her next book Living in Balance with Maharishi Ayurveda is due out in 2023.