Top 6 Herbs To Help Keep You Cool In The Summer

Summer is a time for fun with the people you care about. It’s the time of year when it feels nice to be outside, when you can soak up the Sun’s rays and enjoy yourself.

But too much of the Sun can leave you feeling overheated and overwhelmed. After all, a long winter can make us forget the dangers of the Sun’s heat.

RELATED: The Benefits of Sunlight: More Than Just For Vitamin D

Your first instinct might be to dive headlong toward your air-conditioned house, but not only does that quickly become expensive, it’s also bad for the environment.

Consider these top 6 herbs to help keep you cool this summer – both literally and energetically, according to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 

The Benefits of Mint

There are many different kinds of mint, but when people talk about the benefits of mint they’re usually referring to peppermint, which is a cross between spearmint and watermint.

What’s great about mint is that it’s high in antioxidants and helps soothe digestion, making it a nice choice at any time of the year.

But during the summer it’s even better. The menthol in peppermint essential oil activates the cold receptors within your respiratory system, which makes you feel like you’re being cooled off. The smell of mint also helps keep the bugs away!

Be careful, though; peppermint essential oil is highly concentrated. Take it internally only on the advice of an experienced professional.

The Benefits of Fennel

On top of cooling you off, fennel also helps with digestion, like mint. Its licorice-like flavour helps to freshen your breath, making it a popular ingredient for natural toothpaste.

Studies have also shown that fennel can help ease the symptoms of acid reflux.

The Benefits of Lemon Balm

Despite the name, lemon balm doesn’t come from lemons. It’s an herb in the mint family, and it gives a special meaning to the word “chill”.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, lemon balm can help. It calms your nervous system, making it an excellent sleep remedy. It can also help fight cold sores.

If you suffer from hyperthyroidism, which can cause overheating and excessive sweating, lemon balm can help you as well. As a thyroid specialist, I often employ lemon balm to help my patients. However, if you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), use lemon balm only under the supervision of a dedicated thyroid health expert.

The Benefits of Sage

Many members of the mint family are great for chilling out, and sage is no exception.

Sage can help you cool off during the summer, and it also helps for relaxing hot flashes associated with menopause.

But sage tea is where the real value lies. If you’re experiencing excess sweating, cold sage tea can help reduce it. And if you’re hoping to detox a bit, hot sage tea will increase your sweating, allowing you to release some toxins through your sweat.

And if you’re not looking to chill, sage has many other uses, including as a mouth wash for sore throats and mouth ulcers, and to soothe insect bites.

The Benefits of Red Clover

Red clover is related to the pea family, and is an amazing cleanser of the blood and lymphatic systems.

If you’re experiencing an irregular menstrual cycle, red clover can help you bring your body back into alignment. And, like sage, red clover can help reduce menopause-related hot flashes.

The best way to take red clover is in tea or as part of a tincture, an alcohol-based extract.

The Benefits of Siberian Ginseng

Siberian ginseng is classified as an adaptogen. An adaptogen helps your body adapt to stress by decreasing your cells’ sensitivity.

Not only can it increase mental and physical stamina, it also helps the body to adapt to the extremes of temperature that you find in the summer – going from the heat of the yard to the bitter cold of the air conditioned grocery store.

Summary

Remember that not all herbs are for everyone. Some need to be used with caution. Before brewing yourself a pot of tea, make sure to check with your qualified herbalist or naturopathic doctor.

Botanical medicine can be a part of a happy and healthy summer.  With these cooling herbs, it will be easy to chill out.

Until next time, this is Dr. Pat Nardini, ND, putting “Your Wellness First!”