Summer is the season most of us look forward to all year (even during our globally-warmed winters). It means having the freedom to romp, bond with nature, and dress way down. Yet when it finally arrives, we’re quickly reminded that although the grass may be greener, it’s also wilted and sticky. Fortunately, cooling off doesn’t have to mean cranking up the air conditioner. Here are natural ways to beat the heat – with almost no fossil fuels required.
1. Get Misty
To remind yourself of the ocean's calming spray, whip up a batch of this cooling potion, concocted by aromatherapist Judith Fitzsimmons, author of Aromatherapy Through the Seasons: Restorative Recipes and Sensory Suggestions (Conari, 2001). You'll need pure essential oils (which you can find at a health food store); a 4-ounce spray bottle (probably on the shelf below the oils); and water. (If you're pregnant or diabetic, or have a history of seizures, Fitzsimmons advises checking with a doctor before trying this.) Pour water into the bottle until it's about half full. Add the following oils: eleven drops of orange, eight drops of bergamot, five drops of rosemary, and two drops of lavender. Then, fill the rest of the bottle with more water. Keep the mixture in a cool, dry place and shake it before using. Spritz it on your body anytime throughout the day except before bed; it's an energizing blend. It should also give you a gentle mood lift - "Try it instead of a cup of coffee," Fitzsimmons says - with a dash of mental focus, emotional clarity, and cheerfulness.2. Rock Out
Hot stone massages feel great in the winter, so why not try a cold stone treatment when the weather heats up? To save money by doing it yourself, go to the nearest outdoor space and select some smooth rocks that are palm size and smaller, suggests Valerie Simonsen, a naturopathic physician in Maui, Hawaii. Once you've got your rocks, rinse them and lay them in your freezer on top of a bandana or piece of fabric. After about an hour, they'll be cold enough to rest on your wrists, neck and other pulse points for maximum coolage. The stone may also - if you believe in this sort of thing - help ground you. At the very least, you'll feel like a human being for an hour or so instead of human black top.3. Eat for the Season
In Ayurveda, India's science of life and medicine, beating the heat is all about balancing the dominant element of summer - pitta, or fire. "Like increases like, so we have to have a diet and lifestyle that is opposite to the qualities of pitta," says Krupali Desai, a New York-based Ayurvedic doctor. For example, in blazing summer, she recommends avoiding spicy, heavy foods and eating watery fruits and vegetables (melons, grapes, plums, apples, cucumber). Dairy, known for its cooling properties, is also recommended to take the sting off the heat. In India, says Desai, people often end their warm days by drinking a small glass of buttermilk with a dash of salt and cumin powder.4. Breathe Like a Yogi
When yoga practitioners want to lower their temperatures, they stick out their tongues. This is so they can do sheetali pranayama, which translates from Sanskrit as "cooling breath." This exercise brings colder air into the body, but it also offers other benefits: "When we're paying attention to the breath, we're paying attention to the present moment," says Devarshi Steven Hartman, director of professional training at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, Massachusetts. "Often we're hot because we're in a hurry," he adds. "So coming into the present is a good way to cool down." To practice sheetali, stick out your tongue halfway and curl it into a tube. Now, if no one's looking at you funny, inhale evenly through it for about five seconds. Then, hold your breath while gently drawing your chin toward your chest. Hold for five seconds. Exhale through your nose. Do four to five rounds, repeating as needed throughout the day.5. Run From Ice
No matter how relieving that frosty drink feels, traditional Chinese medicine holds that icy fluids and foods impair the ability to digest. "The digestive system is like a pot over a fireplace," explains Elizabeth Fay, an acupuncturist with offices in Cambridge and Newton, Massachusetts. "If the fire under it isn't warm enough, we're not going to 'cook,' or digest, our food properly." This can lower overall energy and harm your ability to fight illness - not to mention the sweltering heat. During summertime, Fay advises drinking room-temperature fluids.6. Green Your A/C
The divine coolness of air conditioning is, ironically, responsible for releasing about 100 million tons of carbon dioxide each year, contributing to even hotter weather to come. Cool in a planet-friendlier way with these tips from the Environmental Protection Agency: If you use a room air conditioner, make sure it's the right size and switch to an "Energy Star" model (government rebate programs may help offset costs). Maintain central A/C annually and program your thermostat. Seal external leaks. And planting shady foliage outside your home will support the earth-and your green thumb.7. Treat Your Neighbors Well
Tend your soul during a heat wave by taking care of others. Get to know your neighbors and check in on elderly, disabled, or isolated people in your area. According to the AARP, 40 percent of older women and 20 percent of older men live alone. Pick up some sorbet, make some iced tea, or bring over a fan. Your efforts will go a long way in helping your neighbors in need feel safe-and cool.8. Soothe Yourself
Sunscreen will protect your skin, but there's nothing like a spa day to refresh your spirit in the heat of summer. New York City's Cornelia Day Resort is just one example of dozens of spas that offer summer-specific services meant to help you cool down and pretty up. The spa's "Summer Honey Harmony" treatment is a soothing bath that you can even prepare at home, with a combination of salts, teas, and mint leaves.9. Imagine Cool
Close your eyes, sit comfortably, or lie down. Visualize yourself lying in a soft, grassy spot; you are totally safe. Imagine that the heat in your body is hot water circulating through your system-now watch it as it starts flowing out your pores. The water is running out of you and being absorbed into the cool earth. Now feel the sweetest, mistiest summer rain dusting over you, cooling you down completely. Open your eyes and wake up to a calmer, balmier you.10. Sink Into a Summery Moment
Check out Beliefnet blogger Amy Cunningham's top 10 ways to have a spiritual summer. For a quick review: 1) Unplug the television 2) Swim in real water 3) Gaze at the night sky 4) Make flying friends (with butterflies and the like) 5) Take a meaningful workshop 6) Walk barefoot 7) Make or buy presents for those you love 8) Sit under a great tree 9) Consider where you are burning out 10) Read eternally beautiful things. Amen.
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