Cooling & Refreshing Summer Drink
When San Diego’s summer days heat up, it’s the perfect time to slow down, sip something cool, and nourish your body in a way that’s both delicious and balancing. This Ayurvedic summer refresher comes from my dear teacher Divya, shared in her beautiful book, and it’s one of my favorite ways to keep my system calm and hydrated during the heat of Pitta season.
Why This Drink Works in the Summer
In Ayurveda, summer is considered Pitta season; hot, sharp, and intense. This drink’s base is naturally cooling, thanks to lime, fresh mint or basil, and a gentle touch of raw sugar and salt to replenish minerals lost through perspiration. The optional dosha-balancing add-ins make it versatile for everyone; whether you’re looking to stay calm, uplifted, or energized.
Ingredients
- ⅛ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 cups spring water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint or basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon raw sugar
- 2 small pinches salt
For Vata Balancing: Enjoy as is.
For Pitta Balancing: Add ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg with the rest of the ingredients in Step 2.
For Kapha Balancing: Add ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ½ teaspoon dried ground ginger with the rest of the ingredients in Step 2.
How to Make It
- Toast the cumin seeds: Place cumin seeds in a dry skillet over low heat. Toast gently for 1–2 minutes, just until fragrant, be careful not to burn them. (:
- Blend everything together: Add toasted cumin seeds to a blender with spring water, lime juice, mint or basil, raw sugar, salt, and any dosha-balancing spices. Blend until well combined.
- Serve: Pour into a glass or jar and enjoy!
Benefits
- Cumin Seeds: Support digestion and help regulate body temperature.
- Mint/Basil: Naturally cooling for the mind and body.
- Lime Juice: Refreshing, hydrating, and slightly alkalizing.
- Salt & Sugar: Balance electrolytes lost on hot summer days.
- Nutmeg & Ginger: Optional adaptions for grounding or energizing, based on your dosha.
Extra Tips to Stay Cool in Summer Season
Along with sipping this Ayurvedic summer refresher, here are a few lifestyle and diet tips to keep your body and mind balanced when the heat is on:
- Exercise in the Early Morning: Avoid midday heat by moving your body before 10 a.m., when temperatures and Pitta energy are lower.
- Choose Cooling Foods: Enjoy fresh fruits like melon, cucumber, berries, and leafy greens. Avoid excess spicy, fried, or acidic foods, which can increase heat and irritability.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink room-temperature or slightly cool water throughout the day; avoid iced drinks that can weaken digestion.
- Avoid Excess Acidity: Citrus in moderation is fine, but steer clear of excess vinegar, fermented foods, or very sour fruits during peak heat.
- Wear Light & Breathable Fabrics: Whites, blues, and pastels help reflect heat and calm the senses.
- Practice Cooling Breathwork: Try Sheetali pranayama to cool the body from within.
- Protect Your Mind: Heat doesn’t just affect the body; it can also inflame emotions. Practice gentle yoga, meditation, or even a short Yoga Nidra to keep your inner climate calm.
Whether you’re coming back from a beach day in Coronado, a yoga class at Chula Vista Yoga Center, or an afternoon walk along the bay, this drink is a delicious way to refresh without shocking your digestive fire. Sip slowly, savor the flavors, and let this recipe help you stay cool and grounded all summer long.
☀️ Keep Your Body Cool + Mind Calm: Ayurveda & Yoga Tips for a Balanced Summer
Summer is a season of light, play, and outward expansion; but it also brings heat, intensity, and the potential for burnout if we don’t pace ourselves. In Ayurveda, this is the time of Pitta dosha, ruled by fire and water. To enjoy summer with clarity and ease, we turn to practices that cool the body, calm the mind, and support digestion.
When the outer heat rises, it’s vital to reduce inner heat. Ayurveda recommends foods that are light, hydrating, and soothing.
Eat for Cooling, Not Just Craving
Favor:
- Seasonal fruits (watermelon, pear, grapes, mango)
- Coconut, cucumbers, zucchini, bitter greens
- Cilantro, mint, fennel, coriander, rose
- Basmati rice, mung dal, light soups, and herb teas
Limit:
- Sour, salty, spicy, oily, and fried foods
- Onions, garlic, tomatoes, coffee, and alcohol
✨ Cooling Favorite: Add a spoon of this Fresh Cilantro Chutney to your summer meals for digestive support and a burst of freshness.
Cilantro Chutney
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 2 tbp of coconut flakes
- ½ inch fresh ginger
- Juice of 1 lime
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- Pinch of mineral salt
Blend until smooth. Use within 2–3 days. Excellent with kitchari, summer veggies, or grain bowls.
Hydration is a sacred ritual in summer. Rather than just water, Ayurveda suggests herbal infusions that cool, calm, and clarify.
🌿 Sip Calm: Herbal Elixirs & Infusions
🌸 Hibiscus Rose Elixir
A heart-opening herbal drink that supports liver, skin and mood.
❄️ Śīta Kāṣāya (Cooling Infusion)
This simple Ayurvedic practice involves steeping herbs without boiling; extracting their cooling properties gently.
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp rose petals (or a few drops rose water)
- Optional: 1 mint leaf or pinch of licorice root
Instructions:
- Soak all ingredients in 1–2 cups room-temperature water overnight (or at least 4–6 hours).
- Strain in the morning.
- Sip cool or at room temperature throughout the day.
✨ Benefits: Calms Pitta, supports digestion, soothes the liver, uplifts the heart.
Ease into movement with practices that soothe the nervous system and release heat.
🧘🏽♀️ Move Mindfully: Cooling Yoga for Summer
Best postures:
- Child’s Pose, Seated Forward Bends
- Gentle Twists
- Supported Backbends
- Viparita Karani (Legs up the wall)
- Moon Salutations 🌙
Breathwork: Practice Sheetali or Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril) to cool and center.
🧴 Ayurvedic Rituals to Ground and Restore
Summer asks us to slow down and find softness. Create space in your day for grounding rituals:
- Abhyanga (self-massage) with coconut, brahmi, or sandalwood oil
- Rose water mist on the face and heart
- Wearing white, blue, or pastel shades
- Journaling or quiet reflection by water
- Evening moon gazing or a cool shower
✨ Tip: Apply vetiver oil or rose oil over the heart and temples before rest.
Let Rest Be Your Ritual
True summer radiance isn’t found in doing more—it’s in honoring your inner rhythm.
- Schedule white space in your calendar
- Take one screen-free day per week
- Choose silence or a Yoga Nidra practice over constant stimulation
- Sleep by 10 PM to help Pitta reset overnight
✨ Mantra for the Season:
“I release the heat of striving and return to the cool ease of being.”
Whether you’re near the sea, teaching your community, or tending to your own healing—may these practices bring peace, pleasure, and presence to your summer days.
Let Ayurveda and Yoga remind you: balance doesn’t mean withdrawal. It means knowing how to move with the season—softly, wisely, and beautifully.