It’s summertime and the livin’ is easy—or at least we’d like it to be. This summer is especially hot all over the world. If you’re tired and stressed out from caregiving, these tips will help you stay cooler in summer. The same information applies to those we care for. . . and for everyone.

According to the ancient Indian system of Ayurveda our body consists of three main elements or doshas—Vatta, Pitta and Kapha. Pitta consists of water and fire. It’s hot, so during summer when the temperature rises we want to eat cooling foods. Eating cooling foods not only keeps us from overheating, it reduces the tendency to get irritable, impatient and angry.  (Chapters 20 and 31 in “Calmer Waters: The Caregiver’s Journey through Alzheimer’s and Dementia” contain more information about ayurveda and nutrition that calms down the nervous system and supports immunity.)

1. First and foremost, stay hydrated. It’s especially important to make sure you and your loved ones are getting enough liquids because when we forget to drink we can become dehydrated quickly, which leads to other health problems. It’s also crucial to keep the brain hydrated in order to maintain mental alertness. Drink plenty of water and stay away from carbonated and caffeinated drinks. Herbal teas, and fresh fruit or vegetable juices are great in summer. Just remember that fruit juices are high in sugar and calories. Coconut water is cooling and helps to replenish electrolytes, which is especially important during and after an illness.
2. Enjoy the bounty of summer fruits. Peaches, apricots, cherries, watermelon, cantaloupe, and berries are especially good for helping the body reduce the fiery heat of summer. Juice them or make popsicles with watermelon juice or any other combination including yogurt. These are especially helpful to keep seniors hydrated and for people who have trouble chewing.
3. According to Ayurveda, some of the recommended summer vegetables include cucumber, green leafy vegetables, green beans, squash, zucchini, asparagus, beets and eggplant. Juice a leafy green with cucumber and beets for a delicious cooling drink.
4. Sprinkle on the herbs and spices. They’re easy to use and contribute added flavor and antioxidants to your diet. Cooling spices include cardamom, coriander, fennel and tumeric. Cooling herbs include cilantro, mint and dill.
5. Avoid hot, sour and salty foods including fermented food, red meat, and greasy and spicy food. Excess pitta aggravates the tendency towards heartburn and gastric hyperacidity.
6. Here’s some good news—Ayurveda recommends ice cream during the hot summer months! So by all means, enjoy! Dementia patients are especially fond of ice cream. If the person you are caring for refuses to eat or eats very little, try serving ice cream. It contains protein, calcium and calories, and it’s easy to serve and eat. If weight gain or cholesterol is a concern, select a dairy-free version of America’s favorite dessert. Rice Cream, Coconut Bliss and Soy Delicious make delicious non-dairy, frozen desserts.
7. Cooling grains include amaranth, barley, quinoa, rice, tapioca and wheat. Use them in salads mixed with veggies. One of my favorites is quinoa salad. Cook 1 cup of quinoa. (Be sure to rinse it first to remove saponin, a naturally occurring chemical that coats each grain to ward off insects. It has a strong, bitter flavor. And yes, it is a pain to rinse quinoa. First soak it and then place it in a very fine mesh strainer and rinse.)  Sauté onion and zucchini, add a handful of fresh corn cut off the cob, mix with the quinoa. Add fresh tomatoes, black beans, and a dressing made with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Delicious!
8. Make your own granola. Once you do, you’ll never go back to buying store-bought granola, which is typically filled with sugar. Plus, it is expensive. Oats, almonds, and coconut are all cooling. First toast 1/2 cup of slivered almonds on a cookie sheet in the oven. Watch carefully so they don’t burn. Add to 4 cups of oats, along with 1/2 cup coconut flakes, 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup maple syrup. Add 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, if desired. (Cinnamon is warming, but a little bit won’t hurt.) Stir and bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes. Add raisins if desired.
9. For added protein, top your salads with these cooling legumes: garbanzo, pinto, white beans, azuki beans, and black-eyed peas.
10. If you eat meat try to avoid beef, chicken, and pork during the hot months and use cooling meats such as buffalo, turkey rabbit or venison instead.

Happy eating. . . and stay cool!