Ayurvedic Herbs For Beating Down Heat in Summer

 The summer season is here, with the rapid increase in temperature, it has become important to keep balance in our body and keep it cool. Exposure to direct sunlight and heat may cause excess skin irritation and rashes, also leading to allergies and acne. 

Continuous sun exposure also leads to dehydration and even heat stroke. Also, having an unhealthy lifestyle and eating junk food can lead to an increased risk of heat in the body, which triggers the “Pitta Dosh” within. 

Including cooling herbs and spices in our meals will fight hot temperatures and balance the pitta (heat) in our bodies. 

We can include the following Ayurvedic herbs in your diet plans to beat down the heat this summer:  

1. Mint:

Mint is one of the common and easily available herbs that can help you stay cool in summer. It can be used in multiple recipes and has a fresh and strong flavor, which is very refreshing. It can be used in various detox recipes too to get rid of the toxins in the body. 

2. Amla:

The antioxidants and vitamins found in amla offer several health benefits. High concentrations of vitamin C in amla helps the body recover from various illness. It also has a cooling effect on our digestive system. It also has other health benefits like controlling diabetes, keeping eyes healthy, boosting immunity, and also improving memory. 

3. Manjistha: 

Also known as Rubia Cordifolia, this is one the most treasured Ayurvedic herbs known for its cooling effect on blood and removing toxins from the body. Though this herb is a bitter astringent, it has a long list of benefits and uses. It is a potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial herb trusted for generations in the Indian Ayurveda. 

4. Basil (tulsi):

Also known as Holy Basil, it acts as a detoxifying and cleansing agent in the human body. It dates to 3000 years and is historically used as medicine due to its widespread therapeutic power. It keeps the body cool during extreme heat and is mostly used as an herbal tea on a regular basis. It is also known for its anti-stress properties worldwide.

5. Sandalwood: 

It leaves a cooling effect on our bodies. This herb can be turned into a paste to apply to the skin. It will help us fight skin issues as well as keep us cool. 

6. Mulethi (Liquorice):

It is commonly used to treat symptoms of dry cough and sore throat. This herb can keep us cool during the summer season. One can simply chew a stick to reap the benefits. 

This Ayurvedic Herb may contain a new drug against Covid-19

 As the world looks for an effective medicine against SARS-CoV-2, a herb widely used in Ayurveda provides an exciting new lead.

Scientists at the National Brain Research Centre, Manesar have found that an ingredient Mulethi (Yashthimadhu in Sanskrit) has the potential to emerge as a drug candidate against SARS-CoV-2 as it lowers the severity of the disease and brings down viral replication.

More than 15 months after Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, scientists are still to discover a medicine to counter the rampaging virus though several vaccines have been rolled out. The doctors currently manage patients with a handful of repurposed medicines with a varying degree of efficacy.

With support from the Department of Biotechnology, the NBRC team last year began looking for a new therapeutic against Covid-19 in the middle of the lockdown period.

When the search was narrowed down to glycyrrhizin because of its wonderful anti-inflammatory properties, the researchers carried out a series of experiments to check its potential against SARS-CoV-2.

In the laboratory, the scientists expressed specific viral proteins in human lung epithelial cells. The viral proteins triggered inflammation in these cells, but treatment with glycyrrhizin clears the inflammation in such cells. The untreated cells succumbed to inflammation.

By dampening cytokine storm (a severe immune reaction triggered by serious Covid-19 cases), glycyrrhizin can reduce the severity of the infection. Besides inhibiting the cytokine storm, glycyrrhizin also reduces viral replication by 90%. While 'Mulethi (Yashtimadhu)' is widely prescribed for lung ailments, chronic fevers and respiratory tract inflammation in Ayurveda, glycyrrhizin is used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B and C.

Read more about the Sweet herb- Yashtimadhu