Keeping cool in the heat of summer
Cyprus is still sizzling in the 2nd half of August. Many of
you may be on holiday or have just come back, and for those of us who live on
the island, the summer can seem endless at times. We put ourselves into a lower
gear, spend lots of time at the beach or in a pool and stay out of the sun
during the hottest hours of the day.
Eating cooling foods such as salads, watermelon or cold
soups also help the body cope with the heat, as does herbal ice tea. You have
to try it to really appreciate just how much a herbal tea cools you down, but
once you do, you're likely to prefer this healthy drink over anything fizzy or
sugary!
This summer I made a new ultra-cooling and
constitution-moistening blend of herbs and flowers which effectively cools the
body, is relaxing, light, digestive and very tasty! It consists of mulberry
leaf, hibiscus flower, jasmine, passionflower, lemon balm, fennel and lemon
verbena. I named the blend Summer Breeze. The unique combination of these herbs
makes this an oasis for the body and mind in the midst of heat and heat stress.
To make ice tea all you need is a little preparation ahead.
For a litre of tea use a modest tablespoon of herbs, put these in a teapot or
tea press (a cafetiere used only for this purpose is the handiest), add a pinch
of stevia leaves or a little honey and leave your tea to infuse until it has
cooled down enough to be placed into the fridge. Chill for a few hours and
serve with ice cubes.
Ice tea will keep in the fridge for 48 hours maximum.
Stay cool!
