A Summer Cooling Tea to Calm the Body, Mind, and Mood

What I love about Ayurveda is that it never misses a beat. Season after season, it has a way of syncing us back up with nature—gently, intuitively, and with purpose. Whether it’s the summer sun, the crisp winds of fall, the dryness of winter, or the blooming energy of spring—there’s always a tea, a practice, a formula, ready to keep us in balance.

Today, I want to share something I’ve been doing for years during summer:
a cooling herbal tea that calms the gut, cools the blood, and clears the mind.

Now I know, most people think you need to drink iced drinks or crank the AC to stay cool. But Ayurveda sees it differently. Cooling doesn’t start on the surface. It starts deep—in the gut, in the blood, in the nervous system. If we don’t cool those internal systems, that heat builds up and shows up as irritability, inflammation, poor digestion, even skin flare-ups or sleeplessness.

And listen—we’re out here enjoying the beaches, hiking, living life. But that sun? It’s no joke. Let’s give our bodies some backup.

🌿 My Go-To Summer Cooling Tea:

This recipe is simple, but powerful. It uses four of my favorite Ayurvedic powders—all from Athreya Herbs. Their herbs are organic, wildcrafted, and I trust them completely. And the energy of the herbs? You feel it. Right away.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 tsp Ushira Powder (Vetiver)
  This is one of the most beautiful herbs to work with. The smell alone is enough to bring you back to peace—it’s earthy, grounding, floral. Ushira is known in Ayurveda for calming the Pitta dosha. It supports the skin, calms the nerves, and helps cool the entire body from within.
  Athreya’s Ushira Powder is wildcrafted and supports natural detoxification. You’ll feel it working with just one whiff.

• ¼ tsp Cardamom Powder
  Just a touch of this spice works wonders. It clears excess heat from the urinary system and digestive tract, and it makes the tea taste amazing. Cardamom is traditionally used to balance Agni—your digestive fire—without making it too hot.

• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
  This one’s the sleeper hit. Most people don’t realize coriander helps drain heat from the lymph, blood, and plasma. If your body fluids are running hot in the summer, coriander brings that balance back. It’s gentle, sweet, and one of the best herbs for skin and internal cooling.

• 1 tsp Musta Powder (Nutgrass)
  Oh, Musta. This one’s misunderstood. It’s the same grass that landscapers try to kill with RoundUp—but Ayurveda sees its worth. Musta is one of the best herbs for calming inflammation and heat in the gut. If your digestion gets hot, bloated, or reactive during summer—this is your best friend.
  Athreya’s Musta Powder is deeply purifying and helps support better absorption and gut function, even in the hottest months.

🫖 How I Make It:

1. Add 1 tsp Ushira Powder, ¼ tsp Cardamom Powder, 1 tsp Coriander Powder, and 1 tsp Musta Powder to your favorite teapot.

2. Pour hot water over the herbs and let it steep.

3. That’s it. Sip slowly. Let the aroma fill the room.

Now I know people like to strain their teas, but me? I drink it all—herbs and all. Why waste any of that goodness? The powders settle in beautifully, and I believe it keeps the full energy of the plant in the cup.

🔥 But Wait—Isn’t This a Hot Tea?

Yes. But here’s the Ayurvedic magic: even though the tea is hot in temperature, it’s cooling in effect. That’s because every herb we’re using has a cooling virya—a kind of energetic signature that determines how the herb interacts with your system.

In modern terms, these herbs create what we call an endothermic reaction—meaning they absorb heat from the body. So you drink something hot, and still walk away feeling lighter, cooler, and calmer. It’s the opposite of what you’d expect, and it works every time.

💡 A Quick Word on Pitta & Inflammation

Summer is Pitta season. That means the fire element in our bodies naturally increases. And with that comes more risk of inflammation, frustration, overheating, and agitation. Even if you’re usually calm, you might feel more sensitive or reactive this time of year.

But these four herbs—Ushira, Cardamom, Coriander, and Musta—work on the three main systems that Pitta affects:

• Digestive System (Musta, Cardamom)

• Circulatory System & Blood Fluids (Coriander, Ushira)

• Nervous System & Mood (Ushira, Cardamom)

They’re like a dream team for inner cooling.

✨ One Sip at a Time

You don’t have to overhaul your whole diet or life to feel better in summer. Sometimes all it takes is a pot of tea. A quiet morning. Or an evening wind-down ritual.

So here’s my offering to you:
A hundred years of great summers.
May you feel light, calm, clear—and may your tea always meet you where you are.

With love,
Jay