The first thing that comes to mind, when we think about the summer season, is the burning heat and humidity, that leaves you feeling tired and exhausted and wanting to avoid going outdoors all the time.

While the daily rise in temperature during this time period, is something that is beyond our control, we need to do something and control how our body responds to the extreme weather conditions.

What we need, is to eat the right type of foods and stay well hydrated, in order to stay healthy and active during the summer season.

Here are some of the ways we can keep ourselves cool, by adding some well known and popular herbs and spices to our diet during the summer months:

1) Coriander also known as dhaniya is a common and popular ingredient that is used in our everyday meals, it is most commonly used to prepare chutney and to add flavour to a variety of dishes depending on your preference, doing this is good for the body, it helps in digestion, control blood pressure and keeping you cool and refreshed.

2) Mint or pudina, is an ingredient that has the right cooling properties that are needed for our body, it can be used for main course dishes as well as salads, they not only add to the taste but also stimulate the nerves in our skin, this gives the body a much needed cooling sensation during the scorching summer months. One can also add mint leaves with drinking water or add them to nimbu paani depending upon your taste and preferences.

3) Chilli or mirch as we know it, is commonly associated with a burning sensation and sweating, we immediately drink water to cool down, what we don't know is that eating a little chilli causes an increase in the body temperature and at the same time causes us to sweat, which helps to bring the body temperature down, at the same time, it is not a good idea to consume too much chilli because it would cause your body to overheat instead of cooling down and excessive sweating is not good for your health.

4) Fennel seeds popularly known as saunf, acts not just as a mouth freshener but contains cooling properties that most of us are not aware of, it works by aiding digestion and reducing the acid reflux, which has a cooling effect on the body. It helps to chew fennel seeds after a heavy meal to provide the much needed cooling effect for your body.

5) Cinnamon or dalchini is another spice that is widely used in Indian cuisine and has body temperature regulating properties. It is known to control blood pressure, stimulate the brain and lower cholesterol levels, it prevents the body from overheating and helps to keep you cool. Spiced tea is an example of a beverage that helps to keep you cool when you are feeling thirsty and dehydrated and need something to drink.

6) Turmeric or haldi is the most famous and commonly used spice in Indian food, it is used to prepare curries and is widely recognised for its anti bacterial and anti fungal properties. It is known to prevent bloating and also helps in cooling the body through sweating.

In the end, go ahead and add these herbs and spices to your daily meals and stay cool during the summer months.