Summer is in full force, and you may need additional hydration. Instead of just staying indoors with the A/C cranked up, consider taking summer supplements to be the heat. They’re completely natural and readily available at your friendly neighborhood pharmacy in North Asheville.

To stay cool in the heat, think about the fundamentals of how your body works. You wouldn’t wear a parka in July, for example. But increasing your blood flow increases the amount of heat your body can exchange through your skin and arteries.

Summer Supplements Help Cool You Down

Your pharmacist at Asheville Compounding Pharmacy loves to share his knowledge about natural ways to cope with seasons. Ask about natural herbs and summer supplements that help you stay cool and fresh in the heat, such as:

  • Cayenne
  • L-Arginine
  • Gingko
  • CBD oil

That’s right; you can fight heat with heat. Cayenne can be used as a summer supplement to help stay cool because it increases your blood flow. Try that in tandem with a cool damp cloth wrapped around your neck. Additionally, using your muscles diverts more blood supply to them and less to the skin for heat transfer, so relaxing can be very helpful for staying cool as well!

Multitasking with Summer Supplements

L-Arginine is an amino acid that has been shown to help increase blood flow and circulation by dilating blood vessels. Gingko biloba works in much the same fashion and has the added benefit of being especially beneficial for your brain’s flow of blood. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor for any interaction warnings.

CBD oil is a great supplement for relaxation, as it boasts a wide array of benefits. Your body is made up of nearly 60 percent water. So when you’re completely hydrated, your electrolytes stay in peak condition and you can enjoy the outdoors. Adding CBD oil to your plain, filtered water also helps you deal with inflammation, anxiety and nausea. The cannabidiol is made from the non-psychoactive part of the marijuana plant, which helps many people deal with chronic pain and relax naturally.

Essential Oils for Keeping Cool

Another class of effective natural summer supplements is found in essential oils. Make yourself a spritzer to carry around with you. Simply combine in a glass spray bottle about half water and half witch hazel, add in a few drops of your favorite oil, spritz your neck and face, and feel instantly refreshed. Some of the most noteworthy summer supplement essential oils to help keep you stay cool and fresh include:

  • Peppermint
  • Spearmint
  • Eucalyptus
  • Lemongrass

Once you spray the spritz mixture on yourself, the aroma triggers relaxation, freeing up more blood to flow to the skin surface for exchange, as well as aiding in vascular dilation.

More on Electrolytes

Learn your electrolyte levels in the summer — and all year round, for that matter. Athletes and outdoor enthusiasts should be especially aware of hydration and electrolytes. Electrolytes basically are the main source of salt in your cells. By allowing crucial heat exchange to function more efficiently, electrolytes enable proper cell function.

There is a host of electrolytic summer supplements that you can choose from, so don’t feel pressured to grab those popular sugar-laden sports drinks. The friendly staff at Asheville Compounding Pharmacy can aid you in your selection of natural herbs, oils and electrolytes. Stay cool out there!

John Clark
John Clark
Pharm D.