Roses: A remedy for staying cool on hot days

I recently suffered an allergic reaction to grass pollen and experienced the unpleasant sensation of my neck and cheeks becoming red and inflamed. My neck and face felt feverish, although the rest of my body was fine. On top of that, there was an itchy sensation that was very annoying, because I wanted to scratch the itch, but I also realized that scratching would make it much worse. Plus, any exposure to sunlight and heat made me feel even more inflamed and itchy! Misery!

Two plants came to my rescue. Aloe vera, which is well-known for soothing irritated skin, and surprisingly, roses! For this post, I will focus on the flower. Roses are not just pretty blossoms gracing gardens, inspiring poets, and exciting voluptuaries. The seemingly fragile and delicate petals of Rosa rubiginosa are endowed with unique chemicals that possess powerful therapeutic effects, including compounds with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antidepressant properties, as well as vitamin C and other essential nutrients. Additionally, the astringent quality of roses is beneficial for toning the skin.

Here’s a simple recipe for rose tea that you can savor slowly on a hot day and use to soothe inflamed skin. This is precisely what I did to help calm down my miserable allergic reaction!
Ingredients:
1 ounce dried roses (organic)
3 cups water at 185 - 190°F
Brew in a teapot for 10 - 15 minutes.
Strain and store the tea in a glass jar, then refrigerate.
You can double, or even triple, the recipe. However, maintain the ratio of roses to water to ensure the tea is robust enough to have therapeutic benefits.

For skin application and for keeping cool:
Use a clean linen or cotton hand towel and saturate it with the refrigerated rose tea to act as a compress. Squeeze excess tea back into the jar and dab it onto your face and neck (Ahhhh!).
Keep the jar in the fridge and keep refreshing your hand towel with cold tea as needed.

For drinking:
Pour out approximately 4 ounces of the chilled rose tea from the jar set aside for internal use.
Sip slowly, and chill out as you breathe in the scent of roses, and luxuriate with the rose compress against your skin!
(It’s tempting to add ice, BUT don’t. Why? Please refer to my blog post on this topic for more information.

According to David Crow, L.Ac., “Roses produce their maximum levels of damascenone, the primary molecule of rose fragrance, on the mornings of the full moon. Ayurveda observes that the full moon radiates a special kind of energy, called soma, which is said to have a cooling, nourishing, and relaxing effect on the mind and body.”
The rest of David's article on roses is fascinating and enchanting!
I invite you to read the entire post.