Hot weather and hot flushes make a rough pairing, and what you drink through the day can make a difference to how you handle both. This cucumber, mint and yoghurt smoothie is our go-to for the warmer months. It's cold and lightly tangy, and it takes about five minutes to make.

Think of it as a lighter take on a lassi, the chilled yoghurt drink you'll find on most Indian menus, with cucumber doing most of the work. If you've made our green smoothie for focus and clarity, this one sits at the cooler end of the same idea. Have it with breakfast, or keep a jar in the fridge for the afternoon.

It won't switch off a hot flush, and no drink could. But changing what's in your glass is one of the easiest swaps you can make on a hot day, and this one earns its spot in the fridge.

Why Staying Cool Matters More During Menopause

A few small choices on a hot day can work for you or against you. This glass covers three of them.

Hot drinks and the afternoon flush

When your internal thermostat gets touchy, small things can tip you into a flush. The Australian Government's perimenopause guidance lists hot drinks, alcohol, caffeine and spicy food among common triggers, and suggests drinking cold water as a simple way to cool down.

A cold smoothie won't stop a hot flush from arriving. It can replace the flat white you might otherwise reach for mid-afternoon, and it gives you something icy to sip while a flush passes.

Live cultures for your gut

Yoghurt with live cultures is a fermented food. In a small 2021 study published in Cell, healthy adults who ate more fermented foods over 10 weeks showed greater gut microbiome diversity and lower levels of several inflammatory markers.

One smoothie isn't a fermented-food diet, and the study was small. Still, it's an easy way to get live cultures into a day that might otherwise have none. Your gut bacteria are also thought to play a part in how your body recycles oestrogen, which is one reason gut health can matter more around menopause.

Calcium for the bones you want to keep

Your calcium needs go up after 51. The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend women over 51 have 4 serves of milk, yoghurt, cheese or alternatives a day because their calcium requirements are high, and ¾ cup (200g) of yoghurt counts as one serve. Each glass of this smoothie gives you one of those four.

If hot flushes are a regular part of your day, our guide to managing hot flushes naturally is a useful companion read.

The Recipe: Cucumber, Mint and Yoghurt Smoothie

Serves: 2 | Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: No cooking needed

This is a blend-and-pour recipe. The cucumber ribbons are optional, but they take thirty seconds with a vegetable peeler and make the glass look like it came from a café.

What you'll need

For the smoothie:

• 1 cucumber (about 350g)
• 400g plain natural or Greek-style yoghurt with live cultures, chilled
• 125ml cold water or milk
• 1 small handful fresh mint leaves (about 15g)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 to 2 tsp honey (optional)
• Pinch of sea salt
• 6 ice cubes

To serve:

• 2 sprigs fresh mint
• Cucumber ribbons, from the reserved piece

A few notes before you start

• Prefer it dairy-free? Use a plant-based yoghurt with live cultures, and check the label for added calcium. Many plant yoghurts aren't fortified, so they won't count towards your daily serves.
• Like it tangier? Swap half the yoghurt for kefir, another fermented option with a sharper flavour.
• Want it sweeter without honey? Blend in half a ripe pear or a small handful of green grapes.
• Making it ahead. It keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a day. It separates as it sits, so give it a good shake before you pour, or freeze leftovers in ice block moulds for a warm night.

Why each ingredient earns its place

Cucumber is mostly water, so it bulks out the glass and adds to your fluids for the day without adding much sugar. It also keeps the flavour clean, which lets the mint and yoghurt do the talking.

Mint brings the cooling hit. That comes from menthol, which switches on the cold-sensing nerves in your mouth. It won't lower your core temperature, but on a sticky afternoon the feeling of cool counts for something.

The yoghurt is the nutritional backbone of the glass, with live cultures, protein and a serve of calcium. The lime and salt are small additions that sharpen the flavour, so the drink tastes bright rather than flat.

Beyond the Glass

A cold drink is a good start, and a few everyday cooling habits alongside it can make warmer days easier to manage. The same government guidance suggests:

• Keep cold water within reach. Sipping something cold when you feel a flush coming on may help take the edge off.
• Dress in layers. Loose, natural fibres like cotton help keep you cooler, and layers mean you can peel one off when the heat rises.
• Try a cold pack. Hold one in your hand or rest it on the back of your neck.

For some women, the cooling habits help but hot flushes still show up most days. If they're affecting your sleep or your work, it's worth checking in with your GP. Our Foundation blend may help relieve hot flushes and night sweats associated with menopause, and it works best alongside the everyday habits above. ALWAYS READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE.

So when the first properly hot week of the season arrives, let your glass do some of the cooling. Blend a double batch on Sunday and reach for it before you reach for the kettle.

This article is general information only and isn't a substitute for advice from your doctor or health professional. If you have a food allergy or intolerance, or your symptoms are affecting your daily life, talk to your health professional.