When the seasons are changing it is important to be aware of regimes to keep the doshas balanced. This is the time when accumulated doshas will become apparent. According to Ayurvedic scholar Charaka “All diseases begin at the junction of the seasons”.
Each dosha is increased during it’s own season due to the qualities of that season being similar to the qualities of the dosha. For example, we are currently coming to the end of winter, some qualities of winter include cold, damp, heavy, dull and sluggish and these are also qualities of the Kaphadosha. Naturally if we are exposed to these qualities every day, they are going to affect our internal system and perhaps accumulate causing sickness. If the Kaphadosha has accumulated during winter it will become apparent during late winter and early Spring. This may be in the form of congestion, colds, flus etc.
All Ayurvedic treatments are based on the simple principle of introducing lifestyle and diet changes with opposing qualities to bring the body back into balance while avoiding things that can cause further aggravation. Therefore in Winter and into early Spring, some regimes that would reverse or reduce the qualities of Kapha include:
- Regular & stimulating exercise
- Staying warm and dry
- Adequate variety of exeriences (avoid being idle too long)
- Put more focus on regular deep breathing to stimulate prana and help digestive fire.
- Carry out a steam inhalation every second day with a few drops of eucalyptus oil to clears sinus area.
- Diet is of prime importance in any Ayurvedic regime, once again the qualities of anything we take into our body will affect our internal system.
Here are some foods to avoid during this season as their qualities are similar to Kapha and Winter.
- Bread, especially yeasted – the quality of bread is sticky, heavy, damp, moist and cold. Eating it will increase the above qualities and cause problems. The best option for bread is unyeasted flat breads as these are more digestible for the body and drier in quality.
- Cheese, butter, white sugar, bananas, cold drinks & cold foods – these all have heavy, cold, damp and sticky qualities and can also cause lymphatic congestion.
- Tinned and frozen foods – these are very cold and lack prana or life force. This causes more darkness & heaviness to spread in our nervous system that makes us more gloomy, sad and lacking in motivation.
- Deep fried, oily foods & carbonated drinks – These are heavy foods, when we drink cold carbonated drinks on top of them it makes the oil sticky, causing it to adhere to mucous linings in the throat & lungs, causing sore throat, bronchitis, sinus & hay fever.
Here are the diet regimes to include during this season:
- Simply try to eat warm, cooked and nourishing foods such as soups, dahls and well-cookedveges.
- For breakfast, porridge & pancakes are good options.
- Add spices to your food such as cinnamon, cardamom and fresh ginger as these spices are known for their warming & flushing actions. They are very good for the lungs and lymphatic system, the main areas affected in winter.
- If eating fruit, make sure it is cooked and not eaten raw. If you must eat raw fruit, make sure it is eaten mid-morning on a warm & sunny day to minimise its adverse impact.
- Snack on nuts & raisins. Roasted peanuts are very good in winter.
- Add 1/2 tsp of fenugreek powder to your morning drink to help expel excess mucous.