Spring is here!
The weather is warmer and we are heading towards summer when our bodies will feel flexible, light and more liberated.
How can we clear the heaviness and thickness of winter without extreme actions like diets and exercise regimes that stress our systems?
Ayurveda suggests ways that we can reduce excess pitta dosha – the “heat” that can be trapped in our bodies after winter- by reducing our consumption of greasy and spicy foods, by increasing the proportion of fruits and vegetables that are high in water and antioxidants – think cucumber, broccoli, watermelon, zucchini, asparagus, berries, pears citrus to name a few.
Eat your dinners earlier – this means with daylight savings, eating a light dinner before the sun goes down ideally.
Shift heavier cooked dinners to lighter ones, warm salads, light soups, steamed veggies with sprouts, nuts and seeds and good oils.
Reduce your milky coffee intake to one or two a day- max. Try teas instead. Milky chai is also very heating.
Try replacing the heavier grains with lighter ones like quinoa ( it’s a seed really), millet and rice.
Try using cooling spices like mint, coriander and fennel in some of your dishes.
Lessen the complexity of your meals and enjoy the individual fresh flavours of spring produce.
Make sure you don’t skip lunches in springtime. Your pitta ( heat, digestive ability) is rising up with the seasonal shift from winter to spring, so to not feed your digestive system when it is at its strongest in the middle of the day is akin to neglecting the nourishment of your body. Eat your biggest meal at lunch.
If you’re suffering with allergies and mucus lately, it might be good to reduce “ sticky” or mucus producing foods, which could be processed foods, wheat, cow’s milk, cheese and cream. If you’re feeling sweaty, rashes or hot flushes with the hotter weather, it could be useful to reduce garlic, chilli, tomatoes, coffee, alcohol, salty cheeses and foods like salted nuts and chips.
Do not make a habit of drinking smoothies with ice in them.
Both Ayurveda and Chinese medicine say that frozen, sweet and creamy smoothies and desserts are a terrible combination for gut health.
Try to move a little bit every day. If you’re not attending a yoga Pilates or movement class of some kind, just aim to roll out your mat and do some cats, cows and lunges, some of your favourite moves and wriggle and stretch in whatever way feels good – you’ll work and sleep a little bit less stiff and you’ll be more attuned to your body and breath, and you’ll make better choices with clearer senses and a calmer mind.
One (wo)man’s meat is another’s poison, so the hackneyed saying goes.. listen to your own body, is all I’m saying, try using Ayurveda as a guide but not a rule.
Let me know your thoughts.
