Summer Health (Seasonal living by Ayurveda)

Summer Health (Ayurvedic Seasonal Living)

Here, we'll look at what Ayurveda and Ritucharya recommend for the summer, including lifestyle tips, and nutrition recommendations,

The periodic and cyclical aspect of existence is emphasised in Ayurveda. The periodic changes of the components and doshas inside and outside of an individual's psychophysiology are what clearly define these rhythms.

 

Ritucharya?

Considering how our bodies interact with the seasonal cycles and variations in elemental dominance with regard to our internal state of balance, or Prakriti, is a part of adopting an Ayurvedic practice. Ritucharya is an understanding of the interconnection of the elements and the relationship between the person and nature.

 

Summer season: Doshas and qualities

The summer season, also known as grishma in Ayurvedic medicine, is characterised by the Pitta dosha, the fire and water elements, and the following characteristics:

Hot, Sharp, Oily, Light, Bright, Spreading, Liquid, etc

 

                             Summer season: diet recommendations

In the summer, it is preferable to adopt a Pitta-soothing diet. In the summer, the body will be more irritated by sour, salty, and pungent tastes than it will be by sweet, bitter, and astringent ones.

Agni, the body's digestive fire, is prone to becoming tikshna, or keen, in the summer. Hyperacidity, acid reflux, GERD, diarrhea, insatiable hunger, and ulceration are a few of the common indications and symptoms of tikshna agni.

 

The Pitta dosha can be balanced with the help of the following meals.

Cucumber, Watermelon, Coconut, Lime, Pomegranate, Pears, Apples, Melons, Asparagus, Broccoli, etc. 

Avoid foods that aggravate Pitta, such as sour citrus fruits, garlic, onions, hard cheeses and warming alcoholic beverages (red wine, whiskey, rum) throughout the summer.

 

Some Beverage Recipes:

·       Nimbu Pani

Add the juice of two limes to a quart of water. A summer beverage that is hydrating and refreshing can be made by adding salt and sugar to taste.

 

·       Buttermilk 

4 parts water and 1 part fresh yoghurt should be blended till smooth. Add 1-2T of raw sugar or a natural sweetener for a sweeter version. Add 12 t toasted cumin seeds or 1/4 t cumin powder with a dash of ginger powder to make the beverage more traditional and flavourful.

 

·       Coconut Cooler with Cucumber

Slice an organic cucumber in half, then mix it into a quart of coconut water. Drink at room temperature or slightly chilled.

 

·       Cardamom-Flavoured Milk

Both milk and cardamom have a chilly potency. Three cardamom pods should be boiled in milk with organic sugar before drinking.

 

·       Lemon and Cucumber Juice

According to Ayurveda, cucumber is a potent diuretic. Cucumber juice, lemon juice, mint leaves, and a dash of salt can be combined to make a delightful beverage. This beverage will aid in replacing electrolytes lost.

 

Lifestyle Guideline

·       Sleep

Summertime is a good time to take a 30- to 1-hour afternoon sleep because of the warm temperature and potential tiredness that comes with it.

Another practise that can calm and relax Pitta in the summer is moon bathing (chandra seva), which involves lying under the light of the moon in the evening.

Given the longer daylight hours in the summer, it is acceptable to stay up a little later (about 11 PM). Due to the early sunrise in the summer, you can discover that you wake up earlier as well.

 

·       Colour therapy

In the summer, choose for wearing white, grey, purple, blue, and green clothing because these hues have cooling and Pitta-soothing properties.

Avoid wearing colours that aggravate Pitta and tend to trap heat, such as red, yellow, dark orange, and black. To prevent skin irritation, it is better to dress in light, natural textiles like cotton or linen.

 

·       Exercise

It is preferable to avoid exercising and overheating the body during the summer.The postures navasana (boat position), dhanurasana (bow pose), and setu bandhasana (bridge pose), which are all considered to have a Pitta-pacifying effect, should be included in more mild yoga practises

·       Pranayama

The two most effective cooling pranayama exercises are sitkari and shitali. When performing the shitali pranayama, the tongue curls and inhaled through like a straw.

·       Abhyanga

Favor cooling oils, such as coconut and sunflower, for abhyanga (massage). For the summer, rose, sandalwood, vetiver, and jasmine are all wonderful essential oils for mixing into your abhyanga oil.

 

Before attempting any of the herbs, therapies, medicines, or recipes discussed in the article, consult with us or with your Ayurvedic doctor. If you are allergic to the herbs or substances, avoid consuming these herbs or preparations. For more customize diet schedule please visit our expert doctors.

 

Dr Nikhita Khabale Patil

M.D. (Ayurveda)