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Ayurvedic tips for summer health…
Ayurvedic medicine gives us lovely tips on how prevent common imbalances of summer: heat rash, summer diarrhea, burning eyes, hives, rashes, burning feet, irritability, frustration and outbursts of anger, heartburn, excessive body heat and sweating, peptic ulcers and early graying.
This is especially important if we have lots of fire or pitta energy in our constitution: medium build, ruddy skin, fine hair, hazel/green eyes, intense/driven, easily angry, like to lead/control and competitive.
- Cool drinks, but not ice-cold or carbonated; fruit juices, lassi, cooled mint tea and cool fresh water, sipping up to 1 cup in an hour to 6-8 cups/day.
- Diet that focusses on sweet (fruit, grains, dairy), bitter (greens, spices, herbs) and astringent tastes (legumes), decreasing sour (yogurt and pickles; lemon is ok), salty and spicy. Decrease oily and heavy foods as digestion is weaker in summer; eat lighter and smaller meals. Alcohol and caffeine are better replaced by cooling herb teas. Cooling spices include fennel seeds, coriander and fenugreek. All unrefined sweeteners except honey and molasses are cooling.
- Cooling activities: swimming, leisurely walks after dinner or sunrise (10-15 minutes lift the mood like serotonin), staying out of direct sun for prolonged periods if you have a choice.
- Relaxation is more important in summer.
- Go to bed later in the summer to maximize exposure to the sun’s energizing influence. Sleeping on the right side opens the left, more cooling nostril.
- Gayatri mantra at sunrise…
- Breathing through the mouth is cooling.
- Breathable natural fibres cotton, silk and linen in cooling colours.
- Flute music and devotional songs calm the spirit…
- Sexual moderation to avoid depletion and aggravating pitta.
- Yoga poses that calm and work on the liver and digestive system.
- Gentle liver cleansing, especially in spring, can help overcome heat intolerance in summer.
Great reference with more information according to your type: www.banyanbotanicals.com.
Katherine Willow N.D. directs Carp Ridge EcoWellness Centre. Come and play!
