18 Sep Ayurvedic Health Tips for Monsoon Season
“In Unison with the prevailing atmosphere”- Ayurveda’s central premise and my guiding principal always!
Sun to Indians is the God of life, energy and light, and which leaves us with a feeling of fullness. Yes it does all this and more. It dehydrates, burns and takes away energy leaving us feeling drained and lethargic. Life in the Indian sub-continent has been continuing between these two extreme forms of the sun for ages. Our calendars too are divided into two halves depending upon the position of the sun in the northern and southern hemispheres. These in turn are divided further into 3 seasons each having their distinct characteristics and reason.
Monsoon, the antithesis of the sun & all its traits, falls in the 2nd half of the year when the Sun’s rays are more prominent in the southern hemisphere which typically means the Indian subcontinent’s summers are on the way out for the year. Heat gone & enter rains, Varsha! I, for one, await its arrival! Awesome, bountiful and relaxing after 2-3 months of intense heat, it feels nice as one feels less drained, quite energetic and full of life what with the rains bringing with it the foliage and greenery around us. It does bring in the mosquitos, rodents and myriad other life-forms including snakes trying to escape being drowned in the downpour.If you thought rains were only romance, energetic times and happiness all around, you could be mistaken. The three elements of Ayurveda which make up the human physiology namely Vaata, Pitta and Kapha have their own stories to tell.
| Doshas | Significance & how they ought to be | Their altered state during monsoons |
|---|---|---|
| Vaata | Vaata is about movement & is associated with air and wind. | Excess humidity during monsoons leads to fermentation in the gut & a weak digestion. |
| Pitta | Pitta talks of transformation, understanding and imbibing and its sign is fire. Some also associate it with water too. It is thus about following a particular path leading to change. | Weak digestion from Vaata means more pitta i.e., sour, thick sticky bile and increased incidences of acidity. |
| Kapha | Kapha is about cohesion and structure with earth as its element. Moisture, lubrication, protection are its forms. | Kapha in some cases increases during monsoons & this happens when the ideal diet is not adhered to. |
This brings us to the central theme of this article: What then would be the ideal steps to keep Vaata and Pitta in good company during monsoons to avoid the pitfalls and enjoy the plentiful? At Recova Life in Pune, our study of Ayurveda suggests you do the following:
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- Foods:
- Avoid uncooked greens as they are swamped by worms trying to find a home during monsoons.
- Avoid any foods that cause bloating i.e., heavy in spices, oils and fats. They only add to aggravated levels of sluggishness and bloating. Conducive to this season are foods cooked well including steamed foods. Same goes for factory-produced foods high on tastes but low on nutrition.
- Non-vegetarian foods should be curtailed in this season as it is invariably heavy on the system.
- Replace staples such as wheat with jowar as it is easier to consume and does not promote acidity.
- Consume small quantities of dry fruits.
- Among lentils, avoid urad and toor (black gram and red gram) which promotes acidity and related gases and flatulence. In their place, consume moong dal (green gram).
- Rains give a fillip to vegetables such as pumpkins and sweet potato which being seasonal have all the right nutrients for the season. Consume them in sufficient quantities.
- Rains bring with it water but along come silt, germs and low temperatures all of which are causes of ill-health. Ayurveda’s advice for the season includes filtering and heating of water to avoid falling sick.
- Life-style :
- Dress up in materials which are light and dry fast as monsoons and related humidity can be quite an irritant.
- Never neglect cleanliness like clipping nails of hands and feet as they are the favourites hang-outs of bacteria and fungus.
- Do not let the season give you an excuse to give up on exercise. If you cannot go out, exercise at home. BUT, exercise you MUST. Yoga and spot jogging are ideal. Avoid overexertion.
- Panchakarma, the Ayurvedic therapy through a series of massages and basti (enema of medicated decoctions and oils) are a must during monsoons as it helps rid the body of toxins and keeps us feeling fresh. In fact, from my experience, panchakarma done in this season results in the person remaining fit n healthy yearlong.
- Bathe is warm water as excessively cold water normal during these times can disrupt digestion and cause one to fall ill.
- Sleep comes easy during monsoons as the atmosphere is moderately cold. Avoid the tendency to doze in the afternoons as it affects digestion and is a major contributor to gas and flatulence. It also affects normal sleep cycles.
- Monsoons as we all know, are tricky times. The heart feels like indulging but the body suffers the brunt of excesses. Like always, Ayurveda shows the way- moderation, mediation and if need be, medication!
- A last quick tip for this season! Have honey with all your foods.
- Foods:
These would be all for the moment folks. Dr Madhura Bhide of Recova Life in Pune signing off. If there is anything that you want to know about Ayurveda, do visit our website www.recovalife.com
Disclaimer :
This article is meant solely to provide information about remedies under Ayurveda and is not meant to be used for diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease.
Where the reader or any other person has chronic and/or dire health issues, it is advisable to consult a trained and certified medical practitioner for a complete and comprehensive diagnosis which can address the underlying issues effectively.
Recova Life and its constituents are also certified medical practitioners who can be consulted. Our numbers are +91 83800-16119 and Email ID atul@recovalife.com
With respect to the consumption of any herbs, fruits, vegetables and the likes mentioned here, it would be advisable where you consult a certified medical practitioner for his/her opinion before-hand.
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