Winter transitioning into Spring

With the Spring Equinox upon us, the sunlight may lead to worsening respiratory and digestive disorders. The reasons why can be explained by what happens in nature:

— Ice has accumulated from winter.

— The ice melts by the sun’s heat.

— Excess water and thick mud disturbs clean/ clear passage.

How does this show up in the body?

— Thick, cold accumulation from heavy foods and a cozy winter lifestyle has built insulated layers within the body. This is often in the form of fat, which kept organs safe and the mind calm during winter.

— Heat builds externally, as well as internal cravings for lighter foods and movement melt away excess (often in the form of fat, mucus, and metabolic waste. AKA Kapha).

— Liquifying leads to disturbed digestive power and free radicles come out of their hiding places. This can cause imbalances or diseases (asthma, indigestion, cold, cough etc).

THUS - we balance/control Kapha dosha with our awareness & action through diet, and lifestyle practices.

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Importance of moving gradually

Heating up at this time and spontaneous weather patterns are inevitable during this transition. To avoid adding another layer of "chaos" to the body, nervous system, and mind, regimens of winter are gradually shifted to balancing practices first for late winter, then for early spring.

I emphasize the importance of avoiding sudden and drastic changes to your routine as this can lead to dis-ease due to agitation and incompetence i.e. asatmya. Remember, the body and mind likes to do the same thing over and over. Therefore, changes are to be done gently and slowly.

I recommend starting NOW, about 2 weeks before the Spring Equinox with 1 or 2 practices.

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Honor Levels of Strength During Transitions

During late winter, you will notice a depletion of strength due to increasing temperatures, depletion of water in the body, and for some, water retention. AKA - reduction of earth taking away stability.

In addition, winds pick up and are very drying, leading to more depletion of energy as it gets swept up by working hard to stay grounded, like a tornado sweeping up everything in it’s path.

Transitioning is an art and potentially one of the most important things to master for a happy, healthy, vital life.

Do what can be done with where you are and over time, you will grow a stronger and graceful practice around transition in ALL areas of life.

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Diet and Activities From Late Winter to Spring

During late winter, spring, and summer seasons - bitter, astringent and pungent foods, plants, and medicines, are predominant. This is no accident as these are the 3 tastes that tend to induce dryness in the body which will be balancing for ushering out accumulated kapha.

REMEMBER - these are guidelines for a generally healthy person. Some of these practices may need to be avoided until directed by a practitioner if working through serious pathology.

Activities for Late Winter

• Warm body oil massages from head to toe in the morning before exercise. As spring comes up, you may transition into dry massages. During all massages, embrace your beloved body and every part of you. This helps to get rid of coldness (body, mind, and spirit).
• The dryness also reduces strength in the body. Thus, strengthening exercises that honor lung health/ circulation is essential. Ex: yoga, palates, aerobics, jogging, and hiking. Working out will also increase heat and make us feel light to balance aggravated kapha.
• Hot water bath or shower before meal (on empty stomach to avoid weakening digestion). Oil should be washed off completely if using it.
• Cover up with warm clothes, dry hair FULLY before going outside, and get exposed to early morning rays of sun.
• Keep feet warm always.
• Reside in warm rooms (heating sources are okay) to keep seasonal disorders at bay.
  

Diet for Late Winter

With the heat of the body constricted inside as a defense from the cold, hunger will still be strong.

However, since we know heat is coming, we want to satisfy the hunger without creating more work/exhaustion for the digestive system - avoiding weakness when heat & winds come.

• Heavy yet digestible foods, 2-3 meals a day. Notice when hunger is not as high - shift to 2 meals a day.
• Sweet foods like rice and wheat are okay - start to lessen quantity and introduce lighter alternatives like quinoa.
• Sour and salt is also okay, lessening the quantity during the transition while adding more bitters like dark leafy greens (ex: steamed kale and arugula, lettuce is NOT a dark leafy green, it is just cold water, not great for kapha).
• Bring in the cilantro on top of meals!
• Spices: Black pepper, cinnamon, and ginger to teas and cooking.
• As spring comes in, add in tender young greens and chlorophyll rich foods like spirulina.
  

Activities for the Spring

• Nasya treatment (nasal drops) may be suggested by your Āyurvedic practitioner to expel kapha dosha from the head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat. If so, this is to be done in the morning before hot shower or bath.
• Oil pulling (rinsing and gargling mouth with oil) can be done to strengthen teeth, drag out kapha from ear, nose, and throat, into the mouth to expel it out, and improve oral health.
• Dress warmly, especially when going outside to avoid vasoconstriction brought on by unpredictable weather - this will weaken digestion and scatter the mind.
• Avoid napping as it can cause indigestion for kapha.
• Exercise is a must. The farther into Spring we get, the best time it becomes to physically push yourself with more intense workouts. Always mindful of your unique needs as this does not apply when certain pathologies are present.
• Palm massages and patting the body relieves stiffness of joints and muscles.

Diet for Spring

• Avoid heavy to digest foods, excess oils, fats, sweet and sour foods.
• Aged barley
• Wheat
• Raisins
• Honey (not boiled)
• Dry, fat - free foods
• Mango juice mixed with cinnamon and/or cardamom as an afternoon snack
• Goat, chicken, or rabbit instead of beef, lamb, and buffalo.
• Try fermented beverages a few times a week, maybe even wine - contra indicated when working on excess pitta/ heat/ inflammation.
• Cooked broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, bitter artichoke hearts - if you find yourself bloated or gassy with these, massage before cooking with olive oil and pepper - ALWAYS CHEW WELL!
• Parsley and other diaphoretics like dill to absorb excess moisture
• Holy basil/ tulsi tea

Here is a quote from chapter 3 of the Ashtanga Hridaya, the third major written book on Ayurveda:

“During spring season, a person should spend midday in the company of friends engaged in pleasant games, past times, story telling etc., in forests or gardens.

There should be a cool breeze from the south with plenty of water all around, invisible or poor sunlight, the land covered with shining crystals, with the cuckoo everywhere making pleasant sounds and engaged in love-play, with trees and different kinds of beauty and sweet smelling flowers.”

To conclude, during the end of winter into spring we see kapha increase, so how we live and consume should be balancing to kapha (heaviness, coldness, and dampness). This includes a lightness in our day, supported by the beauty of spring while held warmly by our attire, loved ones, and our thoughts.

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Please take a moment to take stock of where you are at right now, without judgment and instead with curiosity.

Then ask yourself:

* What is 1 thing learned here that sparks a light in me?

* What is my purpose for making a change in my life?

* What is 1 thing I can do today to bring me toward root cause healing?

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Happy Balancing!

Much Love,

Veronica

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PS: The fact that I came out of this flower bed with only a runny nose from putting my face all up in the pollen, and not full of rashes and a swollen face and throat, is a testament to this medicine.

- Thank you to all of my Āyurvedic teachers, Āyurvedic doctors (especially Jessica Vellela), and coaches, thank you to this medicine, thank you to this ancient wisdom!