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Our first COLD days have arrived! Welcome to the start of VATA season, at least according to Ayurveda. In case you don’t know, Ayurveda is traditional Indian medicine and provides an excellent blueprint for living daily life. Whereas Western medicine focuses on treatment, Ayurveda focuses on prevention so that we can be happy and healthy our whole life.
Our first clue that Vata season was upon us is “weather whiplash”—temperatures going up and down, sometimes within several hours. Ayurveda calls this Vata season. (Vata is one of the three doshas in Ayurveda.) The qualities of Vata are cold, dry, light, mobile, rough, erratic and clear. You feel chilled in late fall/early winter, your skin is dry and rough, the wind takes your breath away and blows away all debris, you don’t know how to dress from day-to-day, and you feel the need for more rest. Here are some things you can do to stay well this month:
►Wear a scarf to protect the ears, neck and chest
►Eat warming, soothing, easily digested meals such as soups and stews
►Avoid cold and raw foods. Skip the salads!
►Avoid cold or iced drinks. All drinks should be room temperature or hotter.
►Avoid skipping meals or fasting
►Do regular yoga, meditation and pranayama
►Exercise regularly to keep circulation flowing
►Get exposure to sunlight whenever possible
►Daily oil massage. My favorite oils for this season are Sesame oil and Ashwaghanda Bala oil. You can order them from https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/
►Keep warm and dry and stay out of strong winds. It’s best to dress in layers.
►Drink warming herbal teas, such as ginger and cinnamon. Limit caffeine since it aggravates Vata.
►Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. The nights are longer this time of year for a reason.
While you don’t have to do all of these things, the more you can do the better you will feel. Even a few changes can bring you back into balance. I hope you’ll give it a try!
Our first clue that Vata season was upon us is “weather whiplash”—temperatures going up and down, sometimes within several hours. Ayurveda calls this Vata season. (Vata is one of the three doshas in Ayurveda.) The qualities of Vata are cold, dry, light, mobile, rough, erratic and clear. You feel chilled in late fall/early winter, your skin is dry and rough, the wind takes your breath away and blows away all debris, you don’t know how to dress from day-to-day, and you feel the need for more rest. Here are some things you can do to stay well this month:
►Wear a scarf to protect the ears, neck and chest
►Eat warming, soothing, easily digested meals such as soups and stews
►Avoid cold and raw foods. Skip the salads!
►Avoid cold or iced drinks. All drinks should be room temperature or hotter.
►Avoid skipping meals or fasting
►Do regular yoga, meditation and pranayama
►Exercise regularly to keep circulation flowing
►Get exposure to sunlight whenever possible
►Daily oil massage. My favorite oils for this season are Sesame oil and Ashwaghanda Bala oil. You can order them from https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/
►Keep warm and dry and stay out of strong winds. It’s best to dress in layers.
►Drink warming herbal teas, such as ginger and cinnamon. Limit caffeine since it aggravates Vata.
►Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. The nights are longer this time of year for a reason.
While you don’t have to do all of these things, the more you can do the better you will feel. Even a few changes can bring you back into balance. I hope you’ll give it a try!
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