How to stay healthy in Winter season: according to Ayurveda.
Winter is a time when our bodies and minds need extra TLC because this is considered Kapha Season. Kapha is the elements of earth and water, which is heavier in nature. Other qualities of Kapha are dry, cold, smooth, slow, dense, and liquid. These qualities can be expressed in the mind as lethargic, depressive, inertia. In the body, lack of motivation, low immunity and mucous.
Ayurveda offers some great tips for protecting your health and wellbeing during this season. In this blog, we'll explore some of the most beneficial and easy Ayurvedic winter tips to help you stay healthy, energized, and balanced.
1) The first tip is to stay warm. Ayurveda recommends keeping your body, head, and feet warm in cold weather. Wear layers and cover yourself with blankets when sleeping. For diet, Ayurveda recommends eating warm, cooked foods with lots of spices like ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. These spices are known to help balance the body's natural temperature and keep the digestive system running smoothly.
It's also important to stay hydrated, which means drinking plenty of warm water or herbal tea. Herbal teas like chai, turmeric and ginger are especially beneficial for the winter season due to their balancing qualities. Avoid cold iced, raw foods and drinks as these can be difficult for our Agni (digestive system) to process in cold weather.
2) Ayurveda recommends taking time to rest and relax in winter. Make sure you get enough sleep, but also take time to meditate, do energizing yoga, or just take a few moments to be still each day. Pranyama like Dhirga 3 Part Breath, Nadi Shodna and Kriyas like Agni Sara or kapalabhati can keep circulation flow in the body. To master your connection routine, you’ll want to awake before or with the sun. This allows our body to align with nature and the circadian rhythm. The time we awake sets the tone for the day. We should also consider eating our largest meal of the day between 10-2pm, when Pitta is at peak to help digest foods. Taking 100 steps after your lunch can also keep things moving in the body, instead of the stagnation that Kapha can manifest as.
3) Finally, Ayurveda stresses the importance of self-care during the winter season. Make time to enjoy activities you love, such as reading, listening to music, or spending time with friends and family. By making things you love a priority, we optimize our Ojas - the energy-essence of vitality, love, joy and immunity. Low Ojas will cause immunity disfunction, mental cloudiness, over-fatigue and lack of emotional processing. It is important to incorporate Ojas building activities, just as we eat Ojas building foods. will Practicing gratitude can add to this. Additional practices that are good for increased Kapha in the body would be Garshana (dry Brushing) or Abyanga (daily massage). Taking care of your mental and emotional health is just as important as taking care of your physical health.
By following these simple Ayurvedic winter tips, you can keep your body and mind healthy and balanced during the cold winter months. Stay warm, eat warm, and take time to relax and enjoy yourself.
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