How you live your daily life is the key factor in determining your health and quality of your experience. It is also the factor over which you have most control. You can’t control the weather or your genetic makeup, but what you do every day either builds up your health, vitality, and resistance to disease, or wears you down. Your moment-to-moment choices – what to eat, how much to eat, how to respond to others, whether to exercise or not, how late to stay up at night, and so on – play a major role in your mental and physical health.
The ideal Ayurvedic routines are based on patterns of nature. We are part of nature. Whatever happens in the environment also takes place in our bodies. We are immediately and intimately affected by changes of season, climate, and locale.
Ayurveda considers the environment to be a major factor in health care. To help each person adjust to the changing influence of the seasons, Ayurveda recommends a seasonal specific, daily routine.
Each season brings with it, its own challenges with respect to your health and needs for balance.
Ritucharya, an essential concept in Ayurveda, provides specific guidelines for lifestyle and dietary habits to be followed in each season. This routine aims to align the body’s internal rhythms with the external environment, promoting harmony and balance. Let us look at how to manage health for these two seasons.
Autumn Balancing Vata and Supporting Pitta
Autumn is characterised by increased Vata and decreased Pitta. To pacify Vata and support Pitta, Ayurveda recommends consuming nourishing, grounding foods with sweet, sour, and salty tastes. Incorporate warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, black pepper and cloves to maintain digestive fire. Establishing a regular daily routine and engaging in calming practices like meditation and gentle yoga can also help balance Vata.
Here are some simple yet effective tips for staying balanced during autumn and early winter:
Warming Diet
Focus on warming, nourishing foods like soups, stews, and herbal teas. Incorporate spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cumin while minimising cold and dry foods.
- Self-Care Rituals
Practise daily self-massage with warm sesame oil to nourish and moisturise the skin, combating Vata’s drying effects.
Regular Routine
Stick to regular mealtimes with lunch as the main meal and a smaller dinner eaten early. Maintain consistency in daily activities to provide stability.
Mindful Practices
Minimise stimulants and activities that may exacerbate Vata imbalance, such as excessive travel, loud noise, and screen time.
Panchakarma
Change of season is a good time to good cleanse. Ayurveda recommends internal cleansing at every change of seasons.
Some traditional helpful herbs/oils for autumn/ winter
- Nasya Oil is a combination of herbs based on sesame oil. Used to lubricate the inside of the nose, it is very soothing to mucous membranes, useful for hay fever and sinus problems and other tissues of the nose that can have dryness in autumn.
- Trikatu contains 3 warming and stimulating herbs that are used in Ayurveda to enhance the “digestive fire” and reduce toxic build-up in the digestive tract. Trikatu promotes digestion, assimilation, and elimination. It strengthens the body by improving assimilation of nutrients in the digestive tract and promoting enhanced liver function.
- Dashamula (ten roots), a warming and grounding herb, is a combination of ten roots and is used to balance vata, and immune and nervous system stability.
By tailoring diet, lifestyle, exercise, and yoga practices to individual doshas, individuals can effectively manage autumn and maintain balance and well-being throughout the season.
Winter Nourishing and Lubricating for Vata
In winter, the cold and dry qualities can aggravate Vata dosha. Ayurveda recommends consuming warm, nourishing foods with sweet, sour, and salty tastes to counteract the cold. Incorporate healthy fats and oils, such as ghee and sesame oil, to lubricate the body and support joint health. Stay hydrated with warm fluids and engage in grounding activities to balance Vata and promote warmth and stability.
By following Ritucharya, individuals can adapt their lifestyle and dietary habits according to the changing seasons, promoting optimal health and well-being throughout the year.
Modern Applications and Research
In recent years, there has been growing interest in Ayurveda among researchers and health professionals seeking alternative approaches to health and wellness. Modern scientific research has begun to explore the efficacy and mechanisms of action behind Ayurvedic principles, including seasonal routines. Here are some key areas of modern application and research where they are starting to see the value of ayurvedic seasonal wellness principles:
Impact on Immune Function
Research exploring Ayurvedic seasonal practices, such as dietary adjustments, herbal supplementation, and lifestyle modifications, has demonstrated potential benefits for enhancing immune resilience and reducing the risk of seasonal illnesses.
- Management of Chronic Conditions
Research suggests that adapting lifestyle and dietary habits according to seasonal changes can help alleviate symptoms, reduce disease severity, and improve overall quality of life for individuals with chronic health issues.
Chronobiology and Circadian Rhythms
Modern research in chronobiology has shown the profound impact of circadian rhythms on various physiological processes, including metabolism, hormone regulation, and sleep-wake cycles.
Personalized Medicine and Preventive Healthcare
Modern research is exploring the potential of Ayurvedic seasonal routines as part of personalised preventive healthcare strategies tailored to individual characteristics and environmental factors.
Integration with Conventional Medicine
There is increasing recognition of the potential synergies between Ayurveda and conventional medicine. Modern research is exploring how Ayurvedic seasonal practices can be integrated into mainstream healthcare settings to complement conventional treatments and enhance patient outcomes.
Overall, modern applications and research are shedding new light on the relevance and efficacy of Ayurvedic seasonal routines in promoting holistic health and well-being. By bridging the gap between ancient wisdom and modern science, Ayurveda has the potential to offer valuable insights and solutions for addressing the health challenges of our time.
By understanding the effect of seasons on the body and incorporating these tips and Ayurvedic herbs/oils tailored to season and our unique prakruti or body type, individuals can effectively manage the seasonal transition and support their overall well-being.
May your autumn days be stable, filled with family, friends, yoga, and good food!
