Summer Guide
It’s officially Summertime! If you live in cold weather (like me) and enjoy the warmth, every year you count the days until June 21st arrives. I grew up in steamy weather and summer is “home” for me!
One of the main basic concepts of Ayurveda is to always flow with the seasons. Our habits, routine and diet should follow the time of the year, keeping in mind your native constitution (prakriti) and your imbalances (vikruti). Some people can handle and even enjoy the heat (me!), and some are really uncomfortable with hot temperatures (my husband). For people that suffer with the increase of this fire element, there are some guidelines that you can follow to bring your body to a balanced state. One of the main tips being that like increases like and that opposites balance. With that in mind, avoid anything that can create heat in your body when there is a lot of heat up in the air.
Another thing to consider is that our digestive fire (called Agni in Ayurveda) weakens during the summer months. The reason for that is because this fire disperses to help keep us cool. So our digestion is slower and we crave light foods (how intelligent is our body?).
The tastes to favor during the summer are sweet, bitter, and astringent (think chalky like). This is the best time of year to enjoy fresh fruits and salads (preferably before the sun goes down). It is also a great time to indulge in sweet dairy products such as organic milk, butter, ghee, cottage cheese and fresh homemade yogurt. All unrefined sweeteners except honey and molasses are cooling and can be enjoyed in moderation.
Try to avoid spicy foods and spices that are too heating such as garlic, onion and mustard seeds.
Enjoy cool or room temperature water with mint; teas made with rose, peppermint, licorice and fennel. Coconut water and watermelon juice are also wonderful cooling beverages.
In terms of lifestyle, you can adopt an even earlier routine since the sun is up so early. Exercising before it gets hot it’s the best idea. Massaging your body with a cooling oil such as coconut or sunflower oil will help calm the nervous system and it’ll help move any excess toxins that may be floating around. I recently uploaded a video on how to perform abhyanga (ayurvedic massage) and you can watch it here.
Flowery essences such as jasmine, rose and chamomile are soothing and refreshing. Avoid synthetic clothing and really bright hot colors. Blues, purples, greens, whites and grays counterbalance the intensity of the heat.
Lastly don’t forget that if you go out in nature, wear a hat and sunglasses to protect yourself. And try your best to get to bed by 10-11pm so you don’t overstimulate your mind. You can lay on your right side so your left (and lunar) side stays open bringing calmness and coolness.
I hope this helps you enjoy a cooler summer. Download the Summer Food List below and feel free to contact me with any questions!
Thais
References:
Banyan Botanicals | Lad, Vasant. The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies. Three Rivers Press, 1998. 64-66.
Photo by Marissa Rodriguez
