The season has shifted and we are feeling it! Many of us have been done with the cold for awhile. The atmosphere has begun to change outwardly AND inwardly.
The time from winter to spring is a special kind of doozy. You see, at the onset of spring, the extra bulk that we have been storing and building throughout the colder months literally begins to MELT in our bodies. How does this manifest? Allergies. Think runny noses and itchiness. This is the liquefying process. Taking a tablespoon of honey every day this season is highly beneficial due to its ability to liquefy and expectorate mucus.
When the temperature rises outside, our internal thermostat adjusts (goes slightly down for compensation/homeostasis). The body is spring cleaning. Another effect of this season is that our agni (digestion) is starting to wane from our more robust appetites of winter.
Therefore, this season (March 15 - May 15), take more easily digestible foods like oats, barley, green mung beans, rice, bitter melon & bitter gourd. Tulsi tea is great now. Eating a few neem leaves is favorable. Think dry, pungent, hot & light. Add spices that aid in digestion such as: hing, mustard seeds, garlic, ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek. Avoid heavier foods like eggs, milk, yoghurt, excess oils & cold, sour, sweet and fatty foods.
Spring is a time of renewed creativity. Start those dance or violin lessons. Wake up with the sun and avoid naps and prolonged sun exposure.
Spring is the very best time to cleanse. Please follow the link below to purchase my teacher's book: Ayurveda Lifestyle Wisdom. In it, she has a simple and effective spring detox recipe. I wholeheartedly recommend this beautiful book to you. It is my privilege and honor to share this knowledge with you, all of it has been handed down to me through Acharya Shunyaji and our lineage.