Spring Time in the Rockies Heralds Subtle Changes:

March is that intermediary month, where spring is on the way, yet we may still be experiencing signs of winter in Colorado. In order to be healthy and happy as you navigate these seasonal changes, which can pose challenges to our overall health and well-being, I offer some lifestyle tips from the ancient science of Ayurveda to help you feel, do and be your very best.

As spring unfolds near the end of March, let your health blossom along with the bulbs you may have planted last fall, and the buds on the trees. Flowing with the seasons is easy when we follow a few basic principles.

Right now, the variable weather and damper conditions that come with the spring snows signal a change from those conditions that are inherent in the Late Fall and Early Winter. As spring approaches, we are moving out of what is referred to in Ayurveda as the Vata time of year (typically cold and dry) and into a Kapha Climate - one that is cool and damp. This is "spring time in the Rockies."

These changes suggest that we make minor modifications to diet, as well as to our movement (yoga) practices and even to the way we breathe in order to feel our very best!  Easing into the spring season by taking care to clean out the accumulation from the winter season (in our bodies and perhaps also in our homes) will foster greater health on many levels. As a result, we may flourish all through the summer and into fall!

Simple Ways to Modify Your Diet:
According to the Science of Ayurveda, we want to incorporate more bitter, pungent/spicy, and astringent tastes in our diet as the weather warms up. Find these in raw fruits and vegetables, especially lettuces and herbs such as dandelion, fresh ginger root (makes a great herbal tea) and garlic, as well as pulses, and legumes.

These tastes open the body's channels of elimination, clearing excess mucus and moisture. As we move into the spring season, you are wise to reduce your consumption of kapha-aggravating tastes including sweet, sour and salty foods which tend to cause water retention, something we don't need at this time of year.

As March is a transition month – one that sits between the seasons – we want to tread lightly as we make these diet modifications. Until it's warmer, continue to minimize your consumption of raw and cold foods. Eating warm, lightly cooked meals, especially in the morning and evening, is wise. A salad at lunch may be a nice way to change up the routine a bit, and add in some of the spring tastes. Using lighter grains now including quinoa, millet and barley are also great ways to add in Kapha reducing foods in the springtime.

Diet and Lifestyle Tips for Spring:

•   Add in lighter, more easily digestible meals over the course of the month and reduce snacking;
•   Initiate a kapha pacifying diet (one that is more alkalizing, as that supports clearing out winter accumulation) by emphasizing bitter, pungent & astringent foods.  
• Remember that nature provides us with perfect foods in every season. Springtime foods include sprouts, greens and berries which offer an exceptional natural detoxifying power now.
• Continue sipping warm water throughout the day. Consider drinking warming teas made with ginger, cinnamon, and/or dandelion.
• Use raw honey as a sweetener - Raw honey clears mucous and kapha due to its heating, drying and channel clearing effect. It is the best sweetener for kapha constitutions. (Remember: Never heat honey as it changes into a hard-to-digest toxic substance).
• Use the Neti Pot - rinse both nostrils with warm, salt water over a  sink to help ward off colds and hay fever, and to keep nasal passages clear, supporting cleansing, seasonal breathing  practices. Finish with a touch of oil into each nostril.
• Do daily yoga, pranayama & meditation and take a walk outside (Change up your yoga practice!  Weave in some deeper breathing practices and some faster paced yoga flows while the weather is still cool (Sun Salutations are a great way to  get mucus and lymph flowing now) to support clearing of winter accumulation. 

An added reminder:

• In the event of a spring cold, help clear mucous by eating light, warm, simple foods as you rest. Soup is ideal. Avoid dairy products, sweets, fried foods and yeasted bread which increase congestion. Fresh ginger tea is excellent, especially with raw honey added once the tea has cooled down.

Have questions?  Would you like more information? 

Email me at [email protected]. Or come to class for support along the wellness path.
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Namaste,  Sharon Alexander, RYI 500 hr.