Spring is a time of renewal and can stir up a lot of beauty and anticipation of things to come, but it can also stir up a lot of allergies, physical heaviness and even sadness. Springtime is Kapha season, the time when kids rush to the soil to make mud pies. I see people enjoying the trails and the sun but I also know there are some of you who are staying indoors, having a hard time waking up, feeling extra sore after those hikes or bikes, or taking long naps in the afternoon. Below are some things to beAware of, and the best way to stay in harmony with the cycles of nature.
Here are my 10 Ayurveda tips for utilizing the natural cleansing abilities of spring and all she has to offer, while not letting it weigh us down!
1. Dry Brushing
I love this in the spring, because it is not as easy to wake up in the morning and I feel invigorated from the outside in. Dry Brushing helps increase blood circulation, exfoliates the skin’s outer layer and stimulates the sweat and oil glands..so you can sweat it out more during your a.m. yoga, or walk around the block.
2. Get Outside Early.
Take a walk, bike, or hike around the block…or dance in the rain.( I did this today!)
3. Eat Fruit or Drink Juice until Noon.
Utilize your bodies natural cleansing process in the morning and stick with a substantive amount of fresh berries or the P fruits-Pears, Pomegranates, or Prunes. I especially love a big bottle of Green Juice.
4. Eat a Warm , Nourishing, Large Meal at Lunch.
Ayurveda says to eat our largest meal between noon and 1pm, while the sun is brightest, so is our digestive fire. Try Chickpeas and quinoa with warming spices like ginger and cumin.
5. Take a Sauna or Hot Bath.
Add a drop of birch(sweet) and Lavendar to soothe sore muscles. Say AHHHHH.
6. Yoga, Yoga….More Yoga.
Spring is the perfect time to try a heated class if you’ve been curious. Also a time to practice longer holds, energizing pranayama(breathing practices) and invert, invert, invert…the classic inversions like headstand and shoulder stands are best.(I recommend practicing with a qualified teacher, of course.) You can also simply throw your legs up the wall or onto a chair to get your inversion, rather than taking a mid-day nap.
7. Cut the Cheese.
Out of the diet that is. When I was 16 my doctor told me to cut dairy out completely. (something you don’t say to a girl from Wisconsin.) While I don’t follow this 100% of the time, spring is the best time to eliminate dairy from the diet. Try it for a month and see how you feel.
8. Get to Bed Early. (Even if you don’t go straight to bed…it is spring after all! )
Enough said… Also, wake up before the sunrise!
9. Don’t Eat a Large Meal Before Bed.
Our body needs a rest from digesting when we sleep, so that our liver can do it’s job.
10. Always be a student.
Stimulate the body and mind every day. I am taking guitar lessons(again) and kicking up my physical routine, but also my spiritual practice..meditation, prayer and study. Always listening…. and practicing gratitude all ways.
So here it is..a little preachy about what I practice..I would love to hear what you do, and what has helped you the most in staying Balanced, Motivated, and Connected! I love you!
