Chill out and Cool down: Ayurveda Self-Care Practices for the Summer

Summer is officially in full swing!  It's a time of sunshine, ocean breezes, beach balls, and sand castles.  For many of us, it can also be a time of intensely uncomfortable heat, humidity, and erratic travel plans.  Luckily, Ayurveda offers a wealth of tips for staying balanced through all the things we love and don’t about the summer season!  According to Ayurveda, summer is characterized by the Pitta dosha.  Pitta is comprised of the elements fire and water; so, summer in the DC area has the heat and intensity of fire as well as the dampness and humidity of water.  Ayurveda says that we find balance through opposites, meaning we find balance in the summer by engaging in Pitta-pacifying practices.  Specifically, we find balance by cooling down and lightening up!  Here are a few practices to help us do just that:

• Food:  During the summer months, our Agni (digestive fire) cools down to counter the external heat.  This means that heavy foods, such as fast food and fried foods, are especially difficult for our Agni to process and may lead to a buildup of Ama (digestive toxins that can ultimately lead to dis-ease and imbalance).  Ayurveda generally recommends a vegetarian diet; if meat or dairy are part of your regular diet, Ayurveda recommends decreasing the amount over the summer months as these are particularly heavy and difficult to digest when our Agni is already moving slower.  Instead, eat light, seasonal fruits and vegetables.  This is a great time for berries, peaches, and melons.  It's also a great time for eating salads (add a little bit of oil if your underlying dosha is Vata).  Cilantro and coconut are also great additions to cool down any meal or recipe.
• Water:  Ayurveda recommends sipping on warm water throughout the day.  In the summer, water that is slightly cooler in temperature may be consumed, however it is recommended to avoid ice-cold water as cold water is said to dampen the digestive fire. 
• Tea:  Herbal teas such as mint tea or cumin-fennel-coriander tea are a great addition in the summer.
• Oil:  Abhyanga, or daily self-massage, with oil is cornerstone to staying balanced and well through Ayurveda.  In the summer months, cooling oils such as Coconut oil or Sunflower oil are recommended (although specific oil recommendations may vary depending on your individual dosha/ayurvedic constitution)
• Exercise:  In alignment with the theme of cooling down, engage in cooling exercises such as swimming, long evening walks, and moderate yoga practices. 
• Meditate and Breathe:  This is a great time to engage in loving kindness meditation, which counters the emotional effects of Pitta dosha that can include anger and irritability.  It’s also a great time for cooling breath practices such as Sitali and Seetkari pranayama (Youtube video coming soon! Subscribe to our Youtube channel to get the latest video).

 
Interested in more seasonal tips?  Join Apurva Ayurveda and Shakti Vidya Yoga for our new Yoga and Ayurveda series of seasonal yoga and ayurveda practices.  Next session is on July 31st in Reston, Virginia.  Click here for more information and to register.
 
May you have a fun-filled, cool, and relaxing summer!!