Ayurvedic Tips For Fall

In Ayurveda, fall is known as the Vata season. We begin to feel the change around us. Gone are the lazy days of summer, replaced by our hectic back-to-school schedule and hurrying to get things done before the long winter ahead. The temperature is dropping, wind is picking up and the leaves and grass are beginning to dry out as humidity decreases.

Vata is known as the "dosha" (elements combining to create three different energies that circulate in the body and govern physiological activity) of air and space. The qualities of these elements are cold, dry, light and mobile. Nature mirrors what is innately within us and around us.

Our body gets colder, our skin, hair and colon get dryer (resulting in poor elimination), our mind can get scattered and we can begin to feel less grounded. While Ayurveda is a unfamiliar concept to many, understanding it can become simple. The qualities that rise in the body, are balanced by the opposite qualities. (Think warm, moist, heavy and stable.)

General Considerations For Autumn:

– eat warming, soothing, moist and easily digestible meals

– eat foods which are primarily sweet, sour and salty in taste

– drink warming herbal teas such as ginger, cinnamon and cardamom tea

– keep warm and stay out of strong winds

– do regular yoga (yin, restorative, and slow flow are great), meditation, and pranayama breathing exercises

-add oils to the body to tonify the tissues

-drink water with a pinch of salt and lime to hydrate the body

Warm liquids help to promote strong digestion. Here's a great recipe for Chai Tea:

Ingredients: 1 knot of ginger 2 cloves 8 cardamom pods 1 small piece of cinnamon 4 teaspoons of black tea (Assam tea is best for this) Liquids: 2 cups of water 3/4 of a cup of milk Equipment: Saucepan Knife and chopping board Smashing implement (mortar & pestle / meat mallet / jackhammer) Tea strainer / sieve capable of withstanding boiling liquids

Boil milk and water, add tea and spices (crush cardamom before adding). Allow a low boil for 10 minutes. Strain and serve.

Are you interested in understanding more about Ayurveda? Find natural ways to bring balance to your body and heal from within by scheduling an appointment with Nikki Estes, CAP, E-RYT, YACEP. (Go to the "Ayurveda" tab on our website to learn more.)