Ayurveda & Hot, Hot Days
It's been a hot summer this year here in Oregon! How about where you are?
Are you feeling more irritable, impulsive, or stressed lately?
Guess what? It may have to do with your Ayurveda constitution - in combination with the warmer summer days.
But First, what the heck is Ayruveda?! Pronounced aye-yur-way-dah, Ayurveda means “science of life” and is sometimes called “science of digestion”. It promotes an emphasis on diet and lifestyle to heal the body from ailments and dis-ease in the body and mind. In Ayurveda we learn to connect with our instincts, imbalances, and reactions to different foods and stimuli and use this information to reach a new level of health and wellness -holistically.
Mary Jo recommends taking time at the end of the day (between 6-10 pm) to unwind, relax, and slow down to avoid over-energizing ourselves in the evening before bed. In our culture this is often referred to as the “second wind” and many people feel this is a good time to get things done because they Wake Up! However, if this happens on a regular basis is the perfect recipe for overheating, burning out and crashing, which can then lead to impatience, anger, stress and irritability. Eek!
Rather, during this time (6-10 pm) it is the “ideal” time relax and unwind so we don’t increase our fire and energy.
Some good ways to do this are:
Meditation or listening to relaxing music
Drinking herbal tea
Taking a bath with my favorite essential oils (Lavender, Balance, Serenity, Frankincense): www.mydoterra.com/LOSolutions
Dimming the lights
Legs up the wall or on the couch with eyes closed and TV off
It is beneficial to avoid working, using the telephone, checking email, or doing anything else that might cause too much mental stimulation during this time. I know easier said than done so start slowly, and work up to making these changes so they stick! Trust me - they will be worth it in the end when you feel: Happy * Peaceful * Balanced * Grounded * Blissful
Keep in mind that eating a lot of warm, spicy, sour, or salty foods during this season can contribute to GI distress, rashes, and even alter our mood, causing us to be more irritable and impulsive. Instead, Mary Jo recommends avoiding these foods and opting for naturally sweet or mild flavors.
Excellent summertime options include:
Leafy greens
Melon
Fresh yogurt (homemade if possible)
Warm milk
Coconut
She recommends using cooling herbs such as mint and fennel in combination with light fruits and vegetables (cucumber, apple, and celery, for example) to make a juice to sip on when we feel overheated.
Dr. Cravatta and Cate Stillman mention that taking the time to become more attuned to our bodies and the ways that we react to different foods and activities can help us make better choices. These reactions will change depending on the seasons, stimuli, and stresses that we face in our everyday lives. Ultimately becoming aware of these things will help us to live more comfortably and symbiotically with the changes we face along the way.
Since 2011, Lila has naturally worked Ayurveda practices into her own life and offers up personalized ideas to her clients. Ayurveda is a great way to be able to do what our body needs and craves and it allows us to listen to that inner voice - sometimes referred to as intuition. Ayurveda has been around for over 5000 years and if we stop and listen to that inner voice and our body’s response, these things just “make sense”! For more information, listen to the podcast here.
Here's to your health!
Provided by Lila Ojeda, MS, RDN, CSCS, RYT, CLT Registered Dietitian Nutritionist * Personal Trainer * Yoga/Pilates Contact: 503.789.9707 * www.LO-Solutions.com LO Solutions: Improving Lives Since 2000!
