Isn’t it surprising how seasonal changes influence the human body? With the shift in season, our body responds to the changes in weather, heat, humidity and air temperature. ‘Ritucharya’ in Ayurveda is known as the change in season.
Ayurveda is the art of living in harmony with nature. It’s a seasonal ayurvedic wellness handbook for healthy and balanced living throughout the year.
However, Ayurveda doesn’t evade the disease; in fact, it transforms it into a habit for better health. Following an Ayurvedic lifestyle for seasons can primarily detox the human body. And make it ready for the season.
Ritucharya suggests, during the environmental change, the body also goes through a slight internal shift. Humans should adapt Ayurveda to cope up with a changing lifestyle, seasons and balance doshas. Ritucharya prescribes seasonal health tips, diet and behavioural adjustments.
What is seasonal Ayurvedic wellness according to Ritucharya?
In Ayurveda, Ritucharya is the practice of balancing and adjusting your diet, lifestyle and habits according to the change in weather This practice is done to deal with seasonal changes for balanced living and protection from disease.
According to this concept, each season has an influence on the three doshas - vata, pitta, kapha. When the weather or season changes, these three doshas has to be balanced and body needs to be pacified. If we do not adjust our diet and lifestyle according to the environmental changes, an imbalance can lead to common flu, cold and acidity.
Meanwhile, seasonal ayurvedic wellness means:
Eating food that balances doshas evenly and provides physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
Adapting physical activity and exercise according to the climatic conditions.
Avoiding extreme heat and temperature.
It is important to understand that seasonal ayurvedic wellness is not a medical treatment, rather, it is a healthy lifestyle approach.
How should the diet change in winter as per Ayurveda?
Hemanta-shishira season is known as winter. In this ritu, the digestive fire [Agni] becomes stronger due to the cold external climate.
As per Ayurveda, it is suggested to eat warm food because cold weather increases dryness, and warm food helps in vata control. E.g. khichdi, warm milk, soups and tea.
Favour nourishing and heavy food because digestion is strong during this period, and heavy foods can be easily digested, providing immunity and strength. E.g. ghee, urad daal, whole grains, nuts and dry fruits.
Consume sour and salty-tasting food like lemon and rock salt as these help to balance and increase vata dosha.
How to balance doshas during seasonal changes?
In Ayurveda, Ritu Sandhi, meaning seasonal change, is the most vulnerable time for our body. There is a gradual shift in the weather that our body needs to adapt to. During this time, the three doshas vata, pitta, and kapha naturally accumulate or aggravate and if not pacified this may lead to health problems. Therefore, it is important to balance doshas during seasonal changes. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Gradually start eating seasonal fruits and vegetables and reduce food that calms the digestive juices.
Agni, the digestive fire, weakens during seasonal change. You must not overeat and consume warm water to regularise digestion.
Abhyanga, or daily oil massage, is helpful during such transition.
Also, reducing intense exercise during summer heat days, increasing movements during spring and keeping warm in winters can balance doshas.
What are the best Ayurvedic tips for the summer season?
In summer, the Grishma ritu increases heat, dryness, dehydration, irritation and weakness. The nature of summer gradually increases Pitta dosha in the body, which leads to low stamina. There are a few clever tips to balance your pitta and stay healthy and energetic in summer.
Consume food that are cool and calming in nature, like coconut water, moong daal, cucumber, and muskmelon. This will help your pitta dosha stay in balance, and the digestive fire will be maintained.
Avoid spicy, oily, processed or excessively tamsik food.
Drink water at room temperature or slightly cool. Do not drink frozen or extremely cold drinks as it will affect digestion.
Avoid hard workouts; instead, do meditation or light Yog asanas.
Which food should be avoided in summer Ayurveda?
Resist pungent and spicy food like garlic, red or green chillies and hot sauces.
Heavy food like mutton or chicken should be avoided as it gets hard to digest, and excessive heat and dryness weaken the digestion.
Fried and oily food weakens digestion and raises body temperature and therefore should be avoided.
Extremely chilled cold drinks and food should be avoided as it affects digestive fire, Agni.
How does seasonal detox help in Ayurveda?
In Ayurveda, seasonal detox is called Ritu Shodhana, meaning seasonal purification therapy that expels accumulated dosha from the body at the right time of the year.
According to the ancient text Charkha Samhita, the human body naturally accumulates or aggravate doshas which need to be pacified in each season if not pacified in time, then this may lead to imbalance and invite diseases. Thus, Ritu shodhana or seasonal detox helps in removing the compiled toxins [Ama] and balancing doshas before they cause any imbalance in the body.
Here are a few examples of seasonal detox methods:
- Warm herbal water. It clears the accumulated cough during winter. Thus, clearing your respiratory system.
- Mild fasting reduces pitta after summer. Therefore, balancing the digestive juices.
- A simple mono-diet like khichdi will support weak digestion during the monsoon. Keeping the stomach light.
- Oil massage [Abhyanga] prevents seasonal infections, eliminating toxins.
Can Ayurveda prevent seasonal illnesses naturally?
Absolutely yes, Ayurveda can prevent seasonal illness naturally as it places more emphasis on prevention rather than cure. Seasonal changes the three doshas [vata, pitta and kapha].
But if humans follow the ritucharya, take a balanced diet, improve lifestyle, sleep cycle and eat seasonal foods, then the body becomes healthy and ultimately balances the dosha
Ayurveda does not insist on fighting the disease and bacteria; instead, it builds the body's health in such a way that the toxins and diseases do not find a home.
FAQs
Why does Ayurveda emphasise seasonal routines?
Ayurveda emphasises seasonal routines [ritucharya] because the human body naturally gets influenced by the changes in the climate and environment. In each season, the 3 doshas vata, pitta and kapha naturally get influenced, which may lead to toxin and doshic imbalance. If we do not alter our habits, lifestyle and diet accordingly, then this causes seasonal illness.
How does lifestyle differ between winter and summer in Ayurveda?
The change in temperature varies from winter to summer and our body has to align with the external temperatures. According to Ayurveda, one has to balance the three doshas as per the external environment. When temperature rises, one needs to balance the excess heat in the body by consuming something cool. At the same time, drop in the temperature would require you to consume something warm.
Is seasonal detox necessary for everyone?
Yes, seasonal detox is helpful. But it depends on an individual’s body. Detoxification is only necessary if you have an imbalance in your health. It is recommended only for people who experience frequent indigestion, falls sick regularly or feel fatigued.
What happens if seasonal routines are ignored?
If the seasonal routines are ignored, then it may influence the doshic balance as they naturally get affected by climate change. If one fails to adjust the diet and lifestyle, then it may surely lead to a gradual imbalance. If these doshas are not managed during this transition, it may lead to chronic seasonal disease and illness, resulting in lack of energy and fatigue.
Can seasonal Ayurvedic practices prevent lifestyle diseases?
Yes, seasonal Ayurvedic practices prevent lifestyle disease by balancing doshas through proper diet and adapting to the external climate. Ritucharya, the seasonal ayurvedic practice, prevents lifestyle disease by maintaining digestive fire[Agni], prevents imbalance of doshas, reducing toxin build-up[Ama] and improving immunity and resilience.
