Based on ancient texts called Vedas, Ayurveda is a comprehensive health system from India. It is known as the “science of life.” Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of creating and maintaining health through proper diet, daily and seasonal routines, exercise, and proper lifestyle. Ayurveda is the sister science of yoga and uses the same techniques as asana, meditation, and pranayama. Its goal is to prevent imbalances that eventually lead to disease. Health and disease have two locations: the physical body and the mind. By taking proactive steps toward perfect health before symptoms appear, we can often prevent illness.

In Ayurveda, an individualized and multidimensional approach is taken based on the unique constitution of the mind and body. The doshas are the three energies that govern all the functions of the body. When a person understands their unique combination of the three doshas (vata, pitta, kapha), they can adjust diet and lifestyle accordingly to maintain balance and achieve optimal health.

The end of winter and the beginning of spring are considered Kapha Season in Ayurveda. This means that we can adjust our daily lifestyle choices to find balance in mind and body. When there is a quality present (for example, cold), we create balance by adding the opposite quality (hot).

Kapha dosha is dominated by the elements of water and earth. If you mix water and earth, you create mud. It makes sense for kapha energy to be heavy, sticky, lubricated, stable, cold, and nourishing. Just as fertile mud gives rise to beautiful plants and flowers, so kapha energy stabilizes us for growth.

6 tips for the Kapha season

1. Exercise every day! This is especially important for people with a Kapha dominant constitution. Walking, swimming, biking, running, and yoga are good options. Since we eliminate ama (toxins) through movement and sweat, this tip will make a big difference.

2. Add a little spice to your life. Sprinkle cardamom, wasabi, cayenne, ginger, garlic, cloves, cinnamon, pepper, and mustard seeds on your food to add heat and ignite agni, the most important digestive fire. Dry, hot, and spicy foods clear congestion and keep things moving.

3. Drink warm water. Hot foods and drinks are easier to digest and help us stay regular. Consider warm water with 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon raw honey for a detoxifying tea.

4. Breathe freely using a neti pot. Since Kapha dominates the chest and upper stomach regions of the body, its clammy and sticky nature causes mucus to clog. Neti-pot helps clear mucus and seasonal allergens.

5. Choose light fruits like apples, pears, pomegranates, and apricots. Avoid heavy fruits like bananas, avocado, pineapple, orange, dates, and figs.

6. Order! Kapha-dominated people tend to collect things. This kind of material “congestion” weighs on us. Instead, take a few minutes each day to recycle papers, donate clothes, or clean things up. It will help you feel free and light in body and mind.

Incorporate these tips to breathe freely and enjoy balance during this beautiful season.