Ayurveda on Springtime

By Eyton Shalom

Now we are in early spring. Spring becomes what winter was. By this I mean that in winter, when the warm drying effects of the solar energy were weaker, Kapha, the water element, which is by nature cool and wet, grew and accumulated in our bodies. This is healthy, as Kapha is anabolic and winter is the time for storage and accumulation. Chinese Medicine refers to this as the "storage" function of the kidney energy in winter. 

In spring, as the weather warms, the Kapha that has accumulated is "liquefied" by the increasing heat of the sun, which manifests as activation of Pitta in the body, and the role of Pitta is to transform the stored energy into usable energy that is appropriate to the stage of growth that is unique to spring. In spring we are all children; like the plants, we all grow renewed in March, April, and May, and children are dominated by Kapha.

In broad strokes, the physical volume of our bodies, the activities of the skeletal and anabolic system, are a function of Kapha. The chemical processes in our bodies: enzymes, hormones and the nutritional system are governed by Pitta. And many of the physical and mental phenomena ascribed to the nervous system are identified with Vatta.

Each dosha has very particular qualities and associations, and each dosha, when disturbed, will cause very particular diseases. Each of us has a unique combination of the three doshas, but in most of us one dosha predominates, another dosha is of secondary importance, and the third is least dominant.

Your strongest dosha is the one that has the greatest potential to do damage if it becomes imbalanced. So once you identify your dosha makeup, you can chart a lifestyle and diet that will create the greatest amount of mental and physical health.

One part of a health lifestyle for all of us, regardless of dosha, is to follow the wisdom of living with seasons. For each season is dominated by a particular dosha, and if you ignore this reality that dosha is likely to become imbalanced.

Now if you do that, and happen to have that dosha as your predominant type, for example, a Pitta type ignoring guidelines for a wise summer lifestyle (summer is dominated by Pitta), then you would be doubly unlucky. But again, anyone can have any one of their doshas aggravated and a source for disease, even if it is your least dominant dosha.

Also if your Kapha has been over-accumulated or aggravated, this "liquification" process will be incomplete, leading to Kapha disorders such as seasonal allergies, urticaria (a kind of skin inflammation), obesity, digestive disorders, and fatigue. At the same time, this aggravated Kapha will interfere with the natural function of Pitta that has to occur in later spring. Water dampens fire; and the metabolic functions of Pitta will be damaged, setting you up for more chronic diseases of the mind, skin, eyes, or digestion involving heat and/or burning.

Ayurveda remedies this situation with diet and medicines that assist in the elimination of Kapha. The premier Ayurvedic medicine for Kapha elimination is Neem. Neem is excellent in spring, as it aids in the liquification of Kapha, which accumulated in winter, and at the same time helps prevent an over-accumulation of Pitta as the solar energy of spring builds. See http://www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com/newsletter.php for an in-depth exploration of Neem.

A diet that aids in the elimination of Kapha is one that is light, slightly spicy or drying, and rich in bitter flavor. Light foods include whole grains like rice, quinoa, barley and rye, and most vegetables, beans, and legumes. The bitter taste cleanses the body of Kapha and toxins (Ama), so eat a diet rich in bitter green leafy vegetables, such as dandelion greens, nettles, collards, bok choy, and kale.

If you take dairy, go for goat's milk or goat's milk yogurt, but in small amounts.

If you eat meat, go for things that are less fatty and warming. Chicken and fish tend to be warming, beef is neutral, and pork cooling. Lamb is warming, but it is very unctuous or oily. Stick to lean beef, chicken, ostrich, venison, or fish.

Fruit is fine, but avoid rather cold fruit like melons, which are not even in season anyway. Eat locally grown seasonal fruit in moderation.

How you prepare these foods is important too, so make the vegetables into soup or lightly steamed or sautéed with spices like cumin, black pepper, coriander, and ginger. The bottom line is not to prepare food that is too rich.

To keep from further aggravating Kapha, avoid cold food and drink, both cold temperature and cold "energy" foods, like cucumber and watermelon. Ice cream is both cold energy (cow's milk) and temperature cold.

Of course all the above must be tapered to your constitution. For example, someone with a Vatta imbalance will avoid beans while someone with a Pitta imbalance may need to avoid pepper.

A lifestyle rich in exercise helps liquefy Kapha and build Pitta. Sleeping late into the morning aggravates Kapha and is inappropriate to any season except for winter.

If you aggravate Pitta in spring, then in summer, which is the Pitta-dominated season, you will have Pitta problems. This is not as complicated as it may seem, once you get the basic principles.

Enjoy the spring. What occurs in spring determines what summer will be like.

For more information on integrating Ayurvedic principles into your lifestyle, or to determine your dosha, please contact Eyton.

Terms to understand:
 
Dosha:
The three doshas are the primary and essential factors of the human body that govern our physical and mental structure and function. They are derived from the five building blocks found in nature—fire, water, earth, air, and space.
 
When we are healthy our three doshas are in a state of equilibrium. The root of disease is a lack of equilibrium, and the healing of disease comes from ingestion of foods, medicines, and activities that create equilibrium in the respective doshas.
 
Kapha: Water and Earth's elemental attributes functioning in the body.
Pitta: Fire and Water's elemental attributes functioning in the body.
Vatta: Air and Space's elemental attributes functioning in the body.