Ayurvedic Lifestyle for Summer

This article is part of Ayurvedic Seasonal Routines series preceded by Ayurvedic routines for winter.

This is summer in northern hemisphere; follow these regimes to improve your health during this vulnerable season. Summer is the season when our innate strength and immunity is at minimum, so healthy life style is important during this season to prevent illnesses and infections.

State of body

During summer vata accumulates in body and pitta comes to surface. So digestion gets weak and skin susceptible to inflammation.

Ayurvedic Lifestyle for Summer

• Begin your day by brushing your teeth with powders of cooling herbs like mint and neem. Alternatively you can select tooth pastes of these herbs or you can use these powders to massage your gums.
• Light massage with coconut oil is good. Do minimal exercises. Walking with bare foot on a cool dewy lawn is very cooling. Eye exercises are also important during this season as eyes get tired.
• Frequent bath with cold water, sauna with cooling herbs like sandal and wearing of garlands of flowers are good.
• Wear thin and loose dresses.
• It is good to have an afternoon nap during summer, especially if you are a vata or pitta type.
• Decorate your house with roses and jasmines which can calm you.
• Eat sweet, light, cold and liquid foods adding some ghee/olive oil. Eat liquid nourishing breakfast like almond milk. Take lunch around noon. Eat a light meal for dinner. Salads are not good in night during summer; you can have cooked or steamed vegetables. Avoid red meat.
• Sweetened fruit juices, rice flakes, meat of jungle animals, milk, ghee, grapes, coconut water and corn flour are good. Drink buffalo’s milk with palm sugar at night.
• Go to bed before 11 pm. Before going to bed it is good to rub your soles with coconut oil and wash your face with organic rose water.
• Avoid excess salt, sour and spicy foods, frequent sex and over exposure to sun. Use umbrella, hat and sun glasses.

Ayurvedic lifestyle for rains of late Summer

This season is referred as rainy season in tropical regions.

State of body

During rainy days, vata is aggravated, pitta is accumulated and kapha also can get increased. Digestion gets disturbed and inner strength of body is reduced.

Routines

• Oily, sweet, salty, sour and warm foods are advised.
• Foods prepared of old grains, meat soup and soup of pulses processed with spices are good.
• During days of heavy rain take easily digestible, sour, salty, fatty and/ or dry foods mixed with honey.
• As water can get polluted take care to drink only pure water. Drinking of boiled water, soups and old honey are recommended.
• Use of perfumes, fumigating of cloths, travelling only in closed vehicles can help to maintain balance. Live in places where heat, cold and snow are minimal.
• Avoid sleeping at daytime, frequent sex and exertion.
• Ayurvedic herbal enema can detoxify your body during this season.