ayurvedic guide to winter
whether you live in a winter wonderland like i do in colorado or the seasons have barely changes, it is officially winter! it snowed for the first time this morning (which YIKES colorado, december 10th is like two months too late) and it finally put me in the winter mood.
if i’m honest. winter is not really my thing. i’m not a huge fan of the cold and dry. with that being said, the energy of winter is in my two dominant doshas- kapha and vata. i find myself a lot more creative and grounded, but also maybe a little sluggish and anxious.
that’s what i love about ayurveda- it asks us to accept the seasons and adapt our lifestyles to make it easier to hone into seasonal energy. it honors mother earth’s cycles and tells us to work with her, to against her
winter is kapha and vata season
for those new to ayurveda, kapha and vata are two of the three doshas. the doshas are the energetic life forces that exist within all living things. these life forces are made up of the elements, and thus deeply correlate with mother earth and her seasons.
kapha is made up of earth and water, calling in grounded, slow energy. vata is made up of water and air (ether) and has light, flowing energy. when you think about winter, can you find elements of grounding, slow, light and flowy?
in the body, the doshas materialize into different energies. kapha keeps us peaceful and calm mentally while providing us smooth digestion, lubricated joints and muscles, and can help keep us insulated with fat in the winter. vata gives us creative and outgoing energy, and will give us mental clarity and keeps our nervous and respiratory systems healthy.
like anything else, an excess of any dosha can cause problems. an excess of kapha can lead to slow digestion, lethargy and depression. vata imbalances tend to look like anxiety, bad circulation and gassy digestion. the goal of ayurveda is to balance the doshas in order for all systems to work in harmony.
new to ayurveda and want to learn more? check out my ayurveda for beginners post!
ayurvedic tips for winter
in winter, we want to counteract the cold, dry energy by providing warmth. depending on where you are in the world, winter may be wet or dry, and you want to adjust your lifestyle to have the opposite effect of the weather.
eat warm, spiced meals. most people don’t want to eat salads in the winter, and there’s a reason for that! you want to keep your body warm. eating cooked, heavily spiced meals helps warm the body and keeps digestion smooth.
drink warm drinks. chai lovers unite! you want to avoid drinking cold drinks as to not aggravate kapha and vata. chai is a great option because it also has warming spices like ginger to keep the body warm. herbal teas are also great!
exercise is a must. again, we want to raise heat in the body! getting outside to exercise is ideal, but if that’s not available hot yoga is a great choices.
as always, you want to be aware of your own imbalances and make adjustments to your lifestyle that support your own doshic balance.
winter tips for pitta imbalance
i promised i haven’t forgot about my pitta friends! winter is great for pitta dominant people, because all the qualities of winter pacify pitta. lean into all the kapha and vata qualities of winter!
get the grounding foods in. cooked potatoes, legumes, and milks are all great cooling options.
you can indulge in spice, but don’t overdo it. winter does pacify pitta, but too much spice can raise it back up again. be aware of your body, and if you are starting to experience increases pitta symptoms take down the spice.
stick to your dinacharya. a daily routine is an amazing way to balance pitta. cold winter mornings feel like the perfect time to meditate, eat a warm bowl of oatmeal, journal, ground and practice abhyanga.
participate in moderate exercise. pitta types can withstand moderate exercise. this is the perfect time of year to push your yoga practice without it throwing you off balance.
winter tips for vata imbalance
depending on where you live, the dry weather might further aggravate vata in your system. you are going to want to focus on grounding, heating and keeping hydrated.
indulge in sweet and salty foods. that’s right, eat all those traditional holiday foods! these will help balance out vata. along with indulging, make sure you’re getting warm, grounding foods in too.
drink warm beverages. my ayurvedic chai recipe is perfect for this time of year, as it is warm, spiced and sweet!
yin and restorative yoga are your best friends. make sure you’re not overdoing it with exercise, and incorporate calming activities like walking and meditating.
don’t overbook yourself. you may feel inclined to make a million social plans for the holidays, but make sure you are prioritizing your daily routine so you stay grounded.
winter tips for kapha imbalance
if you’re kapha dominant like me, you may be feeling extra sluggish and tired. you may also be drawn down by seasonal affective disorder. getting yourself warm and energized is your priority.
switch up your routine. unlike vata dominant people, you’re going to want to push yourself to get social. being out of the house will give you a boost of energy.
go to hot yoga. again, it’s all about getting warm! hot yoga also tends to be cardio focuses, which is important for kapha types.
eat light, spiced foods. i know i knowwwww, you want all the sweet, heavy foods. unfortunately, this can raise kapha and lead you to feel sluggish. eat a lot of cooked veggies with lots of spice.
switch up your routine. get out of the house! try a new hobby! travel! anything to get your body and mind moving.
i hope this guide was helpful for you! if you want to learn more about ayurveda, head over to my ayurveda posts.
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