How to Stay Healthy During Winter: Ayurvedic Health Tips
Winter is a season that brings its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to keeping our bodies healthy and balanced. The cold weather can lead to dry skin, joint pain, allergies, and other discomforts, and our bodies respond differently during this time. According to Ayurveda, the ancient system of medicine, the change in seasons calls for a shift in our daily routines, diet, and lifestyle to maintain good health and harmony.
Ayurveda focuses on preventive health and emphasizes aligning our habits with the natural rhythms of the seasons. By following Ayurvedic tips for winter, we can strengthen our immune system, maintain our vitality, and keep common seasonal issues at bay. These simple, yet effective practices help keep us healthy and energized, even in the coldest months.
WINTER SEASON REGIMEN
Disease-free condition is the best source of virtue, prosperity, pleasure, and liberation, while diseases are destroyers of this welfare and life itself. Now this has appeared as a barrier for human beings. The Ayurvedic system of medicine emphasizes preventive aspects, which can be achieved by changes in diet and practices in response to climatic conditions. One’s diet promotes strength and complexion only if they follow Ayurvedic health tips corresponding to different seasons, considering behavior and diet.
The winter season in India begins during mid-November in Northern India and stays till February. December and January are the coldest months. During this season, the days are warm and shorter, and the nights are cold and longer.
In the cold season, the skin becomes dry and appears to age. Dryness, dullness, roughness, and cracking of the skin are common in this season. During cold weather, the Vata dosha is more predominant, which is associated with qualities like cold, dry, light, and erratic. Along with the Vata dosha, Kapha dominates in winter, causing allergies, coughing, joint stiffness, etc.
Digestive fire is at its strongest, so a person feels hungry often. Here are some of the most common disorders of the winter season and a proper routine and winter care based on Ayurvedic health tips to stay healthy during the cold weather.
COMMON DISEASES IN WINTER
- Common cough & cold
- Throat infection
- Ear infection
- Flu (influenza)
- Sinusitis
- Allergic rhinitis
- Joint Pain
- Seasonal depression
- Increased appetite & weight gain
- Heart attacks
- Respiratory ailments like asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.
AHARA (DIET) IN WINTER SEASON
Include Honey, Cow ghee, jaggery, sesame seeds, tulsi leaves, and soaked nuts in your diet.
Follow the foods according to body constitution or Doshas based on Ayurvedic health tips:
Vata Dosha:
People with dry skin, who feel very cold, and experience discomfort, pain, and aches, should take a nourishing diet like seeds, turnips, and ginger. Consume soups by adding carom seeds, asafoetida, and cumin seeds. Include spices like cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, and black pepper in your food. Add cow ghee to your lunch and dinner. Avoid refrigerated foods and foods that are cold in nature.
Pitta Dosha:
People with warm body nature should include sweet, bitter, and astringent foods in their diet, such as legumes and lentils with pure ghee, and fresh coconut. Eat fresh fruits and salads. Take whole grains and root vegetables like sweet potato, etc. Avoid sour and warming foods, including tamarind, cheese, bread, pineapple, grapes, and sour cream.
Kapha Dosha:
This type of person usually suffers from congestion and respiratory problems and should eat lighter, pungent, bitter, and astringent foods. Consume warm, fresh, and light meals cooked with very little oil or fat. The person can take herbal tea infused with ginger, cinnamon, tulsi, black pepper, and honey. Lukewarm water should be consumed throughout the day. Take vegetable soup at night. Avoid foods that are heavy to digest and dairy products. Deep-fried foods, bread, yeast, cold drinks, and sugar should not be consumed.
VIHARA (DAILY ROUTINE) or LIFESTYLE IN WINTER
- Take enough sleep at night for 6-8 hours, but prolonged sleep for more than 8 hours should be avoided as it increases stiffness in the body. Avoid daytime sleep in winter unless suffering from major ailments.
- Before bedtime and after waking up in the morning, practice gargling with warm water by adding rock salt and turmeric powder.
- Immediately after waking up, do some joint movement exercises in bed for a few minutes.
- Walk for at least 35-45 minutes daily. Perform exercises or Yoga & Pranayama in the morning.
- Before bathing, apply and massage the whole body with sesame or mustard oil.
- Before going to bed, pour 2 drops of melted cow ghee or medicated oil into both nostrils.
Implement these Ayurvedic health tips into your daily routine to enjoy a healthier and more vibrant winter season. For more health-related tips and remedies, feel free to contact us at Maitri Ayurveda. We’re here to guide you towards a healthy and balanced life.