Maharishi Ayurveda Seasonal Health Advice

From our Online Maharishi Ayurveda Physician - Dr Donn Brennan

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KAPHA SEASON (January to June)

"The cold, heavy, sticky, dull qualities of winter and dampness of spring enhance Kapha. It is important to avoid sleep-ins! Stimulate the digestion and choose hot foods. Take exercise - and a bit of variety and spice in life helps at this time. Ayurveda advises that the Kapha season is a good time to adopt a cleansing programme and cleansing programmes are generally Kapha reducing." - Dr. Donn Brennan

An ancient classical text of Ayurveda written by Sushruta, explains that this season continues the kapha increasing influence of winter and the need to balance it. Otherwise we may feel dull, lethargic and even depressed. Physically we put on too much weight and can suffer colds, allergies etc. In fact with increased kapha there is a tendency for toxins to gather and be held onto in our tissues.

Hibernation Ends - Wake Up Kapha

Kapha season: Spring to early summer (approx January-June in Scotland)
Kapha time: approx 6am sunrise to 10am, and 6pm to 10pm

Maharishi Ayurveda notes how the changes in our environment over the year affect the three doshas in a specific sequence. The first dosha to be aggravated is Kapha, by the springtime moisture and coolness. The second is Pitta, by the summer's heat and the third is Vata, by the cold winds of late autumn and winter.

This sequence( kapha, pitta, vata) reflects Maharishi Ayurveda's central theme, that the human body and the body of nature reflect each other ("As it is in the macrocosm, so it is in the microcosm").

So now is the time to spring cleanse! There are many ways we may help our body to clear its toxins. Kapha reducing foods are lighter on the digestion and therefore less inclined to cause problems. Strengthening digestion is a way to stimulate metabolism to clear toxins.

Seasoning for the Season

Use ginger more. Choose spices like cumin, fennel, pepper, turmeric or the "Digest spice mix" in cooking. Or take the "Herbal digest" herbal tablet before meals. Clear toxins by sipping hot water often. Consider eating very lightly for a day - choosing soups, fruit (raw and stewed), juices, herbal teas and "kitcheri" (a rice and dahl soup).

Herbal Preparations

Consider using an herbal preparation to help your liver, kidneys and skin to eliminate toxins from the body. Choose "Elimtox" or if you are pitta or have a hot pitta type problem use "Elimtox-O" instead.

Get Out and Enjoy

Exercise is very beneficial for many reasons at this time of the year. So get out and enjoy the "full-blown flowers", the "festoons of tender leaves", "the humming bees" and the scented breeze.

Spring Clean with Panchakarma

Of course the best spring clean is a good course of Panchakarma. Maharishi Ayurveda recognises the immense benefit of Panchakarma in cleaning out toxins which have got deeply ingrained in our tissues. These deep rooted toxins are what cause us to function below par and also to develop diseases. They age us. So regular panchakarma is highly recommended. This is the best time to do panchakarma. Late in kapha season the 'ama' or toxins tend to be more mobile in our bodies. So it is easier to get rid of them now with these powerful cleansing treatments. They are an enjoyable way to rejuvenate.

Panchakarma, under the care of experienced doctors and technicians, uses systematic and profound techniques for loosening and flushing out accumulated impurities in just a few days. You can choose either the thorough and royal Panchakarma programme at your local Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre or a do-it-yourself programme at home.

The foundations of an at-home cleansing programme are:

Have a light diet for 10 days - favour light, easily digested foods and avoid heavy foods.
Sip hot water frequently throughout the day. It is the frequency rather than volume that counts. The following spices may be added to the water for a more profound effect: (these recipes make 2 litres):
Detoxifying Tea: Add 1/4 tsp. whole cumin, 1/2 tsp. whole coriander, 1/2 tsp, whole fennel.
Ama Pachana Spice Water: add two to three thin slices of fresh ginger, 1/4 tsp. cumin, 1/4 tsp. fennel, 2 black peppercorns, and 2 leaves of mint.
Increase the amount of exercise you get
Use MAV herbal supplements to support the body's natural cleansing processes.

Products that help you cleanse

A comprehensive range of Maharishi Ayurveda products is available to help keep balanced during Kapha season:

TRIPHALA WITH ROSE: Triphala is renowned for its many health benefits including a gentle cleansing effect on the digestive tract and reduction of toxins. It may be used regularly and helps to keep the bowels regular.

HERBAL CLEANSE: Helps maintain natural colon function. For intermittent use only.

DETOX: Supports the natural cleansing processes in all the channels (shrotas) throughout the body.

DETOX PITTA: If you are sensitive to heat, Detox Pitta tablets are more appropriate than Detox tablets. Detox Pitta is especially useful for balancing any tendency to body odour.

HERBAL DIGEST: Helps the whole digestive system. Take before : meals as an appetizer and after meals to balance digestion and gas e production.

TRIKATU WITH CLOVE: Stronger digestive than Herbal Digest.

DIGEST SEASONING: A blend of spices that can be used in day to day cooking that increases appetite and strengthens digestion.

DIGEST PLUS TEA: A nice way to round off meals in Kapha Season.

DI-GEST AROMA OIL: Diffuse in dinning room before and during meals for enlivening digestion.

Recommended Ayurvedic Products for the Kapha Season

All the following products are available from Edinburgh and Glasgow TM Centres.

Kapha Churna is good during the Kapha season, especially for those with a Kapha body-type. Churnas are blends of herbs and spices which may be sprinkled over food or used in cooking.

Kapha Herbal Tea is warming and invigorating.

Rajas Cup Coffee Substitute: A warm and delicious beverage prepared with renowned Ayurvedic herbs. A great flavour and a powerful anti-oxidant too!

Massage Oil: for the daily oil massage recommended by Maharishi Ayurveda, use sesame oil or MAP Kapha Massage Oil.

Digest Plus Tea: A digestive stimulant with a sharp, spicy flavour. Take before or after meals as a healthy alternative to an aperitif or antacid.

Cold Season Defence Tablets: A mix of herbs which revitalize the body's natural defence mechanisms.

Throat Soothe and Throat Ease: to soothe the throat and freshen the breath.

Aroma Oils:
Kapha Blend - stimulating
Be Trim 1 & 2 - for when you are trying to lose weight
Vitality - recharge your vital reserves

General Principles for Healthy Eating

Eat in a settled and quiet atmosphere. Do not work, read, or watch television during meals. Always sit down to eat. Eat at roughly the same time every day.
Don't eat too quickly or too slowly. Eat to about three quarters of your capacity. Do not leave the table very hungry or very full.
Avoid taking a meal until the previous meal has been digested.
Take a few minutes to sit quietly after eating before returning to activity.

Proper Food Preparation

Food should always be fresh and of the best possible quality, preferably organic and not genetically engineered.
Food is best if warm and well-cooked.
Food should always look good and taste delicious.
Food prepared by a happy, settled cook in a pleasant environment will have the best effect.

Hot Water

Sipping a little hot water during the day is a great way to balance the doshas and eliminate impurities from the tissues. Boil some water and keep in a vacuum flask and sip every half hour.

Sesame Oil Massage

Before bathing, take some warm ripened sesame oil, (or in the Kapha season you may prefer MAP Kapha Massage Oil), and gently massage the body, paying special attention to the head, ears and feet. Use a circular motion over the joints, stomach and breasts, and longitudinal motions over the long bones and sternum. Leave for up to 20 minutes and lightly wash off. Soap is optional!

Ghee or Clarified Butter

Take 250g or more unsalted butter and melt slowly in a large pan. Gently simmer for 30-40 minutes. When the frothing has stopped and the ghee is clear and golden brown, remove from the heat and strain through muslin into glass jars. Ghee does not need to be refrigerated.
Ghee has many fine qualities according to ayurveda. Used in cooking it enhances the sattva or pure quality in food. Also it acts as a digestive. It is good for both Vata and Pitta.

One Day Wonder

Revitalize from the stress of everyday life with the sumptuous treatments known as Panchakarma. Deeply relaxing, One Day Wonders effectively eliminate the harmful effects of stress and fatigue. Contact Edinburgh or Glasgow TM centre to book your place.

Exercise

Everyone should do some exercise every day: e.g. walking or Suryanamaskara. In the Kapha season, exercise is particularly recommended, especially during the Kapha time of day: 6.00am to 10.00pm. Up to age 25, moderate to vigorous exercise on a regular basis is recommended for all constitutional types. Over age 25, the following are the guidelines: Kapha types are more suited to vigorous exercise on a regular basis, Pitta to moderate exercise and Vata to light exercise.

The Twenty Approaches of Maharishi Ayurveda include:

Development of consciousness - Transcendental Meditation
Powerful diagnostic techniques, including Pulse Diagnosis
Diet and nutrition advice based on individual needs
Daily and seasonal routines - Seasonal Health Tips
Exercise programmes appropriate to the individual
Yoga and breathing exercises
More than 500 herbal preparations
Profound toxin removal programmes - Panchakarma
Music therapies - Gandharva Veda
Aromatherapy
Practical knowledge of biological rhythms
Seminars and courses to increase your knowledge
Vedic Architecture - living in tune with natural law

Maharishi Ayurveda Scotland