Ayurveda Spring Cleansing Ritual
Energize your mind and Body with Ayurveda Seasonal Cleanse
The spring season brings gradual changes; as the earth is damp and heavy from snow and ice melting. The days become longer, and signs of a new life emerge. During this season, digestion is slow, and your lungs are mired with fluid, making you more susceptible to head colds and lethargy. The changes in nature's rhythms, and the warmth of spring, help us to assess our bodies as we transition from the heaviness of the winter that stagnates our energy flow, making us sluggish.
Ayurveda focuses on rejuvenation each time we experience seasonal transformation and cleansing practices that eliminate accumulated toxins through seasons. Daily routines, diet, exercise, and lifestyle rituals awaken our minds and body and emphasize spring renewal - a seasonal change.
We have three doshas or body types called Vata (air + space), Pitta (fire + water), and Kapha (earth + water) - the bio-energy centers of our body. Winter is associated with our body's air and space elements called Vata dosha. The cold, dry qualities in the atmosphere make us hungry often, and we crave more rich, heavy, warming foods that minimize the dryness, and roughness around us. The body is looking for more moistness and warmth internally as it tries to adapt to the harsh winter surroundings. It's nature telling us to pair with the seasonal change.
Spring is associated with kapha dosha, elements of water and earth.
As the snow starts melting, the ground is still wet, the air has visible dampness, and moisture present in the morning air and throughout the day. Our instinct naturally craves lighter and more clearing foods that offset these dense kapha qualities. Improper diet and lifestyle habits during this time can leave us feeling weighed down and congested.
Typical Kapha imbalance can include, lackluster, oily or dry skin, sluggish digestion, weight gain, dullness of mind, depression, cold, clammy hands and feet, and overall a feeling of a dense-slow body.
KAPHA SPRING DIET
Enjoy flavors of the season, astringent, bitter, and mildly pungent (spicy), to reduce the heaviness of Kapha in the body.
Increase light vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, asparagus, green beans, and zucchini and dark greens such as kale, spinach, mustard and collard greens, beet greens, and fenugreek (methi).
Adding whole grains to your diet strengthens and provides energy, not weighing you down. Quinoa, couscous, barley, rye, amaranth, millet, buckwheat, and white or brown rice.
Include warming spices that helps with digestion and release sinus, stuffy nose, and congestion such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, fennel, mustard seeds, ginger, asafoetida (hing), cloves, fenugreek seeds, black pepper, cayenne pepper.
Citrus and astringent fruits include green apples, pomegranates, apricots, cherries, cranberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, and berries.
Lighter soups with asparagus and broccoli without heavy cream can be refreshing yet satiable.
Drink plenty of pure room temperature or warm water, as cold water can bother the sinuses and create more congestion.
Herbal teas to energize the blocked srotas (channels), such as ginger and fennel, green tea, cumin and coriander with honey, pomegranate tea, or lemon mint tea.
Avoid alcohol, heavy dairy, sugary foods, meat, refined flour, and fried and oily foods to maintain good internal balance.
SPRING INTO YOUR LIFESTYLE
Eat at regular meal times and bring structure to your sleep habits, nurturing your waking and sleep cycles.
Nature is doing the job mentally and physically of reminding us to spring forward as the warmth in the weather aligns our body naturally to detoxify and open those senses to do more, get active.
It's a perfect time to try new exercise routines and ignite your natural strength and stamina. Begin to focus on mind-body connection and bring energizing exercises to your practice. Start with small bursts of fun activities to warm the body and muscles. If your body feels ready, add HIIT or a weight class to pump that heart and feel strong. Focus on more gentle forms of physical activity such as brisk walking, stretches, nature hikes, cycling, swimming, meditation, and yoga asanas as you slowly work with your body and learn to intensify your daily workout routine.
A daily body self-massage called Abhyanga (Ayurveda massage with oil) before a warm bath can help blood circulation and release toxins for a refreshed skin and body. Based on the season, safflower, grapeseed, eucalyptus, basil, or sage oils are beneficial for balancing Kapha dosha. There are other massage oils, such as sesame (Vata dosha) or coconut oil (pitta dosha), to consider based on what dosha you are and what kind of bio-energies you exhibit.
Abhyanga is discouraged, if you are menstruating, have a fever, joint or ligament pain, broken skin, or any other serious health condition. Please consult a qualified Ayurvedic or medical professional for further guidance.
SPRING PRANAYAMA
The practice of spring pranayama called Kapalabhati is one of the six yogic purification practices (Shatkarmas) used to flush out impurities and toxins from the respiratory srotas (channels). It helps release mucus and brings internal balance to purify, rejuvenate, and refresh the body and mind. This invaluable practice can be done any time of the year. Still, spring is an ideal time when humidity in the environment is at its peak, which can affect and slow down our inner water passages of the body.
Kapalbhati is a reasonably active, heat-generating practice where our breath is energized through constant inhalations and exhalations. Practicing this in the morning will naturally detoxify the body, calm your nervous system, and uplift your spirits.
KAPALABHATI IN ACTION
This breathing practice focuses on the expansion and contraction of the chest diaphragm. Inhaling, filling your lungs with air, expanding your rib cage, while relaxing your abdomen. Exhaling the air as you focus on contracting your belly. The intention is set on the navel movement during the entire breathing process.
Sit comfortably with your spine straight, cross-legged on the floor, or upright in a chair. Place your hands on your knees, palms facing up or down. Soften your belly.
Take a deep breath through your nose, expanding your belly. With a sharp, quick exhale, contract your navel and release the air through your nostrils. As you release the contraction of the stomach, let your breath fill your lungs, expanding that belly again, and as you exhale, contract your lower abdomen, and force the breath out in a short burst.
Repeat this slowly a few times, and feel energetic breathing movement in and out through your nostrils, steadily bringing strength as you contract your belly or at a quick rapid pace with more emphasis on circulating more air through your lungs.
Keep one hand on your stomach to feel your abdominal muscles contract as counting inhale and exhale as one breath cycle. End the exhalation, then take three deep breaths to pause and reset, completing one round. Repeat 10 -20 times at your own pace.
Do not practice if you are pregnant, menstruating, have high blood pressure, acute asthma, epilepsy, or feel light-headed. Rest as needed. Consult a physician before beginning any exercise routine, diet, or breathing meditation practice.
SPRING SKINCARE
As warmer days approach, we see changes not just in our bodies but also in our skin. We experience humidity, sun exposure, and dryness as we enjoy the outdoors more during this time of the year. Our skincare routine needs a little tweaking and some tender loving care. Moisturizing, Anti-aging lotions, and sun protection regimens become vital as we adapt and transition into the spring season.
Awakening dull winter complexions and achieving a healthy spring glow with natural ingredients in our home are beneficial. I believe in using all-natural -products, fresh ingredients without sulfates, parabens, and artificial fragrances. Beauty recipes with the same vegetables and fruits you eat will provide nutritious effects on the outside, your skin, your wallet, and your health.
So how should we prep our faces for the warmer days ahead?
Begin Exfoliating
Those with dry skin worry about using an exfoliator in winter that can cause severe dryness. It is a valid argument as I suffer from dry skin, and my skin always peels and turns flaky. So, we end up not exfoliating in the winter, cell turnover slows down, and dead skin cells give us a dull complexion.
Exfoliating improves collagen production, brightens the complexion, removes the dead skin layer, and restores your healthy, vibrant glow.
As the weather warms up and the humidity increases, we can better tolerate acids and more potent formulations of natural active ingredients.
Begin with gentle exfoliation once or twice a week, checking how your skin tolerates them. Over-exfoliating is never a good idea and can lead to adverse reactions such as redness, peeling, and flaky skin.
When in doubt, consult a dermatologist to learn about your skin type and the products best suited for your skincare needs and goals.
Natural exfoliants such as coconut oil and sweet almond oil mixed with ground coffee, a mask made with either strawberries, yogurt, lemon, honey, papaya, or pineapple with granulated brown sugar, and oatmeal can be a few recipes made at home can be used well for face and as body scrubs.
Ayurvedic herbs such as fenugreek seeds, tulsi (basil), neem leaves, yastimandhu (licorice) powder, rose petals, or turmeric can all work wonders; natural herbal agents to scrub dry cells and work their magic on your skin.
Using a Lighter Moisturizer
Winter weather is cold and dry, we must use suitable emollients and heavy formulations for our skin and body. But, when humidity increases, using rich creams and lotions during the spring can clog our skin pores feeling sticky and greasy, resulting in acne and other skin issues.
Lighter moisturizers absorb quickly while protecting the skin barrier and giving our skin a healthy glow without weighing it down.
Almond, coconut, and aloe vera oil mixed with Neem, Chamomile, Calendula, lavender oil, and sandalwood are a few Ayurvedic herbs used as moisturizers beneficial to sustain moisture, nourishment and calm the skin.
Using Natural SPF
Never miss sunscreen. The earth is physically closer to the sun during warmer months, so UV rays are powerful. Increasing the SPF to at least 50+ while assuring the products offer broad-spectrum protection is vital to ensure adequate sun protection in the spring and summer.
Sunscreen is essential to skin protection but can be expensive, containing chemicals irritating sensitive skin. Natural ingredients have many protective properties that you can use to create sunscreen at home.
Raspberry seed oil effectively protects the skin from UVA and UVB radiation. It's a natural skin care sunscreen ingredient used before sun exposure. Herbs such as aloe vera, shea butter, carrot seed oil, and zinc oxide (a mineral) may not have profoundly infiltrating UVA rays protection. Still, in combination, they can ensure good sun protection.
As the cold winter months leave us and make way for spring, incorporating a simple spring diet and lifestyle changes can positively impact your overall health. One can use various supportive herbs internally and externally during an Ayurvedic spring cleanse.
Always consult your physician or an Ayurveda practitioner before using new herbs or adding diet or lifestyle changes.
Let's welcome spring and nurture this seasonal transition with some diet, lifestyle, and skincare guidelines provided to help support your body and mind during its natural detoxifying process.