What Ayurvedic Lifestyle We Should Follow in the Summer Season?

Abstract

Diet and lifestyle should change as the seasons change because as per what has been advised by the authors of Ayurveda, following a routine that suits one’s body and the weather helps stay healthy and away from diseases. In this article, we shall discuss what effects summer has on our bodies and the earth, and what diet and routine (ayurvedic lifestyle) we should follow in order to be healthy and safe during this season.

Introduction

Each season either summer, winter, autumn, or spring has its own pleasant as well as unpleasant experiences; and to make the season more pleasant, to enjoy the season at its best, we need to follow some regime to adapt in that season.

As with the change in seasons, there is a change in the homeostasis of the body that leads to various diseases. Therefore, The key to remaining healthy in each season is to adapt ourselves and to follow the regimes as per the season.

With the approaching summer, and the Sun at its peak brightened in its full power along with powerful wind, gives a feeling of weakness as if the sun is extracting strength from our body.

During summer, individuals suffer from various uncomfortable feelings like fragility in the body due to loss of appetite, lack of energy, etc.

To make the summer season pleasant some things should be followed but what are these things and who tells these things?

Here comes to the rescue Ayurveda, the science of living, to make the season pleasant and to make us healthy.

Ayurveda is the ancient most science of traditional Indian medicine and brings a ray of healthy living not only through medicines but also through regimes for healthy diets and practices.

In all the classical texts of Ayurveda, seasonal regimes were known as Ritucharya mention in detail to show the importance of regime in our life and, that adaptation as per change in season is the key to healthy living and maintaining the homeostasis of the body.

Following the regimes, as mentioned per season not only prevents us from the manifestations of diseases but also gives strength to the body and protection to fight against the diseases and to remain healthy.

According to Ayurveda, summer is termed as Grishma Ritu, a season in which the sun and wind both are powerful. As the sun and wind are strong, it leads to excessive dryness in the body, with the sun with its power extracting the strength from nature as well as from our body.

With these changes, there is an alteration in the Agni and Dosha’s state also.

Agni, the digestive power of the body in the summer season is in a mild state, Bala (strength) of the body also degrades and these factors lead to local accumulation of Vata dosha that leads to diseases in the future.

Why is the seasonal regime important to be followed?

Before mentioning the seasonal regime, it is important to understand the need to follow the seasonal regimes. To show its significance there is a quotation in Ayurveda that means-

If a person follows the seasonal regime, then he/she should stay healthy, their complexion and strength will remain good i.e., the immune system should remain healthy to prevent any diseases and a person lives a long life. 

Each season has its predominant dosha and also the state of Agni differs in each season. These changes lead to the manifestation of diseases.

To break down the chain of disease from its starting it is important to balance the doshas and by adopting as according to the season the equilibrium of doshas is maintained.

Also, some diseases aggravate in a particular season and for some diseases, symptoms relive in a particular season. So, it is important to know about the seasonal regimes and to follow them.

In Ayurveda, Acharyas have mentioned several things that should be favoured and things that should not be favoured to maintain the well-being of an individual for each season. 

A list of things that should be included in the daily regime along with diet and practices. Also, the list contains things that avoid using in the summer season for healthy living.

Hence, For the summer season, it advises consuming Madhura (sweet), Sheeta (cold), Drava (liquid), and Snigdha (unctuous) things for attaining the beneficial effects.

To make it more understandable and easy to adapt to daily routine there is a list of fruits, vegetables, pulses, and other food items to be consumed and to add to daily routine for attaining a healthy summer with the belief of Ayurveda.

So, let’s take a look and be ready to adapt them to your daily regime.

Fruits to be favoured-

• Pomegranate
• Watermelon
• Sugarcane
• Falsa (Indian Sherbet berry)
• Coconut
• Pear
• Berries
• Grapes

Dry fruits-

• Date palm
• Munakka (dry grapes) are good to be consumed in the summer season.

Vegetables like

• Pointed gourd
• Coriander
• Cucumber
• Eggplant should be more consumed.

Pulses like

• Moong dal
• Urad dal
• Chana dal
• Masur should be eaten more.

Others to be consumed-

• Intake of Cow milk
• Consumption of Cow ghee
• Buttermilk
• Chinchapanak (A healthy drink made of Tamarind that help in treating sunstroke)
• Sattu drink

These above-mentioned food articles should be consumed and add to the lifestyle to spend a summer season healthily and pleasantly. Also, practising and including these food items leads to the maintenance of Agni and helps in balancing the dosha.

Along with the consumption of food, some practices are also mentioned in Ayurveda. Hence, some of these practices are to be done in the summer season.

• Napping is advisable in the Summer season.
• Walking in moonlight
• Fragrant lepa or paste with sandalwood and other aromatic herbs.

As we mentioned the things that should be favoured and used, some things should be restricted to maintain the homeostasis of the body and to keep a healthy living.

The things that are mentioned to be unfavoured in the summer season-  

• Consumption of Katu (pungent), Lavana (salt), Amla (sour), and Ushna (warm) things.
• Alcohol consumption
• Excessive indulgence in sexual intercourse
• Excessive hard work or strenuous exercise

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, This article is all about the lifestyle regimes that should be followed in the summer season for healthy living as per Ayurveda. In Ayurveda pieces of literature, these are the food items and practices that are favourable in the summer season to maintain the homeostasis of the body and to give a pleasant experience of the summer season.

Dr Vikram Chauhan (MD-Ayurveda) is an expert Ayurvedic Doctor based in Chandigarh, India, and doing his practice in Mohali, India. He is spreading the knowledge of Ayurveda – An ancient healing treatment, not only in India but also abroad. He is the CEO and Founder of Planet Ayurveda Products, Planet Ayurveda Clinic, and Krishna Herbal Company. Furthermore, for info visit our website: www.planetayurveda.com