5 Tips for Moving from Congested to Energy-free-flow in Spring
Why do we get congested in Spring?
According to Ayurveda, springtime is dominated by Kapha dosha with its heavy, cold, slow and sticky qualities.
Kapha consists of water and earth elements, gives us structure, and holds everything together. In addition, it is responsible for lubricating the joints and keeping all mucus membranes moist and all nerves insulated. From these responsibilities, you can see that congestion is one of the signs of imbalance.
We imbalance when there is too much of our own, i.e. sticky, cold, heavy, qualities, and we fail to introduce the opposite balancing qualities.
So this means that we need to favour light, warm, fast and clear qualities during spring.
How can we do this? Here are 5 different ways.
Spring Foods
This relates to the six tastes (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent). These tastes also relate to the different elements and their qualities, which balance particular doshas.
Vata needs sweet, sour & salty tastes.
Pitta needs sweet, bitter & astringent tastes.
Kapha needs bitter, pungent & astringent tastes.
Learn more about the tastes here.
So in the spring, the Kapha time of the year, we must introduce foods of bitter, pungent and astringent tastes and have warm food and drinks only to balance the cold qualities.
Here are some examples:
Favour the following vegetables:
Sprouted seeds and legumes, Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Peppers, Brassicas, Carrots, Celery, Chicory, Chilies, Coriander, Corn, Endives, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Green beans, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Winter greens, Onions, Parsley, Peas, Seaweed, Spinach, Swiss chard, Radishes, Turnips, Watercress.
Fruits
Apples, Blueberries, Dried fruit, Grapefruits, Lemons, Limes, Pears, Pomegranates, Raspberries.
All the spices.
Download your complete food list.
Drinks: This is the time when coffee is ok to drink. Coffee has drying qualities and is bitter in taste.
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Herbs for the Spring
Bitter herbs are good, and Triphala is an excellent herbal combination for the spring. It is made of the three berries of Haritika, Bibhitaki and Amalaki. It is used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine to prevent disease and treat several symptoms, including constipation and inflammation.
Neem is another potent herb during spring. With its bitter taste, it helps to clear the liver of toxins and fat. In addition, it scraps toxins from the tissues, which makes it an excellent companion during spring cleanses.
Neem has kapha-reducing properties; it encourages proper digestion of fat and water and elimination, particularly effective in case of water retention in the body.
Spring Self-care Tips
This is the time for dry massages. Kapha has oily qualities, which can lead to oily skin. Dry massages can help dry the skin; dry brushing and using a silk glove, garshana, and traditional ayurvedic dry massage are excellent. Both stimulate circulation and lymph flow.
Urdvarthana is a massage using a potent powder that reduces excess Kapha.
Yoga during Spring
Warming dynamic Yoga practices are stimulating the system.
Regular Surya Namaskar, Salut to the Sun, and morning practice are essential in the spring to jumpstart all systems. Surya Namaskar is just doing that.
If you need to become more familiar with this sequence, try this video for an introduction.
Dynamic and warming do not necessarily mean complicated. Here is a video if you fancy an easily accessible practice.
Spring Lifestyle
Wake up before sunrise, latest 6 am.
A cup of hot water followed by dry ginger and lemon tea.
Dry massage every day or massage with a little amount of stimulating oil.
Sun salutations 12 rounds every day without any break.
Vigorous yoga for 30 minutes to your own abilities.
Meditation for 15 minutes.
Stimulating Pranayama, such as Kapalabhati or Bastrika, for about 10 minutes, to your own capabilities.
Skip breakfast if not hungry or very light, which is relatively dry but warm with hot spicy herbal teas.
Take a slice of ginger with a few drops of lemon juice and a small pinch of salt before your meal.
Eat lunch close to midday, but only if hungry otherwise, wait till you are hungry.
Drink ginger tea after meals to stimulate Agni – the digestive fire.
Repeat Yoga and Pranayama, and practise nadi shodhana or deep abdominal breathing in the evening.
Go to bed relatively later but not very late, 11 pm at the latest.
There are some other ways you can get your energy going.
Spring clean, getting the cobwebs off the house, clean all out. While you are cleaning, let go of negative feelings and emotions.
Sort your wardrobe and give clothes away that you will no longer wear.
Conclusion
Spring is the time to stay light, warm, and active. Eat food with bitter, pungent/spicy and astringent tastes. Drink ginger tea and hot water. Get up early and go to bed late. Enjoy your spring.
Enjoy trying this dish, and please let me know how it went on Instagram, Facebook or even good old email.
I love hearing from you!
Katja x
P.S. To Learn more about how to stay balanced this spring, download your Ultimate Spring Guide.
