Tips for Staying Healthy in Monsoon with Ayurvedic Care from Wellhealth
The monsoon season is a great time to take advantage of the nice weather, sip hot spiced tea and indulge in goodies like roasted corn on the cob, deep-fried pakoras and steaming momos. Nevertheless, this season also brings unwanted guests in the shape of illnesses like colds, diarrhoea, dysentery, and bacterial and fungal infections, all of which can negatively impact your mood. As long as you stick to your usual eating schedule and way of life, treating yourself once in a while is quite acceptable. As a matter of fact, Ayurveda, the age-old Indian discipline of well-being, advocates Ritucharya, or modifying your diet and lifestyle in accordance with the seasons. We’ve condensed the most important Ayurvedic health advice for you to easily handle the monsoon season.
Let us first examine the reasoning behind Ritucharya. According to Ayurveda, the year is divided into two solstices by the sun’s location with respect to the equator of the Earth.
Uttarayan, or the Northern Solstice, is a six-month period known as “adan kala,” during which the earth’s cooling properties are lessened and the vitality of living things is impacted by the powerful, climbing sun and winds. In Dan Kala, there are three distinct seasons that endure for two months each: Shishir, which is late winter, Basant, which is spring, and Grishma, which is summer.
Southern Solstice (Dakshinayan): This six-month period is referred to as ”visarga kala.” With the sun setting, the moon rises in prominence, bringing with it colder temperatures, clouds, rain, and winds that numb living things on Earth. In Visarga Kala, there are three distinct seasons: Varsha (monsoon), Sharad (autumn), and Hemant (winter).
Top 3 Ayurvedic Health Tips from Wellhealth for a Healthy Monsoon Season
After the sweltering summer months, the monsoon season brings fresh vitality and life to the planet. But this season, called “varsha ritu,” is a transitional time when all living things are still relatively weak, signaling the start of the Visarga kala. Varsha ritu is defined by an accumulation of pitta dosha and an aggravation of vata dosha, according to Ayurveda. The digestion process is impacted by this dosha imbalance, becoming sluggish and lethargic. Your immunity is weakened when problems with digestion and metabolism occur; these can include body aches, acidity, joint discomfort, flatulence, indigestion, loss of appetite, and colds.
During the monsoon season, the cold, moist atmosphere provides an ideal habitat for the growth of fungi and bacteria. This can lead to a variety of waterborne and airborne illnesses, including gastroenteritis and diarrhoea.
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Diet Tips for a Healthy Monsoon Season
Lighten Your Belly
Even familiar foods become more difficult to digest during the rainy season since our digestion slows down. Steer clear of heavy, rich foods and overindulge in order to avoid digestive problems including gas, indigestion, and bloating. Avoid foods like pickles and chutneys that are too spicy, fatty, sour, or acidic since they can cause acidity. To help with digestion, it’s a good idea to eat a few slices of ginger with rock salt before meals.
Pick Cooked Over Raw
Items that are cold, dry, or raw, such as salads, juices, and soft drinks, should be avoided because they will make digestion even more difficult. Steamed or minimally cooked foods are preferable. In addition to being more difficult to digest, raw foods may contain dangerous bacteria that can lead to upset stomach symptoms like diarrhoea, vomiting, and pain. During the rainy season, it’s better to avoid green vegetables and non-vegetarian foods like meat and fish. Incorporate whole grains such as wheat, barley, rice, green grains, and lentils into your regular diet and steer clear of processed goods that are packed with unidentified fats and preservatives.
The Best Meals Are Made at Home
Whenever possible, try to eat at home with freshly made meals. Even though street food is prepared outside, it is still susceptible to bacteria and other pathogens.
Accept Warm meals
Drink warm water and eat more warm meals, such as soups, throughout the day. You’ll stay hydrated and your metabolism will increase as a result. You can strengthen your immunity by consuming warm, sour, and salted soups that contain meat and lentils.
Timing Is Everything
In Ayurveda, timing and mode of consumption are equally as significant as the contents of your diet. During the day, buttermilk can be consumed in place of curd. On the other hand, stay away from milk during the day and think about having a hot cup of turmeric milk before bed. Cow’s milk is better than buffalo milk because it is easier to digest.
Use Light Cooking Oils
Avoid using heavier vegetable oils such as butter, mustard, or groundnut oils. Instead, use lighter oils such as olive, sunflower, or ghee.
Savour Bitter Foods
Turmeric, fenugreek, neem, and bitter gourd are among the veggies that have a bitter taste and can help prevent pitta-related problems by mitigating the consequences of an inflamed pitta. In addition to having antibacterial qualities, bitter foods can help prevent a variety of ailments during the rainy season.
To begin your day, steep a few neem leaves in a glass of water together with half a teaspoon of fenugreek (methi) seeds. Add some newly grated turmeric to it. After the water has reduced to half of its initial volume, squeeze in some lemon juice and a little honey. That’s it, dear! Enjoy your immune-boosting tea now.
Lifestyle Tips for a Healthy Monsoon Season
Remain Dry and Safe
Steer clear of the rain to prevent getting soaked. But if you find yourself caught in a shower or can’t resist the impulse to dance in the rain, get into dry clothes as soon as you can. An open invitation to bacterial and fungal illnesses is a wet body. It’s a good idea to use a few drops of the Turmeric Essential Oil from Parama Naturals in a cup of water as a last rinse after a bath or shower. It protects your body by acting as a natural antibacterial and disinfectant. For additional protection, you can also use a natural antibacterial soap like the Neem-Turmeric soap from Parama Naturals.
Natural First Aid
Because of the higher humidity during the rainy season, there’s a greater chance of falls, accidents, and fungal infections. On small cuts or scratches, directly apply a few undiluted drops of Parama Naturals’ Turmeric Essential Oil. Hold it close at hand!
Observe Your Step
During the rainy season, feet left in contaminated water on wet roadways run the risk of contracting leptospirosis and other deadly bacterial illnesses. As soon as you get home, protect your feet by washing them with an antibacterial soap like the Neem-Turmeric soap from Parama Naturals. After completely drying your feet, use an antifungal cream between your toes, such as the Solid Deo Butter from Parama Naturals. This will not only keep your feet feeling clean and fresh, but it will also calm sensitive skin and prevent fungal infections.
Use Self-Massage to Beat the Blues on Rainy Days
Applying oil to the body, or oleation, is a crucial component of Ayurveda’s Panchakarma treatment, particularly in the monsoon season. Warm oils infused with herbs can be massaged throughout your body to distribute the medicinal qualities throughout every cell, nourishing and detoxifying them as they work. It eases vata imbalances, strengthens muscles, bones, and joints, and encourages supple skin.
You can still reap the benefits of a daily self-massage with natural oils even if you are too busy for a full Panchakarma session. To keep your body nourished and healthy throughout the season, try using Parama Naturals’ Turmeric Moisturising Hand & Body Oil, which is filled with antioxidant-rich, antibacterial, and antimicrobial turmeric. As an alternative, consider the energising Turmeric-Lavender Hand and Body Oil from Parama Naturals. The ginger-infused Zingiber Body Oil from Parama Naturals will help you feel reenergized and put a spring in your step if the rainy season has left you feeling lethargic.
An easy massage of the abdomen, especially with the ginger-infused Zingiber Body Oil from Parama Naturals, can help stimulate a slow metabolism, which is typical in the rainy season.
After taking a bath, use these mess-free, non-sticky, and stain-resistant oils every day to guard against illnesses that can happen this time of year. You can use a weekly massage with these mildly scented oils as an aromatherapy session to help you unwind after a demanding week and feel refreshed for the days ahead.
Remedies for a Healthy Monsoon Season
Relieve Joint and Muscle Pain:
For people who experience joint or muscle pain, the rainy season can be difficult. Particularly seniors and sportsmen experience stiffness and low energy when they get up because the discomfort tends to get worse in cold and wet conditions. A foot massage and targeted application of Zingiber Body Oil from Parama Naturals can help release tight spots in the body and increase muscular suppleness before bed. You’ll feel rejuvenated when you wake up. Infused with ginger and turmeric, this anti-inflammatory oil invigorates the body and provides relief from pain, stiffness, and stress. After taking a morning bath or shower, you can apply it to the problematic portions of your body, or even the entire body if the condition is severe.
Fight Off Cold and Cough
During the rainy season, colds and coughs are frequent. Your body naturally clears the respiratory system of undesired, infection-causing particles through coughing. It is preferable to encourage mucus flow and let the respiratory system spontaneously clear. Eat foods that are warm and nourishing to strengthen your immunity. Make an herbal tea with ginger, tulsi, turmeric, and black pepper powder in a cup of water, then drink it throughout the day to relieve cough and congestion. To help calm your throat and ease a persistent cough, combine a few teaspoons of ginger juice with honey and sip it periodically. If congestion develops, use your little finger or a Q-tip to apply a few drops of Parama Naturals’ Zingiber Body Oil inside your nostrils for relief.
When treating nasal congestion caused by sinuses or congestion in the nose, Ayurveda suggests using medicinal ghee, sesame oil, and ginger paste or powder. Due to its antiviral and antibacterial qualities, ginger can help relieve congestion and prevent infection by drying up mucus or phlegm buildup in your chest, nasal passages, and sinuses. In order to reduce sinus congestion and headaches, you can also inhale the steam from a pot of boiling water mixed with a few drops of Parama Naturals’ Turmeric Essential Oil..
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Guard Against Mosquitoes
Not only are mosquitoes annoying, but they also spread dangerous illnesses including Zika, Dengue, malaria, and chikungunya. Because they lay their eggs in the stagnant water where precipitation forms, mosquitoes choose the monsoon season as a breeding habitat. Keep the area around your house tidy and don’t let any water build up, especially in open pots or containers. To reduce your skin’s exposure to mosquito bites, wear long sleeves and pants.
The insect-repelling qualities of essential oils like lavender and turmeric are particularly helpful in seasons when mosquitoes are prevalent. Your body is protected by a barrier that serves as a mild bug repellent when you use Parama Naturals’ Turmeric Essential Oil in your bathwater or apply their Lavender-Turmeric Moisturising Hand and Body Oil. Turmeric and lavender can help soothe bitten skin and minimise severe itching. A few drops of citronella essential oil, a natural insect repellent, can be added to the moisturising oil for further protection against mosquito bites.
To sum up, you don’t have to worry about any health problems to completely enjoy the rainy season. You can enjoy the rains safely and healthily by following Ayurveda’s advice for the Varsha ritucharya and making a few dietary and lifestyle changes. Go outside and take a stroll or dance in the rain without thinking twice!
