Self Care for Springtime

May and April in Colorado

Zodiac Signs: Taurus & Gemini

Dosha Accumulation: Kapha & Pitta primarily, some Vata

Dosha Provocation: kapha during wet, cloudy weather, pitta with hot clear days, vata with large or frequent weather changes and windy days

Gunas Involved: cold-sita, hot-usna, snigdha-oily, heavy-guru, mobile-cala, clear-visada, picchila-cloudy, dry-ruksha, light-laghu

Conditions
April - Average sunrise - 6:30am, average sunset - 7:45pm; Temperature range 62-34, average 53.
May - Average sunrise - 5:45am, average sunset - 8:00pm; Temperature range 71-44, average 61

Weather - Wide range of weather patterns, and large temperature changes. Can be very warm and sunny, or cold. April and May are often some of the wettest months in the year, with snow storms or thunderstorms. May experience windy periods as well.

Recommendations

Diet

Kapha - during late spring Kapha has accumulated and is liquefied by the increasing heat, which can disturb the digestive system. Kapha can become provoked during precipitation, snowy days and cloudy rainy days

To minimize Kapha, favor:

warming, drying, and activating foods
Pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes
Honey and hot herbal teas
Vegetarian, low-fat diet
Limit oils - Sesame oil and flax seed oil can be used minimally
Vegetables, grains, and beans, cooked and well-spiced
One salad per day
Whole grain crackers and toasted breads of millet, quinoa, and corn
Pungent spices: cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, mustard, cloves, celery seed, dill, radish,
Spiced, cooked fruits
Cranberry, pomegranate, carrot, grapefruit, and spinach juices can be used in moderation
Herbal teas

Reduce or Avoid:

Cold, wet, bland foods
Excessive use of oils, sours, salty
Too many dairy products (especially yogurt)
White sugar and too many sweets
Wheat, oatmeal, unless toasted
Too many cooling fruits such as banana, dates, mangos, apples and apple juice, especially in winter

Pitta - During late spring Pitta begins to increase in the body. Pitta can increase or be provoked on warm clear days

To minimize Pitta, favor:

Astringent, bitter, and sweet tastes
Moderate use of oils: Olive oil, coconut oil, and ghee
Spices: cumin, coriander, fennel, anise, and cardamom.
Organic milk, cottage cheese,
Basmati rice, barley, millet, quinoa,
Cucumber, lettuce, winter squash, yams, tofu, avocado
Sweet fruits (e.g. figs, grapes and raisins, dates, blueberries, red raspberries, Babcock peaches, apples, pears, mango, and coconut.)
Bitter and astringent herbal teas and nonalcoholic beers and wines
Whole grains

Reduce or avoid:

Excessive sour, oily, salty, and fried foods
Red meat, shellfish fish
Alcohol, caffeine, and soda pop
Excessively hot spices, such as cloves, mustard, onion, garlic, chilies, radish, and cayenne.
Frequent use of acidic fruits, juices, and vegetables: tomatoes, beets, eggplant, corn, carrots, hot leafy greens, papayas, pineapple, citrus (except limes), and vinegar.
Cashews, peanuts

Vata - During late spring Vata can be aggravated by the highly changeable conditions and dry windy days

To minimize Vata, favor:

Cooked, warm, soupy, moderate to heavy foods, soothing and satisfying
Plenty of healthy oils (monounsaturates, sesame oil, ghee, butter, nut butters, and EFAs) - avoid hydrogenated oils, other saturated and polyunsaturated oils
Natural sweet, sour, and salty tastes and flavorful sauces
Carminative spices such as basil, oregano, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, pippali, coriander, and dill.
Protein-rich diet of animal products: ghee, warm milk, yogurt, cooked cheese, buttermilk, kefir, eggs, etc, as well as the grains like quinoa, corn, and basmati rice, and easily digested nuts and sesame seeds
Best fruits and juices: tomato, pomegranate, carrot, fresh-squeezed orange and grapefruit, apricot, peach, strawberry, raspberry, and vegetable juices
Lots of fresh veggies (cooked are easier to digest for Vata): pumpkin, carrots, beets, green leafy veggies, avocado, broccoli, baked potato, winter squash, tomatoes, etc.

Reduce or Avoid:

Caffeine, white sugar, and soda
Excessive use of beans and heavy grains (prepare them with ghee and spices)
Dry foods taken alone, large amounts of raw vegetables
Taking foods and drinks colder than room temperature  Red meat

Lifestyle

Late spring is a time of changing weather and release of accumulated kapha in the body, so digestion can be especially delicate, it can be especially important to follow agni rules at this time

Agni Recommendations

Follow agni rules
Proper food combining
Drink ginger tea in the morning (fresh for vata and pitta, dry for kapha)
Take Agni kindler before meals
Drink CCF tea after meals

For Kapha

Movement: vigorous exercise daily (ex. jogging, aerobics etc), strength training, engage in new activities and mental challenges
Do not skip meals, and do not fast. The Kapha digestive agni tends to be low, as does appetite, and not eating on time slows down the metabolism even more. Start your day with a light breakfast. Eat a sustaining meal at lunch, and a lighter meal for dinner.
Vigorous oil massage with warming oil
Protect yourself from the damp and cold. Drink lots of warm water, infused with warming spices such as turmeric, dried ginger and black pepper. At-home steam therapy can help open clogged channels.
Go to bed early and wake up really early in the morning, 90 minutes before sunrise, do not indulge in daytime snoozes.

For Pitta

Stay cool--both physically and emotionally. Avoid going out in the heat of the day, especially on an empty stomach or after you have eaten tangy or spicy foods. Avoid exercising when it's hot. Walk away from situations that make you see red.
Do not skip meals, do not fast and do not wait to eat until you are ravenously hungry. You want to keep the fire burning at a moderate temperature, you don't want to put the fire out or to stoke it too high.
Daily oil massage with moderate to cooling oil
Water-based activities are ideal exercise for Pitta-dominant people. Try swimming or aqua-aerobics to stay fit but cool. Strolling after sunset, especially along a waterfront, is also a soothing way to fit some leisurely activity into your day.
Go to bed early, rise 60 minutes. Make sure to turn off the computer or TV by 10pm and turn the lights out. A cup of warm milk, with some cardamom, can be helpful before bedtime.
Balance work and play. Set aside some time for R&R everyday, and do not get so absorbed in a project that you are unable to detach from it.

For Vata:

Establish a daily routine. Go to bed and rise at same time (30 min before sunrise). Regulate meal times, eat even if not hungry to establish routine. Don't skip meals.
Foods and drinks that nourish
Daily oil massage with warming oil such as sesame
Light to moderate daily activity (don't over do and exhaust self) - slow classical vinyasa, swimming, dancing, bike riding
Keep warm, stay out of wind.