A downpour during the rainy season is often welcomed with great enthusiasm as well as a sigh of relief. After months of scorching heat, the rains help everyone bounce back with fresh doses of energy and vigour. But along with long spells of showers, the monsoon months also bring with them extended bouts of illnesses and several seasonal colds and allergies. Whether its diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, dengue, malaria or chikungunia, the number of people vulnerable to these diseases increases manifold during the rainy season. Ayurveda has a few handy tips that might help you guard your family and yourself against some of these.
According to the science of Ayurveda, the dosha that is accumulated during the rainy season or varsha, is the pitta. This is due to the acidic conditions in the atmosphere which increases the susceptibility of diseases and reduces the digestive processes in the body. This in turn leads to a loss of appetite due to the sluggish digestive system.
What you must do
There are a range of dietary habits and tips that one must keep in mind to ensure consistency of the immune system and strengthening of the immune system to combat the growth of bacteria in the body. Hair loss, skin infections and indigestion occurs due to the accumulation of Pitta. According to Dr. Dhanvantri, Ayurvedic expert, the monsoon requires everyone to ensure certain precautions are taken in order to remain in the best of health. He suggests the following tips to follow during this season.
1. Eat well-cooked food: Avoid food that is uncooked and raw. Only food that is well cooked and hygienic must be consumed. Food from street vendors must be avoided. During the rainy season, the bacteria sticks to the food making it unfit for consumption.
2. Avoid spicy food: Greasy and spicy food with too many chillies might not be suitable for everyone. It might hinder effective digestion. Oil free food is a must. Wheat and barley along with moong dal soup and freshly boiled water help boost immunity. They also enable the toxins of the body to get flushed out, maintaining ones health and reducing vulnerability. All of these are loaded with minerals and vitamins and replenish the body with the nutrients it desires for proper functioning.
3. Try panchakarma (under expert supervision): In Ayurveda, Panchkarma as the name suggests, is a fivefold healing procedure that involves removing the toxins of the body that have been leftover by diseases. It is a complete mind-body healing process that restores the balance of the body. It involves the use of herbal methods, massages, oil based remedies that allow the body’s own organs to rejuvenate themselves. It is a season based therapy and is advocated especially during the monsoon.
What Ayurveda suggests you should not do during the monsoon season
1. Do not consume green leafy vegetables or cooked vegetables that are now stale.
2. Do not have milk during the day and curd during the night. What you eat is as crucial as when you eat it. Ayurveda suggests that you don’t have fruits along with milk. Milkshakes and such fruit based drinks may slow down the digestion even further, according to the science of Ayurveda.
3. When thirsty, quench your thirst with normal temperature water and not extremely cold water.
4. Do not sleep during the day, it makes one lethargic.
5. Do not spend too many hours in the sun and avoid the air conditioner immediately after a work-out as you tend to sweat and it can lead to temperature difference between the body and the external environment.
6. As alternatives, oils that are light in nature such as olive oil can be used for cooking.
7. Avoid sour items such as chutneys and pickles and increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Incorporate lots of Tulsi or green tea in your diet regimen. These herbal teas have healing properties.
Above everything, know your stomach. It varies from person to person and it is important to be aware of what might suit you. Be informed about what works for your body to keep yourself strong and healthy in this uncertain rainy season. Lastly, make sure you stay away from disease-spreading mosquito. For a natural way out – try fumes of fried neem leaves as a mosquito repellent to keep illnesses at bay.
