Embracing the Cool Kapha Season SEASONAL INSIGHTS
BY ANJALI SUNITA Freezing and sluggish winter shifts to cool and damp spring. We emerge from the warm soft blankets with enthusiasm for the sun on our skin. Melted ice reveals a wet, more fertile soil of promise. Winter hibernation season is over, but the air and earth are still cool. Mucus has built for months in our bodies; and many people begin to ooze with spring colds and allergies. Ayurveda described six seasons in the classical texts. The gunas, or qualities of late winter through spring belong to Kapha Dosha, name - ly: heavy, dull, slow, smooth, dense, soft, sticky, and stable. Throughout winter when our internal fire has moved inward from the periphery of the body to the core to keep us warm, appetites have increased, and with less time outdoors, there is often a sense of stag- nation; not only people, but animals, too, bulk up in the winter season. As we begin to desire more movement, to shed the extra protective layers of fat and mucus, we may feel the dull ache in our muscles that have tensed from cold winter. After all, we human beings are more porous than we like to admit. Modern man likes to think he is invisible and separate from nature. Advertisements show we can just pop a few decongestants and go running off to work (while the organs struggle to keep up). However, without drugs, we quickly learn we are not only affected by nature; we are the nature. Our bodies reflect the nature. What’s outside is inside, and what’s inside is outside. Any of these kapha manifestations sound familiar?
Bhujangasana, Cobra pose, for chest opening • Oozing type of psoriasis • Stones, cysts, and growths • Depression • Sluggishness, heaviness, and fatigue • Lymphatic congestion • Edema
How do we dissipate the congestion and stagnation of excess kapha (earth and water elements)? The way to dry the slimy kapha qualities can be likened to working with clay. Pungent potency herbs and spices are drying, as are those that are bitter and astringent. Teas, soups, and sauces cooked with light warming oils and plenty of dark leafy greens can be a boon this season. I remember my grandmother used to rub Vicks VapoRub™ on our chests, with hot sharp herbs like camphor, eucalyptus oil, and menthol — herbs used for millennia in Ayurveda. Many people edge toward spring cleaning, not only of homes but also of their bodies, to lighten the load bared through winter. The best is to be aware of your body and to avoid harsh manifesta- tions of disease by thinking preemptively. The opposite of Kapha Do - sha qualities are light, sharp, mobile, rough, liquid, hard and subtle. Opposites heal. Look for these qualities in your chosen antidotes and preventatives. Here are some recommendations for winter turning to spring, Ka- pha Season: FOOD: • Eat light, warm, slightly spicy meals in smaller quantity. • Use spices like ginger, black pepper, pipali ( piper longum ), cumin, cinnamon, and clove. Buy garam masala from the Indian grocery, or you may even find it in Whole Foods or other groceries. • Eat vegetables like mustard greens, fenugreek, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, ginger, and onion; grains like wheat, maize, black gram. • A tip from my teacher in Jaipur, Dr. Rajesh Kalvadia: Cook rice in excess water and then drain the water a few times to reduce starch intake. • Drink teas like tulsi-ginger tea. • Avoid eating fruits within half an hour of mealtime or naps just after meals. • Avoid excess sweet, sour, and salty foods.
• Cold, cough, congestion • Weight gain and slow metabolism
Did you know: • It is estimated that 34 million Americans are food insecure. • As much as 40% of the food produced in America is wasted and never consumed.
Food Connection connects the dots between chefs who have too much food and our neighbors who don’t have enough.
Learn more: Food-Connection.org
Easing Hunger. Reducing Food Waste. ®
36—PATHWAYS—Spring 24
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