How To Beat October Heat With Ayurveda

As we have seen previously in our blog about maintaining health in rainy season. Ayurveda have divided a span of a year in 6 seasons. after the rainy season (Varsha Rutu) now its time for Autumn (Sharad Rutu), which is considered from mid September to mid November. This span is infamously known as the phenomenon of October heat in the Indian subcontinent.

Due to the rain there is certain coolness in atmosphere in rainy season, body gets used to this low temperature but in Sharad Rutu, rainfall stops & sky becomes clearer. Due to these changes sunrays reaches earth more intensely & our bodies get exposed to the scorching heat suddenly. This affects states of our body humours & causes the aggravation of Pitta Dosha in the body, which can lead to multiple health issues and can worsen already present illnesses. To cope with this in detail seasonal regime is given in Ayurveda.

DIET-

DO’S- Eat only when hungry

Take food which is of sweet, bitter & astringent in taste.

Eat easily digestible food

Cereals-rice, wheat

Pulses– green gram

Milk products– milk & buttermilk.

Ghee– cow’s ghee or medicated ghee with bitter medicines

Nonveg – meat of animas of dry land such as mutton

Fruits– amla , grapes, whitegourdmelon

Vegetables- fenugreek, bottle gourd, karela (bitter melon), sweet potato, cucumber, cabbage

Miscellaneous– sugarcane, honey

DONT’S– Heavy meals.

oily, fatty, hot & spicy food.

curd, strong liquors, & heavy meals,

LIFESTYLE-

DO’S- Moon rays in the evenings are conductive for health in this season so, Spend the evenings on terraces in the moonlight.

Apply the fragrant & cooling paste such as sandalwood on the body

Wear the garlands of flowers & pearls

Wear clean & light coloured or white clothes

Take cold water baths

Mild exercise is advised

One should take water purified by the rays of sun in day time and rays of moon at night time for drinking, bathing, etc

DONT’S-

Avoid exposure to sunlight

Avoid eastern breeze & mist

Daytime sleep & sleeping late at night should be avoided.

PANCHAKARMA. Though while treating any disease any Panchakarma can be done according to the need in any season, – in both healthy & diseased ones Raktamokshana (blood letting) & Virechana are mainly advised as the seasonal regime.

Though Ayurveda has suggested different seasonal regimes for each season it also advocates shifting from one regime to another gradually because any abrupt change in diet & lifestyle can sometimes cause health issues. So, this autumn be cool, connect with nature and modify your diet & lifestyle with the natural seasonal changes and beat the October heat with Ayurveda.

“BE COOL & STAY HEALTHY.”