Monsoons are a source of great happiness. The beauty of sharing a steaming meal with loved ones, while rain patters outside windows and great conversations flow easily like water pouring down.
However, monsoons are also a source of bodily imbalance, germs and overall gloom. It is important to be careful of what you eat and how you eat during the rainy season. Indeed, we are all guilty of enjoying deep fried foods with carefree abandon! Yet, it is important to remember that our bodies go through various changes with the changing weather and maintaining a healthy body balance is definitely the way to go. `
According to Ayurveda, the human body is governed by three ‘doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha’. These ‘doshas’ help in the regulation of all human actions and govern the majority of our psyche.
During the monsoons – Vata is aggravated, Pitta is accumulated and Kapha is controlled. Vata governs all movement in the mind and body including blood flow, elimination of wastes, breathing and the movement of thoughts.
Vata gets affected and this results in:
- Lowered Digestion Power – food is not easily digested during the season and this should reflect in our dietary habits also.
- Low Immunity – Rains are notorious time for people to fall sick. Germs, infections and overall hygiene is hugely affected.
- Low body strength – We have all felt the effect of a gloomy day, where all we want to do is sleep and laze away. This is directly related to the seasonal changes and how the difference in weather affects us.
The season also causes an increase in the level of Pitta in our body. Pitta is a toxic material in the form of heavy, sticky residue that can weaken digestion. Increase in Pitta results in various changes such as an uncomfortable feeling of heat in the body, acid reflux, digestive problems and heartburn.
We recommend incorporating these foods in your diet and avoid the ones mentioned below.
Dos –
- Include garlic, pepper, ginger, asafoetida, jeera powder, turmeric and coriander in your food as these help enhance digestion and improves immunity.
- Include cow’s ghee, lean meats, barley, rice, wheat and green gram in your diet.
- Include fruits such as pears, pomegranates, mangoes, guavas, apples, and pears
- If days are cooler due to heavy rains; include sour, salty and oily foods in the diet.
- Avoid oily, spicy and acidic foods, as they aggravate the doshas in body. Steamed and cooked foods are healthier alternatives during the rainy season.
- Include buttermilk instead of curd in your diet.
- Yams, sweet potatoes, carrots, garlic, bitter gourd and beetroot should be included in diet.
- Drink boiled and then cooled down water with little honey.
- Drink herbal teas like the ones infused with ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and cardamom.
Don’ts –
- Avoid eating uncooked foods and salads.
- Avoid red meats and food items that take longer to digest.
- Cut down on tomatoes and tamarind to prevent water retention.
- Avoid very salty food as it can cause high blood pressure, lead to bloating and water retention.
- Avoid leafy greens during the season as they are susceptible to worm
We hope that together we can all find a balance between health and taste, find a beautiful relationship with food and we hope you find these tips helpful.
Stay healthy, stay happy!
Got any dietary tips for monsoon, share with us.
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