Spring Ayurveda.

According to Ayurveda, spring is the season of kapha dosha as it is the time of softness, warmth and moisture – the same qualities of kapha.  (direct meaning – “that which flourishes in water”). In addition to that, we experience kapha accumulation from the winter, hence the heaviness we might feel.

The goal here is to balance out the excess of kapha energy and avoid illnesses/discomfort that excess brings. You can do it by taking certain easy steps and adjustments during this wonderful time of year.

Adjusting the diet and lifestyle to bring more dryness, lightness and heat into our lives will support our spring rebirth and revitalisation process.

Spring diet

In springtime, you should focus on fresh fruit and vegetables, which will help during the spring “cleansing” process. Most people start naturally craving this type of foods.

DO

• Eat a lot of fresh (raw, steamed, cooked) vegetables, legumes, whole grains. When you eat warm foods they should be light and easy to digest. Enjoy cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, bitter greens.
• Go for bitter, pungent, astringent tastes. Recommended flavour enhancers: ginger, pepper, chilli, garlic, onion, various herbs.
• This is a good time to go on a juice fast, pomegranate and apple juice are recommended.
• In order to balance out the mucus production, you should focus on the purification process – drink a lot of liquids, warm and hot, herbal teas, warm water with honey.

DON’T

• Do not overdo watery and heavy veggies like sweet potato, various squash, avocado or cucumber.
• Avoid heavy, oily, fried foods that you were used to during the cold months. Eat less meat, bread, seafood, nuts, sweets.
• Do not overeat sour and heavy fruits like bananas, figs, dates, oranges, melons.
• Minimize your dairy intake, especially in the morning (substitute with plant milk).
• Eggs, fish, tofu should be eaten in moderation.

Spring lifestyle

It is best to establish a regular morning routine and get up at the same time (earlier, if possible before 6 AM). The routine can be simple – shower, drinking warm water or herbal tea, exercise.

If possible, try to establish a routine for the entire day – that means regular times for work, exercise, meals.

Spring is a great time to be adventurous, playful, so try something new – whether it’s a new hobby or just something fun.

Wear bright and warm colours – don’t be afraid of reds, yellows, oranges in the early spring and blues, greens, whites, purples for later.

It is also great to start incorporating more physical activity to make you feel lighter, warmer and so to balance out the kapha. Challenge yourself with longer and more intensive workouts, but only those that give you pleasure.

It is recommended to do the exercises in the morning and outside when possible, but an evening workout will also bring benefits.

To bring more air and brightness Ayurveda teachings recommend to include pranayama in your practice – it helps to cleanse the body from impurities.

Finally, according to Spring Ayurveda (and us) simply enjoy life – spring is the most beautiful time of the year and we all need it after a long winter!

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At this time many of us feel the unity with nature and the themes of rebirth and renewal.

To offer some inspiration and ideas for your spring arrival we’ve asked the Summersalt yoga ladies Rosie, Leah, and Milda to share some of their wellness and good-life favorites for the season and we can’t wait to hear yours too, so leave a comment, tag us in a photo and let’s welcome the spring healthy and happy!

Food

Rosie. Tahini! I have been enjoying this nutty, flavor-filled condiment of everything at the moment. Amazing with avocado toast and adds a wholesomeness to Salads. Also packed with protein so a real energy giver.

Leah. Refreshing quinoa salad chock full of lots of delicious fresh fruits and vegetables.

Milda. A simple classic, but so good – a morning smoothie. My current favorite is banana, frozen forest berries, orange, leafy greens, peanut butter, flaxseed, amaranth powder, and maca!

Body treatment

Rosie. Dry brushing! Bit painful but great for improving circulation in the skin. I also want to try and take the time to do morning coconut body oiling which I used to do when I lived in Bali a lot (and had more time!)

Leah. Lots and lots of Vitamin D from the sun

Milda. I am super lazy when it comes to this, but I am trying to use body lotion more often as I age (uh…), my favorite one is Neutrogena!

Hair treatment

Rosie. I am the most low maintenance hair person ever! However, have recently decided to go back to my auburn roots which have made me want to look after it a little more. So lots of conditioning masks for redheads.

Leah. Saltwater! I swear it does wonders for my hair.

Milda. A natural shampoo. I’ve recently stopped using the regular drug store shampoos as my hair would grease up way too quickly and ever since I’ve started with the all-natural one it makes all the difference in the world.

Face treatment

Rosie. After a long cold winter and teaching quite a bit of hot yoga I have actually been treating myself to a few holistic facials which have been so lovely for tired, winter skin. It is a bit of a luxury but one that has been making a real difference to how I feel.

Leah. Always just simple coconut oil.

Milda. Rosehip oil! I alternate it with coconut oil, rosehip oil has amazing anti-aging and anti-blemish properties, it’s best to use it in the evenings as even if it’s not comedogenic it is still an oil and it can leave your face a little shiny!

Spiritual

Rosie. I am currently holding an intention to spring cleaning my morning routine. So no phones for at least 30 mins on waking and instead of waking myself with some gentle movement, a little writing or a cup of tea and meditation.

Leah. Metta (or loving-kindness) meditation to send loving intentions and energy out to all beings everywhere. For some reason, this feels especially relevant to me this time of year.

Milda. I’ve started meditating every day with as short as 5 minutes if I can’t do more. I feel like it helps me a lot to keep perspective and not freak out over things that actually are not too serious or important. Sometimes I use an app (I use Insight Timer) for a guided meditation session, sometimes just some nice calming sounds from a Spotify playlist.

Yoga

Rosie. I am really feeling the urge to get my body really moving, which is often the case as we move into the warmer months. I am really loving my Forest yoga practice at the moment, the focus on the core and grounding elements of the practice. And of course, I can not WAIT to get out on my paddleboard again!

Leah. Backbending! To be honest, backbends are not my favorite postures, but I always gravitate toward them when spring and summer roll around. There’s something so opening and embracing about them. After hunching over and closing off my heart all winter to combat the cold, my body craves openness and expansion when warm weather approaches.

Milda. Yin! That’s my favorite for when my back or shoulders are sore from all the time spent at the desk. I love how calming it is and how I can do 20 minutes even if I don’t feel like exercise. I even bought a book and can’t wait to practice more.

Leisure

Rosie. Ah beach! I wish! In the meantime leisure time, this Spring will be all about picnics in the park and enjoying the start of the long light evenings that hopefully are on their way. Dinner and wine outside with friends is everything. I am also making an effort to read more fiction at the moment, and currently loving ‘Conversations with friends’ that was gifted to me by one of my favorite friends to have conversations with!

Leah. Beach, beach, beach, and then some more beach (with a good book in hand—I’m currently diving into philosophy and devouring the Bhagavad Gita)

Milda. I’ve always been a book nerd, so books it is. Yoga books (Donna Farhi’s “Bringing yoga to life”), non-fiction (David Eagleman’s “The Brain”) or good ole crime thrillers (Camilla Lackberg’s “The Ice Princess”

The post Spring wellness and feel-good inspiration appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

This challenge is about the journey – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This is a challenge to meet you where YOU are, not where you think you should be! It’s a challenge that might surprise you of what you’re capable of. Most of all, it’s a challenge to just get close to feeling into your physical body to feel into the deeper subtle energies as you carry on with it.

Share your challenge photos on Instagram with the hashtags #summersaltchallenge and #B1G1. For each shared photo with the hashtag, we will give 7 days of access to life-saving clean water to people in Africa as a part of our giving back initiatives with B1G1 organization.

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