According to Ayurvedic principles, spring is considered a kapha season, a season when the elements water and earth are present. When water and earth combine, they encourage living matter to grow and new life is born; however, when there is too much water and earth, one can become figuratively stuck in the mud.

Kapha dosha is aggravated by qualities that are heavy, moist and cold; therefore, an important factor is not to aggravate these qualities and to focus on light, warm and dry qualities through food, activities and self-care rituals.

Common Kapha/spring imbalances

-Sobriety & lethargy in the mind

-Slow digestion

-Excess mucus, colds & sinus congestion

-Nausea

-Oily skin

-Cold and clammy skin

-Allergies, asthma, lung problems

The beauty of Ayurveda is that it gives simple, effective tips to deal with the above symptoms.

Here are some recommendations to keep yourself balanced during spring.

Avoid heavy and fatty foods.

Focus on leafy vegetables and vegetables with some bitterness (chicory, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, spinach, chard, lettuce, watercress, green beans, garden peas, artichoke, celery).

These vegetables contain the bitter and astringent flavours that help cleanse the body and counteract any congestion and heaviness in the digestive tract.

It is best to cook (oven, steam, stir-fry,…) your vegetables in the spring to stimulate that after-winter digestive fire a bit more, before you can move on to the (raw) summer salads.

Onions (not raw) and garlic can also stimulate the digestion and have a cleansing effect, next to herbs like ginger, curcuma, black pepper, oregano,…

Start your day with a cup of fresh ginger tea, possibly with some fresh lemon juice: it stimulates your digestion at the kick off of your day, the lemon stimulates the liver function.

For proteins, it is best to focus on the lighter proteins such as red lentils, eggs/egg white, fish and white meat. Red meat is a lot heavier, best limit it if you feel heaviness in your system.

Add (lightly roasted) seeds to your meals! Nuts are also possible, but if you experience a lot of heaviness, sluggishness or oily skin, it’s best to replace nuts with seeds.

If you like grains, go for the lighter grains instead of wheat pastas; quinoa, millet, maïs and basmati rice are a lighter alternative.

Avoid (a lot of) dairy, especially in the morning. Dairy promotes mucus and is often difficult to digest. If it is difficult to resist, opt for lighter varieties such as (limited and best fresh) sheep’s or goat’s cheese, coconut yoghurt, etc.

Go to bed early (around 22:00) and get up early (yup, together with the sun, around 6:00) – try it, it really works. Open your windows the soon you wake up. Bring the fresh air and oxygen in.

Move! A daily (morning) walk, put your running shoes back on – even when it is for only 10 minutes a day, do some more dynamic exercises f.i. yoga sun salutations.

Try to feel what you need to energize yourself... is it a coffee or a tea in a bar/on a terrace, is it joining a yoga or meditation class again, going for a retreat to pick up good habits so that you can implement them more easily in your daily life? Take time for yourself every day in between all your daily demands. Good daily habits are among the most powerful things that will determine and benefit your health in the short and long term.

Enjoy spring, the beauty and power that this season has to offer.

Be well,

Katrien