581: How Springtime Nourishes our Mental and Physical Health
In this week's episode of the Anxiety Slayer podcast, we're talking about how the Spring season can help us nourish our mental and physical health.
Spring is the season that brings hope and energy, as nature blossoms around us and the air begins to warm up, we are invited to get outside more and stretch and breathe. It's also a time that encourages reflection on our personal growth, and aspirations.
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Points covered in this episode
Spring is the season that brings hope and energy, as nature blossoms around us and the air begins to warm up, we are invited to get outside more and stretch and breathe. It's also a time that encourages reflection on our personal growth and if we are in step with our aspirations.
Ayurveda recommends seasonal adjustments and self care called Ritucharya. Today we’re sharing some herbs and spices that support these adjustments and set us up for good health in the Spring.
Spring is cleansing season
Ayurveda recommends our diet becomes lighter with warm, easy to digest meals like soups, seasoned rice, grains and greens.
Waking earlier with the lighter mornings and stretching. Taking a walk, or practicing some yoga.
Essential oils for spring
Good scents for Spring are energizing, uplifting and clearing like: rosemary and frankincense.
spices for spring cleansing include
Ginger - known in Ayurveda as a Universal medicine because of it’s wide range of uses. Ginger is especially helpful for clearing the lungs, and boosting digestion and circulation. It’s warming nature is helpful to anyone of a vata nature and it can help ease anxiety.
Use fresh ginger in cooking and herbal teas (try adding a couple of slices of ginger root to your favorite herbal blend) or mix one tablespoonful of ground (powdered) ginger with 1-2 cups of Epsom Salts under hot running water for a cold easing, muscle soothing bath.
Turmeric - is good for cleansing the liver, clearing damp congestion from the body and clearing stagnant blood. Ayurvedic expert Dr David Frawley once said that if he could only take one herb on a desert island, he would choose turmeric.
Mint - is one of the beautiful green fragrant herbs that makes an appearance in Spring. It is calming to all three Ayurvedic types (though vata types shouldn’t overdo it), it is good for clearing congestion from the lungs, soothing coughs, opening the pores to help clear colds and Spring fevers.
Mint is believed to lift “heaviness” from the mind and to calm the nerves by balancing the flow of prana throughout the body. It soothes nausea, nervous stomach and intestinal cramps, and increases appetite.
Cinnamon - is a potent healer for Spring coughs and colds, it clears mucous and keeps the chest clear and open, and improves circulation. Cinnamon clears toxins, calms vata and gives strength to the body. Vata can benefit greatly from taking cinnamon and cloves with baked apples, or adding cinnamon bark to teas.
Cardamom - is good for coughs, and calms hiccoughs and nausea, it clears the nose and ears and helps soothe intestinal cramps. It clears accumulated kapha from the stomach and balances vata.
Spring teas
Good teas for Spring are clearing and awakening like peppermint, cardamom, cinnamon and ginger.
Revitalize by Pukka is the perfect tea for Spring with a combination of organic cardamom, cinnamon, clover, elderflower, ginger and green tea.
HOW THE DIFFERENT DOSHA TYPES ARE AFFECTED BY SEASONAL CHANGE
Kapha may need to get moving more and clear accumulated congestion from the Winter season.
Pitta may experience allergies and frustration.
Vata can enjoy the warmer air, the flowers and birdsong. Walking in nature and stretching and opening the chest is a wonderful way to engage with the Spring energy and reduce stress and anxiety.
For anxiety sufferers, this is a great time to reconsider self-care and practice calming breathing practices, yoga, and walking in nature.
ACTIVITIES THAT HELP US STAY BALANCED
Walking, especially in the morning.
Taking in the colors of spring.
Breathing exercises, particularly alternate nostril breathing. (You can find a guided Alternate Nostril Breathing practice on our Patreon at patreon.com/anxietyslayer)
Stretching outdoors with arms above the head, opening the chest and breathing in the warmer air.
Gardening, growing some vegetables, repotting plants or potting some herbs on your windowsill. Gardening helps get us in tune with the season and is grounding and calming to the mind.
HOW THE DIFFERENT DOSHA TYPES ARE AFFECTED BY SEASONAL CHANGE
Kapha may need to get moving more and clear accumulated congestion from the Winter season.
Pitta may experience allergies and frustration.
Vata can enjoy the warmer air, the flowers and birdsong. Walking in nature and stretching and opening the chest is a wonderful way to engage with the Spring energy and reduce stress and anxiety.
For anxiety sufferers, this is a great time to reconsider self-care and practice calming breathing practices, yoga, and walking in nature.
If you want to learn more about Ayurveda, and best practice to care for your Dosha type you’re welcome to continue on our Patreon where you can get a deeper dive into some of the topics we cover as well as over 100 downloads, including our guided relaxations, for supporting our show! Learn more at https://www.patreon.com/anxietyslayer