If you have been noticing these signs lately, you are not alone.
And the good news is, there is something we can do that doesn’t involve more lotion or drinking more and peeing more!
If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, you must have been noticing that the seasons are changing. Days are getting shorter, temperatures are cooling down at night, and the wind may also be picking up.
Welcome to the Fall Season!
Which in Ayurveda is related to the Vata dosha, a certain type of energy, made up of Air and Ether, being, as you can imagine, dry, cold and mobile.
These 3 qualities – dry, cold and mobile – are what is happening around you and inside of you, leading you to feel dryer, colder and more agitated in your mind, with that whirlwind of things to do, projects to start or finish, worries to address,… or inside with a bit more gas, bloating, and a change in your digestion or elimination.
The simple trick that Ayurveda teaches us is to use the opposite to balance out the imbalance.
In this case, to bring back balance and ease in our body, we are invited to introduce more moist/oily, warm and heavy/stable qualities in our daily life.
What does this mean exactly?
Here is a sample of my favorite practices to handle this season
*Disclaimer: this content shall not be considered to be medical advice. The Reader applying these suggestions shall be required to use their own judgment in applying the information provided in this article to their own personal circumstances and may wish to get additional professional advice, including medical advice, where appropriate.
1) Start your day with a few drops of nasya oil in your nostrils – lie down on your back on one corner of your bed, having your head falling back towards the ground. Slightly insert the nasya oil dropper in one nostril, letting out two or three drops. Do the other nostril. And then use your thumb to block out one nostril after the other, sniffing up the oil, letting it go through the membrane of your brain. You can also gently massage your nostrils so that you get a nice coating of oil on the inside. The oil and herbs infused in that formula will ground and nourish your brain all day, helping you stay calm and at peace.
2) Switch your diet from raw foods and salads, to warm soups and nourishing casseroles. Adding extra oil, a teaspoon of ghee or coconut oil. Your body may have already let you know that salad season is over and soup season has started.
3) Add electrolytes to your daily water (a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon or lime for a cup of room temperature water is a simple way to do that); and sip on warm drinks throughout the day, herbal teas and caffeine-free drinks as much as possible.
4) Wear layers to keep warm when needed.
5) Introduce a self-oil massage or abhyanga. If not every day, try it once or a few times a week. Before your shower or bath. Oil your body from your feet to your neck, massage each area gently. Let it penetrate your skin before taking a relaxing hot shower or bath. I do agree that it is a messy practice that not everybody following you in your shower or bathtub will enjoy as it leaves slippery surfaces, requiring you also to check your drain every now and then, and discard your towels a few times a year. But, if you use a limited amount of oil, this practice of oiling your body will leave your skin glowing, your nervous system soothed and your whole body nourished. Use sunflower oil for a start and contact me for more individualized advice.
Take good care of yourself, that’s what this season is all about. Coming back inside, slowing down, and shedding the unnecessary to prepare for the winter.
Like my post and follow me on social media or register to get my newsletter for more.
You can also book a consultation with me if you want to learn more about how to support your body.