169: Ayurveda For The Winter Season

Welcome to the Peaceful Power Podcast today we are breaking down Ayurveda and your guide to the winter season.

The winter time depending on where you live can be a brutal one for many people. The weather gets colder the snow can seem like it never will end, driving on ice, the sun never seems to shine. Yes I live in a cold weather state with not a ton of warm sun from November-April. If you also live in a place like this it actually does serve a purpose it's the perfect time to go inwards. Meaning we love to stay home, cozy up by the fire, take things off our plate, drink warm beverages & soups, snuggle with family. Those are all great things to do at this time of the year. There are even more things to do to keep warm & toasty during the colder months.

Ayurvedic Winter Tips

• Keep your agni high- Agni is your digestive fire. In the winter constipation can occur as your colon starts to get cold & dry much like your skin. So making sure you're eating foods to keep things moving. Such as soups, warm veggies, warm drinks, room temperature water. All of those help you keep your agni high which keeps your ama (toxins) lower. Which means you stay healthier which we all want during those winter months.

 

• Sip on warm tea or water throughout the day-  I love tea and look forward to my 2 afternoon cups. My favorite kind currently is Numi -Roobibos Chai Tea plus it has no caffeine so perfect to keep you toasty in the cold weather. If you start to feel as if you're coming down with the sniffles make a cup of warm water, add 1/2 lemon the juice part, cinnamon, a dab of honey, a 1/2 inch of fresh ginger and a sprinkle of turmeric. That is perfect for helping keep your immune system high. I also enjoy taking a few shots of my fire cider which you can find the recipe over on my blog here.

 

• Take a warm bath and add lavender to it to help relax the muscles or ginger to help stimulate the muscles.

 

• Go to bed between 9-10pm- One of my favorite things to do in the winter. I get up early and I don't mind going to bed as early as 8pm some evenings. Now if you're someone who currently goes to bed at midnight start by going to bed at 11:45pm and slowly work your way back by 15 minutes until you get to 10pm. It's also the time we can get extra sleep so don't feel bad if you need extra hours during the winter months it's quite common and honor your body depending on how it feels when you wake up.

 

• Dress in layers- Yes your grandma was right wear layers. You can wear a sweater and a shirt underneath. We never know how warm someone keeps their home compared to us. I personally always bring along a sweater or jacket if I'm going somewhere new as I travel to many clients homes and everyone has a different set temperature they keep their homes at so I might need to layer up or down depending on where I'm at much like we all do. Your office could be colder than you prefer so you may need an extra thick pair of socks or slippers (if you can wear that at work) or maybe a blanket to throw on your lap. Another winter dressing tip is to try not to wear too much black or blue. That will bring down your mood. It makes us feel a little empty and lonely so the colder, more lonely season makes us feel a little more alone.

 

• Avoid raw & cold foods- Just like the dry weather going on outside we need to make sure we eat foods that are more oily, warm & cooked. That will help keep things moving.

 

• Give yourself a massage every morning- In Ayurveda they call it abhyanga. It will help ground the scattered energy, anxiety and it's a warming oil that will make us feel nourished and taken care of. Sesame oil is great for the winter months. If you want an oil for your dosha or to treat an imbalance vata dosha responds well to sesame oil or mahanarayan oil. Pitta dosha responds well with coconut oil or neem. Kapha dosha responds well to sesame, almond oil or olive oil.

 

• Be a homebody- Feel free to stay home this winter season. Enjoy being in the cozy comforts of your surroundings. Enjoy the fun of snuggling by the fire and binging on Netflix.

 

• Enjoy golden milk before bed- Drink golden milk an hour or so before bed. Here is a sample recipe of golden milk. This is a great calming drink before bed to help you sleep through the night.

 

• Workouts- You can be more active in the winter months. You want to bring in fire because it's colder outside and the body is comfortable adding in the extra intensity. Now is the time for HIIT or hot yoga. Notice what the body craves and start to slowly make those changes during the winter months.

Weekly Challenge:

Try 1-2 of the winter tips to incorporate into your routine this winter season.

 

 

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