LIVE WELL IN VATA SEASON
Late autumn and early winter are the most wonderful times of the year, as the trees prepare to rest, leaving us the gift of golden coloured leaves that create a blanket beneath our feet. We too, prepare to nest by packing summer clothes and settling down to cosy nights in; hearts and minds protected from being exposed to unpredictable terrain. As with all things in Ayurveda, our wellbeing is guided by the elements and the shift in weather from sunshine to cold, dry, light, subtle and temperamental conditions brings these same qualities within. Our bodies feel colder, our skin feels parched and even hair becomes more static due to the dryness in the air. Emotionally we may find ourselves becoming erratic, displaced, more wakeful and quite literally unrooted. This is a time of transition, both physical and emotional and if we manage the changes required, we will emerge stronger of mind and body.
The elemental nature of autumn heightens vata imbalances in everyone, but those with a predominance of Vata need to take even more care. Before reading further, why not take our Dosha quiz to discover your dosha. Now, regardless of dosha, here are our simple tips to keep your Ayurveda in balance during these lighter, colder months.
- Eat fresh, seasonal warmed foods that nourish and ground and avoid raw foods and cold smoothies. See our recommended food list here.
- Add our Brain and Beauty booster to a spoon of raw honey and take each morning to lessen Vata imbalances.
- Sip plenty of warm water and infuse with ginger to keep colds at bay and enjoy our fragrant Surrender Infusion to ease digestion and aid restful sleep.
- Introduce a daily massage ritual (abhyanga) using our kansa domes to ease anxiety and tension, allowing stress to melt away and activate the 107 marma points in the face and body.
- Stick to routines of waking and sleeping, to keep Vata dosha grounded and secure and put away devices as soon as possible. Too much stimulation can cause further anxiety and wakefulness.
- Wake the sluggish system and buff away dry, dead skin cells with our Reawaken Collection and take a little time when using it to focus on positive aspects.
- Do get plenty of fresh air, but protect the skin with nourishing oils. As well as walking, stick to slow and strengthening exercise such as yoga, Pilates or barre core to keep joints supple and the mind alert and positive.
- Hair becomes particularly dry in Vata season and the cold air makes it prone to static – combat this by nourishing the scalp with Grow Strong Hair Oil and consider fitting a water softener to your shower.
- Not only does the outer layer of skin become dryer; so too do bones and internal organs, which leads to complications such as arthritis, so give yourself a deeply nourishing abhyanga massage with our Surrender oil.
- Just as the air tends to be changeable, so too do Vata sleep patterns. Give yourself plenty of time to prepare for a good night’s sleep and ensure your last meal is no less than 3 hours before sleeping. Have a nightly turmeric latte to soothe.