🌸 Ayurvedic Guidelines for Spring (Vasanta Ritu)

🌿 Seasonal Nature

• Dominant Dosha: Kapha (melts and liquefies during spring warmth)

• Qualities: Warm, moist, gentle, soft, unctuous

• Key Focus: Clear out accumulated Kapha from winter — prevent congestion, colds, and allergies.

• Recommended Cleansing: Panchakarma therapy to eliminate excess Kapha and strengthen immunity.

---

🍃 General Overview

Spring symbolizes renewal, energy, and flowering.
However, as stored Kapha begins to melt like winter snow, it can cause congestion, sluggishness, colds, sinus problems, or allergies, especially in Kapha-dominant individuals.
Hence, this is the best time for cleansing, detoxification, and lightness.

---

🧘 Daily Routine

• Wake up: Early, before sunrise (around 5:30–6:00 A.M.)

• Exercise: Morning walk, yoga, or light jogging to awaken circulation and metabolism.

• Yoga Asanas:

  • Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

  • Fish, Boat, Bow, Locust, Lion, and Camel poses

  • Shoulder Stand and Headstand
    → These help clear mucus, open the lungs, and balance Kapha.

• Pranayama:

  • Bhastrika (Bellows Breath) and Right Nostril breathing — energize and warm the body.

• Avoid daytime naps – they increase Kapha and sluggishness.

---

🥗 Dietary Guidelines

❌ Avoid

• Heavy, oily, sweet, salty, and sour foods (increase Kapha)

• Dairy products, especially in the morning

• Cold foods, ice cream, and chilled drinks

• Fried or excessively rich dishes

✅ Favor

• Tastes: Bitter, pungent, astringent

• Foods:

  • Legumes: yellow split peas, red lentils, chickpeas, pinto beans

  • Vegetables: radish, spinach, okra, onion, garlic

  • Spices: ginger, black pepper, cayenne, chili (use moderately if Pitta or Vata)

• After meals: Drink tea made of ginger, black pepper, and cinnamon.

• Fats: Use minimal ghee or oil.

• Sweetener: Use honey (warming and Kapha-reducing).

  • Drink a cup of hot water with 1 tsp honey daily.

  • ⚠️ Never cook honey — it becomes toxic when heated.

• Lassi: End meals with a cup of freshly made lassi (yogurt diluted with water and spices).

🍖 Non-vegetarian Options

• Permitted: Chicken, turkey, rabbit, venison

• Avoid: Seafood, crab, lobster, duck

🧃 Fasting

• Occasional juice fasting (apple, pomegranate, or berry juice) helps detoxify and balance Kapha.

---

🌺 Beneficial Herbs

• Spices: Ginger, black pepper, pippali

• Digestive Teas: Equal parts cumin, coriander, fennel

• Ayurvedic Formulas: Sitopaladi, Punarnava, Sudarshan — for respiratory and Kapha cleansing.

---

☀️ Lifestyle Notes

• Keep active and avoid lethargy — movement balances Kapha.

• Stay warm but avoid overheating.

• Keep your surroundings clean and airy to reflect the freshness of the season.

• As spring turns warmer, gradually shift toward a Pitta-pacifying (summer) lifestyle.