STAY WARM IN WINTER

It's winter and it's getting colder outside, which means that according to Ayurveda we are in the vata/kapha season. Vata/kapha who? Eline van Dandelien will explain it to you in this article, but first a bit more about Ayurveda. This holistic healing method originated in India and has been practiced worldwide for over 5000 years. It is recognized as one of the oldest health sciences in existence and is based on the five element theory: ether, air, fire, water and earth.

These five elements are divided into the three doshas:
• Vata – air and ether
• Pitta – fire and water
• Kapha – water and earth
For a healthy body and mind it is important that these doshas are in balance and that your digestive fire functions properly.
In Ayurveda we start from the principles 'likes increases likes' and 'opposites balance' . Which means you have to do the opposite to stay warm. Take the cold of winter for example, to stay warm we provide warm clothing, warm food and other forms of comfort.

Winter and the Doshas
Ayurveda can be that simple and the great thing is that you can easily apply it in your daily life. Let's take it a step further and see which doshas belong to the winter season. The winter season is dominated by two doshas: vata and kapha . These doshas both have cold as a characteristic, which is also dominated by the winter season.

Vata, consists of the elements ether and air and represents the first part of winter.
Kapha, consists of the elements water and earth and belongs to the second part of winter.

For vata it is important to feed to counteract too much air (which can manifest itself in dry hands and lips, restlessness and insomnia). Kapha is a stable dosha that needs to keep moving. When we do not take care of movement kapha increases too much. Which in the winter can already lead to overweight and in the spring to typical spring ailments such as colds and hay fever.

For good health (and immune system) you want keep all doshas in balance . By living according to the season you can ensure that the dosha does not increase too much and bring balance in time.

Tips & tricks for winter
- Massage yourself daily with warm oil to combat the cold and nourish deep tissues. If daily sounds like too much of a task, schedule a time to do it once a week. Warm oil massage is called abhyanga in Ayurveda , read here step by step how to do it. Go for a warming, nourishing oil like sesame oil (or google an Ayurvedic oil for vata, it contains wonderful herbs).
- Do nasya (put something in your nose) with a cleansing oil such as sesame oil mixed with a drop of eucalyptus essential oil . This will help with a stuffy nose and keep the nasal passages lubricated.
- Get outside and get some exercise. Go for a walk or choose another form of exercise such as yoga. A sun salutation compensates for the lack of daylight . Furthermore, intensive and warming styles are good for the winter, such as ashtanga or bikram yoga.
- Make sure you have enough warmth , for example wash your hands with warm water and consume warm drinks and dishes. Skip salads this period and go for soups, curries and stews. Add spices (like ginger) to prevent too much Kapha when you eat a heavy stew.
- The scriptures recommend more sex in winter ;) .
- Are you familiar with breathing exercises? Then kaphalabãti and bãstrika are recommended. These pranayamas have a stimulating effect and ensure that mucus is broken down .
- Winter is also a time of stillness. Take the time to turn inward: meditate or keep a journal .
- Is kapha too high and are you suffering from a cold? Then take advantage of this Anti-cold remedy: Trikatu (a mixture of ginger, long pepper and black pepper) . Take it with equal parts of honey and your cold will disappear like snow in the sun.

Happy winter!

More Ayurveda? Eline van Dandelien offers coaching in the field of Ayurveda & Reiki and helps women to regain balance . As a mother of three, she knows better than anyone how to use Ayurveda easily and effectively and she has a special love for pregnancy and postpartum.

Are you pregnant? You can now register for the online Ayurveda x Yoga program: mama connect . Here you will receive information every month about the developments that take place with you and your baby, recipes, nutrition & lifestyle advice, yoga classes, meditations and 1-1 guidance from Eline.