Monsoon Season (Varsha Ritu) & Ayurveda

As the gentle rains touch the earth, bringing life back to the land, a hidden treasure is waiting to be rediscovered – the ancient science of Ayurveda. The Monsoon season has long been regarded as the most opportune time for wellness treatments and for good reason. Even ancient writings explained about the virtues of indulging in classical Ayurveda practices during monsoon. The key lies in understanding how the drastic change in weather affects our bodies and minds.

Monsoon season is categorized as Varsha Ritu in Ayurveda. Monsoon is the most awaited season of all seasons, as it brings about vivid changes not only in the nature but also in the body. Our body is more susceptible to health issues during rainy season, because Monsoon reduces the digestive fire in our body. Our body constantly gets affected with indigestion problems, viral fever, malaise etc. So we must keep our body resistant against such diseases by balancing the Doshas during this season in order to uphold a healthy constitution.

Regimen during Monsoon:

Ayurveda describes aggravation (vitiation) of Vata and accumulation of Pitta in Varsha Ritu (Rainy/Monsoon season). This is the major cause of various diseases occurring during this season. The food and lifestyle should thus be such which helps in balancing Vata and Pitta.

Ayurveda, the age-old science of life, prescribes specific regimens regarding diet and lifestyle to acclimatize to the seasonal and climatic changes.

Diet during Monsoon:

Water available in the reservoirs during monsoon is dirty and comparatively heavy to digest and the metabolism is sluggish. An individual is likely to experience loss of appetite. Hence following changes in diet and lifestyle is advisable during the Monsoon:

1. Consume light and fresh foods prepared from old grains of barley, wheat & rice to preserve Agni (Digestive fire).
2. Include cow’s ghee, lentils, green gram (moong dal), rice and wheat in daily diet.
3. Consume a small piece of ginger with rock salt before every meal.
4. Use spices such as pepper, ginger, asafoetida, garlic, cumin powder, coriander and turmeric powder to enhance your digestive capability. These help to improve your immunity too.
5. To ensure removal of germs, drink only boiled and cooled water. Water should be consumed within 24 hours of boiling, honey can be added in water before consumption.
6. Addition of ginger and green gram in daily diet is beneficial.
7. Eating of warm food and avoiding uncooked foods and salads is better.
8. Consumption of leafy vegetables need to be avoided during Monsoon.
9. Boil water with dry ginger and coriander seeds and drink the same when thirsty.
10. Avoidance of curds, red meat and any food stuff, which takes longer time to digest is good during the monsoon. One may have buttermilk instead of curds.
11. Consumption of Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) with rock salt in Monsoon season is beneficial to health.

Life style during Monsoon:

Consumption of a healthy diet may not provide desired results unless it is supported by certain lifestyle choices:

1. Avoiding sleep in daytime as it hampers digestion and slows down the metabolism rate.
2. Fasting is especially recommended in the Monsoon season, particularly for people fond of socialising and erratic eating. We can gain a lot of health benefits simply by observing a weekly fast during Monsoon. It helps to improve our digestive fire.
3. Over exertion and over exposure to sun specially in afternoon has to be avoided.
4. Fumigative disinfectant like loban and dry neem leaves or Aparajitha dhooma choornamshould to be used inside the house. It’s effective in cleansing the air of microbial presence
5. Best season for conducting Panchakarma, one can undergo Anuvasan Vasti (Oil enema) and Asthapana Vasti (Decoction enema) for keeping healthy throughout the year.

Ayurveda-Inspired Recipes for Monsoon:

Here are two Ayurveda-inspired recipes that can enhance our well-being during the Monsoon:

Ginger-Turmeric Tea (Immunity Booster):

Ingredients:

• Small piece of fresh ginger, grated
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• A pinch of black pepper
• 2 cups of water

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil.
2. Add the grated ginger, turmeric powder and black pepper.
3. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.
4. Strain the tea into cups.

Moong Dal Khichdi (Gut-Friendly):

Ingredients:

• ½ cup moong dal (split yellow lentils)
• ½ cup barnyard millet/rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon cow ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt (as per requirement)

Instructions:

1. Rinse the moong dal and Rice/ Barnyard millet together until the water runs clear.
2. In a pressure cooker, heat ghee and add cumin seeds.
3. Once the seeds crackle, add turmeric powder and saute for a few seconds.
4. Add the rinsed moong dal and rice to the cooker.
5. Add water and salt, and give it a stir.
6. Close the pressure cooker and cook for 3-4 whistles on medium heat.
7. Let the pressure release naturally before opening the cooker.
8. Serve this nourishing khichdi with a spoon of ghee and enjoy its gut-friendly benefits.

The intake of a special gruel called ‘Aushada Kanji’, made of various therapeutic herbs, is crucial to the diet this season. In Ayurveda, food has an important role. In fact, the ancient texts on the subject say, “Food is medicine when consumed properly”. There are various recipes to make the gruel with the ingredients mainly consisting of Navara rice, fenugreek seeds, dried ginger, crushed pepper, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, garlic, carom seeds and coconut milk. Once can choose the ingredients and quantity based on the individual’s specific nature and needs.

Conclusion

This holistic rejuvenation process consisting of a special diet, lifestyle changes and effective use of Panchakarma therapies prevent the body from different health issues arising during Monsoon season.

Therefore a quiet and leisurely lifestyle is ideal during this time. When all these regimens are done, an individual will come to a perfect adjustment through the long use of a given lifestyle, which is known as “Oka-satmya” (Diet or Regimen suitable to the person because of regular use).

Balancing our diet during Monsoon (Varsha Ritu) is essential to maintain harmony and support our overall well-being. By incorporating warm, light, and easily digestible foods, along with ground spices and an abundance of seasonal vegetables, we can pacify the imbalanced Vata and Pitta Doshas. Additionally, Ayurveda-inspired recipes like Ginger-Turmeric Tea and Moong Dal Khichdi can provide nourishment and support our immune system.

Article by: Modi Yoga Retreat & Wellness Centre, Rishikesh (India)