Have you observed that each person has a preferred time of the year, much like a plant that blooms in a particular season? Based on their unique dosha profiles, individuals may experience seasons differently. The three doshas - Vata, Pitta, and Kapha - vary in their amounts in each person, making us distinct from one another. Ayurveda has been celebrating individuality long before the modern body-positive movement.
As a philosophy, Ayurveda focuses on aligning humans with their immediate environment naturally. Even if we choose to sit in an air-conditioned room with the sun blocked out, it's impossible to escape the seasonal effects.
Ayurveda advocates for living in harmony inside out as the simplest way to maintain good health. The Ritu Charya, a chapter on seasonal regimens in Ayurvedic texts, outlines how one can adapt their lifestyle, diet, and leisure activities based on the seasons.
Grishma: During summer the sun's rays become stronger each day. It depletes the Kapha and increases the Vata dosha. Resorting to food and lifestyle that is inherently warm and heats up the system should be avoided. salty, sour, and spicy foods, strenuous exercises, and exposure to sunlight should be avoided.
Foods that are inherently sweet (not artificially sweetened), rich in natural oils and fats, and cooling soft and watery are advised. eg. Milk, Sattu, etc.
This article attempts to help you determine the best of the following based on your Prakriti.
Vata Dominant Prakriti: Vata dominant individuals have thin, wiry, lanky bodies. They tell the best jokes or are the target of them. They put on weight with difficulty and when they do, they carry it in a pouch on their abdomen. Their skin tends to be dry, they have dry eyes and hair. They are intolerant to cold. Summer is quite naturally their favorite season. They are spacey, creative, and sometimes dreamy. They like to think things through, sometimes overthink, and suffer quick exhaustion.
If you are,
Diseased
Travel frequently
Older than 65 years,
have lost a significant (more than 10 kgs in 3 months) amount of weight recently
Feel constantly exerted and tired,
You may not naturally be a Vata-Prakriti but should follow a Vata balancing diet, because it may be your vikruti.
Pitta Dominant Prakriti: Pitta dominant individuals have a medium build and are often muscular. They have warm skin and undertone-reddish or yellowish. They may also have a physiology that denotes high heat in the body. Possess quick wit. keen digestion and a fiery temperament are characteristics of a pitta individual. They may suffer from Hyperacidity and have loose bowels. The face is bright, and radiant with rosacea or acne.
If you are suffering from,
Heat and exhaustion
Short menstrual cycles and excessive bleeding
Frequent Hyperacidity
Skipping meals, sleeping for less than 6 hours.
Stressed, with anger issues,
You should follow a Pitta-balancing diet because it may be your Vikruti.
Kapha Dominant Prakriti: They have big bodies that are often chubby. These are calm individuals and like to do things at their own pace. They have long thick hair, moist cool skin, and a bluish or whitish undertone. They find losing weight difficult but seem to function normally even at a higher BMI. Psychologically, they are complacent and sometimes sluggish. They are naturally traditional. Kaphas particularly despise summer. It is against their very nature of calm and coolness.
If you,
Indulge in a regular day of sleeping
Eat heavy, congestive food
Are overweight
Spend your day in air-conditioned (very cool) spaces.
Have metabolic disorders like Hypothyroidism, PCOS, or type 2 Diabetes,
Again, you may not be a Kapha-dominant individual but may have Kapha vikruti. Thus having a kapha-balancing diet can be beneficial.
You can have Single dosha dominance or dual dosha dominance. Rarely are some individuals endowed with a prakriti that's a perfect balance of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
Diet for summer, based on each dosha dominance in Prakriti :
​Food groups | Vata | Pitta | Kapha |
Grains | ​Rice Wheat Wheat + Jowar | ​Rice Barley + Wheat Barley Oats Jowar | Barley + Wheat Barley Dark coloured/ nonwhite rice Oats Jowar Ragi |
Fats | Ghee Butter Sesame oil Castor oil Ground nut oil | Ghee Butter Coconut oil Sunflower oil Ground nut oil | Ghee Safflower oil Sunflower oil Mustard oil Sesame oil |
Pulses and Legumes | Tur (Pigeon pea) Kulitha (Horse gram) Udad (Black gram) | Moong Cow pea Masura Tur (pigeon pea) Chana (Bengal gram) Moth (Mat bean) | Kapha-dominant Individuals digest all kinds of legumes and pulses well. However, its use should be limited during high summer. |
Spices and condiments | ​Jeera (cumin seeds) Hingu (Asafoetida) Salt-in moderation Maricha (Black pepper) Shunthi (Dry ginger) Pippali ( Long pepper) Cane sugar | Elaichi (Cardamom) Dalchini (Cinnamon) Tej Patta (Bay leaf) Maricha (Black Pepper) Jeera (Cumin seeds) Saunf (Fennel seeds) Palm sugar Mishri (Sugar Candy) | ​Jeera (cumin seeds) Hingu (Asafoetida) Maricha (Black pepper) Shunthi (Dry ginger) Pippali ( Long pepper) Lavnaga (Clove) Cane sugar - In moderation |
Drinks and accompaniments | Shrikhand (Rasala) Aam Panna Lemonade Kanji (Ganji) Takra (Buttermilk) Imli Panna | Shrikhand (Rasala) Sharkarodaka (Recipe Below) Dhaniya Panna (Recipe below) | Takra (buttermilk) Kanji (Ganji) Jali (Recipe below) |
Vegetables | All seasonal vegetables are good except beans. Beans can increase Vata. | All seasonal vegetables | All seasonal vegetables |
Fruits Avoid all fruits with milk, including mangoes. | Mango Melons Ripe Jackfruit Banana Bael Kapittha (Wood apple) Pomegranate Mulberry | Grapes Melons should be eaten with their seeds Citrus fruits should be avoided or eaten minimally Mango: Drink warm milk with ghee after 30 minutes of consuming mangoes. | Bael Jamun Mangoes : Drink warm milk with dry ginger powder after 30 minutes of consuming mangoes. |
Mouth Freshener | Dill seeds Linseed Clove Hing (Asafoetida) goli Tamarind candy Anar (pomegranate) dana | Fennel Seeds Cardamom Paan (betel leaf) and Gulkand (Rose jam) | Areca nut Clove Jeera (Cumin seeds) Ajwain (carom seeds) Paan (betel leaf) and Choona (Slaked lime) |
​Asana and Exercises | Mild bodyweight exercise and weight training. Asana that are slow paced and include raising the legs up is beneficial (e.g. Sarvangasana) | ​Competitive workouts should be avoided during summer. The focus should be on building strength. Chandra-namaskar are beneficial | Light aerobic workouts. Walks during dusk and dawn. Gatyamak Yogasana. |
End note:
This dietary advice is for healthy individuals who do not suffer from metabolic or chronic diseases. In case you suffer from chronic or metabolic diseases, it is good to consult an Ayurvedic expert. A tailor-made diet plan suitable for each season will help you live through them gracefully. It's summertime, stay healthy and you can stretch right up and touch the sky.
Unconventional but ayurvedic summertime drinks:
Sharkarodaka:
Mishri dissolved in water and spiced with cardamom, clove, camphor, and black pepper.
It relieves thirst, increases strength, and is cooling. It specifically balances Pitta and Vata dosha.
Dhaniya Panna:
Coriander powder soaked and filtered in cool water. Mixed with sugar, and camphor.
This drink balances Pitta dosha, relieving heat and thirst.
Jali:
Raw mango is ground to a paste and mixed with powders of Mustard seeds, Salt, and Asafoetida. This is then mixed with water to make a drink
It helps improve taste, cleanses the throat, and kindles digestion.
General dont's for summer :
Intense workouts
Venturing out in the summer sun
Frequent coitus
Strong/hard alcohol
Informative and well concised , looking forward for more.😀