A Warm Hello to Winter and Vata Season
December 21 marks the first day of winter. The east coast ushered in the beginning of winter with its first snowfall of the year. According to Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga, the period from late fall to early winter is Vata season. Ayurveda is an ancient system (dating back at least 2,000 years) of traditional Indian medicine designed to restore us to health and wellbeing by bringing back into balance the elements inherent in us from birth.
The word Ayurveda translates as “knowledge of life” (“ayur” meaning life and “veda” meaning knowledge.). According to Ayurveda, everything in existence is made up of five basic elements – earth, water, fire, air and ether. This includes our bodies, minds, emotions, psychology and so forth. Ayurveda further combines these elements into 3 distinct doshas (the life energies behind all bodily functions): vata (air and ether), pitta (fire and water), and kapha (water and earth.) Each one of us has our own unique combination or make-up of these three energies with one or two being the most predominant. We are born with this particular constitution and must keep it in balance to enjoy optimal physical and mental health.
Each season is also represented by one or more of the doshas. Ayurveda divides the year into 3 seasons – vata season which goes from late fall to early winter; kapha season, from late winter to early spring; and pitta season, from late spring to early fall. As we transition from fall to winter, it is dry, cold, windy, light and erratic, qualities associated with the elements of air and ether and characteristics of vata. There is an excess of vata energy during this time that can easily lead us into a vata imbalance. This manifests as dry skin, constipation, insomnia, anxiety or a general feeling of spacey-ness. Like trees in winter pulling the sap into their core to protect their roots, our body also protects itself from heat loss by reducing blood flow to the skin, arms and legs. Blood vessels constrict. Skin becomes dry and dull and pulse rate drops. Wind and sudden temperature shifts provoke high levels of stress.
This time of year, we want to care for ourselves in such a way to mitigate excess vata. Think warmth (eschew the iced coffee drinks until summer), turn on the stove, pull out the slow cooker. Eat cooked foods, casseroles, soups and stews incorporating root vegetables such as squash, sweet potatoes, carrots and beets – warming and grounding foods to lessen the dry, cold and light qualities of vata. This is the best time of year to eat animal protein. Add high quality oils to your cooking such as extra-virgin olive oil or ghee (clarified butter.) Cook with warming spices – cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and herbs such as turmeric which is anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial to support the immune system. Drink herbal teas, including ginger and organic tulsi to help support the lungs and immune system while warming the body.
This is a time to restore the body, gain strength and build resilience. Routine and rest is important to ward off vata imbalance. Go to bed early, take warm baths and showers, eat regular and nourishing meals, attend strength building and restorative yoga classes, read uplifting and inspiring material. Restore vitality to your skin and support good circulation by giving yourself a self-massage with sesame oil. Smooth muscle tissue, like the colon, become sluggish when the temperature and pulse rate drops. The colon, particularly sensitive to stress, is impacted by vata season. Introduce Aloe Vera gel or juice into your diet to keep the colon hydrated and healthy.
By creating a daily balancing routine that nourishes your mind, body and spirit you will find yourself more energized, centered and better able to maintain an internal sense of equilibrium in the months to come.
