Spring represents the time of the year when new life is sprouting to birth and change takes place in nature. Spring reminds us that some tough times can be rewarding and fruitful in the end. We can learn so much from just looking at all the change that happens in nature around us and Spring is a primary example of how one should embrace the difficult times with grace!
“Spring is a gentle reminder of how beautiful, change can really be! ”
Ayurveda is a science of self-healing which explains that a person’s health completely depends on what kind of diet they consume and type of lifestyle they lead. Ayurveda describes when it comes to health every individual has to be mindful and must lead a conscious life. According to Ayurveda, health and well-being of a person can be influenced by changes in weather and external environment. Ayurveda says that one must follow a specified diet and lifestyle which is in harmony with the nature they live in. To aid in this, Ayurveda has laid out detailed daily and seasonal regimen one should follow in a season.
DIET & LIFESTYLE TO FAVOUR DURING SPRING
Tastes – Pungent, Bitter and astringent are the tastes recommended for spring. These tastes help in reducing Kapha in the body which is predominant in spring.Legumes like garbanzo beans, Yellow split peas, pinto beans and red beans are good as they are warming and protein source to body. Meats like Turkey, Chicken, Rabbit and Venison are recommended. Vegetables like Artichoke, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Asparagus, Green beans, Radishes, Kale, Eggplant, Spinach, okra, garlic and onions. These vegetables are to be used along with hot spices like Black pepper, Chilli powder, Cardamom, Caraway, safoetida and Cayenne. 
Exercise –Spring is ideal for taking walk in the garden, park while enjoying the beautiful colours of spring. It is simple and yet excellent way of exercising in spring. If you are looking for more exercise in spring some of these Yoga postures are also good: Sun salutations, Kapha reducing poses like cow, Bow, Fish, Boat, Locus, Lion and Locust are good in spring
Spring Drinks – Drinking tea made with herbs like ginger, fennel, black pepper and cardamom is good for spring allergies like hay fever, allergic rhinitis, and cough and cold. Honey is warming and alleviating for Kapha.
“Drink a tea made of hot water with a teaspoon of Turmeric Honey in it every morning.”- Kapha reducing and warming.
IMPORTANCE OF SPRING CLEANSE
Spring cleaning is an annual ritual or tradition followed in European countries. Spring cleaning is to eliminate and get rid of all the dust and dirt that has accumulated during winter months due to closed doors, windows and fireplaces. Ayurveda Spring cleanse talks in the similar lines when it comes to our body. Ayurveda says that Kapha Dosha (one of the three Doshas or humours) which gets accumulated due to the cold and damp weather during winter will cause several health conditions once the sun rays hit our body during Spring. Therefore, we see lot of allergies in Spring like rhinitis, sinusitis and respiratory conditions. We can prevent and eliminate most of these conditions if we follow a Kapha alleviating diet and life style regimen and start our spring routine with a gentle cleanse.
Winter is a gloomy season with cold and wet weather which can lead to mental lethargy or emotional back hold. So, not only our body needs a deep and thorough cleanse, but our emotional mind also needs to get rid of any unwanted thoughts and emotions that has been blocked inside our emotional mind.
USES OF SPRING AYURVEDA CLEANSE
- IMPROVES DIGESTION
- REMOVES MUCUS AND EXCESS PHLEGM FROM THE BODY
- AIDS IN FAT/CELLULITE REMOVAL
- PREVENTS ALLERGIES
- KICK STARTS APPETITE
- ELIMINATES ACCUMULATED AMA/TOXINS FROM DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
- IMPROVES SKIN HEALTH
- ACTIVATES IMMUNE SYSTEM
- EMOTIONAL CLARITY
5 DAY SPRING CLEANSE
A 5-day spring cleanse is a good start for someone who has never done any Ayurveda cleanse before or have minimal idea of how this works. It includes following a specific Kapha alleviating diet & regimen which expel any excess Kapha from your diet. Generally, Ayurveda cleanse focuses on improving a person’s overall health but seasonal cleanse in general focuses on removing specific Dosha alleviation like here we are trying to get rid of any excess Kapha from your body. If you are interested in learning more about this cleanse. Join me for my upcoming 5 Day Spring cleanse here.
Dr.Varalakshmi Yanamandra is an Ayurveda practitioner and Health coach in UK. As an Ayurveda Health coach, she does more than just coaching people. She is very passionate about spreading her Ayurveda knowledge and empowering people through social media via her posts and online courses. Offline, she helps people with chronic pain management using holistic therapies and diet modifications and online she coaches people to make healthy choices and to lead a holistic life. She speaks on several public stages and teaches Ayurveda as faculty member for Europe Ayurveda Academy. She is the director of Ayur Wellness and Pain Centre a wellness centre based in Birmingham, UK. Find out more on: @drvaralakshmi and www.ayurnilayam.co.uk