How Seasons Affect Our Health and Effect of Diet on Our Health?

SEASONS AND DOSHAS

RITU (SEASON)

Ritu (Season) categorized by distinctive features expresses different effects on the body as well as on the environment.

RITU (SEASONS) MASS (MONTH) PROPERTIES OF THE SEASONS
Shishira Magha and Phalguna
(Mid-January To Mid-March)		 Cold and dewy season
(Late winters)
Vasanta Chaitra And Baisakh
(Mid-March To Mid-May)		 Spring season
Grishma Jyeshtha And Aashadha
(Mid-May To Mid-July)		 Summer season
Varsha Shravan And Bhadrapada
(Mid-July To Mid-September)		 Rainy season
Sharad Aashvin And Kartika
(Mid-September To Mid-November)		 Autumn season
Hemant Margshirsha And Pausha
(Mid-November To Mid-January)		 Winter season

DOSHAS

VATA DOSHA

Accumulates in Dry or dehydrating heat of the summer. Aggravates in Rainy season.

PITTA DOSHA

Accumulates in Rainy season. Aggravates in autumn when the heat returns.

KAPHA DOSHA

Accumulates in Cold season. Aggravates in spring.

EFFECT OF SEASONS ON OUR HEALTH

SHISHIRA (MID-JANUARY TO MID-MARCH)

Deposition of the Kapha Dosha occurs. The strength of the person decreases. Agni (Catabolism) is in a higher state.

VASANTA (MID-MARCH TO MID-MAY)

Increased Kapha during Shishira gets liquefied by the heat of the sun (spring). The digestive fire (Agni) minimizes and causes many diseases.

GRISHMA (MID-MAY TO MID-JULY)

Kapha gradually decreases. Vata starts increasing. Agni of the person persists in mild state. The strength of the person lessens.

VARSHA (MID-JULY TO MID-SEPTEMBER)

The strength of the person again becomes less. Vitiation of Vata Dosha. Deposition of Pitta Dosha. The Agni (digestive activity) is weak. All these conditions cause many diseases.

SHARAD (MID-SEPTEMBER TO MID-NOVEMBER)

Sudden exposure to the warm rays of sun, aggravates Pitta during sharad (Autumn). Pacification of vitiated Vata Dosha. Increase in the activity of Agni. The strength of the person remains medium.

HEMANT (MID-NOVEMBER TO MID-JANUARY)

Powerful digestive fire, because it gets obstructed from flowing outward due to external winter. Vitiated Pitta Dosha gets pacified. Activity of Agni is increased. Improvement and increase in the strength.

EFFECT OF DIET ON OUR HEALTH

SHISHIRA (COLD AND DEWY SEASON)

Consume

Sweet, sour and salt taste foods help to reduce the vata. Preferred – Foods having Amla (sour) as the predominant taste.

GRAINS:-

  • Cereals and pulses,
  • Wheat/gram flour products
  • New rice, Corn

HERBS:-

  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Haritaki
  • Pippali

OTHER PRODUCTS:-

  • Sugarcane products.
  • Milk and milk products.

Avoid

Foods having Katu (pungent), Tikta (bitter), Kashaya (astringent) predominant Rasa.

VASANTA (SPRING SEASON)

Consume

Foods easily digestible.

CEREALS/PULSES:-

  • Barley
  • Wheat
  • Rice

OTHER FOODS:-

  • Honey
  • Roasted meat
  • Mango juice

Avoid

  • Food having cold potency and hard to digest
  • Food, sour, sweet and fatty food
  • Curd, Cold drink

GRISHMA (SUMMER SEASON)

Consume

Food – Madhura (sweet), Snigdha (unctuous), Sheeta (cold), and Drava (liquid)

CEREALS/PULSES:-

  • Rice
  • Lentil

DRINKING PLENTY OF WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS:-

  • Cold water
  • Buttermilk
  • Fruit juices (Mango juice)

Avoid

Food – Lavana and Katu (Pungent) and Amla (Sour) taste and Ushna (Warm) foods

VARSHA (RAINY SEASON)

Consume

Foods with Amla (sour) and Lavana (salty) taste and of Sneha (unctuous) qualities.

CEREALS/PULSES:-

  • Old barley
  • Rice and wheat

OTHER:-

  • Boiled water.
  • Mastu (thin water of yoghurt).

Avoid

Foods – Heavy and hard to digest foods, like meat.

SHARAD (AUTUMN SEASON)

Consume

  • Foods having Madhura (sweet) and Tikta (bitter) taste.
  • Laghu (Easily digestible food) and cold foods.

CEREALS/PULSES:-

  • Rice and Wheat
  • Green gram

OTHER:-

  • Amla
  • Honey
  • Sugar

Avoid

HOT, HEAVY, BITTER, SWEET, AND ASTRINGENT FOODS:-

  • Meat of aquatic animals
  • Curd
  • Oil and fat
  • Strong liquors

HEMANT (WINTER SEASON)

Consume

Sweet, sour, and salty foods.

CEREALS/PULSES:-

  • New rice
  • Flour preparations
  • Green gram
  • Masha

OTHERS:-

  • Various meats
  • Fats
  • Milk and milk products
  • Sugarcane products
  • Shidhu (fermented preparations)
  • Tila (sesame seeds)

Avoid

  • Vata aggravating foods like Laghu (light), cold, and dry foods.
  • Cold drinks.