Secure This Autumn With Ayurveda

Autumn is the season of transition and it’s evident all around us. It is the preparation for winter and we can see small shrubs and trees gradually undressing. There is a mynute gradual browning of the earth. Even the temperature is in a state of uncertainty; it’s neither too hot nor too cold. When the temperature, humidity and length of the days change, as a new season begins we respond to this by desiring different food and lifestyle modifications.

According to Ayurveda, the year is divided into a span for six seasons split between two Ayana or solstice. The seasons of late winter, spring and summer belong to Uttarayana, the period where the sun is traversing to the northern hemisphere of the earth or the Summer solstice. While the later seasons of monsoon, autumn and early winter belong to Dakshiyanana or the period when sun is traversing to the south of the equator or in geological terms the winter solstice. During Uttarayana there is a general debilitating effect to both the environment and the body 1with the increased intensity of sun rays. Ayurveda considers seasonal routine as an important cornerstone of health, as, during all the seasons and seasonal swaps the body will show seasonal snags due to physiological accumulation of doshas, which has to be eliminated.

Ayurveda And Sarat Ritu

The period of Sarat Ritu, the fall follows the monsoon and awaits the winter. The sun shines bright in a clear sky and the land is predominantly wet. The predominant Rasa is Lavana and the predominant mahabhutas or constituent elements are Ap and Agni, the water and fire entities. When the sun rays escalate heat in the ensuring Sarat Ritu, the body becomes suddenly hot and the accumulated Pitta aggravates.

Doshic Status

For this reason, this season is the period of the fiery entity the Pitta. During the monsoon due to a slight drop in temperature, the pitta fails to aggravate and it rises in the fall.
It is due to this reason that fall is generally associated with complaints like conjunctivitis and bouts of diarrhoea for many. These snags are common to all and manifest due to physiological fluctuations of the doshas.
Ayurveda mentions Ritucharya, a set of norms in the form of dietary modifications and lifestyle adaptations that help to overcome these seasonal manifestations of various ailments 2.

Dietary Modifications

Beginning to observe the environment from a qualitative perspective empowers you to respond to daily and climatic fluctuations of your local climate. The first leap to this is the right diet regulations.
Acharya Agnivesh in Caraka Samhitha instils the importance of consuming more bitter, sweet and astringent predominant flavours to alleviate Pitta in the form of light preparations.
Staples like white rice, corn meal with vegetables from the guard family like snake gourd, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, etc can be used. While lunch and dinner can be a mix of steamed vegetables, soups and stews without much spice. Try to avoid hot and pungent food as much as possible.
The fusion of well cooked meat is also advised; at the same time restrict the use of seafood. While it is alright to include milk and ghee while cooking meals.
You may find that during the course of fall, you will naturally want to increase the intake of food, but be careful to follow the lead of your appetite and digestion.
It is also necessary to avoid alcoholic beverages, excessive use of heavy food, curd, sesame oil and marrow consumption, for all these can escalate the Pitta entity.

Lifestyle Restorations

One of the most promising ways to establish seasonal health is by inculcating a daily routine to pacify the dosha.
Set the tone of your day by rising in the early hours taking full advantage of the morning silence to practice some soothing yoga postures while calming your mind with the awakening of the early birds.
You can prefer long luscious baths after which it is indicated to anoint the body with soothing pastes such as sandal paste, camphor puffs or cuscus grass. Along with these, those who adore wearing pearls are also encouraged as it is a natural coolant that sufficiently helps to lower the sored levels of pitta.
To fill the blackness of the exterior, fresh plants and pleasant flowers may be used to fill the spaces inside. Feeling the evening breeze and spending fruitful time with your friends and family while receiving the cooling moonlight is an excellent way to feel relaxed without any expense.
It is advised to restrict abundant sunbathes, daytime sleep and exposure to frost, for it may result in unpleasant results.

The Right Detox

Now is a great time for an autumn cleanse, to buffer your health and foster your wellbeing for this season and beyond. A periodic cleanse is needed to flush the toxins and physiological accumulation of the biogenesis to achieve a sharper mental, physical and spiritual sphere.

Among Panchakarma or the five purification therapies administered in Ayurveda, Virechana and Rakta Moksha are advocated in Sarat Ritu. Virechana is the process of inducing stipulated purgation to pacify Pitta dosha. While Rakta Moksha or bloodletting is the method used to remove impure blood under stagnation. It is mandatory to undergo these procedures only under the guidance of ayurvedic physicians.

Herbal Support

Other than these methods you can also adopt Pitta pacification module by inkating Coolant herbs such as Chandana (Santanus alba), Goksura (Tribulus terrestris), Sariva (Hemidesmus indicus), Yastimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra) and considerably many more. Provided, the right formulations and the dosage of the needed medications should be taken as advised by your ayurvedic health care practitioner.

The primary aspect of Ayurvedic treatment is its preventive feature and can be achieved by the change in diet and practices in response to change in climatic transpose. This idea is to nourish yourself on all deeper aspects of repair, rejuvenation and revitalise all your components including mental, spiritual, physical and emotional states of wellbeing. Remember, a seasonal routine is an investment for your health. While on an individual level the modifications do vary from person to person, but it’s all about aligning your inner self with the energy outside. To fully enjoy the autumn, follow the ayurvedic seasonal routine mentioned by our great scholars all under the guidance of an ayurvedic physician.