March Wellness Map
Focus
In March, we say good-bye to Winter and welcome the Spring Solstice later in the month. Generally speaking, we are still experiencing an excess of cold dampness, or Kapha. However, we now can see some occasional temperature swings (in Colorado, we can have 60˚F one day and a snowstorm the very next), which can create anxiousness in those with more of a Vata (dry, airy) constitution (see also my post about Vata exhaustion, which can be confused with Kapha aggravation).
With warmer days popping in here and there like old friends, I’m starting to see bees on the patio and buds on the Aspens. It truly feels like we are beginning to come out of our long hibernation (weehooo), but sometimes that can throw the body out of whack. Here are three things you can do during this roller coaster of a month to feel better:
With this emergence can also come the emergence of mucus (not as welcome an old friend as the honeybee). This is our body’s way of saying it is a little overwhelmed as it’s trying to flush out the build-up of fats that were meant to keep us warm during the colder months. Stay with neti pot (see the February Map) and nasya (nose oil) to help make this spring purging less awful.
Warming movement is very important during this time to help your body push those stagnant fluids from the Winter out of your body. Take advantage of the sunshine, put on your sunscreen, and enjoy a hike or a walk around the neighborhood noticing the buds growing on the trees and perhaps some crocus starting to push their tender greens up through the snow. If it’s a cold or snowy day, do some gentle movement inside such as my gentle grounding flow.
If feeling sluggish, start your day with an invigorating all over dry brush, followed by abhyanga (warm oil self-massage from tip to toe). However, if erratic temperatures have you feeling anxious, skip the dry brushing and just stick to the Abhyanga.
Nourish
Firmly in Kapha season for the next couple of months, our goal is to lighten up the heaviness of the season. When the sun comes out, it creates pools of water on our lawns and little rivers running down the street gutters as it melts the accumulated snow and ice. We can counter the heavy, wet, and cold with lightness, dryness and warmth.
Taste-wise, we can do this by highlighting bitter, pungent and astringent tastes, along with a smidge of sour here and there for added warmth, while also looking utilizing light, dry and warming (and of course seasonal) ingredients.
Here are some foods to try if you are feeling the effects of Kapha:
Bitter foods: leafy greens like kale and swiss chard, eggplant, sesame seeds, chocolate, coffee, brussel sprouts, tea, zucchini, cumin, dill, turmeric. These foods stimulate the healthy flow of bile.
Pungent foods: heating spices like garlic, ginger, chilis, mustard, radish, black pepper and clove. Buckwheat, my favorite spring grain is also in this category. These foods heat your digestive system and really rev up your agni. If you are Pitta inflamed this spring, lay off of this category and instead incorporate sweet tastes.
Astringent foods: apples, pomegranate, avocado, sprouts, most raw vegetables, beans, popcorn, coriander, fennel, and parsley. These substances have a drying nature.
One of my favorite spring breakfasts is Cottage Cheese and Puffed Rice. While cottage cheese seems heavy and wet, it is easier to digest and lighter than most other dairy products and you can pretty easily make a batch at home yourself if you prefer. To balance it out and make it even tastier, I pair it with a seasoned puffed rice that is simple to make and nourishing. I find this to be especially pacifying during a hotter and drier winter day, where I'm straddling Vata and Kapha influences. I turn the leftover puffed rice into convenient bars by adding local honey, which is heating and works to removing toxin buildup in the system, coating all the grains, then pushing it into a pan and sticking it in the fridge to set up. Local honey can also help to battle your seasonal allergies, looming right around the corner.
Another great addition to your menu in Kapha season is barley. Both sweet and astringent, barley is one of my absolute favorite spring grains that keeps me satisfied long after the meal, helping to prevent the urge to snack. In my ABC Spring Barley Bowl (pictured at right), I combine this heating grain with Arugula, roasted beets and carrots drizzled with a honey balsamic dressing spiced with the Kapha-reducing spice blend. It’s a favorite on cold and warm days alike.
For my soup lovers (that would be me), one of my surprise favorite soups for the season is my teacher Laura Plumb’s Celery soup. The first time I decided to make it was with trepidation, but it quickly became a seasonal favorite of mine. Celery is a powerhouse cleanser, removing built up mucous and removing toxins as well as excess water from the system. Feeling sloggy? Try it out; you won’t regret it.
Practice - Reset
March is generally thought of as the best time of year for an Ayurvedic reset or cleanse. The unwelcoming weather kept many of us inside more than out, and our natural drive was to eat and build up our stores to protect our bodies from the cold. It is now time to purge those stores and as a result we can experience Kapha aggravation which can mean a feeling of heaviness, mucous, lack of motivation, and maybe sticky stools. This is where an Ayurvedic seasonal reset can help greatly in our quality of life.
A reset doesn’t have to be hard or repressive in order to make a difference in your digestion. There are as many ways to reset as there are people on this planet! A reset that appeals to you is the reset that is best for you. Listen to your body, always.
A very accessible reset can be as easy as removing wheat, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, meat and sugar from your diet for 1-5 days. Eat organic, homemade, seasonal grains, root vegetables, nuts and seeds while drinking warm water with lemon or lime, and herbal teas throughout the day.
If you are feeling Vata aggravated, a reset can also include mindfully sitting at the table for three meals at consistent times for those 1-5 days, making sure you don’t skip any meals. For Pitta, making a mindful effort to abstain from snacking, ensuring you are present for each meal and slowly chewing, experiencing each taste is beneficial. Kaphas, who are already provoked this season, could do well with abstaining from dinner one evening and eating a light breakfast the following morning, making sure to get in some movement.
By giving our digestive system a bit of a break from just those six substances that can aggravate it, we can greatly improve its functioning. Cleanses abound this time of year with good reason, but, per Ayurveda, it’s important to include the rejuvenatives as well as the extractives.
Feel like you need more structure, or to be held accountable? I have moved all my seasonal cleanses and resets to my Patreon Group. Join me in this informative and supportive community of Ayurveda lovers like you!
Important note: The information provided is general guidance in accordance with Ayurvedic seasonal living. Every human is different; yoga and Ayurveda treat the individual and work best when tailored to your unique constitution. Contact me to learn more.