Ayurveda remedies

Ayurveda describes aggravation (vitiation) of Vata and accumulation of Pita in Varsha ritu (Rainy/monsoon season). This is the major cause of various diseases occurring during the rainy season. The food and lifestyle should thus be such which helps in balancing Vata and Pitta

Dietz: Water available in the reservoirs during monsoon is comparatively heavy to digest and the metabolism is sluggish during this period. An individual is likely to experience loss of appetite. Hence following changes in diet and lifestyle is advisable during monsoon:

• Consume  light and fresh foods prepared from barley, rice and wheat
• Include cow’s ghee, lentils, green gram, rice and wheat in your daily diet.
• Consume small pieces of ginger with rock salt before every meal.
• Use sour and salted soups of vegetables. Onion and other vegetables.
• During cooler days due to heavy rains, sour, salty and oily diets are preferred.
• Drinkng of boiled and cooled water mixed with little honey is recommended.
• Addtion of  ginger and green gram in daily diet is beneficial.
• Eating of warm food and avoiding uncooked foods and salads is better.
• Drinking of excess fluids to prevent further slowing down of metabolism is advisable.
• Avoid consuming stale food.
• Consumption of leafy vegetables need to be avoided during monsoon.
• Avoidance of curds, red meat and any foodstuff, which takes a longer time to digest is good during the monsoon. One may have buttermilk instead of curds.
• Consumption of  ‘Haritaki /Harad (Terminalia chebula) with rock salt in the monsoon season is beneficial to health.

lifestyle: Consumption of healthy diet only may not provide desired results unless it is supported by lifestyle beneficial for monsoon. Following are the tips for the important changes in lifestyle of the rainy /monsoon season.

• Avoiding sleep in the daytime is good as it hampers digestion and slows down the metabolism.
• Over exertion and over exposure to sun, especially  in the afternoon, is required to be avoided.
• Keep the surrounding dry and clean and not allow water to get accumulated around.
• Keep body warm, to protect against any attack from viruses as and when body temperature goes down.
• Avoid entering an air-conditioned room with wet hair and damp clothes.
• Avoid walking in dirty/dampened water.
• Feets are required to be kept dry.

NOTE: As per Ayurveda abrupt changes of diet and lifestyle suitable for a particular season need to be avoided. The changes must be gradual over a period of 15 days by giving up the earlier lifestyle and adopting a new one for the acclimatization. If abrupt changes are brought, the body may not be able to cope with them and this could lead to problems.

Source: National Health Portal