Everybody is enjoying the Rain. Rain is beautiful gift to mankind to get fresh, its season of Romance. During the rainy season, our digestive fire is weakened and so digestive system need special precaution in this time. This is the season where so many diseases can occur in our body due to imbalanced Vata dosha particularly. Along with Vata dosha, Pitta and Kapha also imbalanced causing various diseases. . Little precaution and some good habits makes this romantic season more enjoyable.
In India, Some habits and precaution are told in all religious holy books. They says, To be spiritual, we must be Healthy. Good healthy body is the 1st step to achieve status of spirituality.
शरीरं आद्य खलु धर्म साधनम्…I
They told some habits of food to follow in particular manners, they advised some things to avoid for this four months of Monsoon ( called Chatur Maas) to have healthy body, mind and soul as well. But all this indication of various religions like Hinduism, Jainism etc are for better Health.
चातुर्मास्ये नरो यो वै त्यजे अन्नादि भक्षणं I
स गच्छति हरि सायुज्यं न भूयस्तु प्रजायते II
It’s told by the medium of God so the person on this earth will believe in it and follow it sincerely. But all this things also told in Ayurveda and now these things are proved scientifically also.Ayurveda told these things as a Rutu Charya( tips on how to behave in perticular season) for Beautiful Health, Physically as well as mentally.
Ayurveda texts says in the adhyaay of RutuCharya—
आस्थापनं शुद्ध तनु जीर्ण धान्यं रसान कृतान I
जाङ्गलं पिशितं युषान मध्वरिस्तं चिरन्तनं II
मस्तु सौवर्चल आध्यं व पञ्च्कोलव्चुर्नितं I
दिव्यं कौपं शुर्तं च अंभो भोजनं तवतिदुर्दिने II
व्यक्तंललवन्स्नेहं संशुष्कं क्षौद्रव्ल्लघु I
अपद्चारी सुरभि: सततं धुपितंबर : II
During this season Ayurveda recommends some list of Do and Don’ts, to make our body and Mind Healthy. Let’s have a look on some tips —
Do’s –
- Consume very simple food
- Food in this season should be easily digestible
- Drink only boiled and filtered water, and make sure that it is consumed within 24 hours of boiling.
- Take fresh and fresh prepared food and in little amount
- Consume food within 2 hours of preparing it
- Use of Ghee , Oil and salt is beneficial in small amount
- Use kitchen spices in food to correct your digestive fire
- Garlic, pepper, ginger, asafetida (hing), jeera powder, turmeric and coriander help enhance digestion and improve immunity.
- Consume food according to your digestive fire
- Having fruit or vegetable salads outside is also harmful because germs can easily grow there, always try and take home-made food during this season.
- Wheat, Wheat floor is good in this season, Moong dal is easy to digest and should be the dal of choice for the season.
- Vegetables recommended during the rains are the non-leafy ones such as — snake gourd (turi), gourd (dudhi), pointed gourd (parwal), yam (suran), cluster beans (gavaar), apple gourd (tinda) and bitter gourd (karela).
- It is better to stick to seasonal fruits because non-seasonal ones tend to get infested with worms during the monsoons. Among fruits, stick to pomegranates, mangoes, bananas, apples, litchees and cherries.
- Non-vegetarians should go in for lighter meat preparations like soups and stews rather than heavy curries
- Brown rice and bread are the best food items to go .with during monsoons.
- avoid foods such as pasta, soups, and other such foods which are meant t o be good host for the growth of bacteria
- When eating out, choose restaurants that conform to basic standards of quality and hygiene, in order to avoid contracting serious infections such as viral fever, diarrhea and other water borne diseases
- Avoid eating chaats, fried items such as pakoras, pre-cut fruits and juices from roadside vendors
- Freshly prepared radish juice is a good remedy for colds. A pinch each of herb pipli, , and rock salt mixed in warm water also help reduce mucous formation.
- In the starting of Monsoon, do Panchkarma – Vaman and Virechan, for body detoxification
- Do course of Basti Chikitsa during Monsoon to avoid aggravation of Vata dosha
- Ubatan – application of Herbs in particular manners is advisable
- Seek Ayurveda Doctors advise for Panchkarama, Medicaation and ask them about food also
- Dry yourself after getting wet in Rain properly
- Do Dhupan / Fumigation of herbs as prescribed by Ayurveda Doctor
Don’ts –
- Avoid Sour, Fermented food
- Don’t consume food which is stored in cold storage refrigerator
- Avoid dry food and Sprouts
- Don’t consume water of any lake or River or Waterfall
- Avoid Butter Milk, Curd, yogurt, etc heavy digestable food
- avoid eating raw foods, instead go for stir fried vegetables because it is difficult to know whether raw foods are properly washed, cleaned or stored
- Excellent road side temptations like pani puri and bhel puri are not prepared hygienically and thus can cause stomach aches. So it would be better to control yourself till the end of the season so as to keep yourself healthy and fit and to enjoy the monsoons to the fullest.
- Avoid sleep in Day time
- Don’t over work in these days
- Always take precaution of your foot and Skin
- Don’t get wait frequently in Rain, it may cause infection
So stay healthy with these simple tips and Enjoy the Monsoon very nicely…!
