Thrive in Late Summer with These Ayurvedic Tips

Thrive in Late Summer with These Ayurvedic Tips

Early autumn is a transitional stage, as we move from the height of summer’s ‘ heat’ in the UK to cooler weather. In Ayurveda, the change from summer to fall is known as Ritu Sandhi, the gap between seasons. This gap can present a delicate time for digestion because the weather fluctuates – along with the doshas and digestive capacity.

By the end of summer, Pitta dosha (heat) may have accumulated in your body, causing impurities that could lead to imbalances during cooler months if they’re not cleared out. And, if you’ve eaten a lot of cool foods over the summer, Vata dosha (coolness, dryness) may have built up as well.

For these reasons, this transitional period is an ideal time to gently cleanse and nurture your body. Here are seven easy, Ayurvedic ways to stay balanced during late summer.

1. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

When heat and dryness accumulate outdoors and inside your body, it’s important to keep pushing fluids and stay hydrated.

Be sure to up your daily intake of pure water. Drink cooling fruit juices – especially freshly squeezed or juiced! – which help to replenish your electrolytes. For a sweet and cooling rose lassi (digestive yoghurt drink), blend ¼ C yoghurt with ¾ C water and a tablespoon of Organic Rose Petal Spread. Roses are particularly cooling to both mind and body.

2. Tend to Your Hair & Scalp

Frizzy or dry hair from too much time at the beach or pool? Tending to your scalp will not only leave your hair looking better, but it will also relax you and promote sounder sleep.

Before bed, try a gentle scalp massage using 1-2 tablespoons of lightly warmed organic coconut, almond, or olive oil with a drop or two of high-quality rosemary, rose, jasmine, or lavender Oshadhi aroma oils. The scalp massage and oil will nourish your hair, relax your body, and stimulate circulation. Leave the oil on overnight if you can, or at least for an hour or two. Then, gently rinse with a herbal shampoo. Tip: Do this once a week, or two to three times a week and see the difference!

3. Eat Lighter

During this period, eat lighter, warmer foods and skip heavier foods if you find them harder to digest.

Salads; cool, summery soups; and sweet, juicy fruits are great choices – as opposed to salty, roasted nuts, which increase heat in the body. Meats, leftovers, processed foods, heavy carbs, and junk foods are generally harder to digest. Check out our Pitta-Pacifying diet for sweet, bitter and astringent-tasting foods that can help increase your digestive power without heating your body.

4. Mix Up Your Menu

Need a bit of dining inspiration for those lazy, hazy days?

Visit your local farmers market for a colourful array of fresh, inviting produce to tempt your palate and pacify Pitta (fresh figs, grapes, berries, leafy greens, artichokes, cucumbers, kale, and green beans, anyone?). For some fun new menu ideas, try these colourful, cooling Ayurvedic dishes:

• Green Papaya Tossed in Apple-Mint Sauce
• Panir Squares Dressed with Fresh Mango-Pomegranate Purée
• Tangy Grape Compote
• Coconut Pudding

5. Use Digestive Herbs, Spices… & Salt

The late days of summer can sometimes be the hottest time of the year. You might notice you feel a bit lazy or lethargic – and your digestion will likely follow suit.

Rather than reaching for the spicy Sriracha sauce, opt for Pitta-pacifying spices that also promote healthy digestion. Think fennel, coriander, fenugreek, rosemary, basil, cardamom, parsley, and cilantro/coriander. You’ll probably want to use fresh ginger, cumin, and black pepper in smaller amounts during this period. Last but not least: make sure you’re getting enough salt if you’re out there under the summer sun.

6. Give Your Liver Some Love

During summer, excess toxins can build up in your liver, leading to sensitive skin, emotional irritability, and digestive upset.

Detox (MA1010) helps balance and strengthen the liver while gently removing toxins, and it’s particularly helpful for people with Pitta body types.

Detox Pitta (MA1663) another powerful formula, but it shouldn’t be used by Pitta-predominant types.

If you’re experiencing constipation, it can lead to excess heat build-up in the tissues; Herbal Cleanse (MA602) uses cabbage rose and fennel to help maintain regularity and clear toxins from the colon and bowel without heating the body in the process.

7. Revitalize with Amla Berry

Amla Berry (MA1) (also known as Amalaki, Indian Gooseberry) is an excellent supplement for staying vital and energetic during summer’s hottest.

It’s unique in that it enhances absorption and assimilation by strengthening all thirteen digestive fires (agni) without increasing acidity. In fact, it actually has a balancing effect on stomach acidity and other Pitta-related digestive disorders. Amla Berry (MA1) also fortifies and stimulates the liver, helping to remove toxins by keeping the elimination system regular and supporting the urinary system. Last but not least, it helps maintain resistance to disease (an excellent source of Vitamin C) and supports the muscles, eyes, skin, brain, heart, and lungs (to name just a few).

Stay cool, and enjoy those last, lingering days of summer!

Copyright: by vpk by Maharishi Ayurveda (all rights reserved)

by Domnick Mason
Serves 2

Even though a fruit, the unripe papaya serves more like a vegetable side dish and is pacifying to all the doshas. The sauce adds dramatic flavour with its blend of lemon and spices to aid digestion and mint, apple and coriander to create a decidedly cooling effect. The perfect addition to a summer meal.

Ingredients

• 1 green papaya (unripe papaya is white with a slightly green tint inside)
• 1 steamed apple, peeled and deseeded
• 1 handful of fresh mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Fresh-squeezed juice of ½ lemon or lime
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander seed
• ½ teaspoon roasted cumin seed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon freshly-ground black peppercorn
• 1-2 teaspoons of agave syrup (sweeten to taste)

Directions

1. Peel the green papaya and remove the seeds and discard them. Cut the papaya into bite-size pieces. Steam until soft. When cooked properly, the green papaya should melt in your mouth like butter.
2. To make the sauce, blend the apple, mint, coriander, cumin, salt, turmeric, peppercorn and agave syrup in a blender.
3. Toss the steamed papaya pieces in the sauce to create a delicious, refreshing summer dish.

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by Domnick Mason
Serves 4

This exotic main dish will please the eyes as well as the palate. Pomegranate is the most Pitta-pacifying of all foods, and when puréed with mango and drizzled on fresh cheese squares, it creates a delicious and nutritious protein dish that feels light on the stomach in summer.

Ingredients

• 10 ounces or 2 cups of fresh panir
• ½ cup fresh mango or mango purée
• ½ cup freshly-made yoghurt
• ¼-inch section of fresh ginger root, peeled
• 1-2 teaspoons agave syrup (sweeten to taste)
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• Fresh-squeezed juice of ¼ lemon
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon cardamom
• Salt to taste
• A couple of sprigs of mint

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients but the panir and mint in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Place on a baking sheet or inside a baking pan.
3. Cover the panir with the Mango-Pomegranate Purée. Bake for ten minutes at 400 °F. (For convection ovens, bake at 350 °F for ten minutes.)
4. The baking will allow the panir to soften and absorb the flavours of the purée.
5. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve warm.

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by Domnick Mason

Ingredients

• ½ cup chilled sweet seedless grapes (red or concord grapes)
• 1 teaspoon white powdered Stevia
• Fresh-squeezed juice of ¼ lemon
• Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Directions

1. Combine the grapes, lemon juice and Stevia in a blender and blend until smooth. Leave some thickness in texture – do not blend to a juice.
2. Drizzle a few teaspoons of grape compote over each bowl of Coconut Pudding or your favourite dessert. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

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by Domnick Mason
Serves 2

Ingredients

• ½ cup of semolina flour or farina (Cream of Wheat)
• 8 oz. coconut milk (fresh if possible)
• 2-4 tablespoons agave syrup (sweeten to taste)
• 1 pinch salt

Directions

1. Heat coconut milk to a simmer, salt, and slowly stir in the semolina (using a whisk to prevent lumps).
2. Once it thickens, remove from heat. Add agave syrup one tablespoon at a time, adjusting sweetness to taste.
3. Pour into individual bowls. Drizzle a few teaspoons of Tangy Grape Compote.

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DISCLAIMER: The information in this document is presented for the sole purpose of imparting education on Maharishi AyurVeda and neither the information nor the products are intended to diagnose, treat, mitigate, cure or prevent any disease. If you have a medical condition or are pregnant or lactating, please consult a health professional and it is recommended that you speak with your physician before making significant changes to your diet or routine.