Welcome Summer!
2:30 MINS. READ.
As seasons change, our diet and daily routine must change too!
Starting by understanding our constitution and developing a close connection to ourselves, we can better sense our body, mind, and soul better.
By doing so, we can attune our lifestyle to make the most out of each season. A few simple changes to our daily routine will significantly impact our well-being!
Find your Ayurvedic constitution!
Summer is a Pitta season, where fire and water will be the most predominant elements. Due to the extreme heat, dryness, which is one of Vata's primary qualities, can be triggered, too, depending on where you live. Therefore, you should seek to balance your unique constitution with the external conditions of where you live.
Diet
Due to the warm weather, our digestive fire, Agni in Sanskrit, disperses to keep us cool. To balance this effect, Ayurveda recommends eating lighter meals and cooler foods, favoring sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes.
By cooler, we do not mean "cold" but foods with "cooler energy". You can distinguish them by a fresh aftertaste; they literally leave you feeling refreshed, like mint or canteloupe.
Also, it is essential to be mindful while eating; chew as many times as you can afford. This will prevent you from overeating and will aid your digestion enormously.
Foods to Favor
- Fruits: Apples, avocados, berries, coconut and coconut water, grapes, limes, mangoes, melons, pears, pineapples, plums, pomegranates, and prunes.
- Vegetables: Go for all the greens, from asparagus to zucchini. Cucumbers are my favorite refreshing vegetable! I prepare cucumber salads, water, and even soups inspired by the famous Spanish gazpacho.
- Spices: Basil, cardamom, cilantro, cumin, dill, fennel, mint, parsley.
- Others: Rice, barley, wheat; black, garbanzo, mung, and black beans; coconut, olive, and sunflower oils; fish, poultry, and shrimps.
- Avoid: Spicy, caffeine, alcohol, fried, and oily food.
Lifestyle
- Milder exercise first thing in the morning.
- Practice 5 minutes (or more) of Sheetali or Shitkari pranayama. Either inhaling with your tongue curled and exhaling through the nose, lightly touching your palate with the tip of the tongue (Sheetali). Or inhaling through your teeth with the lips slightly open and relaxing your tongue behind your teeth (Shitkari).
- Afternoon naps can be beneficial, especially on very hot days.
- Protect from the sun always; wear sunglasses, hats, and sunblock (we love these ones).
- Dress with cool, breathable fabrics like cotton or linen and lighter colors, blues, greens, and greys.
- Never forget your daily massage (or abhyanga). Coconut or sunflower oils are ideal for summer.
- You can also benefit from refreshing essential oils such as lemongrass, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, or vetiver. Apply a couple drops on your temples, third eye, wrists, and heart (or center of your chest).
Skin
And last but not least, let's talk about your skin!
As I mentioned earlier, cucumber is my favorite vegetable of the season. It can also be great food for your skin. Cucumber is super hydrating and rich in antioxidants, which help regenerate skin, prevent fine lines, and diminish age spots. Due to its astringent nature, it alleviates excess oil and reduces enlarged pores. Finally, it helps soothe acne, dark spots, dark circles, blemishes, and pigmentation.
Recommendation: Cut 1/2 a cucumber into fine slices and put them over your face for 10-15 minutes. Another option is to blend half a cucumber, strain it, massage the watery part, let it dry, and rinse off after 10-15 minutes.
If your skin is dryer, you can apply to your face a mask made with 2 tablespoons of ripe, mashed avocado and 2 tablespoons of chickpea flour. Also, leave it for 10-15 minutes and rinse it off.
Pure honey is always a great aid for glowing skin. If your skin is too oily, add a tablespoon of lime. Otherwise, pure honey will do!
Finally, our Deep Hydrating & Nourishing Essence is a must-have this summer. Hydrate when dry, and use it to refresh anytime!