Keeping Calm when Vata is on the Move!

Fall is here - the days are shortening - and the temperature has dropped.  It's time to switch gears and slow down.  Vata season is here and that means we need to change our daily routine. Fall is windy, rough, dry, clear, cold, variable and subtle. Think about it...here in upstate New York...one moment dry & windy then next thing you know it is cold and rainy.  All of these qualities aggravate Vata which means our nervous system and anxiety levels get cranked up a bit.  

The few remaining colors of Autumn

Time to start eating warm seasonal foods.  Apples - pumpkin - squashes are the perfect warming foods.  Hearty stews and soups with some stimulating spices added.  This season the sweet, salty and sour tastes are going to be the most balancing. All of these will help to balance your system as the environment becomes more severe.

Milk pods blowing in the Vata wind

 So what exactly should you be eating? Fresh - Fresh - Fresh!! Salads and cold dishes need to be minimized until the weather warms.  Stay away from frozen, cold, leftovers, basically limit your Tamasic intake. Avoid bitter, pungent and astringent tastes.  Steamed, sautéd and baked dishes that are slightly oily and high in protein will help to keep you grounded.  Dry, raw, sharp and cold are the enemy right now. A little bit of ghee on your food and a little bit of oil on your skin will work as an insulation for your body. Warm Chai or CCF Tea (Cumin, Coriander & Fennel Tea) will make your system happy.  

Dry - Rough 

I know we've talked about this before - get that daily routine down.  Warm water with lemon/lime in the am. Scrape your tongue to remove toxins from overnight.  Warm oil massage to keep your skin soft and protected from the cold weather.  Oil also works as insulation for the nervous system. Daily yoga, pranayama, chanting and meditation are your active tools. We all need a routine/practice and we need to stick to it.  It gives our bodies something it can count on. 

So...what does my Morning Practice look like...awaken & pray, drink warm water with lemon or lime, brush teeth & scrape my tongue, take a walk, hit the mat and do my Yoga, deal with Lola (my stoma), dry brush and/or oil massage, hit the shower and then have a light breakfast. I know it looks like a long time consuming list, it isn't.  I've got it down now and can whip through the entire sequence quickly.    

Today as I walked in the woods I saw evidence of Vata everywhere. Most of the leaves have fallen and the colors are starting to bleach out.  All the remaining plants are dry and crisp.  This is the season I struggle with the most, but I love the beauty of the changes.  Start your practice with just one or two activities and do them until you have formed a positive habit. Don't try to do everything at once - you'll just get frustrated - smooth and steady is the best way to proceed. For more information on how to use stay balanced through Autumn and Early Winter go to http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/seasonal-guides/autumn-guide  This link also has a nice list of the seasonal foods that are the most balancing.

Get in the kitchen and start chopping those veggies for soup!
For dinner I made a delicious Gluten-free Cream of Broccoli Soup. This is a great cold soup in the summer and a great warm soup in the autumn/winter season.  Click below for the recipe!


http://naomikenealysbonusdays.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_3.html


Stay warm - eat fresh - and enjoy the shortened days.
Blessings to All!
Warm Soup Kisses!
Namaste`
Naomi