Seasons
By Vaidya Tejaswini Bhale

Vasant rutu – Season of Detox and self-care

Nature is blessed with blooming of flowers, cold breeze in the nighttime and colorful trees around is the perfect picture of Vasant rutu or spring.
Sunny hot days and colder nights create fluctuations in the inner health causing health issues. It also brings many festivals and events in their months of Chaitra and Vaishakh.
Nature is the best healer and destructor too. On the same principle Ayurveda has described the food, exercise and sleep pattern which is called Rutucharya.
It emphasizes the importance of self-care, mindfulness, and a connection with nature. By following the Vasant Ritucharya, one can promote physical, mental, and emotional health, and also can prevent diseases. In the Vasant rutu, sweetness, Unctuousness in the body provokes which was accumulated in the previous rutu of Shishir. These are the properties of kapha dosha or water element. It shows heaviness, sluggishness and excess mucus secretions in the body.

As blooming of flowers is going on it causes allergies showing cold, cough, running nose or skin issues.
Everyone should follow a regime to detox and balance this kapha. This is the best time of the year to detox, rejuvenate and gain health.
Vamana is the detox process that comes under Panchakarma therapies and is the most suggested treatment in Vasant. Also, Nasya, karnapurana therapies help to detox the body.

Avoid afternoon sleep in Vasant as it provokes kapha but proper rest and nighttime sleep is needed to gain strength and vitality.
Digestive fire becomes weak and so food should be warm, easy to digest and with spices. Soups, green gram recipes, rice flour, cooked or tossed salads, leafy, fruit vegetables and rice recipes are recommended.
Strength of a person is fair in Vasant which suggests doing Yoga and exercises in the morning time.

In conclusion, Vasant Rutucharya offers a holistic approach staying healthy. By incorporating diet, exercise, rest, self-care practices and herbal therapies, one can detoxify, maintain balance and improve vitality during this time of rejuvenation. All should maintain balance and harmony in both the mind and body and promote overall health and well-being.

Author- Vaidya Tejaswini Sameer Bhale
Ayurveda Physician
Nadi Pariksha and Product domain expertise, Nadi Tarangini, Atreya Innovations Pvt Ltd

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By Dr. Gayatri Mulye

HOLI: Festival of colors and bonding!

Millions of Indians and South Asian countries mark the arrival of spring with the festival of colors, joy, and renaissance named Holi. Holi is a way of announcing the end of colder days and the beginning of warmer days. It is celebrated on the last full moon of the year.
Holi is a part of the regimen for the season of Vasant (spring), the arrival of warmer days. These days, the temperature rises, along with the increasing humidity, melts the Kapha Dosha (phlegm) in the body and can lead to many Kapha-related diseases. The rituals of the festival aim to restore the three doshas to their balanced state.

The highlights of Holi are Day 1: Holika Dahan (celebrated at night), Day 2: Dhuli Vandan (enjoying with colors). In many places of Maharashtra, the 5th day from the day of Holi i.e., Rang Panchami is celebrated with colors.

Holika Dahan signifies winning over demons, rising to a new dawn by scarifying your sins and deeds in the “Pyre of wood-Holika” as per ancient Hindu Mythology.
Like all festivals in India, Holi too has its own traditional recipes, which are prepared on this occasion as part of the celebration. Indeed, the delicacies prepared on this special occasion add to the delight and excitement.

Holika Dahan

The most famous in the lot are Puran Poli (traditional Maharashtrian sweet stuffed paratha), Katachi amti (dal-based Maharashtrian stew), Ghujiya (North Indian sweet and savory fried wheat para), Malpua (sweet-dal based delicacy), Khasta kachori (dal based savory item), etc. The food delicacies are helpful in dehydration-related problems caused by sudden temperature rise.

Dhulivandan (RT.Com)

Dhulivandan is mostly associated with the celebration of colors. Traditionally, Holi was celebrated with dry colors known as ‘Gulal’, which were prepared naturally from flowers and other products that had dyeing properties. Color powders were traditionally prepared from Ayurvedic herbs like Neem (Azadirachta indica) and Henna (Lawsonia inermis) for green, Kumkum and Raktachandan (Pterocarpus santalinus) for red, 

Haldi (Curcuma longa) for yellow, Jacaranda flowers for blue and herbs like Bilva (Aegle marmelos), Amaltas (Cassia fistula), Marigold (Tagetus erecta), etc. Applying these color powders reduces Kapha dosha and Kapha-related skin problems due to seasonal changes.

The biggest highlight of the Dhulivandan menu is the lip-smacking Thandai (milkshake or smoothie with traditional herbs and dry fruits) and Jal-jeera (a cooling drink from cumin seeds). These drinks provide proper hydration and nourishment to the body. They are helpful to the body for acclimatizing to seasonal changes.
Indian festivals have very scientific and logical rituals and traditions associated with the maintenance of health. Understanding and adopting these rituals in day-to-day life is very important for maintaining good core health.

Here are some tips for celebrating healthy Holi –

  1. Use natural, non-synthetic colors for Holi. Take care of your skin while playing Holi.
  2. Limit your playtime too. That way you can prevent the risk of health problems like cough, cold, headache, etc.
  3. Ensure that your body cools down to room temperature before taking a bath.
  4. After a shower, moisturize your body well and put on comfortable clothes.
  5. Make sure to eat healthy food. Don’t consume extra spicy food along with cold drinks and ice creams.

Thandai

Celebrate this festival of colors with your loved ones and stay tuned for some delicious healthy Holi recipes.

New post coming up TOMORROW!!

Author:
Dr. Gayatri Kulkarni – Mulye
MD (Ayurved)
Blogger @ Turyaa Wellness

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By Shruti Kulkarni

Happy Maha-Shivratri

Maha-Shivratri means the most important night of lord Shiva. Shivratri is celebrated on the 14th day of every month, one day before the new moon. Among the 12 shivratri celebrated according to the Hindu Calender in a year, Mahashivratri is the most important one generally celebrated in the February or March depending upon the planetary position every year. This major festival marks a remembrance of “overcoming darkness and ignorance” in life and the world by praying to the Shiva Shakti. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as honesty, non-injury to others, charity, forgiveness, and the discovery of Goodness by Lord ShivaShambho. On Mahashivaratri the devotees are awake all night to get the blessings of Lord Shiva. The celebration includes maintaining a “jagran or staying awake“, offering prayers throughout the night to Lord Shiva. Offerings of fruits, Beal leaves, sweets and milk to Shiva are made. We perform all-day fast or Upwas on this day.

Special recipes of the day:

Mahashivaratri Upwas (Option 1)

Mahashivaratri Upwas (Option 2)

 Detox (Post Upwas day)

1 bowl sabudana (cooked in buttermilk) + 5 manukas (soaked) + 1 wati pomegranate

1 bowl rajgira lahya/puffs with 1 cup milk + 5 manukas (soaked) + 1 small banana

Rice / Nachni Ukkad + 5 manukas (soaked) + 2-3 slices of sweet lime

1 in no. Sabudana flour with cucumber thalipeeth with ghee + suran in buttermilk bhaji + nariyal barfi (optional) + 1 wati buttermilk with coriander

1 in no. Varai with cucumber thalipeeth with ghee + arbi sukhi sabji + 1 wati buttermilk with ginger

1 Bhakri or 2 phulka + 1 wati padwal/navalkol bhaji+ 1 wati plain dal + boiled carrot raita (in buttermilk)

1 glass kokum sherbat  + 2-3 pear slices or 1 rajgira ladoo or wadi

1 glass coconut water + 1 wati pomegranate or 1 rajgira ladoo

1 cup Green Tea (Lemongrass, ginger, cardamom) or 1 glass Amla-Kokum sherbet + 1 plain khakhra or 2-3 slices pear 

1 bowl varai/saam chawal with pumpkin (ghee vaghar) + arbi sukha subji (ghee vaghar)  + 1 wati buttermilk with ginger

1 bowl rajgira flour porridge (ghee vaghar) + pumpkin/lal bhopla sabji (ghee vaghar) + cucumber slices

1 wati Dal Khichdi (rice, moong dal, onion, carrot, peas) + 1 wati kadhi (ghee tadka) + radish-cucumber slices

 

Mahashivratri Special: Refreshing Thandai

Ingredients

 

1 cup: warm water,

3 tablespoons: almonds or 30 grams,

2 heaped tablespoons: pistachios (or 20 grams),

2 tablespoons: poppy seeds (khus khus),

¼ cup: melon seeds or 30 grams melon seeds,

2 tablespoons: dried rose petals OR, 

2 tablespoons: rose water OR,

 1 to 2 tablespoons: gulkand,

1 tablespoon: fennel seeds,

½ teaspoon: whole black pepper,

3 to 4: green cardamoms – husks removed and seeds kept,

1 pinch: saffron – optional,

½ cup: sugar or 100 grams sugar,

1 glass: chilled milk (cows A2 milk),

ice cubes as required,

a few rose petals or chopped almonds or pistachios for garnish.

Recipe for Thandai Paste

 

In a bowl, pour 1 cup warm water.

Then add almonds, pistachios, poppy seeds (khus khus), melon seeds, dried rose petals, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds and ½ teaspoon black pepper. 

Mix very well. Cover and keep aside for a minimum one hour or 2 hours. If you use water at room temperature, then you can also keep it overnight or for 4 to 5 hours.

Making Thandai Paste

After 1 to 2 hours, pour the whole mixture including the soaking water in a grinder or blender jar. Do make sure to use a good grinder or blender.

Add ½ cup sugar, seeds from 3 to 4 green cardamoms and 1 pinch of saffron. 

Blend the mixture to a very smooth and fine paste. Remove in a bowl and keep aside. You can cover and refrigerate if not using immediately.

Recipe 

 

To prepare thandai, take about 4 tablespoons of the thandai paste in a glass. Add chilled milk. 

Mix very well. Add a few ice cubes.

Garnish with rose petals. You can also garnish with some chopped almonds or pistachios.

Serve thandai immediately. Alternatively, you can prepare the thandai drink in a large Kansa or Pittal mug or jug. Refrigerate and then serve.

 

Author: Mrs. Shruti Prashant Kulkarni
B.Sc. (Foods & Nutrition), M.Sc. (Public Health)
Clinical Nutritionist, Diabetes Educator & Counsellor, Ph.D. scholar
Research & Product Domain Expert (Atreya Innovations Pvt Ltd)
Chief Nutrition Counsellor (Germany)

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By Dr. Gayatri Mulye

Rutusandhikaal and Dakshinayana

All-natural phenomena are correlated with each other in complex ways, so one wonders how our ecosystem and body are related? Being a part of the ecosystem, the human body is greatly influenced by the external environment.Many of the exogenous and endogenous rhythms have specific phase relationships with each other; which means they interact and synchronize with each other. Considering and understanding this rhythm, Ayurveda has explained the concept of Rutucharya uniquely.
Rutu (ऋतु), the season, classified by different features expresses different changes in environment and body. Ayurveda has depicted various rules and regimens known as Charya (चर्या), regarding diet and behavior to acclimatize seasonal enforcement easily without altering body homeostasis. This is aunique feature that Ayurveda offers to prevent the loads of diseases coming from change in season.

The year according to Ayurveda is divided into two periods (अयन), depending on the direction of movement of sun that is Uttarayana (northern solstice) and Dakshinayana (southern solstice). Each is formed of three Rutus (seasons). A year consists of six seasons, namely, Shishira (winter), Vasanta (spring), and Grishma (summer) in Uttarayan and Varsha (monsoon), Sharada (autumn), and Hemanta (late autumn) in Dakshinayana.

Dakshinayana starts with Varsha rutu or Monsoon, in particular the tropical belt, when the climate is humid, wind is colder and the moon is more powerful than the sun. The strength of a person gradually increases from varsha rutu to sharad to hemant during the dakshinayana period. Here, anabolic activity dominates over the catabolic activity in the environment.

Research shows that seasonal flu imposes a substantial burden among all the people in India. The frequency of illness shows an association between diseases and seasonal changes. The human body normally shows a slow response while adapting to the changes in this season. The period between the last 7 days of the current season and 7 days of the upcoming season is always considered crucial. This period is known as Rutusandhikaal or considered as a transition period. It is called Yamadanshtra (bites of God Yama i.e. having maximum infestation rate ) by Ayurveda. Seasonal changes are always associated with changes in temperature, humidity, moisture. The shift in temperature provides an apt condition for different groups of viruses to flourish, which then spreads contagious diseases. This period is hence very susceptible for infections. Less immunity, less strength and symptoms associated with adaptation to changing seasons may favor the spread of diseases causing two or more health complaints together. Load on the healthcare system can be reduced by adapting the simple way of Rutucharya.

Digestive fire, metabolic health and strength are three main factors associated with a change in season. If the body is unable to adapt itself to stressors due to changes in specific traits of seasons, it may lead to an imbalance between Doshas where the body becomes highly susceptible to various disorders. We can minimize this by introducing good adaptation by implementing Rutucharya.
Western countries also suffer a burden of diseases due to seasonal changes. We can define the Rutucharya for those people by observing the characteristics of the season and its impact on the human body. This will be the application of core knowledge of Ayurveda for the betterment of life. Broadly we can classify 5 regions in the world. 1. Europe 2. America 3. Asia 4. Australasia 5. The Middle East and Africa. Some of them are having 2 seasons and some are having 4 seasons. Applying the concept of Rutucharya, one can easily design the required diet and lifestyle.

In the next article, we will focus on Agni (digestive fire) during the monsoon season. Diet correction and lifestyle modification required to maintain balance will also be explained. As monsoon is the season of festivals, we will brief about the food recommendations and also the necessities of customs like fasting. We will explore the ideal regime for balancing the metabolic index of the body during Monsoon in the next article.
Stay tuned to our series. Wishing a happy and safe monsoon to readers.

Author:
Dr. Gayatri Kulkarni – Mulye
MD (Ayurved)
Blogger @ Turyaa Wellness

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By Dr. Gayatri Mulye

Welcome monsoon: Ayurveda way

Lush green surroundings, running waterfalls, showers of rain and a long drive. This is a picture-perfect monsoon. After an exhausting summer, the monsoon (varsha rutu) always brings energy and happiness everywhere. Hot tasty pakodas, samosa accompanied by tea are truly monsoon companions. But many times, these taste bud stimulator foods are troublesome to our health typically in the Monsoon. Take a pause and analyse your health with the concept of Rutucharya
https://www.turyaawellness.com/post/rutusandhikaal-and-dakshinayana

Everyone knows that monsoon is the season of extended bouts of illnesses including seasonal cold, allergies, diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, etc. Couple of weeks back, newspapers reported that monsoon related diseases and pandemic together may put strain on the healthcare system. Children may suffer more in the upcoming wave. We all are finding natural and simple ways to take extra care of health to avoid all said complications. The apt answer for all this situation is to follow Rutucharya: rules and regimens for diet and lifestyle to acclimatize seasonal enforcement.

Why monitor your Agni (Metabolic Quotient)?
In Ayurveda, the term Agni is used in the sense of digestion of food and metabolic products. Turyaa Wellness compute and monitors the metabolic quotient of health through the principles of nadi parikshan. Usually, Agni decreases to its minimal level during monsoon due to increase in cold, wind and cloudy weather. Furthermore, the accumulated Vata dosha from the summer season also starts provoking during the monsoon. This impaired metabolism along with provoked vata cause above mentioned diseases, recurrences and complications.

Monsoon care for seniors:

Senior citizens often complain about bloating, constipation, flatulence and indigestion. It is observed that problems worsen during Monsoon due to decreased metabolic quotients. Further, irregular food intake and fluctuating meal timings make them uncomfortable. This also leads to aggravation of joints and bone disorders too. General fatigue, body ache, and headache are their common monsoon complaints.
To accelerate metabolism and balance the Agni, Turyaa Wellness recommends:

  • Food Care
  • Warm water and clear soups
  • Vegetable soups (green moong soup)
  • Mixing 2 tsp castor oil in the flour while making chapati
  • Restriction of nonveg, bakery products
  • Appetizer before food prepared from ginger juice, Lemon juice and rock salt or jaggery and ginger
  • Eating 2/3rd to stomach capacity during every meal
  • Extra Care
  • Massage with sesame oil and steam with castor or nirgudi leaves
  • Light exercises

Monsoon care for kids:

Most impacted and vulnerable group in the monsoon is kids. Cough and cold related problems are observed recurrently in children during monsoon. Asthma, skin allergies, itching etc. get aggravated during Monsoon. Cold food items, irregular meals, bakery food, excess milk and dairy products are typically seen to aggravate above problems in children, as they are heavy to digest.
To boost growth and development and disease-free monsoon, Turyaa Wellness recommends:

  • Food Care:
  • Do not force your child every time for food, as the kid’s appetite is usually irregular in monsoon.
  • Restrict dairy, nonveg, bakery products in kids.
  • Include appetising vegetable soups, moong dal kadhan, non veg broths, steamed finger foods as part of their evening snack options
  • Adding khichdi or rice based options at dinner time work as easily digestible and nourishing.
  • To add milk in their diet, go for cow milk + pinch of sunth powder, pinch of roasted Ajwain + lemon juice + rack salt for proper digestion
  • Drink boiled and cooled down water

 

  • Extra care:
  • Abhyang with warm oil typically to chest region and steaming
  • Warm, dry clothes, fumigation,
  • Deworming is seen as very effective.

Monsoon care for mid-age:

People prone to acidity, sour burps, skin rash, migraine etc. are also seen frustrated during monsoon due to on-and-off complaints. Excess use of pickles, curd, buttermilk, tamarind, excess use of pulses especially tur dal and horse gram etc., fried food, irregular meal and sleeping time and stress are the reasons behind acidity related problems.
To care and correct your accumulated pitta, Turyaa Wellness recommends:

  • Food care:
  • Include healthy light foods, adhering to regular meal timings
  • Consume food 3/4th to your stomach capacity.
  • Adding preferably old grains, slightly roasted before use.
  • Restrict use of pulses and legume (preferably moong and masoor).
  • Compliment all your meals with cow ghee 2-4 tsp daily.
  • Soups ( veg, Non- Veg), kanji, semisolid diet, and warm beverages to include.
  • Restrict dairy, raw, unprocessed, bakery products, nonveg, spicy, fried food items at dinner time.

 

  • Extra care:
  • Monitor the triad of your appetite, digestion related problems and bowel cleaning.
  • Keep the surrounding dry and clean.
  • Use fumigation methods with karpur, vekhand (calamus), neem leaves, loban in offices and home to avoid vector borne and moisture related complaints.

Monsoon is such a beautiful season. By adapting the above Rutucharya, you may now create your own Monsoon song, enjoying a steaming plate of hot pakodas, grilling corn and sipping a hot cup of chai, sitting near rushing lake or waterfalls under the falling raindrops, it will not harm your inner health but will be caring for you and your loved ones together.
Have a happy and safe Monsoon.

Author:
Dr. Gayatri Kulkarni – Mulye
MD (Ayurved)
Blogger @ Turyaa Wellness

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Festive wishes: Makar Sankranti- Starting on a “Sweet note”

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