Ritucharya – Ayurveda’s Secret to a Healthy Year

Have the seasonal changes got you all sick and tired? As always, Ayurveda has got your back with its Ritucharya wonders! . It is a 5000-year-old practice that derives from the words ‘Ritu’ meaning season, and ‘Charya’ meaning regimen or discipline. 

Seasonal diseases are very common, but one can combat them with proper precautions, by adopting seasonal diet according to Ayurveda, and by giving heed to the concept of Ritucharya. Skim through the list of Ayurvedic tips to tackle the seasonal changes and keep you healthy all around the year!

The practice of Ritucharya simply reflects our need to acclimatise our lifestyle according to seasonal changes to live a healthy life. It is usually a process of 14 days, where the current seasonal effect starts to fade away and the new season starts to set in. This transition may directly affect the body physically, biologically, and even mentally – it takes approximately 14 days for this phase to complete.

According to Ayurveda, every one of us has a dominant natural character that includes either – the Vata, Pitta, or Kapha constitution (or a combination of the two). Vata is characterised by the properties of air and space, Pitta by fire and water, and Kapha by water and soil. Each season either calms or energises these forces within us, which means that our system might become unbalanced if we do not take the necessary steps to adjust our bodies to changing weather conditions.

Adapting the practice of Ritucharya allows us to strengthen our mental, physical, and emotional rhythms of the body and also balances the three doshas in our body, keeping us in the pink of health!

Table of Contents:

1.     2 Kaals of Ayurveda

2.      Adaan Kaal / Northen solstice / Uttaryana
- Shishir Ritu (Winter)
- Vasant Ritu (Spring)
- Grishma Ritu (Summer)
 

3.     Visarga Kaal / Southern solstice / Dakshinayana
- Varsha Ritu (Monsoon)
- Sharad Ritu (Autumn/ Fall)
- Hemant Ritu (Pre-winter)
 

As many of us know, there are 6 seasons and 2 Kaals (time periods) in a year, according to Ayurveda. Subsequently, each Kaal contains 3 seasons, and each season lasts for two months.

Adaan Kaal / Northern solstice / Uttaryana (14 January to 14 July)

-        Shishir Ritu (Winter) Mid- January to Mid-March

-        Vasant Ritu (Spring) Mid-March to Mid-May

-        Grishma Ritu (Summer) Mid-May to Mid- July

Visarga Kaal / Southern solstice / Dakshinayana (14 July to 14 January)

-        Varsha Ritu (Monsoon) Mid- July to Mid- September

-        Sharad Ritu (Autumn/ Fall) Mid- September to Mid- November

-        Hemant Ritu (Late Autumn/Pre-Winter) Mid- November to Mid- January

Adaan Kaal/Uttaryana

This is the season of the mightiest sun and the wind. It is believed that during this 'Kaal', the sun drains all the energy and strength of the people and the earth's cooling properties. The sun reflects hot & dry qualities onto living beings, which results in raising heat and lowering individual strength.

This ‘Kaal’ includes the following 3 seasons of the year - 

1. Shishir Ritu (Winter)

Starting from Mid-January to Mid-March, this season is considered to have a cold and windy environment. Ayurveda states that around this time, due to the Sun having just entered its Northern cycle after exiting its Southern cycle, both physical strength and digestive fire are at their peak. This is the perfect moment to improve our physical strength and endurance.

Diet during Shishir Ritu -

- During this time of the year, eat sweet, sour, and salty foods as well as heavy foods.
- Consume Amla every day. It is rich in Vitamin C and strengthens your body during winters.
- Eat cereals, pulses, freshly harvested rice, wheat/gram flour, and corn.
- Include Ginger, Garlic, and Pippali in your meals.
-  When hungry, instead of consuming junk, eat nutrition-rich dates, dry fruits, etc.
- Foods with Katu (Pungent), Tikt (Bitter), and Kashaya (Astringent) should be avoided.
- Cold Food & Cold Drinks should also be avoided.

Lifestyle during this Season -

- Wear heavy, warm, and dry clothes that would keep you warm.
- Exercise Regularly to maintain a stronger immunity.
- Take warm baths to soothe yourself from the cold.
- Indulge in warm body and head massages.
- Expose yourself to the morning sunlight to gain maximum benefits & natural vitamin D.

1. Vasant Ritu (Spring)

Starting from Mid-March to Mid-May, this is the season of bloom and new leaves. Our digestion is hampered by the sun's growing heat. Vamana Karma should be practised during this season as it helps to lessen aggravated kapha dosha and remove toxins from the respiratory and digestive systems.

Diet during Vasant Ritu –

• Eat cereals like Barley, Ragi, and Oats that are healthy for your gut and spices like Coriander, Cumin, and Turmeric.
• Try to avoid dairy products and heavy and oily foods. Include Honey in your diet which aids in removing the extra Kapha from your body. You can try drinking warm water with a spoonful of honey and a pinch of black pepper.
• Include green and leafy veggies in your diet like Spinach, Leafy Vegetables, Karela, Methi, etc.
• Consume Ginger, Garlic, Radishes, Onions, etc to keep the flu at bay.
• Detox and cleanse your body with fruit & Vegetable Juices.

Lifestyle during this Season –

• Include daily exercises like walking, swimming, yoga, etc in your routine.
• Use herbal powders like Sandalwood, Agaru, Kesar, etc., to make a lep and dry massage it before a bath.
• Take a stroll in the garden and walk barefoot on the grass it will help you to relax.
• Don’t sleep during the daytime.

1. Grishma Ritu (Summer)

Starting from Mid-May to Mid-July, this season is when one may feel their weakest due to the scorching heat. The lakes and rivers are dried up, the plants feel lifeless, and the environment is prevailing with the unhealthy wind. Due to the sun's intensity, the vitiated Kapha dosha as well as Ojas, or vital energy, which increases our immunity and improves our spiritual, emotional, and physical health, are generally lessened during the Grishma Ritu.

Diet for Grishma Ritu:

• Consume sweet, cool, liquid foods and easy-to-digest foods, for eg. rice and lentils.
• Eat fewer foods that have salty, sour, pungent, spicy, or hot flavours to prevent the Vata dosha from becoming worse. 
• Eat food that has been freshly cooked, ideally within the last hour. Avoid eating leftovers from the day before, as they may contain hazardous bacteria.
• Consume plenty of liquids to keep your body hydrated in the Grishma Ritu.  
• Fresh fruits and vegetables such as cabbage, asparagus, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, and leafy greens should also be included in the daily diet.
• Sugarcane is infused with nutrients and minerals; its juice is one of the best drinks that helps to reduce heat in the body and prevent fatigue as well.
• Steer clear of tea, coffee, and aerated beverages because they are acidic by nature and can dehydrate you. Avoid alcohol as well because it is teekshna and can make you feel dry and increase body heat, which can induce burning sensations.
• Avoid eating refrigerated food. It might irritate pitta and increase body heat instead of having the opposite effect, which is cooling or sheetal. 

Lifestyle during this Season –

• Avoid too much sun exposure, as it is not beneficial for the body and if you go out, don’t forget to wear sunscreen.
• Preferably, wear light cotton clothes as it is breathable and keeps you cool.
• Practice moderate exercise, don’t go overboard as it may wear you down more.
• Use Sandalwood moisturizer or uptan to keep your skin cool and radiant.
• During this season, Ayurveda recommends a short afternoon nap as it helps your body to rejuvenate.
• Don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated all day long.

Visarga Kaal / Southern solstice / Dakshinayana

Visagra Kaal is the time period of the year when the moon is at its most powerful and the sun is at its lowest. This period brings the clouds, drizzles, and cold winds to cool down the earth and thus reflect the sun, giving energy to the earth. We, humans, are comparatively healthier. The rivers and lakes are full, and plants are merry too during the Visarga Kaal.

This ‘Kaal’ includes the following 3 seasons of the year –

1. Varsha Ritu (Monsoon)

Starting from Mid-July to Mid-September, this season is when the sky gets cloudy and the rain drizzles down. The atmosphere is mildly cold during this time and the humidity rises, which results in the aggravation of the doshas. The Agni (digestive fire) gets vitiated, which indirectly causes a variety of diseases.

Diet for Varsha Ritu –

• Consume food that is sour, salty, and oily – It is also beneficial to eat light, warm, freshly cooked meals with spices.
• To aid with digestion and boost immunity, your meals should contain garlic, pepper, ginger, asafetida (hing), jeera powder, turmeric, and coriander.
• Homemade Ghee/Cow Ghee and Skimmed Milk are also very beneficial during this season.
• Sip herbal tea, green tea, cumin water, or lukewarm water laced with fennel throughout the day to enhance digestion.
• Herbs like Triphala and Dashmoolarishtha can improve digestion.
• Include nourishing foods like rice, wheat, and barley in your diet.
• Avoid eating raw foods, salads, and leafy veggies.

Lifestyle to follow during this season –

• Avoiding sleeping during the daytime interferes with digestion and lowers metabolism.
• Avoid overexertion and excessive sun exposure, especially in the afternoon.
• Avoid water accumulation and keep the area tidy and dry.
• Refrain from wearing damp clothes and having wet hair when entering an air-conditioned space.
• Exercise indoors and practice yoga with meditation.
• Drink boiled water and for baths, use warm water as well. It will calm your nerves and kill the unwanted bacteria off your body.

2. Sharad Ritu (Autumn/Fall)

Starting from Mid-September to Mid-November, this is the season when the sun turns out to be pleasant with clear skies and grounds smeared with the earthy scent of mud. During this season, the strength and energy of the individuals are medium due to improved Agni (digestive fire), although pitta dosha might worsen as a result of exposure to sudden sunlight following a gloomy rainy season.

Diet for Sharad Ritu –

• Eat ghee in sufficient amounts as it enhances the digestive fire, alleviates skin dryness, and aids in balancing the pitta dosha.
• Eat food in moderate portions, less than what you might typically eat.
• Consume lentils like green gram and tuvar but limit your intake of rajma, chana, and urad throughout the fall.
• Include vegetables like bitter gourd (karela), ash gourd (dudhi), pointed gourd (parwal), methi, suran (elephants' foot), radish, carrot, and beetroot among your daily food choices.
• Avoid eating veggies that cause gas, such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. Reduce your consumption of potatoes as well.
•  Refrain from foods that are spicy, acidic, or oily as these can worsen Pitta dosha.
•  Reduce your consumption of tea and coffee.
•  Consume milk and its byproducts, but stay away from curd.

Lifestyle to follow during this season –

• Drink water that has been boiled down to about 3/4 of its original volume.
• Restorative treatments, such as Virechana, a Panchakarma therapy that involves cleaning the body and soul, are particularly effective at removing the pitta dosha and can be carried out during Sharad Ritu.
• Eat only when you are truly hungry, and try to avoid overeating.
• Chandan (sandalwood) paste is useful for body massages since it is considered to have cooling characteristics that balance the pitta dosha.
• Don’t sleep during the daytime as it may trouble your digestion and cause bloating.
• Stay active during this season with regular exercises and yoga.

3. Hemant Ritu (Late Autumn/Pre-Winter)

Starting from Mid-November to Mid-January, this is the season of cold breezes and chills. The energy and strength of an individual are at their highest and finest during this time of the year. The Vata dosha (air) and digestive fire are at their height during Hemant Ritu (Agni).

Diet for Hemant Ritu –

• Eat foods that are sweet, sour, and salty to reduce the Vata in the late autumn.
• Consume green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, pumpkin, okra, and cauliflower to gain nutritive benefits as the winter season is about to set in.
• Include Alma in your diet as it contains ample Vitamin C which helps to fight the common cold and cough.
• Fruits including grapes, pineapple, oranges, and apricots are nutritious and when it comes to grains, rice, jowar, and maize are good choices.
• Avoid consuming cold liquids. Instead, sip warm milk that has been sprinkled with cardamom powder.
• Consume dairy foods such as cheese, paneer, and ghee as it keeps the body warm.
• Avoid spicy foods and when hungry, much on dry fruits such as almonds and walnuts.

Lifestyle to follow during Hemant Ritu –

• Prep yourself for the cold weather with a nice massage of warm oils.
• Keep yourself active through regular exercises, yoga, and meditation.
• Do not take a nap during the daytime as it may hamper digestion.
• Moisturize your skin regularly with warm oils and lotions.
• Regularly massage your hair with healing herbal oils to strengthen your scalp.
• Keep your stress levels at the bay by indulging in meditation.
• Have sound sleep of 7-8hours during the night.

Our body changes according to the seasons, but each season brings something wonderful and a bit of dreadfulness with it, but you can enjoy the best of all with these effective, natural, and reliable Ayurveda Ritucharya tips!