Practitioner Corner: Ayurvedic Wisdom for Winter Warmth and Health

By Rachel Breeze
Holistic Health Practitioner & Massage Therapist

Q. Every year in the winter, I end up with a ton of symptoms that don't seem related and that don't come up at other times, like joint pain and digestive problems. What can I do to stay balanced this winter and able to keep up with all the fun things the new year offers?

A. In winter, we feel a natural draw to keep those home fires burning... but it's just as important during the winter season that we tend to our body's inner fire. In the Ayurvedic tradition, the cold, damp weather is said to increase the cold, wet, slow qualities of Kapha, which brings with it the tendency towards sluggish circulation, potential weight gain, and feelings such as depression and lethargy. When winter weather turns cold and windy it increases the cold, dry and light qualities of Vata, which can bring with it joint stiffness, poor digestion, and feelings of confusion and loneliness.

Fortunately, these symptoms of imbalance can be alleviated through the basic application of ayurvedic wisdom to our daily lives.

The beauty of Ayurveda --which is the traditional medicine system native to India -- is that it sees each person as a unique individual based on their elemental constitution. With insight into one's ayurvedic constitution, in combination with what natural forces are strongest during the current season, we can get clarity on ways to create balanced health & well-being. This might include nutrition, herbs, supplements, essential oils, lifestyle factors, and body treatments.

To balance the cold, dampness of Kapha which is so dominant in the wintertime, we can increase our inner fire through the use of heating spices such as cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, cayenne to our diets as well as embarking upon a regular program of exercise that increases body heat at a level that produces sweat. We can also take hot baths and saunas and do invigorating salt scrubs on ourselves using loofah gloves to keep our circulation vitalized and moving.

To balance the qualities of Vata in the winter, we can feed our digestive fire by choosing warm & easy to digest meals such as spiced oatmeal and nourishing soups, as well as by drinking warm (never cold or iced) drinks, and also spending time with others and in situations where we feel warm and nurtured.

Here are some of my favorite recipes for good wintertime warming...

Herbal Chai
This chai is superior for increasing circulation and assisting digestive fire.

5 cups of water
3 inch chunk of chopped ginger
tsp of powdered cinamom
tsp of powdered cardamon
1/2 tsp of powdered clove
dash of cayenne
Tbs of loose gotu kola herb
Optional tsp of loose green tea
3 cups rice milk or hazlenut milk or soymilk, etc.
Agave nectar

Boil the water, add ginger and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Add the powdered cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, and cayenne. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat, add gotu kola and let sit covered 5 minutes, add green tea (optional) and let sit 1-3 more minutes. Strain into a large pot and combine with warmed milk of your choice and agave nectar to taste.


Wintertime Salt Scrub

Using this scrub in the shower with loofah gloves will increase lymphatic circulation, detoxifying the body as well as protecting against colds & flus. Always start scrubbing in the center of the body (chest & belly) then scrub the joints, groin & armpits then work out toward the extremities, finish by stroking toward the heart. The skin should turn pink!

1/2 cup of sunflower oil (or another light oil)
1 cup of sea salt
5-15 drops of essential oil (for circulation use e.o.'s such as rosemary, cypress, grapefruit, silver fir ginger, cardamon, etc)
Mix these ingredients together in a bowl (do not use wood!) and pour into a glass jar with a wide mouth.