In this article of Biovatica we will discuss the appropriate eating habits, lifestyle and Ayurveda guidelines ( aachar-vichaar and aahar-vihar ) to be followed in the summer season.
According to Ayurveda, summer season comes at the height of Aadaankaal. Which means it's the last stage of Aadaankaal. Hence in this season, the bodies of humans and all other living creatures (including animals and birds) become very weak. Because in this season earth follows the path which is near to sun. This causes very sharp sun rays towards the earth. Due to this sharp heat, water level of the entire earth decreases. It causes decrease in softness and oleaginousness of the entire being and wind and air also become dry, hot and sharp. Thus all living things, ponds, lakes, trees and plants become dry.
Ayurveda has, hence advised to eat oleaginous and liquid food in the summer season. Eatables which are juicy, watery and soft must be preferred over other food in summer season. Ayurveda has instructed to eat such meal in summer so that it can make up for the lost liquidity and oleaginousness of the body. The sushrut samhita has said – “soft or cold drinks and liquid fruit juice must be taken in summer. The meal too, must be fresh, oleaginous and filled with soft juice. In nights, one must drink boiled milk and eating Sattu is also very good.such food keeps body's softness and liquidity good in summer season.”
In pathya ( eatable, worth eating) food for summer season come fresh, simple, easily digestible food, green vegetables and salad. In vegetables gourd, sponge gourd, vegetable of leaves of watermelon, grams, ripe red tomato, potatos and moong daal are all eatable.
In fruits, sweet grapes, oranges and mango are eatables. Kharbooja and watermelon and Cucumber should be eaten in summer. Some more pathya eatables for summer season are listed below :-
• Sweet Shikanji prepared with lemon
• Sweet juice of mango
• Sweet thin Sattu
• Gulkand
• Sweet Lassi of milk and water.
• Emblica jam
• In daily life, cold water must be drunk with the gap of one hour.
• If you have to stay awake after 10 in night, you must follow this rule of drinking water until you sleep.
• Slightly hot milk must be drunk while sleeping.
• If your digestion power is strong, put one spoonful of ghee in this milk.
• Don't keep quantity of meal more than the hunger. Instead, stop eating when you feel you can eat more.
• Quantities of fruits, vegetables and salad should be more in the meal.
It is necessary to eat “right food” in summer season because in this season it does not take much time to get ill or fall sick.
• Waking up early before sunrise and completing routine tasks early in the morning is a terrific idea to stay fresh and energetic throughout the entire day.
• It would be even better if you can go for a morning walk of 2-3 kilometres in the summer mornings.
• Doing Soorya namaskaar or Yoga is even more beneficial in having good health in summer.
• Apply some oil on body during bathing and rub the skin with wet towel. It makes skin healthy, polished and bright.
• In breakfast, eating some curd with sugar is good for health in summer season.
• Fresh and naturally sweet curd is very healthy, provides strength to the heart and cleans the stomach and intestines.
• It is not appropriate to stay awake till late night or getting up late in the morning.
There is a difference in pathya(eatable and worth eating) and apathya ( non-eatable and not worth eating) aahar-vihaar( eating habits and lifestyles). And this thing is worth keeping in mind.