Sleepy Kapha Monster

Chilly days, recurrent snow storms and gray sky are predecessors of a looming Kapha season. Changes in the nature always lead to the changes in our bodies. Heavy, wet, and cold by its nature Kapha reigns our world from late January to the end of April. It influences everything in our daily existence from energy levels to sleep quality, from body weight to mood. When balanced Kapha creates a sense of security, stability, and internal peace. It makes you feel as if you were under a warm soft blanket with a cup of cocoa even during the most challenging times. It improves your intuition and encourages compassion. But not everything is perfect about Kapha. Once you step off the thin edge of a balanced healthy Kapha, you end up in a depressed moody tired state. Life looses its bright colors, early morning doesn’t inspire you, and a chronic cold seems to follow. Physically, Kapha can show up as frequent colds, allergies, and weight gain. With increased kapha there is a tendency for toxins to gather and be held onto in our tissues.

To make sure that Kapha monster doesn’t get a hold of you, ayurveda recommends following several simple steps:

– Keep it moving. Exercise is especially important during Kapha season when all you want is to stay on the couch and eat chips. Do yoga, run, bike, jump, skip and play as much as you can and don’t let slow Kapha get a hold of you. Come to Strala for a fun energizing yoga class!

– Eat light and hot foods. I prefer having lots of warm light soups, beans, and roasted veggies while avoiding heavy, cold, and creamy stuff. Sip hot water frequently throughout the day. It is the frequency rather than volume that counts. Try adding spices for more flavor. Black pepper, ginger, turmeric, cumin, and coriander (or cilantro).

– Stay dry and warm. Say yes to warm boots, hats, and gloves in bright colors such as red, yellow, and orange. Besides keeping you warm, bright colors will prevent the onset of a Winter depression. If you get a chance go to a dry heat sauna; it feels amazing when it’s cold outside.

– Keep it fresh and exciting. If you are feeling stuck in a rut, mentally slow, heavy and more tired than usual, now is the time to vary your daily routine, start something new, or go someplace exciting. Seek for adventure, new friends, fun experiences, and set new challenging goals for this Spring. This is the time to take your first Salsa lesson that you were thinking about for the last year, get a new hair style, and go out dancing with your old friends!

Stay tuned for a Kapha balancing yoga routine!