Springtime Ayurvedic Shopping List

The seasons are changing and our bodies are changing along with the nature. I can usually tell when the seasons are about to change because my body is starting to ask for a different kind of nourishment. As of last week, my belly is predicting the coming of Spring! Every Thursday I try to stop by Lifethyme to get lunch. The entire winter I kept choosing the same dish: a rich medley of roasted squash, zucchini, and onions with a bean casserole. It was nourishing, warm, and very hearty – a perfect meal for a dry cold Vata season. Last week, when the weather changed from freezing cold to a slightly warmer breeze my regular lunch didn’t seem so appetizing anymore. Instead I was craving something bitter and spicy. According to Ayurveda such shift in cravings is normal during Spring time. Both ancient Ayurvedic text such as Charaka Samhita, and modern ayurvedic practitioners including Dr Vassant Lad agree that it is natural to crave foods that have bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes during the cold wet Kapha season (Spring). All the foods that are warm, light, dry, and spicy help to counter balance the heavy dull qualities of Kapha.