APRIL diet guide

The world is coming alive outside as buds and leaves sprout and bloom. The smells, colors, and sounds of birds are all calling and we’re itching for warmer days and more opportunities to get outside. As the natural world shifts outside we feel “spring fever” inside and it signifies different changes that are happening in the body, mind, sense complex. At this time of year the earth is swelling with moisture and warmth and so is the body. Spring is referred to as Kapha season, the season where earth and water predominate in the atmosphere and in our bodies. Body temperatures start to rise and you may feel a little water weight or mucus building up. You may also find yourself feeling hot within as the liver gets hotter. This heat can form in the mind as hot headedness and irritability and it can form in the body as rashes on the skin, congestion, and puffiness (especially for Kapha and Pitta types). During the winter, the body moved heat towards the center of your being and now it is pushing heat and blood towards your extremities. This rush of blood gives you that longing to be outside; it raises your overall temperature, your heart rate, and sense of enthusiasm. 

If your constitution is predominantly Kapha dosha – the increased humidity may make you prone to symptoms like mucus and congestion. The respiratory system may feel damp and a little bogged up. Pungent, bitter, sour, astringent, diuretic and diaphoretic foods can help release that excess moisture and backlog (keep reading for more details). Daily routines like waking early with the sun, using a neti pot, and experimenting with an invigorating breathing practice like bhastrika or kapalbhati, as well as, extra dynamic movement can help release that mucus and congested lymph. You may also find that the vibration of singing the gayatri mantra each morning attunes you to the rising light and fire you’re basking in whilst vibrating some of the residual mucus stuck in the lungs and sinus cavities.

If your constitution is predominantly Pitta dosha – you may find that your allergies are flaring up as the air thickens with pollen. This has to do with the liver being a bit more stressed during this time. This can reveal itself in the form of itchy eyes, rashes, a runny nose, and sore throat. Relieve these symptoms with cleansing bitter foods and herbs like chickweed and dandelion. Use rose water to soothe itchy eyes. 

If your constitution is predominantly Vata dosha – you may find that the spring moisture and warmth feel great, keep on keeping on with your routines and do what you can to stay grounded amidst all the excitement. Warm, well spices foods are still where it’s at until you can wear a t-shirt outside for the majority of the day.

More on Diet

We could all use lighter fare at this time so that we can release the insulating fats we stored up in winter. Reduce Kapha provoking foods like heavy grains, dairy, sugar and salt as well as heavy, fatty, fried foods which also tax the liver. 

Drink 2-8 cups of warm to tea like hot water each morning (before you have that cup of joe or breakfast for that matter). Sip on this warm to tea like hot water throughout the day. 

Continue to add in the taste of bitter, pungent, astringent, and sour into your diet. 

Start with bitter roots. Bitter roots will help scrub the villi and lymphatics within the intestinal skin. These bitter roots and herbs include dandelion, burdock, Oregon grape, turmeric, ginger, and berberines. Once we have cleansed with the bitter roots we can enjoy the spring and summer greens and all the chlorophyll they add to the microbiome. Other bitter greens that cleanse the liver, release stored moisture in the body, and increase circulation include: fennel, watercress, chard, radicchio, kohlrabi, lettuce, beet greens, endive, microgreens, and sprouts. You may also enjoy diuretics like corn, celery, kale, cabbage and collards. Other foods that will help increase your circulation and help you sweat out some of winter’s buildup include radishes, mustard greens, arugula, chives, raw onions and garlic. 

April is also a great time to do a cleanse. If cleansing, be sure to take some probiotics too (enjoy the probiotics in kraut, kimchi, and veggies like leeks, onions, garlic, and seaweed.) The sour taste found in these ferments and veggies will also help to cleanse the liver. 

Shift from heavier meats and start to lighten up with some beans, legumes, and bean sprouts.

Reduce the amount of sugar by eating fruits that aren’t as sweet like apricots, cherries, oranges, grapefruits, lemon, pomegranates, tangerines and kumquats. 

Spice is nice in spring. Cook with spices such as cinnamon, cayenne, ginger and black pepper. These also increase circulation and can be used generously this time of year.

Lifestyle

We are working to release winter buildup with diet and lifestyle. To reduce that stagnation don’t sleep in! Sync up with circadian rhythms. Listen to that yearning within and get more sunshine. Rise with the sun, spend more time outdoors and get that vitamin D into your skin. Keep moving to keep your lymph flowing and circulation going. You may find dry brushing to be a great stimulating activity for moving lymph. Sip on Ayurvedic Detox Tea throughout the day. This mixture of cumin, coriander, and fennel will help flush excess water from the body, support the gentle cleansing of toxins, and strengthen digestion. Pop some mint, peppermint, rosemary and/or basil into your diffuser for an aromatic diaphoretic (sweat inducing) effect. Keep moving! Yogis will enjoy more backbends and stimulating flows with dynamic movement during this time. These backbends will open up the lungs. You can also open the lungs with other enjoyable activities like hiking and biking. Longer days mean you can get more movement and playtime in. Instead of lounging on the couch at night, try an evening stroll. 

What we are working on is cooperating with the body’s natural tendency to transition to spring microbes whose new purpose (instead of insulating) is to burn fat, lose excess weight, stabilize your mood, and renew your energy for the year ahead. 

To sum it up: Lighten up, enjoy more greens, the tastes of sour, bitter, pungent, and astringent and dance with the sun.