Make It Hot: Kapha Busting Tips As We Move Towards Spring

I'm still getting over this cruddy virus, but think I’ve almost kicked it. I’m really bad at being sick.

I don’t get sick often, and I will tell you: it happens even less since I started practicing Ayurveda.

What can you do to help prevent spring colds and allergies this year? It’s all related to decreasing ​kapha, the elements of earth + water.​

Here’s a few practical tips:

⛰️Get active, especially in the morning.

You’ve got a double dose of kapha energy from 6am-10am. If you're getting up during this timeframe, you might be finding it harder to get out of bed!

Get outside for a vigorous walk, do 15 minutes of sun salutations, or have a little dance party.

This is the time of year vigorous exercise is most supportive. Get your sweat on.

⛰️Do neti pot.

At least once per day, especially after spending time outside. Neti helps keep the nasal cavity clear of mucus and pollen/debris buildup.

Once dry, apply a little bit of nose (nasya) oil to the insides of the nose to keep them lubricated.

Avoid both neti and oil in the nose if you have a sinus infection.

Some Kapha reducing foods in my cart this week

⛰️Drink fresh ginger tea.

Take about an inch of ginger root, boil it in 12 oz of water for 15 minutes, strain out the ginger, and drink the water.

You can also double or triple this and drink ginger water throughout the day.

⛰️Lighten up your diet.

Favor more cooked bitter greens, cruciferous vegetables, and lighter, crunchier foods.

Fresh popped popcorn with some spices, yum!

Go easy on the cheese (​we talked about this one!)​, dairy, meat, and white potatoes. Goat cheese in moderation is fine.

⛰️Eat less sugar.

Raw honey is the best sweetener as we fully move into kapha season. It has a special quality that can scrape excess kapha from the body.

Note that heating honey causes undigestible toxins, so don’t bake with it or heat it up; if you add to tea, make sure the tea is not boiling (you don’t want the honey to fully dissolve).

⛰️Make it hot.

Warm food, warm drinks, and all the spices!

If you love spicy hot, like cayenne, chili, and black pepper, now is the best time to eat food spicy-hot.