Vasant rutu or Spring, Known as – ” The King of seasons “, proves the name by its pleasing characteristics. The beauty of the nature is at the peak, in this season, – With new leaves and colourful flowers blooming, birds singing sweetly around – as if all of them are painting the nature’s canvas with their varied colours. The climate is neither too hot nor too cool and pleases the mind, body and soul.
Ayurveda explains 6 rutus in a year, namely Shishir, Vasant, Grishma, Varsha, Sharad, & Hemant.
The “Vasant Rutu” or spring – which likely falls from mid-Feb to mid-April – is the junction of two seasons, namely- shishir and Grishma, where in the climate is neither too hot and nor too cold. The season changes its nature and qualities, and so does the body and its doshas. Hence it is very important to modify our diet and lifestyle accordingly to avoid seasonal illness.
The sanchit (accumulated) kapha in the previous shishir rutu, starts liquefying with the increased warmth of the vasant rutu, which then spreads out and rests in sinuses, masks jatharagni and weakens it, resulting in indigestion, appetite loss, migrane, headache, acidity, cough, etc.
Ayurveda explains some Do’s and Dont’s to prevent these ailments :
Do’s in Vasant Rutu –
Diet :
- Have foods which are easy to digest.
- Grains like wheat, rice or yava (Barley) which are harvested atleast a year old, honey, asav, should be included in diet.
- Have fresh and juicy seasonal and local fruits.
- Drink warm water to kindle the digestive fire, this also helps for aam pachan.
- Water medicated with musta (Cyperus rotundus), honey or dry ginger gives coolant effect and also helps to digest aam dosha. Honey should be mixed with previously boiled and cooled water only. Never mix honey in warm or hot water.
- Herbs like turmeric, ginger, cumin and coriander should be added, these aids digestion and also balances kapha.
Lifestyle :
- Regular exercise like walking, swimming, yoga, etc.
- Dry massage (Udvartan) should be followed by bath with medicated water or application of lep with various coolant herbal powders like sandalwood, agaru, etc.
- One should spent time in cool areas, gardens or waterfalls, or near stream or rivers, where there will be cool breeze, mild essence of newly bloomed flowers and chirping of birds, this helps to relax the soul and mind.
- Arrange social gatherings with the loved ones.
Dont’s in Vasant Rutu –
Diet :
- Avoid cold, sweet, sour, oily and spicy foods.
- Avoid having fermented foods, bakery products, preserved and heavy to digest foods.
- Limit the intake of alcohol and smoking.
- Avoid frozen foods and ice creams.
Lifestyle :
- Avoid sleeping in Day-time as this will further aggravate kapha and kapha ailments.
- Avoid direct exposure to air.
Therapeutic procedures in Vasant Rutu :
As mentioned earlier that sanchit kapha liquifies and causes kapha dominant diseases, in this rutu, it is advisable to undergo Panchakarma procedures like Vaman and Nasya in Vasant rutu.
Ayurveda recommends vaman and nasya for not only diseased individual but also healthy individuals, wherein the dosha balance is normal. These are the preventive Shodhan karma, recommended by Acharyas, as kapha prakop is very obvious in this rutu, which in turn gives rise to above mentioned illnesses. Vaman and Nasya helps to expel the aggravated kapha, thus maintaining dosha equilibrium and healthy state of the body. This is termed as ‘Rutu Shodhan’ in Ayurveda.
So all of you, who desire healthy long life, follow the “Vasant Rutucharya” this and every coming year…..and also get yourself detoxified with shodhan karma – Vaman and Nasya.