In summer, more attention should be paid to the two qualities of heat and dryness. In the season, which the qualities that grow in nature, the qualities that maintain balance should be in our eating , drinking and behaviour. This means we should take food against it. Doing so can prevent common ailments and problems during that season.

Now let’s talk about which food will balance this heat and dryness. It is very easy to know that, Food that contains more liquid or is fluid in nature and cold in potency helps to balance the effect of summer on the body. The food which is sweet in the taste will generally having this property. Another thing is we have to notice that the content of grains in our food. Use same amount of grains throughout the year, but this is not good for health during this season.

In summer taking grains 2 to 3 times a day is harmful to our body. Because this type of food is dry by its nature and to digest dry food body requires more water which is difficult in summer.

So we should intake half the quantity of grains as compared to other seasons or only one time in a day. Instead of grains we should increase sweet fruits, fruit juices, Sugarcane juice, salad, milk, ghee in our food. Nature also provides us sweet fruits or king of fruits mango in the same season. But we are the ones who eat mangoes but will not reduce the consumption of chapati, rice, pulses, and vegetables. Eating enough mangoes, but not reducing consumption of grains causes more difficulties for digestion. Now the body has to digest not one but two types of things, then all these problems arise like indigestion, gas, acidity, pimples. So during summer, why not have one meal e.g breakfast of only mangoes or any other fruit alone?

Let’s see what should be a timetable for having food in the summer.

As we discussed, in the morning breakfast, we can take sweet fruits according to our appetite. For lunch, first we can have a good salad, which includes cucumber, tomato, carrot. Select food which is seasonal, juicy, or which can be eat without cooking, Also the vegetables can be cooked and eaten lightly, with fewer spices. Those who need rice can take small amount. Some sprouts can be taken with a salad. If the stomach is not full, boiled potatoes and Sweet potatoes can be taken. Once a time in a day kheer, lassi, gram, or barley extract can be taken. In the evening, it is better to take something juicy, like one or two glasses of drinks made up of fennel, dates, or raisins. We can have light grains for dinners like Chapati, rice, cereals or vegetables, but in small quantities. Another important thing is we have to keep the quantity of food less in this season as compared to another season. This is because digestion system is weak at this time. Avoid solid foods and eat more juicy foods.

After knowing the food, now let’s talk about the activity.

• Exercise – In this season it is good to do less exercise, those who go to the gym regularly, they have to keep in mind that in the summer season, do not always work as hard because working too hard will lead to sweating and that time body can lose strength by losing water from the body. So we should not make too much effort at this time.
• Sleep during the day – This is the only season when it is better to sleep for a short time during the day while sleeping during the day at any time of the year is detrimental. But in the summer it’s beneficial.

So let’s see once again what is best to take in summer and what we have to avoid. You should have food which is sweet in taste, less spicy or bitter, salty, and sour taste. Eat more seasonal fruits like watermelon, pomegranate, grapes and ripe mangoes, and take the salad. You can take milk, and ghee-based products like kheer, lassi, and sattu. You can also take cold water from a pot, coconut water, neera, sugarcane juice and once-a-day cereal, a little rice, porridge or chapati. Heavy grains, oily foods, spicy foods, hot fast food, millet grains, pulses, etc. need to be reduced.

Basically, foods that is water-based, which will help bring down the agni in your constitution.

So take care of all this in summer, by doing this you will feel less heat, you will not get sick and the mood will also be good.

The post What is the right diet and routine in summer? appeared first on AYURVEDIC ANSWERS.