How to stay well when the weather is challenging

Have you been able to stay well in the past months? It can be challenging with all the rain and cold, and the flu and colds going around. And it isn't over yet. The season of the flowing waters is upon us, usually bringing colds and spring allergies. 
According to Ayurveda it is kapha season, when the elements of water and earth are dominant. Kapha solidifies in us as mucus and protects and lubricates the delicate tissues in our bodies. And if we eat a lot of rich food and don't move very much, which is typically what we do in winter, we produce too much mucus. Then in the early spring, when the sun starts warming up the earth and the snow in the mountains melts and the water starts to flow everywhere, kapha melts, and this mucus tends to start flowing in us, causing spring sickness. 
​Following are ways to prevent spring sickness from happening...
-  Eat lightly, avoid heavy dairy, meats, cheeses, yogurt, pastries, desserts, and fried foods. This is not the season for these kinds of foods, this is the time for greens, lots of greens and lighter fare like rice or quinoa, noodles, and veggies. Some animal protein is fine, but stay away from the bacon at this time, and eat the lean cuts. A great vegetarian option is mung dal and red lentils. They are both light and easy to digest.
-  Eat cooked, warm food. When the mucus is flowing, keep it flowing, don't stop it by eating cold foods. Have plenty of warming spices like ginger and black pepper. If you are more of a kapha type, you can even use chilies and cayenne.
​- Also dress warm. Even if the climbing sun feels like summer, it still goes down early and immediately the atmosphere cools down. It is easy to get sick when you allow your body to get cold.
-  Exercise, move... warm up your body and melt the stagnation.
-  Take in the sun when you can. 20 minute sun baths are very supportive for immunity.
​-  Do a spring cleanse  and this is also a good time for panchakarma.
-  Keep your mucus membranes healthy: apply 2 drops of nasya oil to your nostrils daily. Keep your head tilted back when you do this. Apply a drop of oil to your ears a few times a week. Having healthy nourished mucus membranes makes it less likely for viruses and allergens to cause damage, since the local immune system will function better.
-  Use the neti pot when you need to. If you have a lot of mucus, this is a good way to clean it out. If you feel the beginning of a cold, then add a pinch of turmeric to the salt water, to kill the pathogen that is bothering you.
-  Put a drop of triphala tea in each eye every morning. Triphala cleans and clears and nourishes the eyes. Use 1 tsp of triphala powder to 1 cup of boiled water. Steep it like a tea, for 20 minutes. Then filter through very find cloth, so no herb particles are in the liquid. Keep it in a small dropper bottle in the refrigerator. Be careful, because it does spoil. You will see growths in the liquid when that happens. It will be fine in the refrigerator for several weeks.
-  Take immune boosters, like ashwaganda, triphala, tulsi, and of course there are many more preparations available that can help you to stay strong.
-  And when you get sick anyway... rest, stay warm, eat broths and soups, with as much spice as is healthy for who you are... you will know.