Kapha Dosha Diet
Dietr
Springtime- It’s Kapha Season
Best foods for Kapha Dosha and Season
The Spring Season welcomes growth, movement and rejuvenation! Energy is bursting forward in all areas of life. It is THE time to lighten the body and mind. To reduce any heaviness that may have accumulated during the Winter. And to begin incorporating a kapha dosha reducing diet!
The past few months have been focused on strength, stability, building immunity and increasing the quality of the tissues in the body. If the digestive fire has remained strong you may feel the Spring clarity as the snow melts and the growing rays of the Sun naturally increase fire and heat in the body.
If you notice any heaviness, stickiness, cloudiness or slowness in your elimination, tissues or mind now is the time to cleanse it all away in preparation for Summer. To cultivate the opposite qualities of the season we want to focus on practices that stimulate, dry, lighten, and clear the body of any mucus or excess weight that could be lingering from Winter.
This can be achieved with a single day clear broth soup fast, warm stimulating herbal teas, dry powder massage, body brushing, herbal steams and foods that are predominantly pungent, bitter and astringent.
Keeping up with stimulating movement practices like sun salutations, dynamic pranayama and time walking or exercising in the sunlight can all help move accumulated Kapha out of the system swiftly and safely.
Kapha Dosha Diet Reducing Foods
The list below reflects Kapha reducing options to incorporate in the Spring. Remember this does not take into account your personal constitution, but rather seasonal eating. Try incorporating these in your Spring garden or seek them out at a farm stand or market. Contact us for consultation that includes individual recommendations.
Each dosha has predominant tastes (rasa) that reduce the quantity of the elements that have accumulated. Due to the heavy, sticky, slow, and cloudy nature of Kapha tastes that are pungent, bitter and astringent help lighten the system, dry out accumulation, and help move along any obstruction or stuckness from the predominance of earth and water qualities that make up Kapha. You will notice the foods listed below focus on cultivating the opposite.
Grains
amaranth, barley, bran, buckwheat, quinoa, corn, granola, millet, dry oats, basmati, rye
(note during Kapha Season grains should be eaten in moderation)
Fruits
apple, cherries, dry figs, grapes, lemons, limes, peaches, pears, prunes, raisins, strawberries
Vegetables
asparagus, beets, greens, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, corn, eggplant, green beans, onions, peas, peppers, spinach, sprouts, fiddleheads, arugula, turnips, spinach
Beans & Legumes
black beans, chickpeas, lentils, mung beans, navy beans, dried peas, pinto, soymilk, tempeh, tofu
Dairy
buttermilk, cottage cheese, ghee, goat cheese, skim goat milk, takra *in moderation*
Nuts and Seeds
chaole, flax, pumpkin *in moderation*
Oils
corn, canola, sunflower, mustard
Sweeteners
fruit juice, honey raw and unprocessed
Local Foods= Best Foods
There is a common misconception in Ayurveda that you have to consume only Indian foods and herbs. Not true! Ayurveda focuses on finding balance in Nature and specifically within your close environment. An important practice emphasized repeatedly is to eat locally grown seasonal foods. After the dormant season of Winter the swift growth of Spring plants offers not only joy but the balancing qualities we are looking for to reduce Kapha Dosha.
Vegetables and wild foods like fiddleheads, dandelion leaves, radishes, turnips and asparagus are a few examples of the bitter, pungent and astringent tastes which pop up just in time for us to find balance in the season. What are you finding near you?
Spring Season Practice
Due to the natural accumulation of Kapha dosha in the Spring season it is the best time to cleanse the body of excess mucus and accumulated heaviness that may be present from the Winter. If digestive health has not been nurtured during the Winter months you may notice Springtime sometimes brings on colds, allergies, heaviness and feelings of density. There are a few ways to lighten this load. You could schedule a Home Cleanse, visit us for Pancha Karma or work with Seasonal Practices. Now is a great time to begin working with how you are consuming your meals to optimize overall health. Focusing on how well you are digesting your foods is always a good place to start.
Digestive Chutneys for Kapha Dosha
Aharayogi (food friend)
With our Springtime focus on removing accumulated buildup and keeping our digestive fire stoked, chutneys can be just the trick! As fresh herbs and wild food become more available they make wonderful additions to meals in the form of tasty digestive support perfect for the season.
Some of our favorites are Mint Chutney and Turmeric Digestive Chutney. One of the main signs that the digestive system is processing meals properly is feeling hungry. If you feel like your digestive fire might be low taking a fingertip size portion of the Turmeric Chutney before a meal can stoke the fire and help you process what you consume. Try it!
Looking to learn more? Register for our Spring Cleanse to support health for the months to come. In the meantime keep considering the qualities of nature and how you can cultivate the opposite to create lightness and ease during this beautiful Spring season. Enjoy the process!