By Monica Kar
Every year, during the dark, cold months of winter, it seems as if spring will never come—especially around mid-February. But then Mother Nature smiles again. Spring arrives, bringing lots of showers and beautiful flowers. Overnight, spring turns into summer and winter is a faint memory. The circle of life!
Spring and early summer are both wonderful times to visit your local farmer's markets for fresh spring fruits and veggies—many of which have naturally purifying properties. Bitter tastes are very cleansing and cooling, and found in many greens most generously supplied by Mother Nature at this time.
Cleansing spring foods & recipe ideas
In India, it is said that if you take the time to cleanse yourself in the spring, the summer heat will not affect your body in a negative way. I grew up in northern India where, if we were lucky, we had 15 or 20 days of spring before the relentless dry heat of summer began. This was the time to eat as many watermelons, melons, and local berries—like "jamun”—as we could before summer arrived with at least 50 different varieties of mouth-watering sweet mangoes!
Here in the Midwest, the first fresh produce at our local organic store is an assortment of herbs—chives, parsley, cilantro, dill, sage, mint, oregano, basil, salad greens, etc. These are followed closely by tiny, orange, really sweet carrots; asparagus; radishes; chard; spinach; and bitter greens, such as kale and arugula.
Take advantage of your fresh finds with these helpful, gently cleansing recipes:
Cleansing Ayurvedic dandelion tea recipe
For a quick, purifying tea, make organic dandelion tea by washing the leaves of a dandelion plant thoroughly and then boiling in water. Boil until the water is reduced by one-fourth. Sip and enjoy while watching this video on how to supercharge your spring routine with Ayurveda!
Cleansing Ayurvedic ginger tea recipe
To make ginger tea, simply follow the same directions as our dandelion tea recipe (above), using some freshly grated ginger root in place of dandelion leaves. Both ginger and dandelions are good cleansers and toners for the body. Ginger tea is especially beneficial in supporting the respiratory system. Learn more about how to promote a healthy respiratory system with Ayurveda.
Cleansing spring chutney
Fresh herbs can be easily made into DIY Ayurvedic chutneys to accompany your meals. Here’s a great recipe for Mint-Cilantro Chutney—a warm-weather favorite that cools while it gently cleanses the digestion.
A word about panchakarma cleansing
The gap between seasons is also a good opportunity to consider taking some time to cleanse your body in a safe and supportive environment, such as an Ayurvedic spa. There, you’ll have the opportunity to do panchakarma, a powerful, revitalizing purification program involving therapeutic massage and other pampering treatments. Here in Fairfield, Iowa, The Raj Ayurveda Health Spa is a favorite choice.
You can also do an easy, at-home Ayurvedic scrub-down this spring.
Wrapping up...
The bounty of nature is ours to enjoy. Let us not forget to thank nature, with every meal, for supplying us with exactly what our bodies require. Mother Nature has been named well!
For more helpful tips on sailing smoothly into spring, check out our article on the Ayurvedic Approach to Spring Cleaning – Home, Body, Mind.
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