Using Ayurveda to Help with Winter Blues

Do you get winter blues symptoms, too, each year? If they star for you, in the fall (as they do for me), then you probably are experiencing them already. I am, too, but to a much lesser degree than usual. I'm using a plethora of tools and techniques - at least, that is how it sometimes seems to me - and one of them is Ayurveda.

Are you familiar with it?

I first became aware of it many years ago after a stomach virus that took more than two weeks to go away. It started with food poisoning I got from a restaurant, but then never seemed to go away. A friend of mine said she knew someone who could help and I met her in a parking lot one afternoon to see what she could tell me.

She took my pulse, examined my tongue, asked me some questions, and then told me to eat lots of hot soups, warm food in general and warm-hot water, even though we were in the heat of summer. I did it and the first day, I began to feel better!! Within a few days, I was completely better.

Why didn't I stick with her recommendations, or at least, try to learn more about it? It was one of those "I feel fine now" kinds of things. But years later, another friend mentioned ayurveda, I discovered that my primary dosha is Vata and began to make a few changes.

But it wasn't until this year that I decided to try it fully as a solution for winter blues. The good news is that it's working!! I am so grateful for it.

Let's take a look at how it might help you, too. Then, if you decide to try it, you can find your own dosha and talk with your healthcare practitioner (unless you're a rebel like me, who jumps on something without asking for medical advice first) about how to incorporate it into your winter blues plan.

Before we get to the specific Ayurveda recommendations for winter blues, let's talk terms. What is Ayurveda and what are these doshas I mentioned?

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is the 5000-year-old traditional science that was designed to bring the body back into balance in order to heal itself from ailment—that in itself is amazing—but underneath that, Ayurveda is so much more, When fully balanced, living a lifestyle in harmony with nature and one's type, stilling the mind with techniques like yoga, breathing and meditation along with proper diet, exercise, and herbal support, as needed, one can set the stage for optimal health and emotional growth. -lifespa.com

For Ayurvedic medicine the initial focus is on digestion, because it is believed that 80% of the illnesses we experience begin as digestive imbalances. So finding out your type, or dosha is the first step toward finding out how to create a healthy lifestyle in accordance with it.

The dosha is based on your body's physical, emotional and mental tendencies and the recommendations, from what to eat to what time to get up in the morning & go to bed at night, help you keep your dosha in balance. Each of us has all three of the doshas, but there usually will be one that is dominant, and possibly, a second one that has influence.

What are the Doshas?

Universal life force manifests as three different energies, or doshas, known as vata, pitta, and kapha. We're all made up of a unique combination of these three forces. Though everyone has some of each, most people tend to have an abundance of one or two of the doshas. This unique combination is determined at the moment of conception, and is your own personal blueprint, or prakriti (nature). As they move into and out of balance, the doshas can affect your health, energy level, and general mood. -YogaJournal.com

The Vata Dosha

What I have read is that winter blues is more likely to be experienced by those who have Vata as their primary dosha, as I do. So you might want to see if that is your primary dosha, too.

Note: I have been overweight all of my life, but I believe I have been Vata, too. If you begin to read about the Vata dosha, you'll see that it says that *most* Vatas are thin. Clearly, that is not the case for them all, so don't count it out if you are overweight like I am.

Recommendations for winter blues symptoms, by way of balancing vata, include...

"Stick to a daily routine, scheduling in more down time than usual. Aim for lights-out by 10 p.m. and get a full eight hours of sleep each night. Prepare warm, moist foods and sit down to eat at regular times. Sweet, sour, and salty tastes calm vata. Cooked whole grains, root veggies, and savory soups are good dietary mainstays." - Niika Quistgard

The goal, according to ayurveda, is to honor the desire to retreat and slow down (or hibernate to some degree) without succumbing to the winter depression that is so common for winter blues sufferers during the season.

Here are more suggestions from the ayurveda community...

(1) Meditate and focus on your breathing every day and throughout the day. This is particularly good because of some of the ways meditation may help lessen or prevent your winter blues symptoms...

It can decrease feelings of anxiety and nervousness, increase feelings of independence and confidence, increase your ability to solve problems, increase your ability to concentrate, create a greater sense of self-awareness, reduce negative thoughts and increase serotonin, which is said to help improve your mood.

Meditation also can lessen distressing feelings and help create emotional stability. And generate experiences of self-actualization. Here's a science article link with more benefit information.

Deep Breathing:  This is the core of most meditative practices.  If you are unfamiliar with meditation, start here and do this meditation several times until you are comfortable with it before you move on to the different forms of meditation.  Begin by finding a quiet, comfortable area and focus all of your attention on your breathing. 

• Notice how it sounds when you inhale and how it feels as your breath fills your lungs and then leaves your body through your nostrils.  Breathe deeply and slowly. 
• When your focus shifts to some mental distraction, slowly return your thoughts back to the simple act of breathing.  Feel relief as your only task is to be quiet and listen to your breathing.  Continue until you feel relaxed and rejuvenated.

(2) Get plenty of Vitamin D - they say that the best way to do that is to get out under the sun for half an hour each morning, but you may also want to get your vitamin D levels tested to make sure they are high enough. Your health practitioner may recommend taking the supplement and will help you choose the amount to take.

(3) Get plenty of exercise in whatever form you lobe & know you can keep doing. I love dancing, but not jogging or running. I have tried yoga and loved the stretching, but am not likely to ever become devoted to it.

Walking is an exercise you can combine with meditation, by choosing a positive focus as you walk each day.

What type of movement do you love?

Exercising helps to release endorphins, the feel-good hormones that
keep you looking on the brighter side of life. - banyanbotanicals.com

(4) Rest more during the winter season - if those with winter blues are more likely to need some hibernation strategies - which is what I have learned from the research I have done - then, you need more rest.

Though that includes sleep, you also can choose more restful or peaceful activities and slow life down during the fall and winter. This may help you feel better, and may help to prevent some of the winter blues symptoms you tend to experience.

(5) Create a meal plan that honors the season. Just as the quote above suggests, leaning into the curve with your winter meal plan of warm and nourishing food will warm your winter and may lessen your symptoms. ...

Winter is all about stocking up on hearty, nutrient dense foods that will keep you sustained throughout the colder months. Warming winter spices, like cinnamon, nutmeg, fresh ginger, and rosemary, along with winter root vegetables, like carrots, squash, and sweet potato, can be enjoyed and make for hearty soups, and slow cooked stews.
- from 6 Ways to Naturally Beat The Winter Blues, theholistichighway.com

Though I am not an Ayurveda expert, I hope these suggestions will help you create a happier winter. But it's always a good idea to personalize ideas like this with your healthcare provider to be sure they will work best for you.

Which ones might you try?

See you next time!

Love, Jeanine