Self-care Tips for April
- Jeannine Love
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
April is within Kapha season, according to Ayurveda, and is characterized by increasing warmth and moisture. This moisture can lead to a buildup of Kapha dosha in our bodies, causing heaviness, lethargy, and congestion. If this sounds like you, then try some of these self-care tips for April.
Self-care Tips for April
Diet
We need a diet that is light, warm, and dry to drain dampness and to support the liver. Light, warm, dry foods include greens like dandelions, beet greens, lettuce, chard, radicchio, kohlrabi, watercress and arugula as well as light shoots, such as asparagus. Legumes, especially chickpeas, are good right now, and grains, like millet, barley, quinoa, and buckwheat. Try Kapha reducing foods, such as apricots, cherries, oranges, lemon, pomegranates, and tangerines; and avoid or limit Kapha aggravating foods, such as wheat, dairy, sugar, salt and heavy, fried foods.
If you didn’t do a cleanse last month, then consider doing so this month. It will reset your digestion and help diminish seasonal allergy symptoms.
Herbs & Spices
Cook with lots of spices that are dry, hot, bitter, and/or pungent, such as black pepper, turmeric, ginger, garlic, cumin, and mustard seeds to reduce sluggishness and get the blood moving. Other hot, pungent spices include red pepper flakes, green chilies, and cayenne. Look for wild herbs, like dandelions and chickweed, which are abundant now.
If you’re feeling “puffy”, try CCF Tea to reduce water weight.
Also, we're I live, it's the windy season, so allergies are just awful right now. If you suffer from allergies, then use a neti pot to clean out the sinuses; but if your sinuses get dried out, try Nasya Oil to relieve dried, irritated tissues. You could also use drops of Nettles Tincture to help ease your allergy symptoms.
Lifestyle
Now that the days are getting longer, be sure to get up with the sun and get moving. Practice yoga, or if the weather is nice, go outside and walk, hike, or bike. Aim for 15-20 minutes a day of exercise. Also, if you get outside more, you'll be able to soak up some vitamin D. Lastly, if you're feeling heavy and sluggish, try Dry Brushing to get lymph moving.
Have a happy and healthy April!
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