Here are some Ayurvedic recommendations to keep diseases at bay during the monsoon season.
Monsoon comes like a breath of cool, fresh air after the hot summer months. For most people, it’s their favourite time of year. Unfortunately, other species seem to like it too. Bacterias grow profusely in this season. And with the humidity at 70-100%, fungi and moulds also thrive in this season. As a result, the cooler temperatures and wetter environs can harm your health if you are not careful.
Ayurveda, India’s ancient system of medicine and good health, divides the year into six seasons.
What to eat.
- Only consume fresh food.
- Stick to a lighter diet. Control your portions and avoid fried and spicy foods as much as possible.
- Incorporate healthier options like pure ghee, lentils, green gram along with rice and wheat in your diet.
- Every day, eat a spoonful of grated ginger sprinkled with salt to taste. Ginger has medicinal powers to strengthen the immune system and protect you.
- Drink lots of water. This will help in proper digestion, as well as improve metabolic rate.
- Use pure and filtered water. You can also boil the water to kill most germs.
- In case you have constipation, eat 3-5g of Kadukkai (Terminalia chebula).
What not to eat.
- Say no to food from roadside stalls.
- Do not consume uncooked foods like salads.
- Do not eat stale food. Try and eat it as soon as it is cooked.
- Avoid food items like meat that take a longer time to digest.
- Choose your veggies wisely from the market and avoid buying rotten and flabby vegetables.
In addition to these, Ayurveda suggests avoid sleeping during the day, keeping your surroundings clean and your feet dry, and you should be fine. For extra protection, use disinfectants like loban and dry neem leaves - just make a small potli in a muslin cloth and keep it in your cupboard, and it should kill insects and microbes alike. Ayurveda also recommends using perfumes in this season.