Early Spring means early Spring colds and allergies. Here’s what you need to do now to stay well!

Why is everyone having such a tough time? Ayurveda teaches that Spring is the season of melting—just as snow melts in the mountains to fill the rivers, fat melts in the human body to help us shed the winter weight and “wake up” from the winter slumber. The melting occurs in two ways—the shedding of winter weight and the loosening of mucus in the body. And if our digestive system is not working at its optimal, that mucus will turn into colds and allergies.

Use a neti pot: This little genie’s bottle really does work some magic on congestion. Fill the pot with warm distilled water and add some nasal salt. Lean over the sink and pour the salt water in one nostril and out the other. If you lift your head too much and the water goes into your throat, simply spit it in the sink. Gently blow the nose and you’ll have easy breathing all day.

Exercise: This is the best time of year to break a sweat. Sweating assists the body’s melting of the fat layer we put on in the winter. And it also helps counteract the coolness of Spring days when it’s easy to get a chill and feel out of sorts. Try a brisk walk by the pond to see the birds pairing up for mating season or do some vigorous Sun Salutations.

Eat seasonal foods: Mother Nature provides us with greens, dandelions and other early Spring plants to help detox the liver and assist this melting process. Also eat beets, ginger, spinach, berries, garbanzo beans and lentils. Use lots of spices and herbs in your food. Avoid dairy and sugar in the Spring.

If you’d like to learn more about how to make these recommendations more specific to your constitution and lifestyle, consider doing an Ayurvedic consultation with Janet this Spring.

Sneezes and sniffles! Our poor noses are suffering this season due to an early Spring (three weeks early according to The Weather Channel). Ayurveda encourages us to take good care of our noses, not just in the Spring but all year around. Here’s why:

The nose is the organ for our sense of smell. Ayurveda places great emphasis on the five senses because each one is connected to one of the five elements. The sense of smell is connected to the earth element and, wouldn’t you know it, Spring is the season of earth awakening. Believe it or not, one of the ways to take care of our nose in Spring is to shed the heaviness we’ve been holding onto since Winter. To do this, eat more bitter, astringent and pungent foods like asparagus, broccoli, radishes, arugula, cabbage, hot sauce, etc. Avoid eating foods that will add water or weight, like salty and sweet foods and dairy.

The nose also provides a direct link to our brain. The respiratory system and nervous system are actually separate, but there is a way to cross over that barrier. Ayurveda uses a technique called nasya, which means “nose.” A medicated oil is sniffed into the nose. As it coats the inside of the nostrils, it makes contact with the olfactory nerve, which carries the medication (herbs) directly into the brain. Even without the medication, nasya is very effective in enhancing the sense of smell and moisturizing nostrils that are irritated from all that sneezing.

To do nasya, wash your hands well. Place one drop of organic sesame oil on each pinky finger and coat the inside of the nostrils. Sniff vigorously and rub the sides the nose with your other fingers. The best time to do nasya is in the morning, either when you first get up or after your shower.