Spring in the Kitchen

Bless all that deserves to be blessed, because it will finally be in the 80s this week in New Mexico! I couldn't be more thrilled. This Southern girl has been WAITING for this warm weather to be her best self. There is nothing I love more than feeling free in my chacos and wearing tshirts without having to have a sweatshirt or jacket of some sort. I really am meant to be in the warmth--all. the. time. 

With the change in weather, I know that I need to adjust my diet as well to prepare my body for the hotter days. 

The beauty of Ayurveda lies in its constant fluidity. As the seasons change, we can tap into our self-intelligence and listen to what our body is needing and saying to us. For the most part, it will be guiding us to align more with Mother Nature and her rhythms and patterns. 

Basic understanding tells us that as it gets warmer outside, our bodies will become influenced by that heat and naturally rise in temperature. This is what Ayurveda is...living in harmony with our environment. As our environment changes, we also need to make necessary changes in our diet and lifestyle to ensure that we flow with with the river as well. 

With warmer weather, our agni actually starts to get a little less robust. Think of it this way, naturally, the winter months required us to storehouse our food because supplies were limited. Our agni had to handle larger and heavier amounts of food to protect our bodies (think like back in the day y'all). Our bodies still operate from these instinctual tendencies. What this means for us is that as we get closer and closer to summer, our bodies can't handle large amounts of food. So gorging may not be in our best interest. 

There are also ways for us to incorporate different spices to help our bodies adjust naturally. Here are some easy and helpful ways we can ease into spring with the help of Ayurveda. 

• Make lunch your heaviest meal. Our digestive capacity is strongest between the hours of 10am-2pm. Utilize this to ensure proper digestion! 
• Dinner should be a somewhat light meal. Think warm soups, some cooked vegetables, a slice of toast with ghee--the simpler the better. As our bodies are winding down for the day, let's not overtax our GI Tract with a lot of food. This way, we can truly rest and recuperate instead of your body worrying about digesting your food. 
  
• Don't consume cold dairy before bed. This is going to increase the phlegm and mucous in the body and there's a good chance you will wake up congested. 
  
• It's almost time for the raw foods. Raw food can be hard for the body to digest. With that being said, it is also considered a light food. Light food=great for warm/hot months. So, yes, you can start busting out those salads. Start with a side salad during lunch to ensure your body can handle it. Maybe incorporate some cooked components in it as well. Take it easy on the raw food. It's often the cause of bloat, gas, and indigestion. 
  
• Speaking of bloat, gas, and indigestion! Spice up your food. Cumin, coriander, celery seed, anise, fennel--all of these are great spices to incorporate into your foods. (Side note: I'm thinking of doing a post on kitchen staples that I use for almost everything. So, stay tuned!)
  
• Try to favor whole foods. I get that every now and then a little chips and salsa hits the spot. Don't ignore your cravings either...but just minimize the snack-y type foods. 
  
• WARM WATER. I cannot over emphasize this one. Cut the cold and icy beverages from your life. I mean just go cold freaking turkey. It is not doing you ANY GOOD. This is one of my big soap boxes. Read here! 
  
• HAVE FUN. This is one of my biggest things when it comes to your diet. HAVE FUN! Food is our friend. It should not be a thing of stress, discomfort, or misery. Playing in the kitchen and experimenting is one of the best ways to rekindle that relationship and see food as our ally in health! 
  

As always, much love to all of you!