Summer brings many of us happiness, joy, and motivation. Our focus is on the outside, abundant light, and beautiful plant life – we feel the call from nature, a burst of energy and with the longer days we tend to be active for longer periods of time outside.
So we turned to Ilona Major – our resident body expert – for the best advice on how we can keep our energy balanced as we head into the summer months.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine Summer is the peak of Yang energy. The primary governing organs related to the summer are the heart and small intestine and the related emotions are joy and abundance.
In the Ayurvedic Tradition this season is associated with the Pitta and Fire Dosha, represented by fire and water. This transformative energy is hot and intense, and determines and governs metabolism and assimilation.
Excessive Pitta energy can affect us physically causing:
- high blood pressure
- ulcers
- rashes
- stomach acidity.
and emotionally:
- can be more irritable
- short tempered
- domineering
- judgmental
- impatient
- and there’s tendency to overwork until the point of burn out.
In the summer the higher levels of heat and sunshine exposes the Vata type and an excess level of air can cause an increased dryness in they system.
Excessive Vata Energy can affect us physically:
- increased dryness of the skin
- bloating
- cramps
- irregular digestion
and emotionally:
- luck of focus
- forgetfulness
- anxiety
- insecurity
Summer season is very balancing for the Kapha type as they feel more energised and they enjoy the hot and dry environment. The element is earth and water and they aggravating factor is cold and damp environment.
Excessive Kapha Energy can affect us physically:
- decrease in energy
- excessive sleeping
- sluggishness
- fatigue
and emotionally:
- comfort eating
The key is how we keeping our energy balanced.
Balancing Pitta Energy
Keep cool and avoid over exposure to direct sunlight, slow down walk in nature, practice yoga, gardening, swimming, unstructured creativity and play can really help. Avoid spicy food opt for salads, vegetables, sweet fruits and sip mint infusions throughout the day.
to support your balancing try:
the Serenity Pitta Infusion by Mauli Rituals
A loose tea blend of natural herbs and flowers to help alleviate emotional outbursts and hyperacidity while purifying the blood and improving skin health.
Balancing Vata Energy
Increase warmth and moisture. Eat salty, sour and sweet foods and healthy fats such as ghee, drink hot water or herbal tea (peppermint, fennel) throughout the day, cut down on raw foods and sprouted vegetables.
Aim for constant rituals and regular routines to balance Vata.
Meditate, bath with healing salts to shift blockages and detox sluggish system.
Self-massage to keep body moisturised.
Practice calming yoga at the beginning and end of the day.
to support your balancing try:
Surrender Vata Body Oil by Mauli Rituals
A body oil that blends 13 essential oils including chamomile and ylang ylang to induce a restful sleep.
Breathe Balm by Lab Tonica
A beautiful botanical balm for dabbing onto pulse points, made with the highest grade essential oils: bergamot, sandalwood, sweet orange, chamomile and lavender.
Balancing Kapha Energy
Weakly fast or even intermittent fast could help, body scrubs, detox masks and self-massage can help sluggish system. Having bitter, warming, drying, stimulating, spicy food can help to balance the built up cold and dampness avoid sweets and dairy.
Physical exercises like walking in nature, cycling, swimming can boost up the circulation kickstart the metabolism.
to support your balancing try:
POW tea by Lab Tonica
Tea bags of brilliant botanical blends of herbs to make you feel energetic: ginger, yerba mate, lemongrass, beetroot, rosemary, lemon peel and chilli.
Turmeric herbal supplement by Anima Mundi
A high quality Turmeric herbal supplement powder known to ward off dementia, prevent cancer and act as a powerful anti-inflammatory.
Spirited kapha infusion by Mauli Rituals
A caffeine-free loose Ayurvedic tea blend designed to balance the Kapha dosha in the body – combating lethargy and fraid emotions.
