Wellness during monsoon needs special attention as per Ayurveda. With the advent of the monsoon, your body undergoes a stage of aggravated pitta. Pitta, also known as fire element, is one of the three elements of your body that governs metabolism, digestion, and temperature of the body. Due to a higher amount of pitta, sluggish digestion can be seen and you may be prone to various problems like indigestion, hyperacidity, skin rashes, and other infections.

Ayurveda recommends following different diets and lifestyle schedules in each season which helps to maintain good health. So here is an Ayurveda wellness monsoon guide to staying healthy and fit during monsoon.

Ayurveda Wellness Diet During Monsoon

Foods that should be taken in the monsoon:

Breakfast:

Choose cow’s milk and cereals like barley and gram. These are easily digestible and light in nature. These also provide quick energy and do not lead to lethargy in your body.

Lunch:

All the six types of tastes i.e. sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent should be part of your lunch. Start your lunch with sweet fruit. Then go for the salty, sour, and pungent foods for your main course. Give it a touch of finish by something bitter and astringent. This will both freshen up your mouth and aid you in digestion.

Dinner:

This should be the lightest meal of the day. Rice and corn are advisable for the night. You can have some buffalo milk at the end of your dinner as it is proven to be very good for your night’s sleep.

Food & Lifestyle recommended in rainy/monsoon season:

• Include cow’s ghee, lentils, green gram, rice, and wheat in daily diet.
• Consume a small piece of ginger with rock salt before every meal.
• Take sour and salted soups of vegetables. Onion and vegetables may also be used in soups.
• If the days are cooler due to heavy rains, take a diet that is sour, salty, and oily.
• Drink boiled and cooled water mixed with little honey.
• Add ginger and green gram to your daily diet.
• Eat warm food and avoid eating uncooked foods and salads.
• Eat fruits as they help you restore energy. Apples, mangoes, pomegranates, and pears are best suggestible. Avoid watermelon and muskmelons and also goosing on too many mangoes may cause pimples.
• Foods such as brown rice, oats, and barley are the best foods one could have in this monsoon.
• Consuming bitter vegetables like bitter gourd, and bitter herbs like neem, turmeric powder, and methi seeds help in preventing infections.
• Consume drying oils like corn oil or light oil and avoid heavy oils like sesame oil, peanut oil, and mustard oil as they fall in the first place to invite infections.

Foods that should be avoided in monsoon:

Heavy foods with lots of oils in them should always be avoided during the rainy season. The list of ‘to be avoided’ foods may contain:

• green and leafy vegetables,
• wheat and maida,
• fermented products,
• avoid drinking excess fluids which further slows down the metabolism. Eating watery foods like lassi, watermelon, rice, muskmelon creates swelling in the body. So, better opt for foods that are drying in nature like corn, gram flour, chickpea, etc.
• Avoid naturally sour foods like tamarind, tomatoes, and lime in your diet as it promotes water retention.
• Avoid too much fish and meat this season and heavy curries and non-vegetarians should go for light meat preparations like stew and soups.
• Eat steamed salads instead of raw vegetables as they contain active bacteria and viruses that cause bacterial and viral infections.
• Have fresh radish juice to fight cold and cough. To reduce mucous formations add pipli and rock salt to warm water. This reduces the natural monsoon ailments.
• Better eat seasonal fruits as non-seasonal fruits get infested with worms during the monsoons. Pomegranates, lychees, apples, bananas are among the recommended.

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Healthy Lifestyle Habits Recommended During Monsoon

You must follow these Ayurveda Wellness Tips to combat the common monsoon diseases especially related to digestion and immunity.

Healthy Lifestyle: 21 Healthy Habits Ayurveda Wisdom

• Do not forget to exercise for at least an hour. 
• Take small amounts of dried almonds or pistachios as they will provide you the energy necessary to do your chores.
• Take Triphala (includes Amalaki, haritaki, and bahera) powder with water in the morning. For a deeper insight, consult with an ayurvedic doctor.
• Avoid sleeping in the daytime as it hampers digestion and slows down the metabolism. (12 Tips to Avoid Daytime Sleepiness)
• Avoid over-exertion and over-exposure to the sun. Avoid moving out in the afternoon sun.
• Keep the body warm as viruses attack immediately when body temperature goes down.
• Do not enter an air-conditioned room with wet hair and damp clothes.
• Avoid walking in dirty water during the rainy season. keep your feet dry.
• Avoid getting wet in the rains. If you happen to get wet, change into dry clothes as soon as possible to avoid getting infections as immunity is low during this season.
• Drink lots of herbal teas, especially those with antibacterial properties. These include ginger, pepper, honey, mint, and basil leaves. Excessive intake of coffee and tea dehydrates body fluids so they must be better avoided.
• Vegetables like cauliflower, potatoes, cluster beans, ladies finger, kidney beans, pigeon pea, and sprouted grains must be avoided.
• Avoid eating fried items, pre-cut fruits, and juices from roadside vendors and stick to high quality and hygiene.
• People who suffer from arthritis should drink warm water with tulsi and dalchini (cardamom) on an empty stomach in the morning. Doing this improves bowel syndromes and also decreases pains in joints.
• Always wash vegetables well and keep them clean especially if they are taken raw.
• Following these guidelines helps you to stay safe and healthy during monsoons. Follow the diet and enjoy the monsoon!