Wellness Tips for March 2024
Welcome to March! Here are a few wellness tips to help you move into the season of renewal with intention, ease, and joy.
1. Align with the Equinox. The Spring Equinox on March 20 not only means the beginning of spring, but also equal amounts of lightness and dark. With the balance provided by nature on this celestial event, it’s a great time to consider what needs to be balanced in your life as well. Take time to reflect on where you spend your time. Is there an area in your life that takes more time than you prefer? Is there something that you wish you had more time for? Look with discernment, not judgement, then set a plan of action to create more balance.
2. Banish the Dampness. With so much Kapha energy in the air, it’s easy to find yourself with excess symptoms of Kapha like congestion and phlegm. Kapha is earth and water energy, and we can use air and fire to balance. One way to balance is with a heating, quick pranayama like Khapalabati or Bhastrika. You can also use spices like ginger, pepper and cinnamon to add fire to your diet.
3. Change up your movement routines. Now is the time for more vigorous movement and heating yoga poses. Ideally, you would work up a sweat on four days a week. If you don’t easily sweat, try overdressing for the weather and move quickly. Hill sprints, squats, and lunges are great off the mat. Chair pose, Goddess pose, or any of your Warrior poses are great on the mat.
4. Detox in preparation for renewal. The transition from winter into spring is the perfect time for cleansing rituals. We do it in our homes as part of “spring cleaning”, and we can detox our bodies with a spring cleanse. For a simple lightening up, only eat vegetable soup and/or kitchari for a few days. For a more complete cleanse, you can look for guidance on the Banyan Botanicals site.
5. Embrace the Ayurvedic rule of “earlier, lighter dinner.” Lighter foods, like fruits and vegetable will help to balance the heaviness of Kapha. Also, cut back on foods that are fried, oily or fatty. Avoid dairy products and anything served cold (including iced drinks). Now is the time to focus on warm, cooked foods that are pungent, bitter, and astringent.