How to have a healthier spring! a few tips to reduce kapha

According to ayurveda, the season of spring is an excellent time for cleansing the body of excess “kapha,” or the earth and water energies.  Excess kapha can aggravate allergies, asthma, increase fat, slow digestion and increase colds and flus.  Decreasing the kapha will reduce the heaviness out of the body so one can feel lighter and energetic.  In Ayurveda, “like attracts like” and “opposites balance or decrease”; therefore kapha is decreased by fire, air and space or foods that warming and light in quality.

Some tips to decrease kapha:

1. Drink plenty hot water with a little juice of fresh lemon or lime.
2. Use more ginger tea and or other herbal teas. 
3. Use more fresh ginger and juice of fresh lemon or lime in meals.  
4. Eat freshly prepared food and mostly fresh vegetables (lightly cooked).
5. Cook with spices such as tumeric, cumin, fennel, coriander and black pepper.
6. Garnish with fresh herbs, such as cilantro, mint, chives, basil or parsley.
7. Reduce dairy, heavy foods, cold foods, cold drinks, left overs, desserts, fried and processed food.

A great website for learning about ayurveda is jiva.com.