The Winter Foods and Balance
In winter everything slows down and plants and many animals become dormant or sluggish. Winter drying and cold affects both Vata and Kapha with aggravations like allergies, colds, and congestion to all. The Vata eating and care routine is used for all doshas with changes to adopt them to the dosha.
The quiet solitude of winter makes it the perfect months for deep thought, deep rest, hibernation and contemplation an antidote to the fast paced mobility of summer and fall. Winter is the ideal time to let go of the past and direct your attention inward. Establish new habits and focus on spiritual growth, physical health, anything you want to create and own.
Learn how to counter winters effects, eat to support your body, and stay healthy with winter in balance routines for your dosha. Eat more foods that are sweet, sour, and salty or slight modifications to meet your dosha; heavy, oily, hot, well cooked, and moist like soups, stews, steamed and baked (drying so add sauces or soup to moisten) vegetables with more fat and protein yet aim for easy digestion. Reduce pungent, bitter, astringent, dry, cold, and light.
Eating more cooked foods and heavier foods like nuts, root vegetables, beets (blood cleansing), bean soups, rich fulfilling dishes (helps you get through winter but needs to be balanced in late winter with the need to let go of accumulated reserves and detoxify).
(Read On) to learn winter balancing, the winter in season foods and how to create meals for the winter and early spring.