Preparing for Winter: How to Warm Your Body and Soul with Ayurvedic Practices

“Ayurveda is the science of life that teaches us how to live in harmony with nature and the world around us.” – Dr Robert Svoboda

During winter, the world withdraws to a long, dark season of dormancy. Some people thrive in such weather conditions, while others prefer warmer atmospheres. Ayurveda addresses these seasonal changes and finds us the middle ground for staying healthy and thriving amid seasonal changes. In winter, these shifts affect our doshas (bio-energies), agni (digestive fire), and bala (strength or immunity) and lead to common seasonal ailments such as weakened immunity, digestive issues, and emotional imbalances.
To maintain balance, certain Ayurvedic practices guide us through these seasonal changes: Ritucharya (Seasonal routines) and Dinacharya (Daily routines)

Ritucharya: Seasonal Routines

Ritucharya are routines that help adapt your lifestyles and habits to each season. In winter (Hemanta and Shishira ritus), the digestive fire (Agni) is naturally strong. To calm it, here are a few things you can practice:

• Heavier, warm, and moist foods like soups and stews; avoid cold, raw, or overly dry foods
• Herbs like ashwagandha, tulsi, and turmeric strengthen resilience
• Moderate physical activity like brisk walking or yoga helps balance agni
• Oil massages (Abhyanga) and warm baths prevent dryness

By following Ritucharya, you can align your energy with winter to create balance and vitality.

Dinacharya: Daily Routines

Dinacharya are daily routines that are considered in Ayurveda. They create a structure that grounds and refreshes us during winter. There are different routines we can practice during the day to balance our doshas:

Morning Rituals

• Wake up early to bring in morning calmness
• Drink warm water with lemon and ginger to cleanse your system
• Practice Abhyanga with sesame oil to soothe dry skin and improve circulation
• Use herbal powders for oral care and nasya oil for nasal hydration

Midday Practices

• Eat your largest meal (warm, hearty foods) at noon when digestion is strongest
• Incorporate dynamic yoga, brisk walks, or moderate strength exercises to energize your body

Evening Wind-Down

• Choose simple, easily digestible dishes like porridge or soups
• Add essential oils like sandalwood or eucalyptus in your baths
• Sip turmeric-infused milk (recipe below) before for immunity and restful sleep

Key Ayurvedic Practices for Winter

Winters can be harsh for our bodies to adapt to. Here are some practices to make it easier for our bodies:

Warming Foods

One of Ayurvedic principles is to eat the right food that aligns with seasonal changes so we can balance our body’s energies accordingly.
In winter, our digestive fire is strong, and so our body needs a more substantive and nutritious diet to stay warm and healthy. Warming, moist, and grounding foods help balance the cold and dry conditions that dominate the season.

• Grains: Hearty and cooked grains like oats, rice, and barley are easy to digest and provide warmth and sustenance throughout the day
• Vegetables: Root vegetables like carrots, turnips, radishes and sweet potatoe are the go-to for winter. They nourish and have a grounding effect that balances the dryness and cold
• Proteins: Legumes, lentils, chickpeas, and mung beans are a rich source of protein, essential for building and maintaining strength in the cold months
• Spices: Warming spices like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, and cardamom add flavor to food and enhance digestion and circulation

These foods promote warmth from within and make it easier to fight off the winter chill. You can use these in any combination to prepare slightly oily stews, hearty porridges, and even warming teas.

Additionally, cook with ghee (clarified butter) so as to not aggravate vata. It is rich in healthy fats and helps lubricate and hydrate the body. It also leaves the skin soft and the digestive system well-supported with its grounding properties.

Herbal Remedies

Maintaining warmth in winter is important, and herbs play a key role as per Ayurveda. Several key herbs are especially beneficial and help boost immunity naturally:

• Ashwagandha: While it rejuvenates the body and mind, it also helps increase energy levels and combat stress. This is important when lower temperatures can lead to fatigue or a weakened immune system
• Amla (Indian Gooseberry): Amla is packed with vitamin C, crucial for strengthening immunity when our bodies are more susceptible to infections in the cold. It also aids in digestion and detoxifies the body
• Triphala: A combination of three fruits—amla, haritaki, and bibhitaki—it is an excellent herb as it helps balance all three doshas. It also supports digestion, detoxification, and overall rejuvenation
• Giloy: An effective immunity moderator, Giloy powder or juice with lukewarm water is ideal for winter
• Andrographis (Kalamegha): Also known as Bhunimba, meaning “Neem of Earth,” this bitter herb prevents colds and flu

Here’s a recipe for the perfect winter herbal tea:

This simple tea recipe has spices known for their warming and healing properties, promoting resilience. Ginger and turmeric boost our immunity, while cardamom and cinnamon add a sweet-spicy flavor to the brew.

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 crushed cardamom pods
• A pinch of black pepper

Method

1. Bring water to a boil
2. Add ginger, turmeric, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and black pepper to the water
3. Let the spices simmer in the water for about 5 to 7 minutes, allowing the flavors and healing properties to infuse
4. Strain the tea and add a teaspoon of honey for sweetness (optional)
5. Sip the tea slowly to enjoy its warmth and soothing effects

This tea helps reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and support digestion, all of which are essential during winter.

Self-Care for Your Body and Mind

Winter is perfect to slow down and focus on nurturing both your body and mind. Ayurveda nurtures ojas, the vital energy of our body, with practices that foster joy while building warmth, calmness, and balance in our bodies.

• Abhyanga: Massage your body with warm oils like sesame oil for nourishment and balance from the cold’s dryness. Abhyanga moisturizes skin, soothes muscles, and calms the nervous system
• Hydrating Baths: bathe in warm to moderately hot water infused with natural oils, herbs, or even a bit of milk to deeply hydrate and nourish the skin. You can even add lavender or rose petals to calm the mind and promote relaxation
• Exercise: Physical activity like common exercises generates warmth and supports circulation. Brisk walks, jogging, bike rides, dance sessions, and even yoga build heat without over-exerting the body
• Meditation: Practice regular meditation to calm the mind, building inner warmth. Take 10-15 minutes from your day to ground your thoughts and reduce stress
• Journaling: Winter can lead to a depressive state of mind that can be broken by journaling. Writing about your thoughts, feelings, and intentions for the year can help clear the mind and deepen emotional clarity
• Quality Sleep: The best time for restorative sleep is winter. Even while exercises and other movement forms are important, sleep is just as important as it helps the body recover and fortifies the immune system. With a cozy environment, getting 7-8 hours of quality rest is imperative to feel refreshed with every new day

Don’t forget to create a winter sanctuary so you can retreat into a cozy atmosphere as you practice the above. Using sandalwood or cinnamon fragrances can help build your ojas.

Yoga Poses and Pranayama for Winter

Certain yoga poses are particularly helpful in winter as they warm the body, improve circulation, and ground the mind.

• Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar): These sequences help get the blood flowing, generate warmth, and stretch the entire body
  1. Begin standing with palms joined (Pranamasana)
  2. Raise arms overhead and arch back (Hastauttanasana)
  3. Fold forward to touch the ground (Padahastasana)
  4. Step one leg back, look up (Ashwa Sanchalanasana)
  5. Transition to plank (Dandasana) and lower to eight-limbs pose (Ashtanga Namaskara)
  6. Lift into cobra pose (Bhujangasana), then move to downward dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
  7. Reverse the sequence on the opposite side
• Twists: Poses like the triangle (Parivrtta Trikonasana) help detoxify the body and encourage digestion
  1. Reverse the sequence on the opposite side
  2. Stand with feet wide, one leg forward
  3. Place the opposite hand outside the front foot or on a block
  4. Raise the other hand upward, twisting the torso
  5. Hold for a few breaths, then repeat on the other side

• Grounding Poses: The warrior pose stabilizes, roots, and strengthens the mind and body

1. 1. Step one leg back, bend the front knee
   2. Lift arms overhead and align hips forwards
   3. Hold for a few breaths, then switch sides

Breathing exercises, or pranayama techniques are especially helpful for balancing vata and kapha doshas during this season.

• Kapalabhati (Skull-Shining Breath): This energizing breath practice clears congestion, promotes circulation, and warms the body.

1. 1. Sit comfortably with a straight spine
   2. Inhale deeply through the nose
   3. Exhale forcefully through the nose. Contract the abdominal muscles at the same time
   4. Passively inhale with every exhalation
   5. Repeat for 20 – 30 times

• Ujjayi (Victorious Breath): This pose generates internal heat and creates a calming effect on the mind.

1. 1. Sit or stand with a straight spine
   2. Inhale deeply through the nose, and constrict the back of the throat slightly
   3. Exhale slowly through the nose with the same throat constriction
   4. Repeat for 5–10 minutes

Key Takeaways for Winter:

• Adapt your diet to include warming, nourishing foods
• Practice dinacharya and ritucharya to ground your body and mind
• Use grounding spices, grains, and herbs to strengthen immunity and digestion
• Balance activity with restorative practices to nurture ojas
• Cultivate emotional well-being through mindfulness, yoga, and pranayama rituals

This winter, turn challenges into opportunities for transformation with Ayurveda. By practicing dinacharyas, embrace this season with warmth, balance, and vitality.
Replenish and reconnect with yourself as you surround yourself in warmth, sip on spiced tea, and let the wisdom of Ayurveda lead you through winter.