dr. Shruti Sreedharan

EFFECT OF THE WINTER: INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE HUMAN BODY

WHAT is THis “insidE – ouTsidE” THinG?

I would love to quote few self-explanatory lines as an answer to this question.

“Yatha Pinde Tatha Brahmande, Yatha Brahmande Tatha Pinde.” - Yajur Veda That is –“As is the individual or the human body, so is the universe or the Cosmic Body, and the vice versa.”

“The Cosmos Is Within Us. We Are Made Of Star - Stuff. We Are A Way For The Universe To Know Itself.” - CARL SAGAN, American Astrophysicist and Astronomer.

Winters bring a lot of changes in the nature and in the bodies of all its creatures. We will be talking all about the human body and the changes in it, some visible and some not visible, which we would understand through this ancient science of Ayurveda.

HAvEn’T you noTiCEd THEsE CHAnGEs ouTsidE?

Going for the morning walk these days, I see that the roads are filled with dried leaves, trying to fly up after each motor vehicle that passes by, as if they would love to stick back on those almost empty branches. These branches where once lush green and their shade sheltered the tired lives from the scorching Sun till a couple of weeks earlier.

The mild breeze touching your face, as you move ahead has got a little chilled feel, which is really relaxing to the body and the soul. And a subtle voice speaks up from deep within, “The Winter is here.”

THE sun – THE loRd of sEAsons

A few months earlier the Sun used to rise directly into my bedroom. Its rays piercing my eyelids to wake up. But as the weeks and months have passed by, now I can curl under my blanket for long hours. And the Sun has become so favorable to me that its rays no longer fall on my face, rather they are busy lighting up my Mamma’s kitchen.

As kids we thought that as we keep on moving around the Sun round the year, when we go away from the Sun, the heat reduces and we are in winters and then the other way round.

But actually it’s the tilt of the Earth’s Axis that causes the seasons. In summers, because of this tilt, the Earth actually leans into the Sun and the opposite happens in the winters. And talking in the big picture, the people on the northern and southern hemispheres of the earth enjoy opposite seasons at a particular time of the year.

ARE THERE visiBly Any CHAnGEs As WinTER movEs in?

As the weather outside keeps on getting colder and foggier, we are pressed to change the inner atmosphere of our houses on workplaces too. Keeping the rooms warm with the help of firewood or electric heaters becomes the primary need.

The scenario is such that the skin and hair demand much protection and care these days. And keeping oneself warm becomes the prime agenda of each man walking over this particular part of the planet.

Definitely there is no astrophysics in that. Even the minute ants hide in their hills and the polar animals hibernate in winter. So do humans, to protect themselves from the chilling cold.

insidE mECHAniCs of ouR Body?

Like the changes outside, those are clearly visible. There are a few changes occurring within the body too, that have to be observed and explored. Here, I shall help you understand these by throwing some light on the logics and concepts of this ‘time tested’ science called Ayurveda. Let me explain it in the most simple and precise way. Ayurvedic texts explain Six Seasons ‘The Shad Ritus’. Each season comprises of two months thereby involving the twelve months. These Seasons are explained on the basis of the Voyage of the Sun in the sky as seen from the earth, for our simple understanding. Inside and Outside the Human Body

doEs THE sun ACTuAlly sET on A voyAGE?

Looking from the Earth, the Sun rises in the east and moves all the way overhead to set in the west each day. But have you ever noticed that the places of sunrise and sunset in the eastern and western sky respectively are not the same round the year. It seems that the Sun moves towards the North and South too. This can be explained from the tilt of the Earth’s axis discussed earlier, and the changes occurring, as our Earth rotates and revolves round the year.

The travel of the Sun towards the north is called the “Uttaraayana” termed as the “Aadana Kaala” for the earth. Here the energy of the beings of the Earth is extracted by the nature, specifically the Sun due to

doEs THis CHAnGE in sEAson EffECT THE

which the energy reduces day by day gradually in the involved three seasons.

And the southern travel is called the “Dakshinaayana” called the “Visarga Kaala” on the Earth. Here the Nature, rather the Sun, who is the main source of energy of the entire solar system kindles up the life on Earth with surplus supplies of energy.

THE WinTER oR THE “HEmAnT RiTu”…

Thus, talking about winters, they actually extend through ‘Hemant’ and ‘Shishira’ as called in Sanskrit. ‘Hemant Ritu’ falls at the end of the ‘Visarga Kaala’, which is the second group and takes share of the maximum energy benefits from the Sun, which increases from the first season onwards.

THE BAsiC CHAnGEs oCCuRRinG WiTHin THE livinG Body – simPly EXPlAinEd…

Taking into account the Hemant Ritu, this actually is the winter season by all means. We now know that the nature is in the maximum favorable mode for the earthly living beings.

Here the ‘Bala’ that is, the general, natural strength of our bodies, reaches the maximum, right from the minutest level, thus the body as a whole is more prepared to stand the severe climatic chills etc.

Let me explain this EXTEndinG WoRKouTs…

Have you experienced that the workout schedules are unknowingly extended, often in the winters. Unless you are time bound or unless you never got out of the bed only. This is because you don’t feel tired easily in winters.

The little kiddos are busy playing the whole day and at schools mostly the sports festivals are held in this season. Highlighting the fact that the children are not so tired by the drills and games as they may be in summer months.

THE miGHTy fiRE in THE BElly…

Another important change this Hemant Ritu gifts us is that the digestive fire or ‘Agni’ in the body increases to the greatest extent, actually the maximum natural kindling occurs now, which means that the metabolic rate is really high, right from the sub cellular level.

You might have noticed that the kitchen menu in the houses change a lot in winters. More of ghee and oil and milk derivatives are the most favorites these days. Stuffed Paranthas with lots of ghee and the corn flour Rotis, heavier pulses which are generally not preferred in summers, become our guests on the dining table.

Have you ever thought why these things become tummy friendly specifically in this season? And, even if we get lazy and curl under the heavy woolen blankets and cut down our physical exercises, with limited outdoor activities, we still feel hungry and are ever ready for real heavy foods.

THE WinTER fEsTivAls And foodiEs…

One more thing that has to be observed is that the character of the ‘festival foods’ of winters, especially Diwali, where sweets are literally ghee dripping and heavy to digest, but we can gulp in loads of them. Similarly ground nuts and sesame seeds take a major role in winter festivals, not to forget other dry fruits too. But the tummy says... “Welcome friends.”

This shows the natural increase in the metabolic rates of the body. The kindled fire in the belly is ready to break down almost anything actually.

CAn WE somEHoW usE THEsE CHAnGEs in ouR fAvouR?

Don’t you think that we must take advantage of this natural environment for the health maintenance of our body.

Have you ever wondered why such changes occur? I mean, for what reasons??? Here, I would remind you that the nature is the best doctor and the best visionary. The season friendly regimens of the Hemant Ritu, if followed properly as explained by Ayurveda, is capable of turning the human body into an ‘energy bank’, which can maintain, repair and replenish this body, which itself is a part of the nature, actually for the entire year.

So, it is our duty to be smart and not act foolishly by gulping in almost anything seeming a treat to the mouth. Here we must grab this opportunity by the nature, to save some good things in the body’s saving account. So that, we get to enjoy these savings round the year.

WHAT ACTuAlly Could BE donE?

1. As the digestive fire is strong, this is the time we must feed on healthy, wholesome protein rich foods, say Dry Fruits. Proteins are the body building components and acts as a fixed deposit for the body which can be used when in need. So, its’ the time to make savings!!!

2. To boost up and modulate the immune system of the body, we can use some specific Ayurvedic preparations, after consulting specialists in the field. Because this is the time when preparations in the form of ‘Lehyas’ and ‘Ghritas’ could be easily administered widely, which are very easily digested and absorbed in the body during this season because of the elevated metabolic rates.

3. We see that the ‘Lehya’ preparations like Chyawanprash, are generally used by people during winters. And this itself has become a part of our culture and tradition. Similarly, we can get professional Ayurvedic assistance during this season regarding intake of foods, medicines and external therapies too. 4. Talking about external therapies, I must inform you that great Ayurvedic sages, centuries before have advised oil massages, especially for the head in the Hemant Ritu itself. So, there lies the secret behind our Grannies running behind us with bowls of warm oils to get us oiled all over, especially in winters.

5. With increased physical strength of the body, this is the perfect scenario when you can do plenty of exercises and make your body fit and strong so that it’s well prepared to bear the brunch of the exhausting Summer that’s waiting ahead after the Spring season.

HEnCE, i ConCludE…

So winters, or the Hemant Ritu is the perfect ‘jackpot season’ gifted to us by the mother nature, when we can invest in loads of wholesome diet and healthy physical work outs, so that we can enjoy the profits for the rest of the year, where there may be restrictions for the inputs, due to the specific characteristics of the other seasons throughout the year.

- dr. shruthi sreedharan