Enjoying the Sun: Ayurvedic Routine and Practices for Safe Sun Exposure

In the ancient teachings of Ayurveda, the Sun is revered as a source of life-giving energy, essential for our physical and mental well-being. Let's delve into how Ayurveda views the Sun, its benefits, myths debunked, contraindications of Sun exposure, recommended routines, and products beneficial for each Dosha when it comes to basking in the sun. Additionally, we will explore how living by the sea can be advantageous for each dosha and the best dietary practices to embrace this summer season. Plus, we'll share some handy tips for ordering Dosha-balancing meals when dining out, if you find yourself at a restaurant by the beach with your loved ones.

The Sun in Ayurveda: A Divine Essence

In Ayurveda, the sun embodies the elemental energy of fire and is seen as a vital force responsible for sustaining life. Exposure to the sun is believed to enhance digestion, improve mood, strengthen vitality, and promote the synthesis of Vitamin D in the body. The spf industry has made it difficult for us to enjoy it as much as people used to it in the past, there are thousands of studies blaming it for various diseases, people are more and more mindful about it. However, regardless of how damaging it can turn out to be, if not being careful, the advantages are still numerous, some of them being essential for a healthy life in a healthy body. Just to name a few:

• Vitamin D Synthesis: Sun exposure aids in the production of Vitamin D, crucial for immune function, bone health, and mood regulation.

• Boosts Circadian Rhythm: Exposure to sunlight helps regulate our internal body clock, promoting better sleep and overall well-being.

• Enhanced Digestion: The sun's warmth is thought to stimulate agni, our digestive fire, leading to improved metabolism.

• Mood Elevation: Sunlight triggers the release of serotonin, the "feel-good" hormone, contributing to positive mental health.

Contrary to popular belief, moderate sun exposure is beneficial. However, excessive exposure can lead to sunburn, premature aging, and an increased risk of skin cancer.

Let’s break down what excessive exposure means.

It is essential to practice safe sun habits, wear organic mineral sunscreen, and avoid prolonged exposure during peak hours (12:00-16:00). From a tridoshic point of view, summer is a season characterised by a lot of Fire and Air. Just like Wind enhances Fire, so is our Pitha prone to imbalances during the summer season. Between 10:00 and 14:00 we have the Pitha part of the day, a period that encourages strong body transformations, productivity and action. We can solve a lot of our daily tasks then, eat our biggest and most complex meals and be sustained in our digestion. However, as you can imagine, laying in the sun, in the Pitha time of the day during a Pitha time of the year is not the smartest thing to do. Its unsteadiness and heat can bring us a lot of troubles, physyscaly, mentally and therefore emotionally, especially if left unattended and one does not change its daily habits accordingly.

But altogether, summer days are full of vibrance and inspiration, the well deserved mouthful of life. that we missed so much during the colder months. The way to take advantage of it is by being as mindful as we can be in our daily routine and fix issues right from the start . Get out of the house, be wherever you want to be and say yes as much as you want to all the nice experiences out there but at the same time, try to parent yourself into a comfortable balance at the end of the day. Balance is the key in everything. If you partied all night long, the next day adjust your menu accordingly and replenish your body with rehydration mineral salts (a salty lemonade, coconut water, etc), if you spent all day by the beach with your friends, by night try to slide into sleep with 10 minutes of breathing exercises and some Abhyanga (oil body massage). you get it, always position yourself in the middle.

Next, i gave some examples of how each Dosha should take advantage of The Sun during summer days. Keep in mind the fact that we are very rarely one single dosha origin, most often we are a combination of two or three, so after completing the quiz that I prepared for you, and you will get a clearer picture of your physical and bio-energetical needs, you will manage to mix and match different elements of different routines until you get your own unique wellness recipe.

• Vatas in THE SUN: Morning sun exposure is beneficial for grounding and warmth. 15 minutes of meditation, followed by 15 minutes of Sun Salutation will have a tremendous impact on your state of mind all throughout the day. Use VATA-pacifying of oils like coconut or sesame for skin protection, after movement and shower in the morning ( although, when I was a student my teacher always told me to use oil on my skin first thing in the morning, the reason is that the oil will block the air and dryness (vata) from entering the body, aka “will delay the ageing process “ to the maximum extent). Eat cooling and nourishing soups ( Tom Yum is a good example ), BUT ALWAYS MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT TOO COOL FOR YOUR DIGESTIVE POWER. Drink plenty of ginger lemonade between meals, i also have a special summer hibiscus lemonade recipe on my blog here. Make sure you eat at regular hours. Eat plenty of juicy, ripe fruits and at the end of the day apply another layer of coconut oil on your skin, just before bed time, in order to rehydrate and relax the entire muscular and nervous system.

• Pittas in THE SUN: Seek the sun during gentler hours like early morning or late afternoon. Truth is that Pithas don’t do well in the sun. Especially during summer, they tend to become nervous and frustrated, they can’t stand the heat outside, they are sweating continuously just from tying their shoelace. They are the ones complaining the most because of the heat, drinking water from the fridge, avoiding any kind of social interaction during midday hours. Therefore, what you can do is opt for cooling oils such as coconut or aloe vera, olive oil early in the morning, after waking up. hydrate yourself with coconut water over plain water, even a full glass of coconut water on empty stomach first thing in the morning will cool you down and replenish your mineral intake. Drink plenty of coconut water during sun exposure also and make sure you enjoy a couple of baths into the sea. Avoid any kind of alcoholic drinks, especially in the sun, it will make you even more irritated. Make sure you eat at regular hours during the day and have plenty of ripe seasonal fruits and veggies, in salads and dips, leaner proteins like fish or legumes. Acai bowls are a must have for you, packed with all essentials, perfect temp. Finish your day at the beach with a good swim at sunset or by taking a cooling shower with lukewarm water and apply aloe vera gel all over your body.
  

• Kaphas in THE SUN: Embrace midday sun for light and warmth. Kaphas are the happiest in the summer sun. For them, the heat, the dryness, the sharpness of the sun in the summer balances perfectly their cold, oily, slow bio-characteristics, becoming one of the most prolific times of the year for them. Heat is exactly what they need in order to get out of the house, move a bit that stagnant energy, say yes to getting out of their comfort zone more often, lose a bit of extra weight without doing too much about it, just because sweating will come easier to them now. They will complain a bit about feeling mushy and sticky but a good shower will solve it all. For Kaphas the secret stays in the spices. Drinking luke warm spiced teas like ginger-cinnamon or cardamom-clove. Avoid the urge for ice cream even if you crave for it. It will put off your digestive power. Before sun exposure you can anoint your body with a mixture of sesame and sunflower oil adding a bit of eucalyptus or lavender essential oils in order to make them even more stimulating. However, you just need a thin layer of it. So enjoy as much of the sun as you wish, generally speaking, but be mindful of the peak hours and always listen to your body. At the end of the day, a shower and some incense burning will be just what you need in order to slide into your dreams. Burning incense or smoke therapy ( duma pana) is an ancient Ayurvedic practice considered highly beneficial for Kaphas, as it helps to dry up their oily nature. As for the food, I have only one word for you: GRILL GRILL GRILL. Everything. And spice it up with stimulating aromas. That’s the best diet you can take during summer.

Living by the sea offers unique benefits aligned with each dosha. Even a short visit like a weekend getaway can have tremendous benefits over our wellbeing, it will immediately burst our mood and smoothen up our perspective. The sea air's saltiness and negative ions can have a harmonizing effect on our doshic balance.

The sea's calming presence soothes Vata's erratic energy and promotes relaxation and introspection. Its cooling breeze helps pacify Pitha's fire, fostering a sense of tranquility and emotional balance. Its movement and energy can invigorate Kapha, encouraging activity, creativity, and motivation.

“Should we ALWAYS stay at home and COOK?”

Of course not. If you get invited to dinner by the beach, you don’t need to say “no” upfront, just because you won't find anything “ayurvedic” to eat. We can always adapt. Actually the key to being consistent with a lifestyle is by making sure you always have more than one choice and adapt, adapt, adapt. You always have safe choices in a menu, especially nowadays. You have plenty of options like:

• grilled fish (make sure is fresh-like catch of the day ),

• grilled veggies, sprinkle some black pepper on it and some lime (especially if you belong to the vata-kapha family),

• go for the side dishes and mix them,

• fresh eggs

• seafood (avoid, if kapha overload ).

Avoid drinking cold water before meal, ask instead for warm water (if they look strange at you, ask for a tea, without the tea bag in it). People are not used to be asked for warm water, especially during hot summer days. Everybody is used to drink refrigerated water, which kills your AGNI right before the meal. Drinking warm water before meals rekindles and prepares your body for digestion.

There is a very wrong misconception that you can eat “ayurvedically” only in indian restaurants, This is completely not accurate. Indian restaurants can also be full of bad food combinations and also the quality of the ingredients can be as bad as, if not worse, than in the “not-indian” ones. It all comes down to knowing the principles of combining the food, your profile and your specific imbalances and also always keep in mind the season and the time of the day. That being said, a hummus with grilled veggies topped up with some spices will make for an awesome dinner without having to say ‘no’ to any social gatherings from now on.

It is safe to say that you can also carry with you a jar of your favourite spice mix, like this you can turn any dish into the one appropriate for your dosha needs (will cover this in another post).

So, in the end, I wish you to make the most out of this summer, and remember that Ayurveda, and life in general, is never a “one size fits all” experience. Whatever encourages people to become too strict and inflexible so that it creates a caste, shouldn’t be a healthy system to follow. Life flows differently through each of us and we are all indebted with trial and error. Nobody knows from the start. We grow through trial and learn thorugh error. We have tools and inspiration given by ancient wisdom, however navigating through life is an endless maze. And the simplest thing we can do is to FEEL our way through it,by aligning ourselves with the natural rhythms of the universe and nature itself. Nature never makes mistakes.

I wish you WELL.

#blogisnotdead #foodforthemind #foodforthebody #foodforthesoul #sunexposure #ayurvedicapproach

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