In the rainy season

(From 20th June to 21st August)

What to do?

(1) Unctuous articles with sweet, acidic and salty taste and substances which pacify VÍta and preserve digestive fire should form the main part of the diet. (Charaka SamhitÍ, BhÍva PrakÍsh)

(2) Consume old barley, wheat, rice, green gram soup with black salt, honey and food which is easy to digest. (Charaka SamhitÍ, AshtÍnga Hridaya)

(3) Consumption of dry ginger, black pepper, Bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, Carum copticum (Ajowan), mustard seeds, asafetida, papaya, pears, Amorphophallus campanulatus, pointed gourd, ridged gourd, brinjal, drumstick, green gram, horse gram, lemon, bitter gourd, hogweed, mint, ÍmlÍ (gooseberry) and tulsi (holy basil) are beneficial.

(4) Eat only when the previous meal has been fully digested or when you feel lightness in the body. (AshtÍnga Hridaya, etc.)

(5) Drink lukewarm water or water that has been boiled and cooled. (AshtÍnga Hridaya, Charaka SamhitÍ)

(6) Stay in a dry place. Take care not to have humidity in your home.

(7) Wear light cotton clothes. White clothes are especially beneficial. What not to do? (1) Do not consume green leafy vegetables like spinach, cabbage, fenugreek etc; and food which is difficult to digest, VÍta enhancers and stale food.

(2) Avoid black gram, chickpea, arhar (pigeon pea), amaranthus, potato, banana, mango, sprouted cereals, fine flour, sweets, cold drinks, ice-cream, curd and sattu (coarse flour made from parched grain, barley, gram etc.)

(3) Sleeping during day time, sitting (resting) or roaming around in the dew, getting wet in the rain, excessive exercise, and sexual intercourse should be avoided. (Charaka SamhitÍ, etc.)

(4) Do not sleep under the open sky.

(5) Do not wear clothes on a wet body after taking a bath or after becoming wet in the rain. Wear clothes only after wiping your body gently.

(6) Do not roam around without clothes.

(7) Do not eat food late at night.

(8) Avoid night vigil.