Summer is here and it is time to work on making your big dreams into reality, while enjoying the heck out of these longer days!

As a student, and counselor of Ayurveda philosophy from India I love how the elemental wisdoms always give us the tools to empower us staying in balance at all times of year.

In Ayurveda philosophy the summer represents the universal elements of fire and water. The fire is dominant but the water supports it. We see this in nature with the increase in melting snow that fills our rivers and frees up the Alpine lakes we love to splash in this time of year!

In many regions around the world, this is also the rainy monsoon season.

Ayurveda combines these elements and their qualities into what they refer to as "Pitta dosha". Dosha can be translated to imbalance. So when the season is naturally giving us a lot of fire, or heat, we want to use the balancing elements and qualities to make sure we can take advantage of the abundant life that fire gives, while not overheating.

Another beautiful thing about Ayurveda is that it shows us how nature always provides us the foods we need to stay cool physically and mentally, as we work hard and play hard.

Here are some dietary recommendations to help keep cool from an Ayurvedic perspective.

In general we want to favor: sweet, bitter, astringent tastes and foods with cool, dry, light, green, earthy qualities.

Examples of these include:

• Fruits = melons (recommended by themselves), seasonal berries, limes

• Veggies = summer squash, zucchini, celery, fennel bulbs, leafy greens (spinach, arugula, kale, etc.)

• Grains = basmati rice, quinoa, barley

• Proteins = garbanzo beans, lean white meat and fish

• Oils = sunflower oil, coconut oil

• Herbs = cilantro, dill, mint

You also want to reduce: spicy, sour, acidic, oily, and fermented foods.

Examples of these include:

• raw onion, garlic, sour tomatoes, hot peppers, red meat, sour yogurt, sesame oil, red wine (favor white wine if cutting alcohol out completely is not a realistic expectation).

Here are some Instagram Reels I put together with quick overviews:

The viral summer drink... "Ayurvedic Gatorade"

• 1 quart filtered water aka "life"

• 1/2 lime aka "pizzazz" to keep digestive fire kindled

• 1/2 tsp Himalayan sea salt aka "sustenance" to help absorb

• 2 tbsp organic maple syrup aka "nectar" to feed our brain

This is great for hydration, electrolytes, or recovering from illness anytime you need to rejuvenate your body suit.

See the viral video here...

Other Helpful Summer Tips & Resources:

• Banyan Botanicals has 5 great recipes for your summer BBQ! (Use my "Life-Purpose15" code to get 15% off any Banyan order)

• Take advantage of the sun by getting outside. Just make sure to minimize your sun exposure during the peak times of day.

• Stay hydrated! Filtered spring water is the best, and for a treat enjoy organic coconut water.

• Cool your auric field with essentials oils and smells like: sandalwood, rose, & lavender.

⭐️ IMPORTANT: these are generalizations, and for individual recommendations seek guidance from a wellness coach, counselor, or practitioner.

⭐️ For more information on staying balanced from an Ayurvedic perspective schedule your complementary Coaching Call to learn how this holistic science can benefit you!

Kyle is a certified Ayurvedic Counselor who supports individuals in creating balance in their lives by relating to nature so they can lead their life on purpose.

📍Shared from ancestral land of the Pit River Tribe and Shasta, Modoc, Okwanuchu, Northern Wintu nations.