After six months of preparing for rising temperatures, your body suddenly switches gears mid July to prepare for the thermometer to plunge. Vata season starts the last week of July, when the first colder, drier air masses move in from the north. By August 1st, days are shorter and the angle of the noon time sun is considerably lower, causing temperatures to drop quickly. By the second week of August a thunderstorm will signal the definitive change in season as the temperature drops over ten degrees in just a few hours. Mornings will feel noticeably cooler. Late summer brings with it a certain stillness, the first sign of winter sleepiness.
Since humans are a warm-blooded species, your body spends lots of energy defending itself against changes in temperature. It can take several months for your body to shift gears from the warm season to the cold season. The biannual shift in temperature is one reason why August & February are the two most difficult months of the year to stay healthy. In August, people with deficiency fluids or fats get sick. In February, people with excess fluids or fats get sick.
Craving Sweets & Carbs
A cool breeze beneath my bedroom window at four am wakes me up. I put on a pair of socks enjoying the crisp relief from the sweltering dog days of summer. Later on at lunchtime I notice my cravings for fresh green vegetable suddenly subsiding for mashed potatoes. A friend brings homemade zucchini bread for lunch. Autumn is approaching!
The shift in cravings is a sign that your body is preparing for the cold temperatures ahead. The body will use the carbohydrates to build an insulating layer of fat in the skin. However, as the body pulls fats from circulation, the blood dries out.
Late Summer Dryness
After a summer of sweating under the hot sun bodily fluids are at a minimum. Drier blood tends to create dehydration. The skin will feel parched and the bowels dry and constipated. Electrolyte imbalance, dry blood & constipation tends to make the mind anxious. Insomnia may ensue. Late summer is a critical time to replenish electrolytes & calm your mind well in advance of colder temperatures. Avoid drying, astringent or constipative foods. Instead, Vata types can drink water with lime and salt in the morning to combat dryness.
Tired, Crampy Muscles
Heat pushes blood to the surface of the skin, and into the arms and legs. As soon as the temperature starts to drop, the volume of blood in your arms and legs drops too, making your muscles feel tired. Electrolyte imbalance may cause some cramping in the first few weeks of August.
Dry Rashes
May rashes tend to be wet and weepy. Rashes in August tend to be dry and scaly. Daily oil massages will keep your skin and complexion smooth and supple for the transition to Autumn.
Schedule Changes
Tired muscles make the first week of August an ideal vacation week. As the season changes, so does the schedule. With kids returning back to school, parents and kids will be busy scrambling to adjust to a new routine. Give yourself special treats like time off to enjoy the transition in seasons and prepare for the busy year ahead.
Diet for August
Avoid
Favor
The mid-day sun is still very hot. Cool, sour fruits like grapes, or wild apples (grocery store apples aren't tart enough) can help purge residual heat from summer.
Click here to see a Late Summer Ayurvedic Diet full of tasty Vata pacifying recipes
Lifestyle for August
Oil massage to keep the skin moist
Vacation to recuperate from summer sun
Keep body warm at night to avoid insomnia
Dress in layers for cool morning & hot afternoons
Herbs for August
Licorice Root - Soothes dryness & inflammation, encourages water retention
Salt - Encourages water retention
Ashwagandha - Calms the mind
Amalaki - Cools aggravated late summer Pitta
About the Author
John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle withAyurveda biocharacteristics. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs Joyful Belly'sSchool of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.
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