As the warmth of summer gives way to the crisp air of autumn, Vata dosha takes the center stage, urging us to adjust our self-care practices to align with nature's rhythm. 

It's the end of March and Spring has officially started according to our seasonal calendar. However nature does not switch seasons from one day to another. It's a process of transitioning. According to Ayurveda this period is called Ritusandhi. Ritu means seasonal and sandhi means joint. This transition period takes about 6 weeks and gives us the time to shift smoothly into the next season.In the northern hemisphere during Spring the sun gains energy and is slowly warming up this side of the earth. This means the moon with its lunar qualities is residing and days are getting longer. The warm solar energy causes the ice in the mountains to melt which starts rivers to flow freely again. We human beings are a reflection of the macro cosmos so this too happens within our bodies. In winter we can generally digest more and with the last harvest (and let's not forget end of the year festivities full of sweet, heavy and oily foods) we eat ourselves a protective winter coat that naturally insulates us from the cold outside. In Spring accumulated Kapha dosha (water & earth element) starts to liquify in the body so that it ideally easily can get eliminated out of our body. This melting action can give rise to all sorts of ailments such as respiratory congestion, runny nose, blocked sinuses, phlegm in the lungs and throat, weight gain, hay fever and asthma.The common cold / flu is back again and we can experience a general feeling of heaviness that can also cause us to feel sluggish and lethargic.

This soup is like a 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐱𝐢𝐫. The beautiful color, fragrance and sweet taste works magic on all senses!⁣⁣A highly recommendable soup when you feel a little 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 but also great during the 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞. In both cases your digestive fire goes down which makes choosing warm, juicy and easy to digest foods like this soup a great choice!⁣⁣The main ingredients are root vegetables which have a very 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 effect on the body (increasing water and earth element) & mind (relaxing the parasympathetic nervous system). Beets specifically have a 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 effect on the blood. Carrots are also mildly tonic, anti-oxidant & rich in nutrients👌🏼

At this time of year, 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 🔥(called Agni in Ayurveda) is naturally higher. Heat is kept easier inside the body whereas in the warmer months we lose a lot of this heat through perspiration.⁣⁣As a result we now often 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 and therefore also eat more heavy foods (hello stews, mashed potatoes, lasagna etc). With these foods our body creates our 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 so that we stay warm and comfortable during the cold months.⁣⁣Only with all the events around the holidays we often 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠. As a result, we can experience all kinds of discomforts such as a 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡 and the XL version of the well-known '𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐩'.⁣⁣You can see your digestive fire as a 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞: if you throw too many or continuous twigs (food) or water (drinks) on the fire, you extinguish the fire. In addition, space is needed for the fire to perform its burning process properly.

Especially for this time of the year where we often 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 we can experience all kinds of discomforts such as bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain, nausea, spasms in the gut, a feeling of heaviness and being very low on energy (the famous 'after dinner dip').⁣⁣When brewed together, the famous digestive spices Cumin, Coriander, and Fennel blend into a 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐲𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐞𝐚 called CCF. This tea enkindles the digestive fire, encourages healthy absorption of nutrients and supports the body’s ability to break down natural toxins. ⁣

The dominance of the cold, rainy and windy weather of Autumn is for many synonymous with the onset of coughs, colds, sniffles and snot. This is the perfect time to boost your immune system with the help of this little recipe.⁣⁣The mixture helps protect our bodies defense mechanism and fight off any pathogens. Many of these pungent/astringent herbs contain antimicrobial and antiviral properties and help scrape/burn away the mucus and congestion that has build up within our system. The sweet taste of the honey takes away the initial sharpness of the raw garlic (when soaked for about 2 wks) and acts as a perfect vessel to bring all ingredients deeper into our tissues. 🧄🌿🪄

The increase of the 𝐀𝐢𝐫 and 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 element in Autumn can create dryness and roughness in our body-mind system. ⁣⁣Ayurveda's beloved 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐫, also known as ghee (clarified butter), comes to rescue. ⁣⁣It's my favorite cooking fat to use (and make) because of its many benefits and delicious nutty flavor 👩‍🍳😋It’s nowadays available in most supermarkets but also easy and fun to make yourself.