5 min read
Ritucharya
Ayurveda organises the year into six seasons and prescribes a seasonal regimen — ritucharya — for each. The underlying claim is simple: the same diet and routine cannot suit a body in high summer and the same body in deep winter.
The transitions matter most
Classical texts pay particular attention to ritu sandhi, the week either side of a seasonal change, as a period when the body is more vulnerable. The advice is to shift habits gradually across those two weeks rather than switching on the first cold morning.
A starting point
Warm, cooked, lightly spiced food as the weather cools. Lighter, cooler, more hydrating food as it warms. Earlier nights in winter. Oil massage before bathing in dry months. None of this requires a practitioner to begin.
Anything beyond general routine — particularly herbs taken internally — should be discussed with a qualified vaidya, especially alongside prescribed medication.
