Spring into Holistic Living: Embracing Movement for Health and Vitality
Warm weather and sunny days are finally upon us! It is officially Springtime now! With the warmer weather here, it is time to embrace holistic living by moving your body and shaking off that winter stiffness. Here are a few reasons why you should get your body moving for Spring.
As a cornerstone of holistic living, movement is incredibly important to your body. Your body needs it, thrives off of it, and grows from it. Movement is a great way to shake off that winter stiffness and gradually transition into warm and fluid bodies.
Movement is a natural remedy to detoxify your body. It also helps to jumpstart your lymphatic system and get it running. When you move more you live more. Moving your body can be a really helpful way to feel closer to your body and help build that close connection. Bodies are meant to be moving in the Spring as the warm weather induces better circulation.
You can feel warmer and stay warmer by having better circulation. Say goodbye to the Winter Blues and say Hello to the warm sun. Holistic health, a vital part of holistic living, is great health. To get started, you don’t have to jump right into Spring immediately with intense movements, some light stretches would be a great introduction to the warm weather. Think of your body as a tight rubber band that needs some light stretching to loosen up.
Holistic living includes stretching, which is essential in warming up your body so that if you do decide to exercise or move more vigorously, you don’t accidentally hurt yourself. Stretching helps decrease the possibility of a pulled muscle or an injury because stiff muscles are more likely not to operate as well as loose and warmed-up muscles. Stiff muscles can be tricky to spot and feel, so be sure to stretch gently and generously until you feel confident enough to start your workout.
Of course, for different doshas, different activities will produce different results. But overall, all doshas could benefit from more movement during Spring. During Spring, warm weather and blossoming fruits encourage others to get outside.
The warm season offers a nurturing and gentle environment for many living organisms to bloom and grow during this time. Let this nurturing presence carry you through and give you the space you need to grow. For each dosha, there may be different preferences of activities that aid in that specific body type.
Kapha Dosha
Kaphas’ season is the season of Spring. They will flourish and grow as this season helps them incredibly. Kapha doshas already have amazing physical strength coupled with their strong energy. They excel at endurance sports such as cross country running, aerobics, dance, soccer, rowing, and many more. Any type of aerobic activity that will work up a sweat will help Kaphas clear their congestion and sluggishness.
It is crucial to get Kaphas moving and working up a sweat because they are the hardest dosha to get moving. They lack mobile quality and tend to stay put. Cardio would be an amazing tool for Kaphas because it balances out their heavy and static qualities.
Kaphas would also benefit from having a Kapha workout buddy, someone who understands their struggle but someone who can motivate and encourage them to keep moving. Weight lifting is not recommended for Kaphas as they are already quite strong and they need more concentration on lengthening their bodies.
Vata Dosha
Vata doshas are the type to have bursts of energy but tend to tire out quickly. There is no other dosha that likes to move as much as Vata but they are extremely prone to pushing themselves too far. They can get carried away and end up injuring themselves during the process of a workout. Vata doshas would greatly benefit from exercises that are gentle such as yoga, walking, bicycling, and dancing.
Having a scheduled exercise plan would help ground and move Vata from intention. These activities will help build strength, balance, and agility in Vata doshas. Any activity that uses bodyweight will also be great for Vatas such as ballet, pilates, and barre. The workouts should be challenging but not enough to wear Vatas out. We want them to use and tone their muscles to improve circulation and flexibility.
Pitta Dosha
Pitta doshas do not need to be told to move, they will move on their own. Highly motivated Pittas, have a strong drive and love to exercise when they can. They seek out the competition and prefer challenging sports. Some activities like rollerblading, long-distance biking, skiing, tennis, hiking, and mountain climbing are some of the sports they favor. Pittas should avoid activities that get too competitive or too hot because of their competitive nature.
They should be careful in avoiding their stress while they are working out and focus more on the grand scheme of things. Pittas may enjoy a combination of cardio and a cooling element such as swimming. Cool air and cool water will not overheat Pittas. Pittas can do some strength training but should be mindful of how they are feeling. They should never workout under the sun or do hot yoga as the heat will aggravate them more. Working out first thing in the morning or a late afternoon stroll by the water will be a perfect addition to the schedule to calm and clear their minds.
The best exercise program is one that you will want to stick with, embodying the principles of holistic living. It shouldn’t be something that you dread or can’t keep up with because that defeats the purpose of having an exercise program. Embracing holistic living through exercise means finding joy and sustainability in your activities.
If you can’t stick to your exercise program, no wonder why you’re not enjoying it or participating in it. To reap the health benefits of exercise, there needs to be some form of consistency to see results. The point at the end of the day is to get you to move because movement increases your metabolism, improves your circulation, and removes your toxins, all critical elements of holistic living.
Take our Modern Dosha Quiz today to discover your Ayurvedic body type! Understanding your body type and tridosha is a key aspect of holistic living. It can help you pick the best exercise and diet plan to help you experience great health overall.
Holistic living isn’t just about movement; it’s about harmonizing your lifestyle with your body’s unique needs.
