Staying Connected |Akhila Health Newsletter | Vol 11 | 4.25

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AYURVEDA: The Rhythms of Nature & Spring

By Courtney Marchesani, an Akhila Health Facilitator. As we move into Spring, she shares her expertise on the amazing practice of Ayurveda and what it can teach us as we transition from one season to another. Enjoy!!

Ayurveda is one of the oldest healing systems in the world, with roots stretching back over 5,000 years. Known as the “science of life,” it offers a holistic approach to living in harmony with nature. One of my favorite descriptions comes from Dr. Vasant Lad, who calls it “the art of daily living in harmony with the laws of nature.” At its core, Ayurveda teaches that our health and well-being are deeply connected to the rhythms of the natural world—especially the changing seasons. I love that Ayurveda teaches disease prevention and healing modalities that balance the three fundamental energies or doshas that shape our physical, mental, and emotional makeup. These are:

Vata (linked to air and space): associated with movement, creativity, and change
Pitta (linked to fire and water): linked to digestion, transformation, and focus
Kapha (linked to earth and water): associated with stability, nourishment, and calm

Spring is the king of seasons in Ayurveda. It’s defined by Earth awakening. Everything is sprouting, energy moves upward, the plants, trees, flowers begin to bloom with color and life. While spring may feel like the time for us to invest energy into that spring motion, we learn that balance within spring’s abundance means more nourishment, not necessarily more exertion.

Spring’s natural qualities—moist, warm, and heavy—can lead to a buildup of kapha in the body, which may show up as congestion, seasonal allergies, sluggishness, or colds. This is especially true for people who already have a strong kapha constitution. On the other hand, the fresh scents and new growth of spring can be uplifting and invigorating for those with more vata or pitta tendencies.

To support balance during the spring season, Ayurveda recommends certain foods and practices that are beneficial for most people, regardless of their primary dosha. These 'tridoshic' recommendations include:

Kitchari – a light, nourishing dish made with rice and lentils
Spiced buttermilk (takra) – supports digestion and helps clear excess mucus. See recipe below!
Panchakarma – a traditional Ayurvedic cleanse that gently detoxifies the body and helps prevent spring-related issues like allergies, colds, and sinus congestion

By aligning our daily choices with the natural rhythms of the season, we can feel more balanced, energized, and well—inside and out.

Image source: *Rasa-Ayurveda.com

CREATING HEALTHY HABITS:

Ayurveda Spring Practices

When it comes to building healthy habits through Ayurveda, I always encourage people to keep it simple. You don’t need to overhaul your entire life—just begin with a few easy practices that feel doable and meaningful to you.

Understanding Kapha Season

Spring is the season when kapha—the dosha connected to earth and water—tends to build up and release. You don’t need to be an expert to get a sense of kapha. Just think of qualities like heaviness, moisture, and stillness. In the body, that might feel like congestion, weight gain, or sluggish digestion. In the mind, it can show up as feeling foggy, sleepy, or unmotivated. So, providing remedies to mitigate the heaviness of kapha becomes the core lifestyle support in spring.

Support Digestion with Spring Spices

In spring, warming and digestive herbs like ginger, black pepper, and long pepper (pippali) are especially supportive. These spices help stimulate agni (digestive fire) and clear excess kapha from the system.

You might also try a gentle, tridoshic tea made from equal parts:

Cumin
Coriander
Fennel

This tea is great for sipping throughout the day to support digestion and lighten the body.

Laughter, fun, and play can be crucial catalysts in helping kapha types to truly enjoy the spring. Kapha encourages us to invite clarity, purpose, and playfulness into our lives. Since kapha is predominant in spring, we are challenged to push through its inertia to create a sense of deeper purpose. You might start by:

Getting clear on your goals
Embracing change
Taking time to envision the life you want to create

Staying inspired: Creativity as Medicine

Kapha types are naturally creative and intuitive—use those gifts to stay motivated:

Create a vision board
Dive into dream work
Explore the intuitive side of life
Nurture your creative process with curiosity and joy

Facilitator Spotlight

We are very lucky to have Courtney Marchesani, M.S., as a Facilitator for Akhila Health! Courtney received her Master’s in Mind-Body Medicine from Saybrook University and has worked in mental health and integrative medicine. Marchesani’s work in mental health and supportive housing programs began in residential treatment. Her work evolved and expanded to focus on issues that impact affordable housing and treatment models.

What does serving the community mean to you?

The Akhila community means everything to me. It’s a heart-centered organization that serves women, which touches on my core values. Having a mother who helped pioneer women’s sports in my hometown in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania (and winning a state championship!) I’ve lived through an era when women were not allowed to play sports, and then, through federal laws (Title IV), were able to organize and make it possible for future generations to play. So, in inheriting my mother’s spirit and resilience, I believe women are equal and deserve to have access to affordable healthcare, wellness sovereignty, and education. Akhila meets all those touchstones in its vision, mission, and purpose. My heart aligns with theirs 100%.

How do you incorporate holistic health practices in your life?

Learning about seasonal living was transformation for me in my own learning curve. I incorporate holistic practices from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and Mind-Body Medicine that help me reduce sickness, build immunity, and keep my mind and body active throughout the year. I’m not perfect and I recognize how challenging life can be not only for myself, but for others who are trying to maintain health and wellness as well. So, I incorporate practices that help restore balance, and create harmony mainly during the season I’m living in. This has transformed my health and wellness and I’ve seen how impactful it can be for mental and emotional resilience.

What do you enjoy about empowering women through Akhila Health?

When someone learns something new, or transformational to their own health through Akhila workshops this is the most empowering for me. I love teaching and find that the women who show up are really looking for something different or unique that they can learn and integrate into their own wellness practices.

Seasonal Spring Ayurveda Recipe

Takra Buttermilk

Takra, or Ayurvedic buttermilk, is a light, probiotic-rich drink that aids digestion, supports gut health, and helps balance metabolism. Unlike store-bought buttermilk, traditional Takra is made by churning fresh yogurt with water to remove excess fat, making it easier to digest. It’s packed with calcium, potassium, and vitamin B12 and can be customized with herbs and spices for additional health benefits.

This is a simple recipe for Takra Buttermilk. Learn how to make it with Ananta Ripa Ajmera, author of The Ayurveda Way.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup organic whole cow's milk yogurt, warmed to room temperature (let sit out for 1 hour)
1 cup water, room temperature
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine the yogurt and water. Churn or whisk well for 2–3 minutes until smooth and slightly frothy.
Add coriander powder, chopped ginger, and salt. Mix well to combine.
Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving.