Trikatu
In January, warm and strengthen your body with Ayurveda’s most famous lung and heart tonic, Trikatu. Trikatu restores a warm glow to your chest. When cold strikes, it boosts blood flow to your lungs, helping to fight off infection. Enjoy it in a warm tea, or even sprinkled as a tasty spice on foods.
Nasal passages swell up when exposed to cold temperatures, to keep your sinuses warm. This warmth is essential for immunity. Cold temperatures render the immune system of the sinus inoperable. Your body may compensate with a runny nose, flushing bacteria out of the system.
Generally breath becomes shallow in winter, Dry, cold air is less appealing to imbibe. Counteract dry heat with nasaya oil at night before bed. This will alleviate dryness and open up the sinuses and lungs. You may also find relief through Trikatu, a classic Ayurvedic formula for relieving excess mucus and Kapha. Another option is Eldeberry syrup. Use it in tea, with tinctures and in soup.
Holy Basil brewed in a hot cup of milk is a perfect January treat for Vata’s that need both warmth and nurturing. Kapha’s can brew Holy Basil in water alone. An additional 3 drops of mahanarayan oil in your holy basil tea will strongly decongest the lungs.
If your lungs feel painful or cold due to breathing in cold air, take Trikatu, cinnamon or black pepper in teas or on foods. Trikatu is also good to be taken in warm water 20 minutes before meals.
The pungent taste mentioned above goes straight to the lung and supports expulsion of pathogens. Use honey and cardamom to destroy mucus, soothe your sore throat and halt your runny nose.
Cloves are a strong vasodilator and move blood by pushing it to the surface of the skin. Your body isn’t ready for cloves until December or January. Cloves have an earthy feel to them and an acrid taste. Acrid disperses the accumulation of moisture and is said to activate life force. Acrid taste is warming without being as spicy as cayenne. It gets your blood flowing, like the sap of a cedar tree.
Turmeric is renowned for being both warming and anti-inflammatory. It cleanses and thins the blood, making it ideal for January.