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In India's traditional medical system of Ayurveda, Ritucharya is the term for the dietary and lifestyle regimens that are based on Earth's seasons. The term comes from the Sanskrit, Ritu, meaning 'season', and Charya, meaning 'to follow'. As per Charak Samhita, if a person follows diet and routine according to the season, the intensity of the health is overall improved. So, Ritucharya is the best ayurvedic practice. Ritucharya in Ayurveda helps us to increase our mental capacity and to build our physical strength to fight ailments that can happen due to seasonal changes. So, it balances all the three doshas and keeps us fit and healthy always.

Ritucharaya is divided into 6 seasons - 

1. Shishira Ritu

2. Vasanta Ritu

3. Greeshma Ritu

4. Varsha Ritu

5. Sharad Ritu

6. Hemantha Ritu 

• Hemanta (early winter, Mid - November to Mid - January) and Shishira (late winter, Mid -  January to Mid - March)

The weather remains cold and windy during this season. During this time the digestive fire increases and Kapha Dosha accumulates. 

Recommended Diet - Eating sour, salty, heavy (good fats).

Recommended Lifestyle - Abhyanga (application of oil to the whole body). Oil massage to the scalp. Staying in warm and less windy places

To be Avoided - Too much spicy, bitter, astringent. Consuming cold drinks and cold foods. 

• Vasanta (spring Mid - March to Mid - May)

This is the season of origin of new leaves and flowers. The strength of an individual remains medium during this season, vitiation of Kapha dosha occurs and Agni i.e. (digestion power) remains low.

Recommended Diet - Food tasting is predominantly bitter, pungent, astringent which are light for digestion. (Drink honey with water)

Recommended Lifestyle - Vamana therapy, dhumapana, udvartana

To be Avoided - Eating sweet, sour, salty, and oily foods which is heavy for digestion and sleeping in a daytime to be avoided.

• Greeshma (summer Mid - May to Mid - July)

It is an intensely hot season full of unhealthy winds. The water of wells, lakes, and rivers dried up and plants become lifeless. Deposition of Vata Dosha occurs and Kapha Dosha becomes relaxed. Agni of an individual remains in a mild state. 

Recommended Diet - Sweet, cooling, liquid, and unctuous foods and drinks, ghee, milk, rice can be consumed.

Recommended Lifestyle - During the daytime, stay in cool places, visit cool forest areas, water bodies filled with flowers

To be Avoided - Salty, sour foods like citrus fruit, pungent, spicy and hot potency food items like black gram are to be taken less.

• Varsha Ritu  (Mid - July to September) - 

It is the season of rain. The sky is all the time cloudy and rain happens during this season. The wells, lakes, and rivers are again full of water. An individual’s strength becomes weak during this season. Agni gets vitiated and variation of Vata Dosha and deposition of Pitta Dosha are prominent.

Recommended Diet - A general regimen consisting of keeping all dosha in prakrutha avastha should be followed, enabling processed food.  

Recommended Lifestyle - Pragharsa udvartana (the act of rubbing dry medicated powder during bath) is to be done during the rainy season

To be Avoided - Drinking cold liquids, sleeping during the daytime, drinking river water

• Sharad (Mid -September to Mid - November)

The sun turns out to be splendid. The sky is clear but sometimes white clouds can be seen. The earth is smeared with wet mud. The appeasement of vitiated Vata Dosha and also vitiation of Pitta Dosha happens as well as the movement of Agni increases during this season. 

Recommended Diet - Food dominant in sweet taste, light to digest, cooling bitter- taste properties bringing normalcy in pitta dosha are to be consumed in proper quantity, rice, barley, and wheat to be consumed

Recommended Lifestyle - Undergo virecana (therapeutic purgation), Raktamosha (bloodletting procedure). Exposure to moon rays during night-time is helpful in this season.

To be Avoided - Day time sleeping and exposure to winds are to be avoided