May is the last month to release any trapped heat before summer locks the body into its hot pattern. The spring dampness is still around, and if you did not reduce the winter fat and phlegm and reset the metabolism in March and April, by late May the body gets sick and cannot handle the heat coming in. Ayurveda's May practices are about clearing that last layer with wispy bitter green salads, wild plants that carry the season's prana, green-white vegetables that nourish without weight, and dandelion as the spring tonic for the liver.
Why May is the last chance to clear spring dampness
Pittas and Kaphas are still struggling the most in May. The winter fat and phlegm have not fully released. The metabolism has not fully reset. If both projects do not get finished by the end of May, the body gets sick when summer heat arrives. It cannot handle excess heat inside and outside at the same time.
Continue to release any trapped heat, but do not deplete the body. The May practice is gentle and bitter and astringent, not aggressive.
Which bitter greens to eat in May (and how)
Wispy bitter green salads, also known as mesclun, are the May food. If you are going to eat raw salads, eat baby greens only. Fresh green salads. Not collards, not chard, not kale, but bitter wispy baby greens. Mesclun.
These are very good on hot, humid days. The bitter and astringent taste in the greens eliminates the sogginess of Kapha-Pitta season. It helps the Pittas and Kaphas alleviate some of the dampness.
Top the wispy salad with some sauteed asparagus, beets, carrots, or radishes. Sauteed asparagus specifically gets rid of the spring dampness.
What wild plants to forage for (and why they carry the richest prana)
Wild foods have the richest prana of any food you can eat. Susan teaches that they had to work so hard to grow. They had no one caring for them. It is super prana. You eat a plant to eat its immune system. It takes an incredible amount of prana to be a wild plant.
The May wild greens to find:
- Chickweed
- Lamb's quarters
- Dandelion greens
- Violets
Add them to salads, or steam them lightly. They carry a kind of vitality cultivated plants do not.
Which May vegetables nourish without weight
The May vegetables that are nourishing and seasonal:
- Broccoli raab. Saute or cook.
- Cauliflower. Cook it.
- Green beans. Tridoshically balancing. Good for all three doshas.
- Sweet peas, sugar snap peas.
- Jicama. A fun crunchiness to salads.
- Bitter melon. Slice it like zucchini and saute it in ghee, or have it as bitter melon tea.
- Fennel. Use the bulb, the stalk, and the fronds.
Any green-white food: bok choi, celery, fennel. These are very nourishing. It is a way to nourish someone without using heavy foods. Susan teaches the green-and-white vegetables as the May signature.
Why lime zest is the May condiment
Use lime zest on top of foods in May. It is cooling and drying. The zest has the bitter taste because of the pith. Add it to grain dishes, salads, anywhere you want a clean bitter accent.
Cardamom seeds are also good in May. Drop a few into hot water for a digestive after meals.
How dandelion balances each dosha in May
Dandelion is a powerful spring tonic. It is a matter of which part of the plant and how much.
- Vata. Roasted root dandelion. Vatas need grounding, so the root is the right part of the plant. Vatas need a lot less than Kaphas; small amounts.
- Kapha. Dandelion leaf tea. The leaves bring in the clearing quality Kaphas need now.
- Pitta. Can go either way (root or leaf). Depends on the dual dosha.
Everybody needs a little dandelion in spring. It is good for the liver.
What to avoid in May
Do not eat the heavy salads (collards, chard, kale) raw. The body wants the wispy and bitter, not the bulky.
Do not skip the bitter and astringent tastes. They are what gets the last of the spring dampness out.
Do not overdo the cleansing practices. The bitter and astringent foods do the work; you do not need to add aggressive techniques on top of them. The May rule is gentle.
Frequently asked questions
What are wispy bitter greens?
Mesclun. Baby greens, not the bulky cooking greens (collards, chard, kale). Bitter and wispy varieties: chickweed, watercress, baby arugula, dandelion greens, microgreens. They are the May raw salad base. Susan teaches that bigger greens have to be cooked; only the wispy baby greens are safe raw in May.
Why are wild plants better than cultivated ones?
Wild plants had to work to grow. They had no one caring for them. It takes an incredible amount of prana to survive without help, and eating a wild plant is eating its immune system. Susan teaches that wild foods carry the richest prana of any food you can eat.
Which May vegetables are tridoshically balancing?
Green beans. They balance all three doshas. Other May standouts: broccoli raab, cauliflower, sweet peas, jicama, bitter melon, fennel (bulb, stalk, and fronds), and any green-white food (bok choi, celery, fennel).
How does dandelion work for each dosha?
Vata uses roasted root dandelion in small amounts for grounding. Kapha uses dandelion leaf tea for the clearing quality. Pitta can go either way, depending on the dual dosha. Everybody needs a little dandelion in spring; it is good for the liver.
Why is lime zest a May condiment?
Lime zest is cooling and drying. The zest carries the bitter taste from the pith. Use it on grain dishes, salads, anywhere you want a clean bitter accent in May.