Hello December: An Ayurvedic Guide to Winter Nourishment

As December arrives, the world naturally begins to slow. The air grows colder, the evenings stretch longer, and nature invites us inward. According to Ayurveda, this shift into deeper winter is not something to brace against—it’s something to honor.

December is the beginning of Vata season, a time marked by more dryness, lightness, cold, and movement. These qualities impact the body and mind in subtle but powerful ways: digestion can weaken, sleep may feel lighter, stress can increase, and skin becomes more dry and sensitive.

But with a few intentional adjustments, winter becomes one of the most restorative, grounding seasons of the year.

Below are three simple Ayurvedic shifts you can begin right now to support your body, mind, and energy through December and beyond.

1. Warm Your Food and Drinks

In winter, your digestive fire—agni—needs more warmth and support.
Cold smoothies, iced drinks, and raw salads dampen digestion and increase Vata, leading to bloating, gas, constipation, and feeling “off.”

Instead, December is the month to lean into:

• Nourishing soups and stews

• Roasted root vegetables

• Golden milk and herbal teas

• Warm water throughout the day

• Warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, cumin, clove, and cardamom

This single change alone resets your gut, strengthens immunity, and keeps energy steady.

2. Embrace Earlier Evenings

Winter naturally calls us to rest more.
When the sun sets earlier, our bodies follow suit—if we let them.

Supporting your evening rhythm might look like:

• Dimming lights after dark

• Slowing your pace in the evening

• Turning screens off 30–60 minutes before bed

• Drinking a warm, calming tea

• Going to bed between 9:30–10:00 pm

When we honor this slower winter rhythm, we feel more grounded, more present, and more rested—not just in the body, but in the mind.

3. Add More Oils (Inside & Out)

December dryness is real—for your skin, your sinuses, your digestion, and even your mood.

Ayurveda teaches that oiling the body creates warmth, lubrication, nourishment, and stability.

Here are a few ways to bring more oils in:

• Abhyanga: a warm sesame oil self-massage before your shower

• Ghee: add 1 tsp to meals for deeper nourishment

• Nasya: a drop of warm sesame oil in each nostril to soothe dryness

• Oiling the feet before bed: promotes sleep, calm, and grounding

These small rituals strengthen ojas—your vital life force—and help carry you through winter with resilience.

A Season for Nourishment, Not Perfection

You don’t need a full routine overhaul to feel better this winter.
You only need small, steady shifts that match the season.

Let December be the month you move a little slower, nourish a little deeper, and return to the warmth within yourself.

If you found this helpful, save it for later or share it with someone who could use a little grounding right now. And if you want guided winter support, stay tuned for my January cleanse + reset offerings designed to bring your body and mind into harmony for the new year.

Wishing you a beautifully nourishing start to the season.
🤍 Jennifer | Golden Veda Collective

Kids’ Thanksgiving Snack, Ayurvedic-Style

A simple, grounding snack plate for little ones during a very overstimulating week.

Thanksgiving week is beautiful… and let’s be honest, it’s a lot for kids.

The excitement.
The extra people.
The noise.
The travel.
The sugar.
The emotions.

And in true Vata-season fashion, little nervous systems can get tired, overstimulated, and hungry every 45 minutes — even when there’s a giant holiday meal coming.

This year, instead of stressing about kid-friendly appetizers or complicated snack boards, I leaned on something Ayurvedic, simple, and calm:

✨ A Kids’ Thanksgiving Snack Plate, Ayurvedic-style. ✨
Zero cooking.
Zero prep.
Just warm, grounding, digestion-friendly foods that help steady their little bodies (and moods) before the big meal.

Let’s make this easy — for all of us.

🌿 Why Ayurvedic Snacks Work So Well for Kids

Ayurveda teaches that children have very sensitive digestion. Their Agni (digestive fire) is still developing, and during busy holiday weeks, it can easily get thrown off by:

• too much cold food

• too many different flavors at once

• too much sugar

• eating while distracted

• long gaps between meals

Warm, simple, sweet, grounding snacks help balance Vata and keep their digestion steady — which means better moods, easier transitions, and fewer post-meal meltdowns.

🍎 Ayurvedic Snack Ideas You Can Make in 30 Seconds

These require zero cooking and you likely already have everything on hand.

🍏 1. Apple Slices + Cinnamon

Cinnamon boosts digestion, warms Vata, and adds sweetness without adding sugar.

🍊 2. Mandarin Orange Segments + Raisins

Easy to digest, sweet, full of prana, and grounding.

🍚 3. Rice Cake + Warm Applesauce

Soothing, comforting, and gentle on little bellies.

🥛 4. Warm Milk with a Dash of Cinnamon

A classic Ayurvedic calming drink — perfect for overstimulated kiddos.

💛 Why These Snacks Help Kids Feel Better

Each snack supports digestion and the nervous system:

• Warm foods calm Vata

• Sweet taste soothes the senses

• Cinnamon boosts Agni

• Simple foods digest easily

• Familiar flavors bring comfort

And most importantly?
They help bridge the gap before holiday meals without overstimulating or overfilling them.

✨ Make It Cute (Optional)

If you want to make it feel festive:

• Use a tiny Thanksgiving-themed plate

• Add one cinnamon stick to the side

• Cut apples into thin “leaf” shapes

• Add a sprinkle of nutmeg to applesauce

• Use a warm-toned napkin for the aesthetic

But truly — these snacks don’t need anything fancy.
Kids don’t need Pinterest perfection.
They need nourishment they can actually digest.

🧡 Why This Matters More Than We Think

Holidays create big feelings in little bodies.
Keeping their digestion balanced helps keep their emotions balanced, too.

A grounded belly = a grounded mood.
A warm snack = a calmer child.
Simple food = less overwhelm.

And for moms?
It’s one less thing to stress about.

Wishing you and your little ones a calm, cozy, Vata-balanced holiday week.
🤎🍂