This may be tough to crack at first, but do persevere! You will be glad you did, water retention will vanish. Complaints like, “I don’t feel fresh when I wake up. I feel dizzy. I’m putting on weight. My hunger levels are not normal” will disappear. Of course, to wake up this early, you will need to sleep by 8 pm or 9 pm to achieve your sleep quota. Also ensure that you finish breakfast by 7 am.

Vata is naturally high in winter. So it’s a good idea to lavish a full body oil massage on yourself. Calms the mind, clears away stress, improves the quality of sleep. Use warm coconut or mustard oil, keep it on for 30 minutes, then take a soothing shower/bath. Best to do all this on an empty stomach.

If troubled by allergic rhinitus, sneezing or blockage of nose, then do the ajwain (carom) remedy. Wash an ajwain leaf, sprinkle a little rock salt on it and eat it (it’s quite tasty!). Do this twice a day (morning and evening) until the affliction clears up. To prevent an allergic attack, eat once a day, five days a week.

How do you make these? It’s quite easy actually. Roast some moong dal or rice; powder it; mix in dry fruits of your choice – almonds, cashew nuts, raisins, whatever you like. You could also throw in some flax seeds. Roll into balls and enjoy!

If your appetite increases during winter, these energy balls are great to snack on.

It’s really important to keep active during the winter to keep the blood circulation going and to maintain body heat – that way the usual sniffles and allergies that happen at this time will not affect you. Spot jog, play badminton. Women will benefit greatly from pelvic floor exercises. Yoga and Pranayama will also work beautifully.

Make it a point to exercise at least 5 days a week.