The Gift of Sweating

I live in North Carolina in the American South, where it's safe to say it's always HOT this time of year - and this year is no exception. So I have had good reason recently to contemplate the redemptive power of sweat.

Sweat, or sveda, is one of the lesser-celebrated waste-removal mechanisms in our body. While feces and urine tend to get all the glory (!), our network of sweat glands and pores is a vitally important way our body takes out the garbage.

When we don't sweat enough, our waste literally backs up. Ayurveda identifies this waste as āma, a toxic sludgy substance that blocks the circulation of nutrients and energy, leading to a variety of problems.

This is one reason daily exercise is so important according to Ayurveda - it generates heat internally, which facilitates sweating. (Of course, there are other benefits of exercise too!) The ancient texts advise exercising just until sweat appears along the spine and the axilla or armpits.

Another means of sweating encouraged in Ayurveda is by steaming, or the application of heat externally. This can be done as a clinical treatment or can be achieved simply through a warm bath or sauna. 

Since loss of internal fluid is part of the sweating process, we must take caution against excessive sweating. Since Vata dosha is already dry in quality, this caution is particularly relevant for those experiencing high Vata or in the Vata stage of life (i.e., post-menopause). 

There is also a risk of overheating while sweating, whether due to excessive exercise or excessive external heat. This is particularly true for those with high Pitta dosha.

However, for most, a mild amount of sweat on a daily basis is incredibly beneficial to maintaining good health - and I daresay an undervalued benefit of getting outdoors during the warmer times of year.

Many people resist sweating - yes, it may require a change of clothes or rinsing off afterwards, but truly, what a small price to pay for the health enhancing benefits. And when it's very warm outside, it actually takes less movement to get an effective sweat!

So let this be your encouragement to get outside more this summer. Embrace the power of our sweat as an effective waste removal process and relish the opportunity for a health-promoting, revitalizing sweat.