Ayurvedic Diet for May: Supporting Digestion as Temperatures Rise

There’s a subtle but undeniable shift that happens in May. The chill of early spring softens. The days stretch longer. The air carries a different weight — lighter, warmer, a hint of summer on the horizon. And just like the natural world outside, your body is adjusting too.
According to Ayurveda, May marks the beginning of an important internal transition: moving from Kapha season (cool, heavy, moist) toward Pitta season (hot, light, sharp). This makes May a pivotal time for digestion. Agni — your digestive fire — needs to be protected, supported, and tended carefully now, or you risk stumbling into summer feeling sluggish, overheated, or inflamed.
​Here’s how to work with the season (and your body) this month — not against it.

How May Affects Digestion and Energy

As temperatures climb, your body naturally tries to stay cool.
One side effect?
Appetite tends to soften.
Agni, which craves strong support in cold weather, now needs to be nurtured more gently.
If you don't adapt, you might start noticing:

• Feeling heavy or bloated after meals
• Mild sluggishness or low-grade irritation
• Loss of appetite, especially on warmer days
• Mild acidity or digestive discomfort

The goal for May?
Strengthen digestion without overstoking it.
Lighten the load without depleting yourself.

Why Your Liver Needs Extra Support in May

As we enter late spring, it’s also a good time to give a little extra attention to your liver — Ayurveda considers it one of the key organs impacted by seasonal heat. The liver plays a central role in digestion, detoxification, and hormone balance. But when the weather warms and Pitta starts to rise, the liver can become irritated or overloaded — especially if there’s still lingering Kapha from early spring. That combination can leave you feeling sluggish, inflamed, or just a little “off.” This is an ideal moment to eat in a way that supports liver function. The light, bitter, and cooling foods detailed below will do just that.

If you want deeper guidance, my Love Your Liver Workshop offers practical Ayurvedic tools to support and nourish liver health through the seasons.

What to Eat in May: Light, Fresh, and Easy to Digest

This is the month to pivot toward lighter meals, fresh seasonal produce, and simple preparations. Think vibrant spring vegetables, gentle herbs, and meals that feel uplifting, not overwhelming. Many local farmers' markets reopen in May — making it easier (and more joyful) to find tender spring greens, young radishes, asparagus, and fresh herbs like dill and mint. Shopping seasonally not only supports digestion — it connects you back to the rhythms of nature that Ayurveda is rooted in.

Eat More Of:

• Seasonal spring vegetables — asparagus, peas, artichokes, radishes, baby greens like spinach and chard
• Light grains — millet, buckwheat, barley, quinoa
• Legumes — mung beans, red lentils (well-cooked and simply spiced)
• Small tender salads — favor at lunch when digestion is strongest (arugula, butter lettuce, tender baby greens)
• Brothy soups — especially on cooler days
• ​Fresh herbs — dill, mint, and tulsi to brighten and balance digestion

🌿 Favor a more plant-based diet overall.
Lighter meals make it easier for Agni to stay steady without getting overwhelmed as external heat builds.

What to Avoid in May

It’s not just what you eat — it’s also what you hold back from that makes a difference this month.
Focus on minimizing:

• Overeating — even healthy food can burden digestion if you’re not hungry
• Very spicy foods — chilies, heavy curries can spark premature Pitta imbalances
• Excess sour foods — vinegar, pickles, heavy fermented foods can heat and inflame
• Heavy meats and oily foods — slow digestion and build heaviness
• Excess salt — increases internal heat and water retention
• Iced drinks — weaken Agni and dampen digestion

In May, even small amounts of the wrong foods can tip the system toward sluggishness or early inflammation. Choose simply, eat lightly, and trust your body’s quieter appetite.

A Special Ayurvedic Focus for May: Only Eat When Truly Hungry

One of Ayurveda’s simplest — and most powerful — guidelines is this:
🌿 Only eat when you are truly hungry.
And in May, that wisdom is especially supportive.
As the weather warms, your body may naturally ask for less food.
Ignoring that — eating simply because it’s "time" — can smother digestion, leading to bloating, fatigue, and sluggishness.
This month, practice tuning in:

• Pause before you eat.
• Notice if real hunger is present — not just habit, boredom, or emotional hunger.
• If you're not truly hungry, it’s okay to eat less or wait.
• If you are hungry, honor it with a simple, nourishing meal.

🌱 May might naturally shift your usual eating patterns — lighter meals, smaller portions, or shifting your main meal earlier in the day. Listening — instead of forcing — keeps your digestion strong and your energy clear as you move into summer.

Sample May Meal Ideas

Breakfast:
🍐 Stewed pears with a pinch of cardamom and cinnamon
Lunch:
🥗 Tender spring greens salad with steamed asparagus, peas, fresh dill, and a light lemon vinaigrette
Dinner:
🥣 One-pot millet dish with sautéed spring vegetables, a medley of fresh herbs, and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds
Simple. Fresh. Light. Nourishing without overwhelming.

Small shifts now — eating lighter, moving more intuitively, listening to true hunger — will ripple into greater clarity, energy, and resilience all season long. Your body already knows how to adapt. Ayurveda just helps you remember.

Ready for Deeper Support?

If you want to take the guesswork out of seasonal transitions — and feel clearer, lighter, and stronger — I’m here to help.
✨ Grab your Recipes for All Body Types free guide
✨ Explore personalized support through my 8-Week Ayurveda Program
✨ Stay tuned for my Summer Ayurveda tips — coming soon!