Ayurvedic Tips for Pitta Season
Celebrate all things cool, calm and peaceful this Summer!
PITTA DOSHA | Fire + Water
SEASON | Early summer to early fall
TIME OF DAY | 10:00 -2:00 am/pm
TIME OF LIFE | Age 25 - 50 years
The common translation of pitta is “that which digests things.” According to ayurveda, this is the dosha responsible for our ability to mentally digest our life experiences and biologically digest our food. Pitta is responsible for all of our chemical and metabolic transformations. Pitta is sharp, penetrating, hot, light, liquid, mobile, and oily. Our ability to clearly perceive what the body senses (sees, hears, smells, etc.) is governed by pitta. Regarding transformation, pitta governs the ability of the body to combust, or digest, the materials needed to bring warmth and color to the body. During the summer, pitta can accumulate as inflammation in the stomach, liver, gallbladder, spleen, and small intestines. The key to pacifying pitta is to remain cool, calm, and peaceful. When it’s out of balance, you might arouse aggression, irritability, anger, hatred, judgment, criticism, and jealousy. When pitta is in balance, digestion and metabolism are strong and you feel passionate, joyful, and courageous.
Tips for Pacifying Pitta
Here are some practical suggestions for balancing the pitta person during the seasonal changes that occur in summer and early fall:
YOGA | Early morning yin-style asana practice, including the Moon Salutation, Tree, Bridge, Locust, Triangle, and gentle abdominal twists. The emphasis throughout your practice can be on surrendering, forgiving, softening, and being gentle with yourself. Pittas should come away from an asana practice feeling; cool, content, calm, released tension in mid-abdomen, a clear mind, emotions relaxed, and a tendency toward competitiveness and irritation should be subdued.
PRANAYAMA | Practice Shitali pranayama or left-nostril breathing to cool and calm the hot quality of pitta dosha.
MEDITATION | A regular meditation practice assists in quieting the active pitta mind, releasing anger, and allowing the sense of control to dissipate. Meditation should leave one feeling cool and calm in both mind and heart.
MASSAGE | Give yourself a slow and loving full-body massage before taking a shower. As a base, use sunflower or coconut oil, which is cooling and nourishing. Essential oils of rose, sandalwood, jasmine, or lavender can be added to further enhance delight and healing.
TEA | Drink a tea of cumin, coriander, fennel, and rose to pacify the hot quality, improve digestion and calm the mind.
FOODS | Eat foods that are cooling and calming; sweet, bitter, and astringent. Coconut, cucumber, watermelon, steamed greens, mung beans, and basmati rice are excellent choices. Sipping cool (not iced) water throughout the day keeps pittas fires at bay. When the hot and sharp qualities are acute it is best to avoid spicy, salty, oily, and sour foods such as chilis, pickles, french fries, and citrus fruits respectively. Due to pitta’s raging appetite, it is in their best interest that they never miss a meal!
