From July to the end of August, we want to enjoy glorious summer warmth. However, this can increase Pitta Dosha, which consists of the elements fire and water. Increased Pitta Dosha can lead to a feeling of weakness during the day, which only subsides in the evening when the temperature cools down.
From the Ayurvedic point of view, great heat leads to reduced metabolic activity and can weaken our Agni, the digestive fire, which is closely related to Pitta Dosha. So it is not surprising that high temperatures can upset our inner fire: our body tries to shed excess Pitta and slows down the metabolism. The stronger the sunshine, the weaker our Agni gets. Most people notice this, for example, from a decreased feeling of hunger during the day, fatigue, and weak digestive power. Our goal should therefore be to adapt our daily routine and diet to the external circumstances. With simple measures you can keep your balance, even in summer.
The rule of thumb for every Ayurvedic remedy is, that all disturbances can be balanced naturally by their counterpart – restlessness through rest, inertia through activity, coldness through heat, etc.
15 tips for balancing Pitta Dosha
- Prefer cool and moderately-warm foods and avoid very hot food.
- Emphasize sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes in the daily menu.
- Use mild spices and reduce pepper and chili. A suitable spice mix is Pitta Churna.
- Use Ghee or high-oleic coconut oil for cooking and frying.
- Take cooling (not ice-cold) drinks. E.g. steep fresh peppermint leaves oder Pitta tea in a liter of water overnight, so that in the morning, a refreshing drink is ready for you to enjoy throughout the day.
- Reduce or avoid alcohol, vinegar, and hard cheese, as these have a strong heating effect on the physiology.
- Fasting in summer is not recommended, as it further weakens your Agni (digestive fire).
- When you’re sweating a lot, it’s very pleasant to use a sage decoction or cool compresses for washing. Sage can also be enjoyed as a tea.
- Work out in moderation. Increased Pitta Dosha can lead to pent-up energy, which needs to be acted out. Use the cool morning or evening hours and avoid intensive exercise in the sun.
- Schedule specific times of your day as relaxation phases, so you can also cool down mentally.
- Act out your excess energy through creative activities, to avoid imbalance from turning inward and causing harm.
- Take regular walks in the woods. The green and cool expanse is wonderfully pacifying to increased Pitta.
- Wear wide, airy clothes made from cooling fabrics like silk or loose linen.
- Favor the color blue, which pacifies and reduces Pitta Dosha.
- From time to time, apply cooling body sprays or facial tonic. Suitable ingredients are, for example: rose, sage, and peppermint. Peppermint oil sticks can also be applied to the temples and neck and have an immediate cooling effect.
Finally, here’s a list of cooling food items we’ve compiled for your reference.
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