Pitta Summer Tips

Pitta types tend to be confident and inspiring leaders with a bit of a tendency to be over competitive and perfectionist. They are prone to skin inflammations and are occasionally irritable. Like fire they tend to be hot, intense and fiery.

The change in seasons can have a big effect on our body-mind type and therefore our health. Ayurveda has many helpful tips for how we can stay healthy all year round. With summer finally here, it’s important to make adaptations to our diet and lifestyle so we can help keep our dosha balanced and enjoy the summer sun.
 
Pitta is naturally aggravated in the summer due to the environmental heat which can often manifest as skin problems or digestive irritation. If you are predominantly pitta, it is important to include cooling foods, herbs and activities to help reduce your pitta tendency to overheat.

Digestion is generally not as strong in the summer months so choose light and easy to digest meals, and avoid anything fried. Follow a pitta reducing diet throughout the summer including foods that are naturally sweet and bitter. These are foods such as ghee, hemp seed oil, coconut oil, rice, quinoa, oats and natural sweeteners. Avoid honey in the summer as it is a bit heating. Include sweet and cooling fruits such as coconut, berries, grapes, plums, melons, avocado.

Other slightly bitter foods are green tea, green leaves, broccoli, asparagus, endive and turmeric; these are all cooling in nature and help keep pitta under control. Try and stay away from pungent, salty and sour foods (chillies, tomatoes, hot spices, salt, fermented foods such as alcohol and pickles). It is a good idea for hot pitta types to take Aloe Vera Juice daily as this helps keep the body cool and cleansed.

Try to get up early when it’s cool and dewy. For a calming and peaceful start to the day, take a bare foot walk or do some yoga and do some cooling breathing exercises. A daily morning massage for 5-10 minutes using Refresh or Coconut oil before showering will both cool and nourish the skin. Drink Refresh, Detox and Cleanse teas which all help to cool pitta.

Recommended pitta balancing herbs:

• Neem & Sarsaparilla - for rebalancing pitta
• Amla & Peppermint -  for pitta digestion
• Rose water - blissfully cooling floral spray

Enjoy the summer sun!