Summer pushing your pitta out of balance? Learn how to cool, calm and soothe during pitta season and regain balance in the summer heat with Ayurvedic self-care tips.
Is pitta your primary dosha? If so, the intense heat of summer can amplify your inner fire. Pitta is made up of the elements fire and water, and the hot, light, liquid and sharp qualities reign during this time of year. You may be naturally inclined to push yourself too intensely by exercising in the sweltering sun, eating spicy foods and working late into the evening. All of this heat creates even more heat and can easily spiral into imbalance, especially when your pitta is already in excess. This can lead to major BURNOUT.
That's because like attracts like, a key principle in Ayurveda. But opposites create balance.
Every season of the year is associated with a dosha. You are connected to the seasons and can take on their attributes, which can either bring you toward greater balance or out of balance. For example, people with excess pitta can be balanced in spring but become out of balance in the summer heat.
No matter your primary dosha, the qualities of each season directly affect how you feel, especially your mood and energy. During the summer, pitta qualities can be magnified, so it’s crucial to take extra care during this time to balance pitta.
What do you get when you add the pitta elements of heat and water together? Steam.
If you’re noticing more irritability and intensity, it’s a sign that your pitta is already out of balance. Through intentional self-care practices, you can cool, calm and soothe your way to balance during the summer months.
Self-Care for Pitta Season: Pitta-Balancing Routine for Summer
Manage the excess heat, sharpness and intensity that comes with pitta season with the pitta-balancing summer routine below, which includes 10 refreshing self-care practices that will help keep your pitta in check during the hottest months of the year.
Your routine may look different depending on your stage of life and dosha. In general, create a fun, playful routine to help you overcome any tendencies to be too rigid, competitive and self-critical.
1. Rise early before the heat of the day begins.
Start your day before sunrise (around 5:30 a.m.) to align with calm, cool early morning energy. This will give you the chance to ground yourself before the intensity of the day takes over. When you wake up, gently splash cool water on your face and eyes to refresh your senses for the day ahead.
2. Use a tongue scraper to clean your tongue.
Tongue scraping is an essential Ayurvedic self-care practice that helps remove ama (toxins). Gently scrape your tongue with a tongue scraper first thing in the morning before brushing your teeth. I use DrTung’s Stainless Tongue Scraper. Tongue scraping cleans your tongue, stimulates digestion and freshens breath. I gently scrape my tongue from back to front five to seven times and rinse with clean water in between scrapes. This takes a total of less than two minutes.
3. Hydrate with water.
After tongue scraping and brushing your teeth, drink room temperature water with lime, which has a cooling effect. (Lemon can be too heating for pitta.)
4. Practice cooling breath work.
Breath work is a key way to calm the nervous system. In the summer, practice Sitali Pranayama (Cooling Breath), which can be cooling for pitta.
How-to: Sit comfortably. Roll your tongue length-wise (with the tip of your tongue pointing out of your mouth) or width-wise (with the tip of the tongue rolled in toward the center of your tongue). Inhale through your mouth with a rolled tongue (as if sipping through a straw), then relax your tongue, seal your lips and exhale through your nose. Repeat this for a few minutes. Focus on your exhales to let go of any frustration orr stress.
5. Meditate for peace, not to achieving something.
Meditation can help calm pitta’s intense energy, but don’t turn it into another form of achievement. The goal is to find stillness, not to accomplish something. Keep your meditation practice light and free of expectations. Metta (Loving-Kindness) meditation, or visualizing a peaceful setting where you can feel your mind and body relax, like visualizing your feet stepping onto cool sand at the beach, is ideal for pitta.
6. Use coconut oil for Abhyanga.
Abhyanga, or self-massage with oil, is a nourishing Ayurvedic self-care practice. During the summer, use coconut oil, which has a cooling, soothing effect. With the warmth of your hands, warm the coconut oil slightly, gently massaging it into your skin, starting with your feet and working up toward the crown of your head. Let the oil soak in for about 10 minutes and then remove any oil reside in the shower. Use extra towels and be careful when working with oil.
7. Incorporate pitta-balancing foods.
To balance pitta's hot and sharp qualities, eat foods that are cooling and sweet. Incorporate foods and spices with the following tastes:
Sweet like avocado, cucumbers and watermelon
Bitter like arugula, parsley and red bell peppers
Astringent like pomegranate, raspberries and walnuts
Sour, salty and pungent tastes build pitta. Eat your biggest meal of the day between noon and 2 p.m. (when digestive fire is strongest). You may have an easier time digesting raw foods, such as salads, for lunch in the summer.
Quick meal tip: A fresh salad with cucumbers, parsley and pomegranate makes a cooling, refreshing lunch for pitta.
8. Work at 50% to 70% of your capacity.
Pitta tend to be high-achievers, but during the summer heat, it’s essential to dial it down. Work at a mindful pace, at at 50% to 70% of your capacity to prevent burnout. Prioritize time for rest throughout the day to avoid excessive mental or physical strain. Take frequent breaks, and don’t push yourself too hard, especially in the summer heat.
9. End your day with a calming evening yoga practice.
As your busy day comes to a close, wind down with a cooling, calming gentle yoga practice. Incorporate cooling, stabilizing yoga poses, such as Moon Salutations, Cat/Cow and side-body openers like Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) to release heat from the core and side body.
10. Go to bed by 10 p.m.
10 p.m. is when pitta time of night begins. If you stay up past this time, it's easy to get a second wind, which makes it challenging to fall asleep or get restful sleep when you do decide to go to bed.
Embrace the Fun of Summer
When pitta is out of balance, it can lead to irritability, frustration and intensity. Rather than pushing past your limits and striving too much, focus on creating a playful, nurturing routine that supports your needs. By incorporating these cooling, soothing self-care practices into your daily routine, you can maintain balance and peace throughout the summer months.
Remember this mantra for pitta: Less is more.
Are you ready to take on the summer with more ease? Stay cool and calm in pitta season with this pitta-balancing routine, and watch how your mood and energy transform into a more balanced you.
To learn more Ayurvedic self-care practices that can help balance pitta in the summer, sign up for Nourish Note, my monthly newsletter.
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