Surviving Pitta Season
It's been a HOT summer!
Pitta season begins in late June/July and lasts into October. A hot and humid time, it embodies the elements of Pitta, fire, and water. Pitta season is the “dog days” of summer for sure. Because everyone has some Pitta in their constitution, everyone is affected in some way by the Pitta season. The more you have, the more you are affected. Knowing your Prakriti, or body constitution, and your Vikriti, or current imbalance, helps make it easier to adjust your seasonal routines, Ritucharya, and lessen the overall effects of the season on you. The more Pitta you have, the easier it is to become Pitta imbalanced during Pitta season. This is also true for any of the seasons. Those with a stronger Vata constitution will likely experience issues during the Vata season, and those with a stronger Kapha constitution will likely experience issues during the Kapha season. This is especially true if you are a Pitta with a Pitta imbalance during Pitta season and so on. This is why the first thing we do in Ayurveda is determine both your Prakriti and your Vikriti. This allows us to help you create a dinacharya and modify it accordingly for each season.
Once you know what your dominant constitution is, Vata, Pitta, or Kapha, it is easy to see what sorts of things you can do to manage Pitta or any season. If you don’t know yours, you can contact an Ayurvedic Practitioner like me to help you determine what it is. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to learn more about this.
That being said, we will examine what each of the three doshas— Vata, Pitta, and Kapha — can do during the Pitta season. Before we do, let’s review what Pitta is responsible for. Pitta is the energy behind the digestion of all types. We need to remember that we digest everything through our senses; it’s not just about food. It’s all about transformation. In addition to intelligence, vitality, and courage.
In general, everyone, regardless of their constitution, should adopt these practices to help maintain balance during the Pitta season. We should all drink more water; coconut water is the most hydrating if you like it. We should reduce our intake of alcohol and caffeine. Caffeine dehydrates the body. The weather is nice, so spending time outdoors in nature is a welcome activity. Coconut is cooling and excellent for massaging into the body, and it also serves as a natural sunscreen. Daily meditations are something everyone should make time for year-round, but during the Pitta season, they can also help keep our bodies cool. When we meditate, our blood pressure drops, which cools the body down. This aligns with the need to rest, taking short naps when it's HOT is a good idea, and avoiding overexertion, especially in extreme heat and humidity. This means we should conduct the majority of our activities either early in the morning or later in the evening, when it’s cooler outside. This helps us avoid overheating, which is the name of the game in the Pitta season. The best time to avoid sun exposure is during Pitta time, which is midday, from 10 am to 2 pm. This is a time when Pitta is strongest in the body and can lead to a Pitta overload. Summer is always a great time to swim or enjoy cool water, as well as sit in the moonlight and take a moonlight bath. Indulging in the fresh fruits of the season, which in Ayurveda it is recommended to be eaten alone as they tend to digest quickly.
Overall, foods eaten during the Pitta season should have a predominance of Sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes or rasas to help balance Pitta. Here is a list of Pitta-pacifying foods, categorized by type.
Fruits:
Apples (sweet), Applesauce, Apricots (sweet), Berries (sweet), Cherries (sweet), Coconut, Dates, Figs, and Grapes (red, purple, black). Limes, Mangos (ripe), Melons, Oranges (sweet), Papaya, Pears, Pineapple (sweet), Plums (sweet), Pomegranates, Prunes, Raisins, Strawberries, Watermelon
Legumes:
Adzuki Beans, Black Beans, Black-Eyed Peas, Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), Kidney Beans, Lentils, Lima Beans, Mung Beans, Mung Dal, Navy Beans, Pinto Beans, Split Peas, Soybeans, Soy Cheese, Soy Flour, Soy Milk, Soy Powder, Tempeh, Tofu, White Beans
Veggies:
Avocado, Artichoke, Asparagus, Beets (cooked), Bell Peppers, Bitter Melon, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Burdock Root, Cabbage, Carrots (cooked), Cauliflower, Celery, Cilantro, Collard Greens, Cucumber, Dandelion Greens, Green Beans, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Leafy Greens, Leeks (cooked), Lettuce, Mushrooms, Okra, Olives (black), Onions (cooked), Parsley, Parsnips, Peas, Peppers (sweet), Potatoes, Pumpkin, Radishes (cooked), Rutabaga, Spaghetti Squash, Sprouts (not spicy), Squash, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Spinach (raw), Sweet Potatoes, Watercress, Wheat Grass, Zucchini
Grains:
Amaranth, Barley, Cereal (dry), Couscous, Crackers, Durham Flour, Granola, Oat Bran, Oats, Pancakes, Pasta, Quinoa, Rice (basmati, white, wild), Rice Cakes, Seitan, Spelt, Sprouted Wheat Bread, Tapioca, Wheat, Wheat Bran
Dairy:
Butter (unsalted), Cheese (soft, unsalted, not aged), Cottage Cheese, Cow’s Milk, Ghee, Goat’s Milk, Goat’s Cheese (soft, unsalted), Ice Cream, Yogurt (homemade, diluted, without fruit)
Nuts & Seeds:
Almonds (soaked and peeled), Charoli Nuts, Coconut, Flax Seeds, Halva, Popcorn (buttered, without salt), Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds
Meat & Eggs:
Buffalo, Chicken (white), Eggs (white only), Fish (freshwater), Rabbit, Shrimp, Turkey (white), Venison
Oils:
Coconut Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Ghee, Olive Oil, Primrose Oil, Sunflower Oil, Soy Oil, Walnut Oil
Sweeteners:
Barley Malt, Date Sugar, Fructose, Fruit Juice Concentrates, Maple Syrup, Rice Syrup, Sucanat, Turbinado
Spices:
Basil (fresh), Black Pepper (small amounts), Cardamom, Cinnamon (small amounts), Coriander (seeds or powder), Cumin (seeds or powder), Dill, Fennel, Ginger (fresh), Mint, Neem Leaves, Orange Peel, Parsley, Peppermint, Saffron, Spearmint, Tarragon, Turmeric, Vanilla, Wintergreen.
Even if you are not predominantly Pitta in your constitution or experiencing an imbalance, everyone should consider incorporating these foods into their daily diet during Pitta season.
For Vatas, the warmth of the summer season may feel like a godsend. However, due to Vata’s overall tendency to be dry, be cautious not to overindulge and risk sunburn, overheating, or dehydration. Drink plenty of water and enjoy watery fruits and vegetables, as a main characteristic of Vata is dryness. Both Pitta and Vata can be balanced by the sweet taste or rasa; however, one needs to be careful not to overindulge in cold or frozen foods, as this can quell the digestive fire or agni, which in extreme heat will naturally be turned down by the body. Vatas need to remember to stay grounded, stable, and calm, and not to aggravate Vata, especially as summer comes to a close, because the next season, the Vata season, will tend to be harder to balance. Mixing sesame oil and coconut oil together can be beneficial for Vatas in their daily Abhyanga massage. Vatas should consider a more open schedule during the Pitta season and not overschedule activities. Rest, relaxation, and gentle forms of exercise, as well as pranayama and longer savasanas in yoga, are essential in the Pitta season.
Pittas! This is YOUR season, so be careful not to aggravate Pitta in your body. Spend time in nature, breathe fresh air, and avoid overheating. Adopt a summer routine and stay COOL, both physically and mentally. Utilize the cooler times of the day to be outside and drink cooling liquids like peppermint tea, water with lime, and use natural sugars. Quell that natural competitive Pitta energy and refrain from pushing yourself. When Pitta is balanced during Pitta season, it is characterized by ambition, discernment, charisma, strength of will, and insight. When it is out of balance, it sparks heat in the body and the mind, leading to inflammation, indigestion, heartburn, and fiery emotional responses such as jealousy, criticism, and anger.
Kaphas, remember to stay cool during the Pitta season, as the humidity may make you uncomfortable. As Kapha's elements are Earth and Water, the additional water in the environment may cause issues with maintaining balance during the Pitta season. Kaphas may find issues with excessive heat, which can lead to skin problems and rashes. Be cautious of excessive perspiration, as it can lead to excessive water loss and heat stroke in hot temperatures. Keeping the body from overheating can be aided by certain spices that promote cooling, such as fresh mint, coriander, fresh cilantro, fresh dill, cardamom, fennel, and cumin seeds. Fruit drinks are helpful, such as atermelon, pomegranate, coconut water, and lemonade. Cucumber, watermelon, and coconut water can help replenish electrolytes and cool off the body. Kaphas can most definitely benefit from the more active lifestyle of summer as well as the early sunrises. start your day before t6am and be active! Exercising can be more invigorating, allowing you to push yourself a bit further physically. No naps for kaphas in summer, and don’t be overly sedentary.
Be sure to enjoy Pitta Season no matter what your Prakriti or Vikriti is!
Namaste’