Summer is Pitta season, bringing us more fire and water which elevate those qualities within us. Pitta, in balance, functions to keep our metabolic processes in check, our body temperature balanced and our minds sharp and illuminated.
For those of you with more pitta in your constitution, the shift into summer heat can be challenging causing symptoms like:
acidity, nausea or "sour" stomach
heavy, wet stools (pitta pile) or diarrhea
rashes and other skin outbreaks.
irritability and sharp temper
headaches
Pitta people, whose Nature is actually quite sensitive, often drag their body around with the strength of their mind, pushing past their limits until they literally collapse. Sound familiar?
If you have a predominance of pitta in your constitution, you probably recognize these signs of imbalance, especially when temperatures rise. Or maybe you know someone like this.
Here are some simple ways we can all stay cool and keep pitta in balance this season~
Rinse your eyes with cool water in the morning.
Do 3 - 5 rounds of cooling pranayama like shitali (breathe in through your curled tongue or puckered lips, and exhale through your nostrils).
Incorporate more forward bends, side bends and twists into your asana practice.
Exercise in the cooler part of the day.
Practice Non-doing Meditation—Take a seat or lie down and simply observe without doing…holding a broad focus. Practice for 6 - 12 minutes.
Rub your skin with a little organic coconut oil.
Spritz your skin with rose spray.
Wear cool colors like blues, greens and white.
Avoid spicy, salty and fried foods.
Enjoy cooling foods like cucumber, cilantro, blueberries, cherries, bitter greens cooked or in salads mid day, coconut water, hibiscus or mint tea.
Avoid ice cold food like ice water, which will weaken your digestion.
Choose shade or stay indoors during the mid-day sun (10 am – 2 pm).Â
Walk in the forest.
Sit or walk in the moonlight.
By incorporating just a few of these practices, even a fiery pitta type can stay cool and balanced during the summer season.
Want to learn more about your unique constitution? Sign up for my 4 lesson audio course , Your Elemental Nature. Perfect summer time learning! You can download the lessons onto your smart phone and listen from anywhere. OR, access the recordings from the course page.
Wishing you joy this summer!
xo,
Shannon
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