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Heat Holiday! – Ayurveda in Late Summer
Vaidya Prathmesh Vyas studied at the Ayurveda universities in Nagpur and Rajasthan and is known as a specialist in Ayurvedic pulse diagnoses.
He has already examined more than 12,000 clients and traveled to 15 countries around the globe for this purpose. During a visit to the Netherlands, we met Vaidya Prathmesh Vyas on a hot summer day. Exactly the right atmosphere for a discussion about the elevated Pitta Dosha at this time of year.
Maharishi Ayurveda Team: What role does Pitta play in our body?
Vaidya Prathmesh Vyas: According to Ayurvedic knowledge, everything in our universe is formed from five elements: Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Ether - including our body and our consciousness. These five elements also form our Doshas, our Dhatus, which are our tissues, and our excretions, called "Malas" in Ayurveda. The three Dosha types are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Pitta represents the fire in our physiology. It is located in the stomach and intestines, where the juices of the pancreas and bile flow together. Pitta is responsible for digestion, our metabolism, the regulation of body temperature, our intellect, our complexion, and our vision.
When during a day, a year, or in our lives is Pitta particularly strong?
For example, it dominates about an hour and a half after eating. Then we feel energetic and have no feeling of heaviness or emptiness in the stomach area. Throughout the day, Pitta dominates between 10 AM and 2 PM, which is exactly when we are hungry and need food. Pitta also dominates at night between 10 PM and 2 AM. Those who already suffer from severe Pitta imbalances often feel particularly unwell during this period. Over the course of a year, Pitta accumulates in late summer, can then lead to problems in autumn, and calms down in winter. In our lives, Pitta dominates mainly between the ages of 18 and 50. During this lifespan, people also more frequently experience Pitta imbalances.
How can the Pitta Dosha become imbalanced and cause an imbalance?
The Pitta qualities are hot, sharp, and a little oily. So anything that intensifies these qualities also increases the Pitta Dosha. This includes emotions like anger, sadness, or fear, overwork, prolonged fasting, and sexual activity. Pungent, sour, and salty foods increase Pitta, for example, chili, garlic, or pickles. Yogurt and very oily foods also stimulate the Dosha. Of course, smoking is a damaging factor, as is excessive consumption of wine or extended sunbathing. If you are already a Pitta-dominated person and then perhaps the aforementioned Pitta seasons or age are added, all these factors can throw the Pitta Dosha out of balance.
How do I know if I am a Pitta type?
Pitta-dominated people are naturally sensitive to spicy foods, hot drinks, and intense heat. Their body temperature is usually high, they sweat easily, and they are prone to irritated skin and thin, fine hair. At the same time, they have a strong appetite and good digestion. They are very intelligent and have a sharp mind. Pitta types are brave and adventurous. They flare up quickly but also calm down quickly.
How can we reduce elevated Pitta or maintain the natural Pitta balance?
There are several useful measures for this. For example, ghee. The consumption or use of pure butterfat is the best way to keep Pitta in check. However, it should only be ghee, not oil: because ghee is sweet, cool and soft, thus possessing exactly the opposite qualities of Pitta. It is best to stir it into milk or prepare your food with it. The amount should be one or two teaspoons, depending on tolerance and the extent of the Pitta imbalance. To calm Pitta, one should also prefer sweet, astringent, bitter, and cool foods and herbs.
Recommended foods for harmonizing the Pitta Dosha:
- Ghee
- Milk
- Butter
- Barley
- Mung beans
- Asparagus
- Artichoke
- Avocado
- Pomegranate
- Melon
- Coconut
- Raisins
- Licorice
- Chamomile
- Vetiver
- Coriander
- Aloe vera
The aroma of jasmine, rose, or chamomile can also soothe Pitta. For example, put some rose water in a spray bottle and then mist your face and body with it. And even though one should normally avoid sleeping during the day, I would recommend resting for one to two hours to calm Pitta.
All these recommendations are suitable for anyone experiencing a Pitta imbalance, or in autumn. Pitta types should pay attention to them all year round, especially, of course, in cases of Pitta disorders or after summer.
More Vaidya Tips for Elevated Pitta:
Jewelry and Accessories
If you love jewelry: wear pearls, coral, or fresh, fragrant flowers like jasmine.
Relaxation
Enjoy the sight of the full moon on warm late summer nights. A walk in the cool, silvery moonlight or a romantic evening in the garden has a wonderfully relaxing effect.
Fresh air
Let yourself be refreshed by a cool breeze, such as that blowing in the mountains, by large lakes, or along rivers.
Shower and Bath
The Vedic scriptures recommend bathing under a waterfall. If you are not among the lucky ones who can implement this tip immediately on a spontaneous trip, turn the temperature knob to cool to cold when bathing or showering. This way you'll get closest to the refreshing effect!
Joy
Experience childlike, unadulterated joy, for this feeling of happiness can calm Pitta. The Ayurvedic scriptures mention, for example, meeting close friends.
This conversation was published in our customer brochure from September 2013. You are not yet receiving information by mail from us? We would be happy to change that. Simply send us a message at Contact with your postal address, and you will receive the next issue fresh off the press in your mailbox.
