Summer is the season of freedom, sunshine, long evenings, and refreshing fruits and fresh salads… We love it! However, as temperatures rise, the heat tests both our bodies and minds. Ayurveda can help you not just survive, but truly enjoy the summer.
Pitta Dosha in Focus
According to Ayurveda, the summer months strengthen the period of Pitta dosha. Pitta is the principle of “transformation” and “energy,” composed of the fire and water elements. Think of the summer sun: sharp, intense, yet also evaporating.
When Pitta is in balance, the mind is sharp, digestion is good, and metabolism is vibrant.
When Pitta is out of balance (especially in summer):
- On a physical level: Heat rashes, heartburn, diarrhea, acid reflux, inflammation, acne, increased thirst, and hunger occur.
- On a mental and emotional level: Irritability, anger, impatience, competitiveness, and a tendency to criticize intensify.
Have you also experienced similar symptoms? Do not worry, Ayurveda can help!
Cooling Tips for Pitta Balance
The key to summer is cooling and moderation. Think of your body as a delicate instrument that can overheat in the summer heat.
Nutrition: Foods that Pamper your Body
In summer, our body naturally craves light foods and small meals that are easily digestible, as agni (the digestive fire) – a strong source of internal heat – disperses to help cool us down. Being fully present during your meals, while enjoying the taste and texture of the food, minimizes the risk of overeating.
Summer is the time for favoring sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes, and for enjoying cooling, liquid, and even slightly oily foods. This is the best time of year to consume fresh fruits and salads. It is also a great time to consume sweet dairy products such as milk, butter, ghee, cottage cheese, fresh homemade yogurt, and even occasional ice cream.
All unrefined sweeteners, except honey and molasses, have a cooling effect and can be enjoyed in moderation during the summer months.
Among drinks to combat the heat, enjoy cool or room-temperature water with mint or lime and a little raw sugar, a sweet lassi, cooling herbal teas like peppermint, licorice, fennel, or rose, or an occasional beer. Iced drinks are best avoided; they disturb the digestive fire and create toxins in the body.
Be cautious with sour or unripe fruits, aged cheeses, and warming vegetables and spices such as carrots, beetroot, radish, onion, garlic, ginger, and mustard seeds. Try to completely avoid extremely spicy foods like chili or cayenne pepper.
Also, remember that raw vegetables (such as salads) are better digested if consumed for lunch rather than dinner.
- Sweet, bitter, astringent tastes: These have a cooling effect. Choose ripe fruits (melon, grapes, sweet mango), leafy greens, cucumber, zucchini, and coconut water.
- Avoid pungent, sour, salty tastes: Hot peppers, tomatoes, citrus fruits (in excess), and fermented foods all increase Pitta.
- Light foods: Prioritize salads, fresh vegetables, lentils, and basmati rice. Avoid heavy, oily, and fried foods.
- Cooling drinks: Coconut water, mint water, rose water drinks, sweet lassi (yogurt drink), aloe vera juice. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, as they dehydrate and further increase Pitta.
- Regular meals: Do not skip meals to avoid “acid reflux.”
Lifestyle: the Summer Rhythm
- Movement in the cool: Practice yoga or exercise in the morning hours or after sunset, when the temperature is most pleasant. Avoid intense midday workouts.
- Cold shower: It cools quickly, but do not overdo it.
- Natural materials: Wear loose, cotton or linen clothes that allow the skin to breathe.
- Rest and meditation: A calm mind is essential for balancing Pitta. Spend time in nature, meditate, or simply relax in a shady spot.
- Sun exposure in moderation: Use a hat and sunscreen, and avoid strong midday sun exposure.
The summer season is a wonderful time, full of energy and opportunities. If you pay attention to your body’s signals and apply the wisdom of Ayurveda, you will not only endure the heat but also flourish and enjoy every moment of summer in a balanced way. Remember: summer is also about the radiance of your inner light, not just the external heat.
