as your desire is, so is your will. as your will is, so is your deed. as your deed is, so is your destiny. THE UPANISHADS

 ðŸ”¥ summer is pitta dosha season 🔥

 

when your pitta is balanced, life flourishes: you feel an unparalleled energy and drive, mental clarity, joyfulness, vitality, and strength. however, if you’re experiencing dehydration, excessive sweating, or irritability, you likely have excess pitta. additional signs include skin inflammation, an acidic stomach, burning sensations in the body, red eyes, and a quick temper.

 

ayurveda lifestyle guidelines provide numerous tools for managing pitta, especially during the summer heat. two foundational principles in ayurveda are "like increases like" and "opposites reduce." consuming hot, spicy foods with caffeinated beverages or alcohol (both of which dehydrate the body) on a 90-degree day will only increase bodily heat, leading to irritability in both mind and body.

instead, the opposite approach will help reduce heat. eating cooling foods (such as fruits, basmati rice, summer vegetables, and salads) along with hydrating drinks throughout the day will decrease the heat in the body.

 

here are more tips for managing summer heat:

 

meal times: eat before the sun is too hot--interestingly, our digestive fire, agni, is lowest during the summer months when the sun is the hottest--it's the body's way of finding balance.  eat before11:00 am, have light meals during the hottest time of day, and have dinner as the sun sets.

 

foods to eat: avoid hot spicy foods, hard liquor, red wine and meat.  eat cooling foods, seasonal fruits and vegetables (nature always provides what we need) such as melons, ghee, milk, yogurt, ice cream, cilantro, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli.

 

moon's energy is cooling: enjoy the moonlight--take a stroll, sit under the stars, or perhaps take an evening yoga class in the park...just saying. 😉

 

 

 

light your lamp & you light the world

-june

june hunt