Pitta is one of the three doshas in Ayurveda. Pitta is made up of fire and water, two of the five elements that are present in all things manifest. If you’re like whaaat?! Please go to my Ayurveda 101 post, which explains more in depth about Ayurveda and the doshas.
Pitta Dosha
Pitta governs metabolism and transformation in the body and mind. So it is pitta that helps digest our food, thoughts and emotions. It also is responsible for the absorption and assimilation of said food, thoughts and emotions. It is instrumental in maintaining our body temperature. Fun fact, the stability of our internal core body temperature is where much of the energy (i.e calories) that we consume on a daily basis goes to fuel! You see, food is not just related to weight. It is responsible for EVERYTHING in our body. It is the energy of pitta and the elements of fire and water, Ayurvedicaly speaking, that assists with this entire process. We’ll return to this again when we talk about Pitta imbalances.
While our modern day society has 4 seasons throughout the year (Winter, Summer, Fall and Spring), Ayurveda has three seasons, Kapha, Pitta and Vata, relating to the three doshas. This is because in Ayurveda everything comes back to the doshas. Our goal in trying to restore balance within ourselves is to live according to our personal constitution or ratio of Kapha, Pitta and Vata AND knowing that everything from food to travel to the weather can impact this ratio of elements within us.
Simply speaking, when it is Summer, it is Pitta season. It extends from late Spring through the Summertime, when the weather begins to get hot and humid.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on this. Pitta is fire and water. Heat = fire and Humidity = fire and water. Thus, as the elements of fire and water are more pronounced in our environment, our systems can accumulate an excess of fire and water, Pitta. Everyone can have a Pitta condition or imbalance during this time of year. However, those with a constitution (prakriti/prakruti) that is more Pitta dominant are even more vulnerable to an excess accumulation of Pitta during this time.
So you’re probably wondering, how do I know if I have a Pitta imbalance? Great question! Read on to learn more….
Balanced Pitta
Before we learn about imbalances, let’s explore the qualities of a balanced Pitta. They are often found in leadership roles. They are planners, competitive, strong and passionate, intelligent, ambitious and understanding.
Pitta Imbalance
When someone with too much Pitta is out of balance, especially during Pitta season, they might be overly angry, easily irritated, jealous and controlling. Some physical imbalances include rashes, acid reflux, heartburn and excessive sweating. Again, too much fire!! Below is a list of sign to look out for:
- Excessive anger
- Irritability
- Overly Competitive
- Overly controlling
- Rashes
- Inflammatory skin conditions
- Stomachaches
- Diarrhea
- Acid Reflux
How to Balance a Pitta Imbalance
When it comes to medical nutritional therapy, I promote changes in one’s life to focus on what to include rather than to eliminate. With that said, there are some foods and drinks that can exacerbate Pitta (i.e. alcohol). While I won’t be going to in depth with foods to limit or avoid, I know that you might find other resources that do, so I want to take the time to explain them from a recovery perspective. The Ayurvedic guidelines are not meant to be approached with an all or nothing mentality. Ideally, protocols are followed until one regains a sense of balance and restoration of their prakriti. Rather than a food rule, it should be seen as a medicinal approach to regaining balance. Just as one should avoid certain things such as foods, alcohol and even sunlight on medications, so true is the approach to working with an imbalance. These are also suggestions to avoid getting an imbalance if you are in a hot and humid environment, especially if you are more Pitta dominant in nature.
General pro-recovery guidelines for balancing pitta:
- Doing “less” in general
- Avoid excessive heat (i.e hot yoga)
- Avoid or limit alcohol
- Incorporate more cooling foods (i.e. butter, ghee, watermelon, cucumber, mint)
- Being mindful to not consume a lot of spicy foods – opt for mild!
- Movement during the cooler part of the day
- Lean into gentle movement
- Self massage with coconut oil
- Sitali or Sitkari breath
- Avoid deep twists in yoga practices
I hope this helps understand how to live in accordance during the Pitta season. Please reach out with any questions, concerns or comments! Late Fall we enter into Vata season and you can learn more here.
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Disclaimer: This post is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute individualized support or medical advice.
Blair is a registered dietitian, certified intuitive eating counselor, E-500 RYT and Reiki Master. She integrates spirituality with modern day science to help people heal and reclaim their relationship with their body and food.