Ayurveda is a 5000 medicinal science from India. Rooted in principles of treating the body, mind and spirit holistically, Ayurveda understands that our health fluctuates with the seasons.
Summer is most associated with the Pitta dosha. The Chopra Center explains how "Pitta is hot, sharp, sour, pungent, and penetrating. To balance Pitta,
we need to make choices that are cooling, sweet, and stabilizing."
An imbalance of Pitta can be seen in digestive issues, as pitta resides in the digestive track, fiery tempers, diarrhea, and skin inflammation.
To fight off the heat, try these beat the heat tips:
1. Avoid or reduce meat, alcohol, fried or spicy foods. Increase your intake of probiotic dairy, cucumbers, zucchini, watermelons, and sweet/astringent foods to offset rising pitta
2. OIL Massage to eliminate internal toxins using cooler oils such as coconut or olive.
3. Sitali Pranamaya (cooling breath)
Sit in simple crossed legged pose and make an O shape with your
mouth, and curl the tongue lengthwise. Then, as B.K.S. Iyengar instructs
in Light on Pranayama, "draw in air...as if drinking with a straw and
fill the lungs completely." Withdraw your tongue, close your mouth, and
hold the breath for 5 to 10 seconds. Exhale completely through your nose. Repeat from 5 to 10 minutes. Follow with relaxing meditation.
4. Select cooling scents such as, sandalwood, rose, jasmine, mint, lavender, fennel, and chamomile.
As always, drink lots of water and start the day with hot lemon water to encourage digestion/elimination.
