Embrace Summer with Cooling Pitta-Balancing Tips
Hello, summer! With the arrival of warm weather, Pitta energy rises to the surface, bringing intense heat that many of us can feel deeply.
You might experience a sense of heat and dryness, especially if your natural constitution is more Pitta, you live in a desert climate, or you’re navigating perimenopause.
Similarly, high temperatures might make you feel oily, sweaty, irritated, and even inflamed.
One thing is certain – inflammation is uncomfortable.
It can lead to pain and a host of other issues, including rashes, headaches, mood swings, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, body and joint pain, hot flashes, night sweats, loose stools, acne, acid reflux, and autoimmune disorders.
Whether you’re dealing with an inflammatory condition, going through menopause, or simply sweating due to the hot weather… Excess heat in the body will find a way out.
Even if you generally feel cold, you might still recognize symptoms of overheating. Just like fire rises in a house, heat rises in the body.
To combat the heat, balance your internal and external environments with foods that are light, fresh, and hydrating. Choose foods that calm, soothe, and cool both your body and mind. Summer extends our days, boosts our activity levels, and increases our sweat. Embrace extra hydration, mineral-rich foods, easy-to-digest proteins, and Pitta-reducing herbs and spices to stay cool when the heat is on.
Simple hacks can have a big impact.
For example, add 3 to 4 sprigs of fresh mint leaves to a ½ gallon of water and sip throughout the day.
This will help:
- reduce inflammation
- aid digestion
- soothe your skin
- freshen your breath (bonus!)
Incorporating Pitta-reducing practices into your routine is easy and provides lasting benefits beyond the immediate relief of frozen treats and iced drinks (though they are tempting).
This summer, make Pitta-reducing nutrition a daily habit. Keep it simple with these tips:
- Drink fresh mint water
- Snack on watermelon, avocado, celery, cucumber, and jicama
- Enjoy light proteins like chickpeas, seaweed, and steamed edamame
- Add cooling herbs and spices to your meals, such as cilantro, coriander, fennel, and dill
- Get plenty of electrolytes from coconut water and cucumber-lime-infused water
- Relish fresh, juicy, seasonal fruits
- Swap iced coffee for herbal teas (hot or cold), such as peppermint, rose, hibiscus, lemon balm, and green tea
- Eat what’s naturally in season in your area