A dosha with a significant influence on your physical and mental health, pitta strongly corresponds to the fire and water elements. Its energies become apparent in your metabolism, perception, and digestion. The characteristics of the pitta dosha are sharp, light, pungent, oily, and hot. This is why those with a pitta imbalance may be prone to excessive sweating, indigestion, irritable mood swings, etc.
If you have a pitta body type, you are likely of a medium build, with well-developed muscles, have soft skin, and can put on or lose weight quickly.
It’s one thing to identify your dominant dosha and a whole other experience to fully understand how you can balance it.
In this post, we will be sharing some tips for you to better manage your pitta dosha and optimize your day to day wellness.
HOW TO BALANCE YOUR PITTA?
When trying to balance a dosha, there are several factors to keep in mind about your lifestyle – routine, diet, and fitness. The fire and water elements that are already present in your bodily energies must be pacified through the use of cooling, light, and drying forces.
DIETARY GUIDELINES
First and foremost, to balance your pitta, it is best to avoid eating hot, sour, or spicy foods. These aggravate the pitta and fuel an increase in body heat. If you are accustomed to drinking alcoholic and caffeinated beverages excessively, now might be the time to cut back on those.
Instead, try refreshing juices made of aloe vera, peppermint, pomegranate, and cucumber. Replace the bitter fruits and vegetables in your diet with pitta-pacifying ones such as sweet potatoes, leafy greens, and pumpkins.
As long as you avoid especially salty, bitter, sour, and spicy foods, you’ll be able to balance your pitta considerably well.
FITNESS & ROUTINE GUIDELINES
As you are aware, a good workout contains an armload of benefits. But being of the pitta type, you’d benefit from being mindful of the intensity of your workouts because exerting yourself too much may lead to a pitta imbalance (even if expending your energy feels good at that moment).
A medium pace workout routine that is of moderate intensity is ideal for pitta types. Some examples of this would be swimming, walking, yoga, and appropriate weight lifting.
Exposure to too much sun will provoke your pitta. And that is why Ayurvedic doctors recommend exercising in relatively cool environments. Instead of going for a walk in the morning or during the day, soak in the rejuvenating breeze at night while taking a stroll.
Pitta types can be competitive go-getters. So, sometimes, when you are busy chasing down a lead or racing against time to meet a deadline, a meal or two may get skipped. Ordinarily, this is understandable, but for the pitta dosha, it can mean dire consequences. Therefore, try to have a healthy diet routine and eat at consistent times.
HOW TO TREAT A PITTA IMBALANCE?
A pitta imbalance may result from not listening to what your body has to say. More often than not, you can regulate your doshas by simply paying attention to your internal state. If you have been facing symptoms of a pitta imbalance, the following steps would help restore your well-being.
- Yoga is a wonderfully beneficial practice that has a cooling effect on the body. Pranayama, for one, is a breathing exercise that reduces pitta imbalance. As you remain focused on taking deep, measured breaths, not only will you feel a sense of cool wash over your body, but you’ll also be clearing your mind of clutter and charging your cognitive abilities. Any form of pranayama can be done first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, to establish a good routine.
- To offset the abundance of energy you are experiencing, try listening to calming, slow music. This will place you in a better frame of mind and help you cool down. You can also make this a regular part of your daily routine by creating a pitta-pacifying playlist that you tune into on the way to work or when you’re prepping for work in the morning.
- Infuse your night routine with a self-massage to wrap up a long day. Essential oils made of chamomile, lavender, geranium, and sandalwood are best for balancing pitta. One such blend you could try for yourself is the UMA Pure Calm Wellness Oil. Massage this into your toes and on your temple before you go to sleep.
Apart from these steps, you can also alter your diet based on the guidelines we’ve mentioned above to see better results in pacifying your pitta dosha.
IN SUMMARY
Take out some time every day to make conscious decisions that reduce pitta in your body. You can even journal about it to track your progress. This will not only motivate you further but will also enable you to experiment with what works for you and what doesn’t.
If you try out these tips, we would love to hear from you about your journey.
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