Keeping dosha’s in balance is a key for maintaining a good health. In Ayurveda it is beleived that imbalance in there dosha’s are responsible for disease. When in balance , pitta supports strong digestion, intelligence and leadership. However , an excess pitta can lead to issues such as hyperacidity, skin rashes, inflammation and others.
Balancing Pitta dosha require multidimensional approach which includes diet, lifestyle, yoga and meditation. Here is comphrensive guide how to manage pitta
Symptoms of Pitta imbalance
One may experience following symptoms of pitta imbalance
- Inflammation: Excess pitta can lead to inflammation in the body, causing redness, swelling, and pain in affected areas.
- Heartburn: When fire element in the stomach becomes too high, it can cause heartburn and acid reflux due to excess stomach acid.
- Skin rashes: It can cause skin rashes and irritation, as pitta governs the skin and its functions.
- Diarrhoea: When pitta is too high in the digestive system, it can cause loose stools and diarrhoea due to excessive heat and liquid in the body.
- Anger: Excessive heat and fire element can lead to feelings of anger, irritability, and impatience, as pitta is associated with the fire element and can cause a buildup of heat in the body.
- Judgmental behaviour: When pitta is imbalanced in the mind, it can lead to critical and judgmental behaviour towards oneself and others, as well as an excessive need for control and perfectionism.
- Body odour: Excessive sweating due to heat can lead to increased body odour.
- Thirst: The heat within the gut and body can cause excessive thirst, as pitta governs the water element in the body.
- Burning headaches: Acidity related headaches can cause a burning sensation in the head and may be accompanied by sensitivity to light and sound.
- Hot flushes: Imbalanced pitta can cause hot flashes or sudden feelings of warmth in the body.
- Ego inflation: When fire element is imbalanced in the mind, it can lead to an inflated sense of ego and self-importance.
- Instability: It can cause a sense of instability or uncertainty in the mind and body.
- Jealousy: This can also cause feelings of jealousy and competitiveness towards others.
General Guidelines for balancing Pitta
Favor cooling over spicy : Pitta dosha increases because of katu ras ( spicy) food. Always use water kept in earthen pot for drinking . Keep the body cool . Include spices like fennel seed, dry ginger, cummin seed, corriander seed while preparing food.
Choose Sweet over Sour : Pitta is piecring in nature so it will need sweet taste to keep it balance. Use of milk is good. Also use ghee for cooking and avoid eating raw food.
Take Bitter our Salty : To keep burning sensation in balance one should include bitter tasting spices and herbs like neem, bitter melon, brocolli and other
Best Taste for pacifying pitta dosha
Eat More Sweet : The food that are sweet in taste are grounding and nourishing therefore are good for pacifying the fire element.
Enjoy the Bitter : Bitter taste helps to improve digestion and is also helpful in pacifying the fire element in the body.
Astringent ( Kashay) is healthy : Yes when there is increase in heat in the body intake kashay ras rich food like awala helps to calm the fire .
Food Choices for pacifying Pitta
Drinking water kept in earthen pot is very helpful for people having this type of personality .
Ginger water is also heplful in balancing the pitta . It is also good for keeping the digestive system healthy.
Milk is also a very good choice for these people .
Coconut water is also a very good in helping calm the excess heat .
Cereals for pacifying Pitta
Rice flour is a good choice for balancing as it is sweet and nourishing . Sorghum ( jowar), Pearl millets ( Bajra) is a good choice.
Old rice should be prefered instead of newly harvested rice. Rice water tempering ( chaukna) with cummin seed is healthy drink to calm excess burning feeling.
Pitta pacifying lentils ( Dal)
Among lentils like masoor dal (red lentils), moong dal (split green gram ) are good choices. However Ayurveda literature says that among all lentils Moong dal is the best.
Morover these people should avoid chana dal (split chicpeas), matar ( green peas), chola ( chicpeas), rajma (kidney beans).
Vegetables & fruits
Vegetables that are prefered in aggravation of fire element or in people having pitta prakriti ( body constitution) are
Lauki ( White flowered gourd), Parwal ( Pointed gourd), Tinda ( Indian squash, apple gourd), pumpkin , white pumpkin palak (spinach) , cucumber and green corriander.
These vegeatable helps in balancing excess heat because they contains lot of water and are moist .
Friuts that are sweet like banana, pomegranate, amla, grapes and sweet lemon are more useful. Others fruits can also be eaten.
Spices, Nuts and Seed
Spices such as Turmeric, corriander seeds, dry ginger, peppermint, cumin seeds are good.
Nuts such as ,dates, black raisins, coconut and fig are helpful in keeping pitta in balance. Almond and walnuts can be used in moderation. Always soak almond and walnut in water overnight.
Seeds like seasame seed, sunflower seed, pumpkin seeds are also helpful.
Lifestyle advice
Those who are facing the problems because of heat aggravation or have same parkriti should
Use normal room tempreture water for bathing.
Apply coconut oil to all over body before bathing.
Put two drops of seasame oil in both nostrils .
Mild exercise in recommended . heavy workouts should be avoided.
Must keep there body cool and surrounding cool.
Always take light and easily digestable food at night.
These people should sleep early in night and avoid beign awake till late night.
Must not hold natural urges like urine, burping, gas, crying.
Yoga & Meditation
Following yogic exercise are very beneficial for people with pitta dosha problem
Ardha chandrasan( half moon pose) : According to Ayurveda, practicing Ardh chandrasan is particularly beneficial for people with a dominant Pitta dosha as it helps to balance the fire and peiricing nature of this dosha by providing grounding,stability, and generating internal coolness. It also helps to calm the nervous system.
Ardhyametendriya Asan( Half seated spinal twist) : It is a excellent vayu- pacifying yoga pose because it promotes grounding, stability and relaxation.It helps to massage internal organs and helps improve digestion.
Dhanurasana ( Bow pose) : It is a powerful pose to balance pitta dosha because it strengthens the abdominal oragns, relieves bloating ,gas and improve digestion .
Matsyaasana ( Fish) : This pose gently massages the abdominal organs, enhancing digestion and alleviating issues like constipation and bloating.
Yoga Nidra : It is a deep relaxation technique that guides you into a meditative state between wakefulness and sleep , making it extremely beneficial for balancing Vata and pitta dosha .
Simple Home Remedies
- Sweet & dairy products are good for balancing excess heat.
- Take your meals at regular time and in relaxed atmosphere
- Take your dinner early at least 3 hour before going to bed
- Avoid late night meals
- Limit salt intake
- Avoid stress ,smoking, alcohol
- Avoid processed and fermented food
- Avoid tea coffee and other aerated drinks
- Avoid excessive oily & spicy, salty,sour foods
- Eat more vegetables and fruits like cucumber, watermelon, pomegranate.
- Drink at least 7 to 8 glass of water daily.
- Drink coconut water two times a day.
- Soothe your stoamch with aloe-vera juice.
- Mix together equal part of saunf (fennel seed), jeera (cummin seed) and misri ( candy sugar). Make powder by grinding them. Take 1 teaspoon of the powder 2 to3 times daily.
- Drink milk to neutralize excessive acid.
This Article is written by Dr. Ashutosh Tiwari B.A.M.S, PGDCR Director of Risha’s Health And Ayurvedaa Solutions.He is having more than 20 years of experience in field of Ayurvedic medicine.
