Ayurvedic Suggestions for Cooling Pitta

Fresh, sweet fruit and fruit juices are beneficial for balancing Pitta. They provide nutrition and keep the body cool and comfortable. Watermelon juice, fresh cucumber juice, lettuce juice and coconut milk are four of the most beneficial juices to pacify pitta. By consuming at least one of these items several times a day you will notice a tremendous difference in your reaction to the high temperature.

Fresh herbs such as mint, cilantro and watercress can also be juiced or made into a chutney to balance pitta. Or steep cooling herbs in boiling water each morning, cool to room temperature and drink the water through the day to get the benefit of the herbs and hydrate your physiology. Favor cooling spices such as cardamom, coriander, and fennel when cooking. Use Organic Rose Water or rose petal conserve as a cooling food supplement or add to summer drinks.

Certain fruits and spices can tend to irritate pitta and should be avoided during the summer months. Strawberries and peaches are known in Ayurveda to especially increase pitta and may even cause rashes or allergic reactions in some sensitive people. If you love strawberries and peaches it is better to cook them with sugar and cardamom and serve the puree with a tablespoon of pitta-pacifying whipped cream or blend the puree with some sweet grape juice to make a sweet, cool drink. Small amounts of whipped cream with some cooked fruit is a lighter, more satisfying summer dessert to try instead of frozen ice-cream.

Over time, as you tailor your diet to the foods and tastes that are ayurvedically balancing for your physiology and the season, your desire for foods which can cause an imbalance will gradually fade away. Initially, you might feel restricted, but make adjustments in stages, letting your physiology get acclimated to the changes, and eventually you will feel satisfaction and contentment.