Summer season is ruled by the Pitta dosha, and we're offering tips and an avocado smoothies recipe (scroll to bottom) to help you keep your cool. Pitta is composed of the fire and water elements, and its qualities are hot, sharp, oily, light, smooth and mobile. Inviting cooling foods and practices will help keep Pitta at bay, and keep you flowing through summer more intention and ease.
Hydration
Add some pizazz to your water with cucumber, watermelon, mint and lime (sparingly). It's tempting to ice our beverages, especially when it's hot out. Ayurveda encourages us to stick to room temperature or slightly cool beverages to keep our digestive fire (Agni) bright and engaged, without asking it to work harder.
Movement
If you're engaging in high intensity workouts, aim to have those wrapped up by 10:00am during summer. Flowing through gentle yin yoga and pranayama practices in the later afternoon and early evening are great ideas for movement and awareness to help balance Pitta. Connecting with bodies of water is also encouraged, even it a bath is your only option.
Nourishment
Favor seasonal sweet and bitter fruits and vegetables, which in turn will also help keep you hydrated. Seasoning is encouraged with cooked foods, however keep spicy, pungent and salty tastes to a minimum. It may be tempting to skip meals when you're on the go and enjoying everything summer has to offer, but stick to a small and light meal rather than skipping a meal completely. Pitta tends to get aggravated when meals are skipped.
Skin TLC
Incorporating coconut oil into your abhyanga routine is a simple way to nourish the skin and help the body keep its cool. Excess Pitta can easily work its way to the scalp, affecting the quality of our hair. Weekly oiling of the scalp and hair can help keep Pitta at bay, while nourishing the scalp and hair that can sometimes suffer under the heat of the sun. As the heat rises, so can our anger response. Oiling the scalp can also help keep our temper calm. Wearing breathable cotton linens will offer the skin some reprieve from the midday sunshine, and is recommended during Pitta season.
Avocado Lime Smoothie Recipe
Recipe By: Christine Anderson, inspired by Heng Ou of The First Forty Days
Serves: 1-2
Ingredients:
½ avocado, pit removed, flesh scooped out
2 cups light (not full fat) coconut milk
2-3 medjool dates
1 Tbsp lime juice
Pinch sea salt
Shredded unsweetened coconut and/or lime zest for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Put avocado, coconut milk, dates, lime juice, and salt in blender and blend until smooth.
Garnish with coconut flakes or lime zest
Blog post published by Christine Anderson of Woven Postpartum.