Balancing Pitta

Do You Need to Balance Pitta?

Pitta dosha governs metabolism and transformation in the body. Answer these questions to see if you need to balance Pitta.

  1. Do you tend to be demanding or critical?
  2. Are you often frustrated, angry or intense?
  3. Is your skin ruddy and prone to rashes and eruptions?
  4. Are you often irritable or impatient?
  5. Is your hair prematurely gray or thinning?
  6. Do you wake up in the early hours and find it difficult to fall asleep again?
  7. Do you feel discomfort in hot weather?
  8. Are you a perfectionist?
  9. Do you experience hot flashes?
  10. Do you have excess stomach acid?
  11. Do you experience loose bowel movements?

If you answered yes to most of these questions, you may need to balance Pitta. I can help evaluate your specific needs during yourNutritional & Lifestyle Consultation.

Tips for Balancing Pitta

  • All Pitta products: drink Pitta Tea and season meals with Pitta Churna, diffuse cooling Pitta Aroma Oil in your home or office.
  • Keep cool. Avoid hot temperatures and food.
  • Favor cool, heavy, dry foods and sweet, bitter and astringent tastes.
  • Reduce pungent, sour, salty tastes and warm, oily and light foods.
  • Practice moderation, don’t overwork.
  • Allow for leisure time.
  • Regular mealtimes, especially take time for lunch at noon.
  • Abhyanga (Ayurvedic self-massage) with a cooling oil such as coconut oil.

Pitta-Pacifying Diet

  1. Dairy. Milk, butter and Ghee are good for balancing Pitta. Reduce yogurt, cheese, sour cream and cultured buttermilk (their sour tastes aggravate Pitta).
  2. Sweeteners. All sweeteners are good in moderation, except for honey and molasses.
  3. Oils. Olive, sunflower and coconut oils are best. Reduce sesame, almond and corn oil, all of which increase Pitta.
  4. Fruits. Favor sweet fruits, such as grapes, cherries, melons, avocados, coconuts, pomegranates, mangos, and sweet, fully-ripened oranges, pineapples and plums. Reduce sour fruits such as grapefruits, olives, papayas, and unripe pineapples and plums.
  5. Vegetables. Favor asparagus, cucumbers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green leafy vegetables, pumpkins, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, okra, lettuce, green beans and zucchini. Reduce hot peppers, tomatoes, carrots, beets, onions, garlic, radishes and spinach.
  6. Spices. Cinnamon, coriander, cardamom and fennel are okay for Pitta. But the following spices strongly increase Pitta and should be taken only in small amounts: ginger, cumin, black pepper, fenugreek, clove, celery seed, salt and mustard seed. Chili peppers and cayenne should be avoided.

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