Tips for Balancing Pitta

Find Balance with Cooling Daily Routines

Small shifts in your daily routine can help restore harmony in your system. Try:

• Avoiding the hot midday sun

• Taking a barefoot walk in the dewy grass at dawn

• Applying a thin layer of coconut oil and taking a lukewarm shower to soothe the skin

• Spritzing the face and body with rose water throughout the day

Nourish with a Pitta-Pacifying Diet

Ayurveda encourages us to nourish from the inside out. If you feel like your pitta is imbalanced, try adjusting your diet to include cooling, whole foods and limit heavy, warm foods.

Choose:

• Foods with sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes

• Fresh green vegetables, basmati rice, sweet apples, ripe bananas, cucumbers, watermelon, coconut water, and cilantro

Limit:

• Foods with pungent, salty, and sour flavors

• Overly salty, oily, fried, and spicy foods like onions, garlic, processed, and canned foods

• All alcohol and coffee—especially if the skin is irritated!

Soothe the Mind with Breathwork: Practicing Sheetali and Sitkari

To do Sheetali: Curl the sides of the tongue together so it looks like a hot dog roll. Inhale through the curled tongue. While exhaling through the nose, flip the tongue up so the tip touches the hard palate. If you’re unable to roll the tongue, you can receive all the benefits of Sheetali by doing Sitkari.

To do Sitkari: Simply allow the tongue to float in the mouth while the teeth lightly touch. Inhale through the mouth, spreading the lips away from the teeth while they are lightly touching. On the exhale, flip the tongue up so the tip touches the hard palate, while exhaling through the nose.

Cultivate Calm with Loving-Kindness Meditation

When anger or frustration arise—with yourself or a loved one—it is the perfect time to practice metta (loving-kindness) meditation. Rooted in ancient Buddhist wisdom, metta meditation is designed to cultivate love and tenderness within oneself by sending loving words, thoughts, and feelings to yourself or someone else.

• Find a cool, quiet, comfortable place to sit for several minutes.

• Bring a loved one to mind or focus your attention on yourself.

• Try to focus on someone who doesn’t evoke a strong negative emotion—perhaps a pet, grandparent, niece, or nephew.

• Repeat the phrase below for 5 to 15 minutes.

May you be happy. May you be well. May you be free from suffering. May you flow with grace and ease.

Eager for more Ayurvedic wisdom? Explore one of our many programs and retreats or learn about our School of Ayurveda trainings and certifications.