Rashmi hates summer. She just can’t bear the hot, sharp, and penetrating sun rays of the season. Physically, she experiences exhaustion, acne, and hot flashes. Emotionally, Rashmi’s temperament becomes as mercurial as your thermometer reading. But she really looks forward to her swimming classes post work. In fact, the activity really helps her calm her nerves or her pitta dosha.
It may sound a bit unconvincing that the hot weather can cause pitta imbalance. But the symptoms mentioned above are all related to the dosha. Hence, summer is largely known as pitta season. The season influences our metabolism and mood. However, if you can relate to Rashmi’s experience, Ayurveda has ten strategies to help you keep calm and enjoy the summer.
Let’s dive in:
- Sunbathing
It is recommended to take a 10-15 minute walk at sunrise. Doing so will uplift your sadhaka pitta or the sub-element that processes emotions. The gentle rays of the sun stimulate joy and creativity. Sunlight also triggers the production of Vitamin D in our bodies that helps absorb calcium better.
- Hydration
Drink at least 8-ounce cups of water every day to combat summer. The intense heat of the season depletes moisture from the earth and our bodies. So, add an extra pinch of salt in your food to prevent fatigue and to balance out the loss of water due to sweating.
- Pitta-pacifying foods
Include more cooling foods such as coconut, leafy greens, cucumber, and melons in your diet. Relish your fruit yogurts and milkshakes. You could also garnish some cilantro or parsley on your salads. Avoid hot drinks, spicy food, alcohol, and caffeine. Moderation is the key! If you’re experiencing digestive issues, you could also have Zeo Malt to balance the pitta.
- Moisturize
Apply warm organic, unrefined coconut oil and castor oil on your skin to make it soft, supple, and cool. You can do this before your bath or swim. If you prefer an Ayurvedic blend, check out our Kayakey Body Oil or Nari Soundarya Oil that serves the purpose.
- Aromatherapy
Smudge sandalwood essential oil on your temples, third-eye chakra, throat chakra, wrists, and navel. According to Ayurveda, it takes a whiff of the oil will enable to quell the pitta in your body and strengthen your aura. You could also explore jasmine, khus, and rose essential oils.
- Bedtime Routine
Sleep a little later at summer nights, like around 11 pm, when some of the heat has lessened. It is advisable to sleep on your right side to activate the ida nadi or the cooling lunar pathway. Also, wear comfortable cotton clothes and restrict the usage of electronics while inducing sleep.
- Treating Sunburn and Skeeter Bites
Here are two effective remedies to heal sunburn:
- Apply fresh aloe vera gel on the affected area for relief.
- Rub fresh dhaniya or cilantro pulp on your skin
You could also prepare a cilantro and cucumber cooler drink to ‘take a chill pill’.
Apply equal parts of tea tree oil and neem oil on itchy mosquito bites. You could also use neem oil or lemongrass oil as natural repellents.
- Exercise
It is important to exercise early in the morning as physical activities cause heat in the body. Make it a point to workout at 50-70% of your capacity to avoid fatigue and exhaustion. Engage in evening walks and swimming to unwind from work and stress.
- Yoga
Some pitta-pacifying yoga asanas for summer season include:
- Moon salutation
- Shavasana
- Child’s pose
- Forward bends
- Side openers
- Meditation
Include Gayatri mantra in your daily meditation practice to give thanks to the Sun. Make it a point to meditate, even for 5 minutes, to cool your inner chaos.
Now that you have some fantastic ideas to work on this summer, do try some of them and let us know what worked for you. Let’s overcome the summertime sadness together .
