MY DAILY RITUALS FOR PITTA DOSHA
The cornerstone of health in Ayurveda is aligning our daily habits and diet to our constitutional type and also to the nature of each changing season. With these fundamentals in place, Ayurveda treatments and medicines will work most effectively for you.
If your constitution is Pitta dosha, implementing these simple Pitta pacifying tips into your day-to-day lifestyle will support greater equilibrium in body and mind and your journey back to optimum health. If you are a dual type with Pitta dosha, follow these guidelines in the Summer Season
“Thank you so much Sara. You’re blowing me away with all your knowledge and input. And I’m starting to feel the benefits already”
Sarah G, Hatton.
“A daily ritual is a way of saying, I’m voting for myself, I’m taking care of myself.”
Mariel Hemningway
Morning Rituals:
Aim to rise by 6am, or a little later in the winter time but close to sunrise.
On rising, eliminate bowels, clean tongue with tongue scraper, drink 500mls lukewarm boiled water (with nothing added). This helps to flush toxins from the system.
Oil the body, from feet to face, with 20mls warm organic cold pressed sunflower oil: this can be mixed with coconut oil in Summer season, except for Pitta-Kapha types. Apply long strokes around the long bones, and circular movements over joints, working from the feet up. Leave the oil on body for 15 -20 minutes, keeping body warm.
Whilst the oil is being absorbed, you might like to use this time to sit for a short pranayama (breath practice) of 1:2 ratio breaths, or any other prescribed breath practice, which will lead you gently into a a meditative state if you wish to practice meditation.
Shower to wash off the oil, without using soap (except on strategic parts!) so that you have a fine film of oil on your skin for the day ahead to bring nourishment and balance.
Food Rituals:
Pure Pitta types, or Vata-Pitta types, are recommended to eat three moderate sized meals per day, at regular times: breakfast, lunch, supper. Aim to eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking. Opt for wholefood breakfasts such as oatmeal or rice porridge. Stewed apples or pears are also a good option with spices such as cinnamon and/or a few cardamom pods, though this may not be enough for the Pitta appetite. If you have Kapha in your constitution, you can skip breakfast or simply eat a small bowl of spiced stewed fruits.
Make lunch the main meal of the day, between 12 noon – 2pm,.
As far as possible, avoid snackign between meals.
Alaways aim to eat in a quiet, relaxed manner. Avoid eating on the go, or eating and working/scrolling/reading at the same time. Leave all your energy for optimum digestion.
Opt for local and seasonal foods as far as possible. If local produce is restricted, opt for foods from your climatic region.
Avoid/reduce hot spices (cayenne, chillis, mustard & mustard seeds), oily and deep fried foods, pungent foods (raw onions and garlic, and only small amounts cooked), fermented foods (vinegars, yoghurts, cheeses), and red meats.
Try to reduce animal product consumption to about 20% of your diet. That means, if you eat 21 meals per week then only 4 will contain animal products. And please try to reduce quantities at any one meal, so that the meat/eggs/fish are only about 20% of the food on your plate. These foods challenge the agni (dig fire) that we are trying to strengthen adn balance and in this way can add to the toxicity we are trying to clear from your system.
Fresh water fish are best for Pitta types as the salty taste is heating and increases fire/inflammation in the body.
Avoid also white flour products and commercial breads, and sugar. These will clog the channels of the body and/or put inflammation up.
Favour naturally sweet vegetables such as sweet potatoes and seasonal squash, and please include bitter greens such as kale, chard and spring or summer greens, with your lunch and dinner as far as possible.
Try to have all 5 colours of vegetables with your meals to ensure you get maximum antioxidants and nutrients: red/purple, green, orange, yellow, white.
Opt for whole grains daily. Favour barleywhich is great in soups and in winter stews, couscous (great with Mediterranean or other types of stews), oats, wholewheat (ot refined), quinoa, amaranth, rice.
Grains can make up a significant amount of the food on your plate. We recommend soaking grains before cooking to aid their digestion.
Adding legumes to your diet and serving them with grains, in stews, soups and dahls for example, will give you a complete plant-based protein. All kinds of lentils, mung beans, aduki beans, black turtle beans are good options.
For a Pitta type we eat grains and legumes at a ration of 1:1 respectively. If you have Kapha in your constitution, in late Winter and early Spring, eat at a ratio of 1:2 (more legumes than grain).
Season foods with fresh ginger (not dried), coriander, fennel, cumin, cardamom, mint, cinnamon, saffron, aniseed, and use only a little salt.
Favour cooked foods over raw.
At first, except in Summer, please avoid raw foods altogether including fruits and salads. Then, after some weeks, if you wish to eat raw foods and salads, it is best to eat them at lunch time only and eat small portions (about 20% max of your whole meal) and eat them first.
Eat raw fruits before meals but it is a good practice to get used to lightly cooking fruits, especially in the Autumn and Winter seasons. In this way they make a great afternoon snack or dessert.
Sip lukewarm water throughout the day.
Avoid snacking in between meals.
Take an afternoon tea break, and give yourself to complete rest if you can for just 5 or 10 minutes, no tasks. Favour herb teas over caffeinated drinks: chamomile, lemongrass, rose, peppermint, licorice, fennel are all good for Pitta dosha.
Eat the evening meal as close to sunset as possible, and make the meal also moderate but try to avoid any heavy, oily foods.
Chew foods well, and try to avoid eating in noisy, stressful environments.
After eating, it is beneficial to lie on the left side for a short while, and/or to take a gentle stroll. This aids digestion.
Sip a “deepana” (like a herbal apperitif!) during meals to help digestion: try an infusion of cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fennel seeds.
Exercise Rituals
Try to enjoy a brisk walk in nature each day. Exercise is important for releasing pent up frustrations and tensions, and for Pitta dosha opting for non-competitive sports such as swimming, and moderate hiking, or activities that require deep focus such as mountain biking and rock climibing can be balancing.
Pitta types should aim to exercise daily to the point of a moderate, not excessive sweat. The best times to exercise are in the morning between 8am and 10am, or in the evening between 6pm and 8pm.daily
Work Rituals
Be aware or over-working, and try not to multi-task. Pace yourself, with one task at a time. Focusing on one task, you can enjoy paying attention to detail and experiencing the great “skill in action” that Pitta dosha is very capable off.
Pittas are very capable and can be critical of others. Make sure to show appreciation to your co-workers, take time to calmly explain your ideas and be open to hearing other thoughts and opinions.
Pitta can easily burn out. Watch that inner drive, and make time always for breaks and fun.
Evening Rituals
Avoid working in the evening, and stressful viewing, reading or conversations
Enjoy a cup of golden milk in the evening to aid sleep: a dairy or non-dairy milk warmed with a pinch of turmeric, cardamom and sweet cinnamon. Good non-dairy milks for Pitta are Soya or Oat (avoid nut milks).
Perhaps practice 5 minutes alternate nostril breathing or 1:2 ratio breaths, and 10 minutes meditation on the bed before sleep. Meditation on the mantra Om Shanti Shanti Shantih is beneficial for Pitta types before sleep: silently repeat Om on the inhale, and Shanti Shanti Shantih on the exhale.
Aim to sleep by 10.15pm