NikithaAyurveda is the science of life. It is not a curative health stream like Allopathy but more like a lifestyle. Unlike other diets and lifestyles suggested out there without considering your body type, Ayurveda heavily focuses on suggesting lifestyle based on the dominating elements in your body. In this article, we will explore Pitta Dosha in detail.
What is Pitta Dosha?
Ayurveda has three major doshas based on five elements – ether, air, water, earth, fire and ten gunas – dry/oily, light/heavy, mobile/static, rough/smooth, cold/hot, clear/cloudy, hard/soft, liquid/dense, sharp/dull, subtle/gross. When you say that you have a dominant Pitta dosha, the elements of fire and water are dominant and you experience more of light, sharp, hot, liquid, and dry or oily gunas.
Role of Pitta
Pitta is responsible for hormones, enzymes, digestion, blood, skin, and eyes.
This translates to the fact that if you are experiencing issues with acne and digestive issues like acidity and stomach ulcer both of these have a single root cause which is an imbalance in Pitta. The difference between other medicinal streams and Ayurveda is that the root cause for multiple diseases can be easily identified with one single dosha.
How does Pitta Dosha vary?
You might be born with a dominant Pitta dosha or experience Pitta dominance based on age (15 – 50 years stage of life ) or season (Summer is the season of Pitta) or time of the day (10 pm – 2 am & 10 am – 2 pm).
Even if it is none of the above, your lifestyle might make you a dominant Pitta dosha person for a few days to a few years.
Circadian Rhythm
During the day, Pitta operates between 10-2 both am and pm. These are the times for fire activities. You should eat your largest meal of the day during this time. During the night hours, it is best to go to sleep at 10 as the pitta in the body starts its restoration process. The later you go to sleep, the less time you give your body to heal itself.
Pitta Dosha by birth Prakruti / Inherent Constitution
When you are born with a dominant Pitta dosha, you have physical traits with average-size stature and a sharpness in their facial features, such as a well-defined jawline, pointy nose.. Their hair is commonly fine or thin and greys early.
Qualities of Pitta Dosha
The quality of fire makes them ambitious. But this intensity can also cause them to become frustrated, angry, or irritable more easily than the other doshas. Their focus on achievement means they seek out influential roles in society or careers such as roles which require higher education, doctors, lawyers, politicians, and CEOs.
How to balance Pitta Dosha?
While it may look like you got to balance all the three doshas, you got to balance your constitution you were born with. As someone with Pitta dosha, you need to not let pitta go out of balance because you are already dominant with this. Let’s say someone with Vata dosha can eat spicy food everyday and not experience a heart burn but you who is already dominant in Pitta will soon see an overflow of pitta with overeating of spicy food.
Common techniques used in Ayurveda to balance Pitta Dosha
Since Pitta dosha is about elements of fire and water, you need to balance these two.
- Follow tastes based on your constitution. Avoid spicy food as it increases the fire element in the body
- Follow Pitta guidelines during the time of the day. Do focussed work from 10 am – 2 pm and complete two major meals of the day before this hour. In the night, you might feel that you have the best focus time beyond 10 PM but that is the hour when Pitta works towards healing your body. The best deep sleep happens during this hour. Don’t miss it!
- Inorder to cool the heat in the body, you can sheetali pranayama
- Use coconut or almond oil for abhyanga (Self Massage)
- Don’t spend too much time in the Sun
- Don’t involve yourself in strong emotion evoking activities. Pickup some soothing hobbies
- Avoid competitive environment
You can follow the above tips even if you are experiencing Pitta imbalance because of a seasonal change.
Note: The above notes have been collated from my research from various Ayurvedic books. If you are facing severe symptoms, reach out to any trusted Ayurvedic doctor.
Happy Balancing Pitta Dosha!