Understanding Pitta Dosha

 

Photo by Dmitry Nor on Unsplash

 

2 min. read 

That which digests things

 

Pitta is the Dosha (or vital energy) in which the fire and water elements predominate. According to ancient Vedic texts, Pitta’s core qualities are hot, sharp, light, liquid, spreading, oily, and sour; it is the Dosha that allows transformation.


This Dosha is responsible for the ability to understand and to change. It accounts for your intelligence, understanding, and awareness. It governs your digestion, emotions, experiences, and assimilation of thoughts. Pitta is associated with metabolism, which is the mechanism of physical and chemical processes by which your cells are maintained in a live state.


In your body, Pitta includes all nutrition, digestion, body temperature, assimilation, and organs in charge of vision. It is also the most dominant Dosha in adult life, before old age. 

 

How do I know if this is my most dominant Dosha?

 

If your most influential Dosha is Pitta, you probably relate to various of the following points:

  • Medium build body. 
  • Warmer body temperature.
  • Strong appetite and thirst.
  • Have strong ambitions and tend to be a perfectionist.
  • Likes to lead.
  • Intense, passionate, and driven.
  • Sharp, logical, and very focused.
  • Easily angered.
  • Regular sleep pattern, light but generally good.
  • Tendency towards skin rashes and oily T-zone. 
  • Skin might have freckles and get easily burned.

 

How can I tell if it´s out of balance?

 

A Pitta imbalance presents itself as excess heat in the mind and body. In the mind, excess Pitta is shown as sharp judgement, anger, criticism and jealousy. Physically, one may experience burning indigestion, inflammation and ulcers. Skin rashes or sensitivity tend to be common as well.


To restore and balance Pitta, you need to use opposing qualities such as cooling down, meditating, listening to your body, avoiding spicy foods, staying away from excessive heat, and doing 30 minutes of relaxing exercise daily. 


Doshas exist in several things, not just in persons. Tastes, seasons, climates, landscapes, plants, and animals lean towards a specific energy combination.

 

Pitta’s predominance can be found in spicy flavors, a hot summer day, a field of grass, a pinecone, or even a tiger.

 


An easy daily routine to balance Pitta

 

A simple Dinacharya (or daily routine) that you can follow for Pitta is as follows:


  • Try to go to bed at 10 P.M. at the latest and wake up at 5:30 A.M. 
  • Always have lunch before 2 P.M. This will help balance the excessive agni (or digestive fire) and allow for a light, early dinner, favoring better sleep.
  • Keep your body cool, especially during the hot seasons, and drink chamomile tea. Avoid hard alcohol.
  • Abhyanga (oil massage), which you can give yourself daily. Some of the best oils for Pitta are sunflower and coconut.
  • Favor sweet, cooling, astringent and low-salt foods; and fresh, natural, and, ideally, organic ingredients.
  • Follow a Pitta balancing diet.
  • Do calming and cooling exercises like Yoga, swimming, and hiking, ideally in nature. 
  • Use sandalwood or jasmine based perfumes.


Remember to check your Vikruti (or current state of Dosha balance) at least every quarter or whenever you feel something is off, and adjust your Dinacharya accordingly. When you are the most balanced, you feel the best, and you will realize that’s what it takes to feel amazing in your own skin. 



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