Summer is also known as the pitta season. Pitta is one of the three ayurvedic doshas. The most distinctive characteristics of summer—the heat, the bright sun, the sharp intensity, and the transformative nature of the season—all correspond directly with pitta.
While there is much to be happy about in the summer season, it’s entirely possible to have too much of a good thing. The goal of a summer seasonal routine is to foster diet and lifestyle habits that help in preventing the over-accumulation of summer qualities and enjoying summertime to its fullest extent.
Your primary focus in the summer should be to keep pitta balanced by staying cool, mellowing intensity with relaxation, and keeping your energy grounded. It can also be beneficial to recognize early signs of pitta imbalance so that you can address these issues quickly. But there are some distinctly vata characteristics to summer as well, so you also need to stay hydrated, foster stability, and counter vata’s natural expansiveness and mobility with quiet, restful activities.
Summer Diet
During this season, our bodies have a natural craving for light foods and small meals that are easily digested because the digestive fire disperses in order to keep us cool. Eating your meals, without any distractions, while savoring the flavor and texture of your food reduces the risk of overeating. In summer, the best tastes are sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes and it is a pleasure to enjoy cool, liquid, even slightly oily foods. Fresh fruits and salads are also great for summertime.
For beating the heat with some drinks, enjoy cool or room temperature water infused with mint or lime and a little raw sugar, a refreshing lassi and, cooling herbal teas such as peppermint, licorice, fennel or rose. It’s best to avoid iced drinks as they disturb the digestive fire and make toxins in the body.
Below are some perfect summer foods:
Fruits:
Pomegranates
Prunes
Avocados
Berries
Cherries
Grapes
Limes
Coconut
Cranberries
Melons
Pears
Mangoes
Apples
Pineapples
Plums
Vegetables:
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Green Beans
Kale
Lettuce
Ladyfingers
Potatoes
Zucchini
Grains
Barley
Rice, Basmati
Wheat
Legumes
Black Beans
Mung Beans
Soy Beans & Products
Split Peas
Oils
Sunflower Oil
Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Spices and Garnishes
Basil
Cardamom
Cilantro
Coriander
Dill
Fennel
Lime
Mint
Parsley
Animal Products
Fish (freshwater)
Poultry (white)
Shrimp
Summer Lifestyle
Summer is the perfect time to make a habit of rising early in the morning which is also the best time for exercise. Before bathing, gently massage the skin using a light coating of a pitta soothing oil, such as coconut or sunflower oil, for calming the nervous system and cooling the body. Essential oils like jasmine and khus are good summer fragrances for a calm, cool, and refreshed mind.
Make sure you dress in light, breathable clothing made of cotton or silk and use cooling colors such as whites, grays, blues, purples, and greens to counter the intensity and heat of summer. On especially hot days, a short afternoon nap is very beneficial.
