Good lifestyle routines for pitta dosha

Ayurveda’s wisdom considers good lifestyle routines to be really important in balancing Pitta dosha.

You can balance Pitta’s hot, sharp, and intense nature by seeking out the opposite qualities of calm, coolness and moderation. Insufficient ‘down time’ and overheating can aggravate Pitta. It’s important to learn some lifestyle key tips for keeping this dosha in balance, such as scheduling in free time and avoiding excessive heat.

The following lifestyle tips can all be helpful in keeping Pitta dosha in balance:

• Ayurveda is in full agreement with the old saying of ‘lunch like a King’ - digestion is at its strongest during the middle of the day, which is when we should eat our main meal. This is especially true if you are a Pitta type, who really need a good lunch eaten between 12pm and 2pm. Find out more about maintaining a healthy Pitta digestive system.

• Try regular mindfulness or meditation practice which can be helpful in balancing out Pitta’s

   fiery, intense nature.

• Sporting activities are also good, especially swimming in cool water - but be careful not to push yourself too hard.

• Fiery, intense Pitta types are advised to ensure sufficient free time to balance out their drive to work and to avoid Pitta burnout. Anything that encourages playfulness can also be helpful to stop this dosha taking themselves too seriously.

• Summer is a key time when Pitta can get aggravated, as this fiery dosha is susceptible to the heat. It’s sensible to take extra care during these months to keep hydrated by drinking lots of cool liquid.

• Try to avoid heating activities as much as possible, especially in the hotter months. Avoid excess use of saunas, standing over a roasting BBQ for too long, or exercising in the midday sun, in order to stay cool and calm.

• If you’re booking some time away in the summer, try to avoid very hot places which can be quite aggravating for this dosha. A moderate climate is best for Pitta.

• Finally, if you are feeling hot and bothered, drink a glass of cold water which achieves two aims- its cools you down and also stops you saying something you may later regret in the heat of the moment!

Don't know your dosha? Take our dosha quiz to find out.