The Ayurveda of Summer

Lifestyle and nutrition tips for promoting longevity in pitta season

Ayurveda is an ancient health practice with valuable lessons and tools that we can implement in our lives to achieve better balance. It allows us to see ourselves through the lens of nature and the elemental energies present in all things to deepen our intuitive knowledge and experience transformative healing. 

Originating in India about 5,000 years ago, Ayurveda takes a personalized, proactive approach to health and wellness, empowering the individual to cultivate more harmony in body, mind and spirit. According to this holistic health practice, we are all an expression of the five elements - fire, earth, water, air and ether - each one of us with a unique constitution known as a dosha. 

There are three doshas in Ayurveda comprised of these elements in different measures:

Vata (air + space)

Pitta (fire + water) 

Kapha (earth + water)

A dosha is essentially a blueprint of our nature, illuminating the qualities that determine our innate physical and mental characteristics and help us to achieve equilibrium throughout our lives. Deepening this connection through self discovery and becoming more attuned to our intuition will help us to make choices in accordance with our constitution. Ayurveda has longevity at the heart of its teachings, giving us the tools we need to improve our quality of life and become the best version of ourselves. 

If you don’t yet know your dosha, start with this quiz!

The Ayurveda of Summer

Our environment, lifestyle and nutritional choices can either lead to better balance or more disharmony, depending on our unique needs. And probably unsurprisingly, even the seasons contain their own blend of energies. The summer solstice marks a pivotal point in the year as the sun reaches its highest point in the sky and we celebrate the first day of summer. Containing the energies of heat, transformation, expansion, intensity and mobility, summer is predominantly pitta with a bit of vata influence. 

While we all need to keep pitta energies balanced through the summer, this is particularly important for those with a pitta dosha to be aware of - increasing fiery energy can easily lead to imbalance in these dosha types.

Activity and Lifestyle Choices for Balanced Pitta

More heat and longer daylight hours in the summer make early rising come more naturally. It makes sense to lean into this movement and take advantage of those quiet early hours; however, we have to be mindful to not burn through our energy too hot and fast. 

If you’re fitting a workout into your day, it’s best to do so in the morning and stick to lighter, gentler forms of exercise. Rest and stillness are critical in the summer months to properly ground ourselves; be sure to incorporate slow movement, nature walks, and meditation in your routine. Do try to incorporate time outdoors into your activity choices, but stay out of the heat at the hottest times of the day and be prepared with natural sunscreen, a hat and lots of water to keep you cool and hydrated. An easy hike, gentle yoga practice, or a moderate morning workout are good choices for summer activities to keep pitta at bay. 

Oiling the body and hair is an Ayurvedic practice that cultivates self love, improves circulation and keeps the skin resilient and youthful. In the summer, choose pitta-pacifying oils like sunflower, coconut and sesame. Just don’t oil your skin before sun exposure, and avoid applying oils to sunburned skin, as they may retain heat and slow healing.

Diet for Balanced Pitta

Over the summer, incorporate lighter, cooling foods in your diet. Keep your meals small and include bitter, astringent and sweet foods. Do your best to reach for seasonally available foods, adding lots of light salads and fresh fruit. Spicy food should be eaten in moderation or avoided altogether to prevent excess pitta. For cooling beverages, avoid iced drinks whenever possible, as they can actually disrupt the digestive process. 

Foods to include:

• Avocados

• Berries

• Pears

• Mangoes

• Pineapple

• Grapes

• Olive oil

• Sunflower oil

• Broccoli 

• Cucumbers

• Kale

• Lettuce

• Cauliflower

• Artichokes

• Rice

• Split peas

• Garbanzo beans

• Dill

• Mint

• Coriander

• Freshwater fish

As we celebrate long days and lots of sunshine, we’re given an invitation to honour the things in our lives that are ripening or coming to fruition. Take some time today to meditate on nourishing yourself this season and begin to establish the routines that will support you through the summer months.