10 Signs Your Pitta Is Imbalanced

Pitta season is in full effect: it is swampy, hot and humid out there. For those of us who are dominated by the fiery Pitta dosha, it is Pitta season that often exacerbates the less desirable Pitta qualities (“like increases like”, and our external environment is constantly affecting our internal homeostasis). Balanced Pitta traits may tip the scales into imbalance. An ambitious Pitta can become a workaholic, sharp intellect could be read as criticism, and strong digestion can manifest as acid reflux. If this resonates at all, here are 10 questions to ask yourself:

  1. Are you feeling extra critical lately? Irritable? Impatient?

  2. Are you overly obsessed with work, or unable to stop working?

  3. Is your speech biting, or sarcastic?

  4. Do feel frustrated for no real reason, or have no tolerance for minor aggravations?

  5. Do you find it difficult to fall asleep if you are up past 10pm?

  6. Are you unable to quench your thirst?

  7. Is your skin feeling irritated, more sensitive than usual, or breaking out?

  8. Is your skin experiencing acne, rosacea, eczema or overall redness?

  9. Are you experiencing more hair loss than usual?

  10. Are you having heartburn? Acid reflux?

If so, some tips:

  • In the summer, try to stay indoors when Pitta is at its peak from 10am-2pm. The other window of Pitta time is at night from 10pm-2am. Try to get in bed by 9:30pm to avoid that second wind of Pitta brain activity (and desire for productivity).

  • Anoint your body with cooling herbs and oils like sandalwood, brahmi, lavender & hibiscus.

  • Limit spicy, sour & salty tastes.

  • Increase sweet, bitter & astringent tastes.

  • Wear pearls or moonstones.

  • Chant cooling mantras like vam (watery & lunar energy) or lam (earth energy).

  • Cook primarily with coconut oil or ghee.

  • Make yourself a turmeric milk before bed.

  • Exercise to half of your capacity, and don’t exercise during the hottest parts of the day.

  • No coffee on an empty stomach.

  • Don’t miss a meal.

  • Use natural perfumes.

  • Limit exposure to environmental toxins & chemicals. No chemicals on the skin.

Spotlight on Shatavari…

I love taking a moment to highlight some of the beautiful, sacred ingredients that go into our formulations, and the “why” behind each of them. As you well know, every ingredient in each formulation has been carefully and lovingly chosen for the effect that it has on the skin, the body, the doshas, the hormones, your energy flow, your vitality, your spirit…the ripple effect goes on and on.

And Shatavari is a special one. Known (translated) as the infamous “she who has a thousand husbands”, Shatavari is the ultimate aphrodisiac to nourish the female reproductive organs. She is a nourishing and lubricating herb, with an unctuous, building, and grounding nature.

Shatavari is an herb that I pay extra reverence to, for the many gifts that it provides to women across ALL life phases. And that, perhaps is the most striking thing about the adaptogenic wonder. It supports the female body through menstruation, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, & menopause. Here are some key benefits:

  • Protective of Ojas and body fluids

  • Boosts milk supply in lactating mothers

  • Phytoestrogen qualities support hormonal balance during menopause

  • Boosts fertility with its aphrodisiac properties

  • Supports both mama and baby during pregnancy

  • Balances hormones (and emotions) during menstruation

  • Regulates vaginal pH levels

  • Replenishes reproductive tissue, helps with vaginal dryness

Perhaps lesser-known is Shatavari’s positive effect on stress and mood. Shatavari’s antidepressant and adaptogenic qualities soothe anger and irritability. And its nervine tonic qualities, combined with its cooling nature, bring Shatavari to the top of my list right now.

As such, you will find Shatavari playing a starring role in our Shatavari Yoni Oil, Bija Conscious Conception Tea, Sacred Pregnancy Tea, and - because of its cooling properties - our Pitta Alkalizing Herbal Cleanser.

SHATAVARI YONI OIL

We dreamed up the Shatavari Yoni Oil for all your yoni needs: vaginal dryness, inflammation, hormonal changes, daily nourishment, and of course pleasure. Shatavari is Ayurveda's #1 rejuvenative tonic herb for the female reproductive tissues. We slowly and lovingly infuse Shatavari root into a soothing but nourishing base of cold-pressed seed oils. Use this aphrodisiac elixir daily for ultimate restoration of ojas and protection of your creative tissues.

BIJA • CONSCIOUS CONCEPTION TEA

The holy trinity of Ashwagandha, Shatavari, and Tulsi nourish your powers of creation in our Bija • Conscious Conception Tea. In Ayurveda, fertility and infertility relate directly to the health of the seventh tissue layer of the body, which holds the reproductive seed, or "bija". Shatavari and Ashwagandha serve as aphrodisiac herbs, nourishing and strengthening the reproductive organs. Tulsi is known to increase feelings of love and devotion. Whether you are looking to conceive a new project, business, or baby, nourish your infinite potentiality of creation.

PITTA • ALKALIZING HERBAL CLEANSER

Formulated for acne-prone, inflamed, sensitive Pitta skin, this organic herbal cleanser calms blemishes and irritation, while purifying pores. Neem, Manjistha and Lavender are some of Ayurveda's best alkalizing herbs for combating blemishes and other inflammatory Pitta skin issues. Shatavari's unctuous properties restore moisture and build ojas, or vitality, in the tissues. Serves as a daily cleanser and light exfoliant, all in one.

Ayurveda for Hair Health

The rumors are true – hair health really and truly begins at the scalp. Ayurvedic herbs and foods have been used for centuries in holistic haircare, both topically and internally. These sacred ingredients hold within their cells the healing codes of nature – that conventional haircare is downright lacking.  

You will see that many of the Ayurvedic herbs known for hair health are also Pitta-pacifying herbs. This is because heat is a major cause of dry hair, thinning, and all sorts of other hair issues. People with high Pitta may experience hair thinning or premature greying – which makes sense, because heat leaves the body through the crown of the head. All in all, both the brain and scalp prefer to be cool, which is why Pitta is the important dosha to address for overall hair health.

For long-term healthy hair, it is best to avoid mass-market chemical haircare, as the chemicals ultimately devitalize the scalp (and aggravate Pitta). Instead, Ayurvedic haircare features healing herbs such as Neem, Brahmi, Bhringaraj, Amla (Amalaki), Triphala, and Curry Leaves.

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Regular scalp massage is crucial if you are going to have a healthy head of hair. This stimulates circulation in the scalp, which promotes hair growth. When the scalp is tight and constricted (usually due to stress), it blocks the hair follicles from their fullest expression of growth.

How to do it: Take approximately 1 teaspoon of high-quality hair oil (we recommend our Brahmi Hair Oil which is packed with some of the herbs we discuss below). Beginning at the crown, massage scalp in circular motions with your fingertips, for a few minutes. Ideally do this once or twice weekly, before bed, and rinse oil out in the morning.

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Here are 6 of the best topical herbal treatments for hair:

Neem is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids that condition the scalp and promote healthy hair growth.

Brahmi is truly one of the best herbs for total hair, brain, and nervous system health. It stimulates hair growth, promotes cognitive memory function, rejuvenates the nervous system, calms and centers the mind, activates the crown chakra, and helps with natural sleep.

Bhringaraj: known as the “king of hair,” bhringaraj pacifies Pitta, especially at the hair roots, where Pitta is known to “burn up” and weaken hair follicles.

Amla (Amalaki) is a rejuvenative with a high antioxidant content which repairs damaged hair and cells. It prevents hair loss, and cools Pitta.

Triphala prevents premature graying and strengthens the roots, minimizing hair loss. It increases hair volume, and is also known to reduce dandruff. It also cleanses the digestive system, which indirectly benefits all tissue systems of the body.

Curry leaves clear clogged hair follicles by removing the dead ones that are blocking new hair growth. They prevent premature hair loss and graying, and are rich in nourishing antioxidants.

All of these herbs can be found in one or both of our healing haircare products – our Brahmi Hair Oil and Sattvic Herbal Dry Shampoo.

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Diet

A nutrient-dense diet of healthy fats and proteins, fiber from plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and using digestion-enhancing herbs in your diet is crucial. I advise my clients to cook whenever possible with these five spices in equal parts: turmeric, coriander, cumin, fennel, and cayenne. Melt the spices into your cooking oil before adding anything else to the pan. Additionally, for non-vegans, don’t neglect ojas-enhancing dairy such as raw or grass-fed whole milk, whole yogurts, and ghee.

 

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Skin Food: Ayurvedic Diet for Beautiful Skin

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What does it mean to be beautiful? How does one achieve that aura of well-being, that radiant glow? We all want to possess these intangible qualities. The ancient tradition of Ayurveda teaches that inner and outer beauty are intertwined. In order to have beautiful skin, we must nurture the dhatus, or body tissues. Many of us are aware that proper diet is necessary for healthy tissues and beautiful skin. But an ancient Ayurvedic secret tells us that it is actually the strength of our digestive fire, or agni, which is the key to maintaining healthy, radiant skin. The purest and most nutrient-dense foods can do nothing for our bodies if our digestion, absorption and assimilation are not functioning optimally. Here are some key principles to keep in mind, to ensure that you are nurturing your body to maintain glowing, healthy and supple skin.

Agni: Kindling the digestive fire

How do you keep your body tissues healthy and your skin beautiful? Keep the colon clean and the digestion strong. Ama, or toxins, build up when agni is disturbed. It is crucial to maintain strong agni in order to fully access the nutrients in food, and also to keep the body channels free of toxins.

If there is indigestion, drink warm water. This practice will cleanse the body and increase the digestive fire. Cool water slows down the digestive fire, and ice cold water is poison to the system, almost putting a stop to digestion. Also, consuming too much water overall lowers the digestive fire, and may result in additional body weight.

While you are eating, sit straight and avoid distractions such as TV, conversation, or reading. Focus your mind upon the food, and become aware of the tastes. Chew with love and compassion. Each mouthful should ideally be chewed approximately 32 times before being swallowed. This allows the digestive enzymes in the mouth to do their work properly, and also gives the stomach time to prepare for the arrival of the food, thus maximizing digestive power. This is also why it is better to eat slowly, or at a moderate speed.

More tips to keep your digestive system running smoothly:

  • Don't consume too many raw foods (particularly if you are Vata-dominant). Your digestive system has to work extra hard to break down raw foods.

  • Use ginger and/or spices while cooking. These aid proper digestion.

  • Eat your largest meal at lunchtime.

  • The appropriate portion size for one meal is equivalent to two handfuls of food. Eating more than the body needs results in the creation of additional toxins in the digestive tract, which affects digestion and elimination.

Proper absorption and assimilation of nutrients is key, as well as proper elimination of energy. When metabolism is impaired due to low agni or improper diet, the body cannot properly break down or absorb the nutrients. What is improperly digested becomes ama, or toxins. Accumulation of ama is the root cause of ALL disease in the body. All skin problems are due in part to accumulated toxins in the digestive tract.

Eat Clean

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Organic, clean, and local foods are richer in nutrients and free of chemicals and pesticides often found in processed foods or conventional, non-organic produce. These toxic chemicals block the channels of the body, and age tissues.

Avoid:

  • Chemically-treated or GMO foods.

  • Canned, frozen, or otherwise processed foods.

  • Microwaves energetically warp the molecules of food into something the body cannot recognize and has trouble assimilating.

  • Anything artificial.

  • Anything "reduced" fat, "low-fat," or "non-fat" - these foods typically have chemical additives.

Not only are the above foods unhealthy for the body, they are also unhealthy energetically - they all are vibrating at a low frequency. According to Ayurveda, they are dead foods, and low in prana. Any foods that lack prana create toxins in the body.

Tips:

  • Eat whole, real foods.

  • Avoid anything that wouldn't have been recognized as food 100 years ago.

  • Eat locally, seasonally, organic.

  • Eat freshly prepared, or sattvic, foods.

Eat according to your mind-body type

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Ayurveda is an individualized science, and there is no one correct diet for everyone. An Ayurvedic diet keeps the body beautiful by taking into account factors such as a person's constitution, imbalance, the season, the time of day. When choosing foods we should always be mindful of our dosha, or mind-body type, and eat a diet compatible with our constitution. If the doshas become imbalanced due to wrong diet, this leads to poor metabolism and toxic buildup in the body.

This means that for Vata-dominant people, choose grounding, warming foods. Avoid coffee and caffeinated tea, as they are too stimulating for Vata-dominant types. Consume plenty of healthy fats such as avocados, ghee, sesame seeds, and almonds. If you are Pitta-dominant, choose cooling foods. Consume plenty of coconut water, cook with coconut oil, and eat cooling foods such as avocados and bananas. Limit intake of alcohol, coffee, spicy, oily, and fried foods. For Kapha-dominant people, stick to light and heating foods and spices. Eat plenty of organic vegetables to keep your insides clean and light. Steer clear of too many sweet and salty tastes: instead, stick to bitter and pungent foods. The light and stimulating qualities of these tastes will increase the forces of prana in the body (movement and elimination), which naturally clears toxins from the body and keeps the digestive fire strong.

Bottom line: when the body is healthy and in balance, its innate wisdom will intuitively choose foods that are good. Keep your agni strong, keep your body channels clean, and your tissues and organs will work together to bring you great vitality and beauty, both inside and out.