July Newsletter—Internalizing the Glories of Summer

By Premal Patel, MD, Ayurvedic Consultant

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken. ~James Dent

 

Summer days are in full swing, and the sun is shining in all its robust glory. This season brings out the playful child in most of us, as we enjoy clear skies, balmy breezes and swims to cool off from the heat.

While delighting in all that summer has to offer, what can you do to make sure that the family picnics, long hikes, and bike rides in the sun don’t get the best of your pitta? Read on for our summer season tips and tidbits. But before we talk about balancing pitta, let’s first give our salutations to the element of nature that is at its height in this summer season: the Sun. As is well known, we, and our world, could not exist without the Sun. It is the life-giving force that provides warmth and illumination, and supports the very food that nourishes us.

Ancient cultures the world over praised the Sun. The Sun was honored as the sustainer of the physical body and as the symbol of the light of the intellect (buddhi), leading the way toward union with one’s Higher Self. One of the most well-known verses from the Vedic tradition, in which Ayurveda is rooted, speaks to this. It is the Gayatri Mantra, which asks for the blessing of an illuminated intellect to light the path towards righteousness and away from untruth and ignorance (1). This illumination is the quality referred to in Ayurveda as tejas, the inner fire or subtle energy of light that is the essence of pitta.

Teachers in the Vedic tradition point to the Sun as a model for how we might approach our daily duties. The Sun rises and sets each day, without fail, without complaint, and without expectation of gratitude or praise for the work it does. This is its inherent nature, for centuries untold. The Sun performs its duty because it exists, and thus plays its role in this drama of life. And in so doing, it brings a fresh, cleansing energy for all beings—what we like to call “a new day and a fresh start.”

Modern science is even now validating this understanding that the human body and mind are profoundly connected with the Sun. Studies (2,3) show distinct links between sunlight exposure and our ability to create hormones like serotonin, which are thought to affect mood and our sense of wellbeing; light therapy is now being used to boost serotonin levels to treat conditions such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Appropriate sun exposure is also thought to play a role in the protection against prostate (4), breast (5), colon, and ovarian cancers (6). Sunlight has even been shown to have beneficial effects on the density of the bones, helping to lower the risk of osteoporosis and related fractures (7).

So as you step outside on these fine summer days, first remember how you are cared for by this magnificent luminary of nature, and then take a moment to consider how you may also imbibe some of its qualities. Where can you bring warmth and joy to someone’s life today? In what dark corners have you forgotten to shed some light lately? With what bright wisdom have you bathed yourself to enliven and nourish your intellect? Can you make each moment a “fresh start,” resolving any obstacles from the past that hold you back?

Lest you get too excited about all that the Sun and the summer have to offer, and forget that over-exposure can do you in, here are some practical tips to help keep pitta balanced:

  • Prefer cooling, light foods with sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes.
  • Learn cooling pranayama (breath techniques) like shitali and shitkari.
  • Keep yourself well hydrated, though not with iced drinks. A touch of mint blended into any drink makes for a refreshing treat. Coconut water is also a great way to replenish yourself in the summer season.
  • The eyes and the head (as seats of pitta) can be very sensitive. Soothe them with a splash of cool water or a squirt of rose water.
  • Aloe vera can be a great friend. Apply to your the skin after a long day in the sun, or mix it in your water or juice for an internal cool-down.
  • A self massage with oil is still a great part to any daily routine. Consider using more cooling oils in this season, such as coconut and/or sunflower oils.
  • Support a healthy colon and keep pitta balanced with herbal remedies such as amalaki or triphala.
  • If the heat gets to be too much, enjoy the moon’s cooling rays on these warm summer nights.
  • Wear light colors such as white, blue, lavender, and green to encourage a calming effect.
  • Support your digestion with soothing herbs and spices, such as those found in the Pitta Digest formula.
  • Be especially observant for heated emotions, as pitta imbalance will easily find association with anger, envy, and judgment.  

So enjoy all that this summer season brings your way, while you keep your self-awareness active and take wonder in how nature is affecting you, and how you, in turn, are affecting your world.

References:

1. http://www.eaglespace.com/spirit/gayatri.php

2. Lambert, GW, et al. Effect of sunlight and season on serotonin turnover in the brain. The Lancet. December 7, 2002; 360 (9348):1840-1842.

3. Rohan KJ, Roecklein KA, Tierney Lindsey K, et al. A randomized controlled trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy, light therapy, and their combination for seasonal affective disorder. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2007; 75:489-500.

4. John, Esther, et al. Sun Exposure and Prostate Cancer Risk: Evidence for a Protective Effect of Early-Life Exposure. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. June 2007; 16:1283.

5. Blackmore, Kristina et al. Vitamin D From Dietary Intake and Sunlight Exposure and the Risk of Hormone-Receptor-Defined Breast Cancer. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2008; 168(8): 915-924.

6. Freedman, D M et al. Sunlight and mortality from breast, ovarian, colon, prostate, and non-melanoma skin cancer: a composite death certificate based case-control study. Occupational & Environmental Medicine. 2002; 59: 257-262.

7. Sato, Y et al. Amelioration of osteoporosis and hypovitaminosis D by sunlight exposure in hospitalized elderly women with Alzheimer’s disease: a randomized controlled trial. J Bone Miner Res. 2005 Aug; 20 (8): 1327-33.