Summer for Vata-Pitta-Kapha

 

If you are tridoshic, then you are the rare type that has the built-in strength of all the doshas, which allows you to simply try to balance the characteristics of summer.

Focus on balancing pitta, have a peripheral awareness around protecting vata but do so without robbing kapha of the active and celebratory nature of the summer season.

Foods to Favor

Follow a pitta-balancing diet, being careful not to aggravate vata. Kapha will tend to be balanced by the characteristics of the summer season.

Of course, tridoshic summer foods like berries, red grapes, mango, soaked prunes, soaked raisins, asparagus, leeks, okra, amaranth, basmati rice, quinoa, cottage cheese, and goat’s milk will be especially favorable.¹

Acceptable Seasonal Indulgences

This is a good time of year to indulge your sweet tooth, in moderation. An occasional creamy treat like ice cream, pudding, or lassi will be welcome in the summer months.

Just be careful not to disturb the digestive fire with too much cold or frozen food.

Foods to Minimize

The best way to determine which foods to avoid is to become aware of your eating habits and of the effect that various foods have on you.

Be on the lookout for signs of excess heat (acidity, sour taste), excess dryness (gas, bloating, dry skin), and excess heaviness (lethargy, low energy after meals, brain fog), and adjust your diet as needed to avoid these manifestations of imbalance.

Lifestyle Adjustments

Your focus should be on staying cool, grounded, relaxed, and yet engaged with the vibrance of the summer season.

Be most mindful of protecting pitta from the heat and intensity by rising early, being active early in the day, and staying out of the sun whenever possible.

In your yoga practice, you can include elements that will balance all three doshas, but do your practice in a pitta-balancing way, with relaxed effort and be sure to spend 5–10 minutes in Savasana (Corpse Pose).

As is clear, your particular summer routine may look slightly different from someone with a different constitution, but we can all benefit from implementing diet and lifestyle changes that align us with the rhythms of nature throughout the year.

By actively protecting our own vitality and health, we are better able to connect with and appreciate the gifts of each season. This pitta season, adopt a personalized seasonal routine so that you can embrace the summer with presence, contentment, and joy.

You may find it beneficial to read the pitta, vata, and kapha summer guides for some more helpful hints on how to support all three doshas during the summer months and then adapt the advice to your needs—balancing whichever dosha seems to need the most attention at any given time.