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Summer 2013

Keep Cool this Summer with these Pitta-pacifying Tips from Maharishi Vedic Medicine

According to Maharishi Vedic Medicine, hot summer weather can cause Pitta dosha — the metabolic principle that governs heat and metabolism — to increase in your body. Too much heat in the body can cause anger, irritability, heat rashes, and ulcers, to name a few. The following are tips to avoid summer temper flare ups. Maharishi Vedic Medicine advises that everyone should follow a seasonal routine to preserve balance as the seasons change. This routine does not involve major alterations in your lifestyle, only a shift of emphasis

Exercise during the summer should be moderate because heavy or excessive exercise increases heat in the body. If possible, exercise early in the morning and avoid exercising between 10 a.m and 2 p.m. Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat, sunglasses and sun screen. Although swimming is a good summer exercise don’t sunbathe for long periods of time and especially avoid the harsh noonday sun. Take a soothing walk in the moonlight next to water to cool down and relax from the day’s heat. Soothing aroma oils and fragrant flowers have a cooling influence on the mind and decrease the tendency toward anger as well as other out of balance Pitta symptoms. Small indoor water fountains soothe Pitta and cool down the atmosphere.

Avoid icy, cold drinks because ice can douse the digestive flame. Instead, keep the digestive fire at a low steady burn by taking cooling, soothing foods that are sweet, bitter or astringent, and cool but not ice cold.

One way to prepare Pitta-pacifying foods is to add cooling spices and herbs:

anise	cilantro	licorice
cardamom	fennel	mint
coriander	fenugreek	turmeric

Sweet, easy to digest foods, cool foods (not iced) and liquids tend to bring the body back into balance during the hot summer season. Sweet pacifies Pitta because it cools the physiology.

Sweet foods include:

sugar	butter
rice	ghee
milk	wheat products
cream

Coconut and juicy fruits such as watermelon or grapes are also highly recommended. Bitter foods also cool the physiology and are therefore Pitta-pacifying.

Bitter foods include:

bitter greens (endive, chicory, parsley, sprouts)

leafy greens

cucumbers

Astringent foods are also dry and cooling. Astringent foods include:

beans	cabbage
lentils	broccoli
pomegranate	cauliflower
spinach

To sum up — during Pitta season favor foods and liquids that are cool and tastes that are sweet, bitter or astringent. Minimize foods that are hot, spicy, salty or sour.

For a complete listing of health tips order Dr. Reddy’s books.

© Samhita Productions 2012