Welcome to Summer and Stay Cool!

Welcome to Summer and Stay Cool!

Welcome to summer; we are fully in Pitta season! Pitta is a combination of the elements fire and water, and its qualities are hot and fiery, light, intense, liquid and oily. In this season we want to counter the heat and intensity of Pitta by fostering coolness in our lifestyle and our diet.

A good way to way to start is by having cooling foods and drink. Although you may think that ice cold drinks are good in the summer, they actually can dampen your digestion. Instead favor cool drinks such as water with fresh squeezed lime and perhaps a pinch of raw sugar, coconut water, water with fresh mint, or my personal favorite which is hibiscus cool mint tea. If you would like to try making it, the recipe is in this blog. 

One of the best herbs for Pitta is fresh cilantro/coriander. You can use it in your cooking or as a garnish on just about any dal, rice, or vegetable dish. Mint and fennel are also cooling herbs to use abundantly in the summer.

Here are general guidelines for eating during the hot months to calm and cool down and reduce excess Pitta.

Reduce consumption of spicy foods, caffeine, hard liquor and wine. Eat

less of foods that have the sour, salty and pungent tastes. This is the best time of the year to eat salads, especially at lunch. Favor foods that are sweet, bitter and astringent. Examples of sweet foods are dates, melons, whole milk, ghee, basmati rice and wheat. Bitter foods include leafy greens, leaf lettuce, zucchini, cucumber and fenugreek. Examples of astringent foods are green beans, small dry beans and dals, pomegranates, powdered turmeric, cauliflower, and broccoli.

In your daily routine, foster coolness by softening intensity, relaxing and grounding your energy. Spend time in or near water, take walks in moonlight, enjoy nature, smell the flowers. Spray rosewater on your face, wrists and neck.

Send me an Email if you want more ideas for pacifying Pitta, especially foods to eat in the season. If you would like to schedule a summer cooking workshop for you and your family or friends, please contact me to arrange it! Stay cool and healthy!

Here are pictures of cucumber raita, fresh mint in my garden, and food we made at the mid-June cooking workshop which includes coconut chutney and a basic raita.