How to Manage Pitta Dosha & It's Symptoms

What is Pitta in Ayurveda?

Pitta is the energy that plays a significant role in metabolism and various transformations, including the processing and perception of thoughts on mental and sensory levels. So, we can say that it aids digestion and helps us distinguish between wrong and right.

What is Pitta Dosha?

 In Ayurveda, Pitta dosha is one of the three fundamental energies or principles that govern the body and mind. It is primarily associated with the elements of fire and water, embodying qualities such as hot, sharp, intense, and transformative. Pitta governs digestion, metabolism, energy production, and the transformation of thoughts and emotions. When Pitta in the body is in balance, it promotes healthy digestion, strong metabolism, intelligence, and courage. However, an excess of Pitta dosha can lead to symptoms such as irritability, anger, inflammation, acidity, and skin rashes indicating an imbalance that needs to be addressed through Ayurvedic management.

People with a predominant Pitta constitution tend to have a medium build, strong appetite, sharp intellect, and leadership qualities when in balance. They are ambitious, focused, and enjoy challenges but may also be prone to perfectionism and overwork.

However, the body may witness unusual changes when the Pitta dosha levels rise. This article will discuss such changes and how to reduce Pitta to manage them. So, buckle up, and let's get started.

Signs and Effects of Excessive Pitta

As we said above, excess Pitta can lead to various changes in the body. In this section, we talk about some common excess Pitta dosha symptoms:

• Heat increases in the body and causes discomfort.
• Inflammation in the body can lead to joint pain.
• Stomach heat increases, causing heartburn, acid reflux, and ulcers.
• Diarrhoea, constipation, or impaired digestion.
• Increased anger, irritation, and frustration.
• Increased sweating and body odour.
• Increased hunger and thirst.
• Headaches with burning sensation.
• Giddiness and/or hot flushes.
• Heaviness or tenderness in the testicles/breasts.
• Becoming judgmental and attempting to be a perfectionist.
• Ego inflation.
• Over attachment to goals.
• A growing sense of instability.
• Feelings of jealousy.

Moving further, it’s also important to look at the ill effects of high Pitta levels on the body:

• Heartburn
• Eczema
• Dermatitis
• Over-sensitivity to sun exposure
• Acne
• Acid reflux
• Ulcers
• Frequent fever
• Hyperthyroidism
• Jaundice
• Diarrhoea
• Acute inflammation of the joints
• Fatigue
• Vision issues, burning sensation in the eyes
• Autoimmune health disorders

To ensure overall well-being, managing Pitta levels and avoiding the following factors that may trigger its imbalance are crucial.

Factors that Cause High Pitta Levels

Here’s a list of reasons your Pitta levels may be higher than usual:

• An improper diet comprising food that increases Pitta (pungent, sour, salty food)
• Spending too much time in the sun/heat.
• Consuming too many stimulants, such as alcohol and nicotine.
• Excess anger (krodha) or sadness (shoka)
• Consumption of ushna (hot), vidahi( corrosive) foods

Pitta Diet to Manage Pitta Energy

The food we eat directly affects our well-being and energy. The same holds when Pitta is in consideration. Here are some Pitta pacifying food options and healthy eating habits that can help balance Pitta and keep it from aggravating.

• Bitter, astringent, and sweet foods can help manage Pitta.
• Apples (sweet), ripe grapes, milk, ghee, melon, plum, asparagus, leafy greens, cabbage, papaya, cucumber, cauliflower, and bell pepper should be a part of the diet.
• Add oats, quinoa, rice, wheat, and pasta to your diet.
• Legumes can be helpful, including lentils, split peas, soybeans, black beans, and wheat.
• Almonds, pumpkin seeds, coconut, and sunflower seeds can also help manage Pitta levels.
• Foods to avoid when you have Pitta imbalance:

  	Honey White sugar Sesame oil Beef Chicken Salmon Walnuts		Cashews Salted butter Urad dal Brown rice Corn Bananas Grapefruit		Pineapple Tamarind Beets Eggplant Garlic Tomatoes Turnips

• Eat fruits and vegetables an hour before the meal or after for the best effect.
• Include spices such as turmeric, coriander, cumin, and while cooking. These are some common foods to reduce Pitta.
• Keep yourself hydrated and drink sufficient water.

Ayurvedic Herbs Said to Optimise Pitta

pitta reducing herbs

Ayurveda suggests several herbs that can be helpful for Pitta dosha treatment. Here’s a list of such herbs:

• Amla or Amalaki is one of the best herbs for balancing Pitta. It helps drain excessive Pitta from the digestive system.
• Guduchi is another herb that can help control excess Pitta. It is bitter and is one of the most suitable herbs for managing Pitta vitiation. One can take Guduchi in its natural form or as Guduchyadi Kwath.
• Triphala is made from three fruits and can help manage gut issues caused due to high Pitta dosha. For easier consumption, Triphala Tablets are available on the Kerala Ayurveda website for easier consumption

Few Home Remedies to Help Balance Pitta Levels

Some home remedies can help manage Pitta imbalance symptoms and reduce aggravated Pitta.

• Cow ghee is an excellent remedy to reduce Pitta and body heat.
• Nannari sherbat concentrate is readily available in the market. It is made using dried and chopped Indian Sarsaparilla roots and pacifies pitta immediately. You can also add a few basil seeds or soaked sabja in it.
• Maintain a balance between exercise and rest. Too much activity can heat the already heated ‌body. Similarly, inactivity can lead to unnatural shifts in the Pitta levels. For optimum health, indulge in exercise and get enough rest.
• Meditation is a healthy practice to help manage emotional stress and control Pitta levels.
• Practice suitable yoga asanas to manage Pitta:
  • Child pose (balasana)
  • Marjaryasana
  • Cobra pose (bhujangasana)
  • Spinal twist (jathara parivartanasana)
  • Moon salutation (chandra namaskara)
  • Superman pose (vipareeta shalabhasana)
  • Corpse posture (shavasana)

Key Takeaways

The answer to the question "how to reduce Pitta immediately" is undoubtedly not brief. In the sections above, we discussed Pitta dosha in detail, various home remedies, Pitta-reducing herbs, body-cooling foods that can help manage excess Pitta, and several FAQs.

For a more precise understanding, let's take a look back at what we learned:

• Excessive Pitta can lead to various health concerns such as blood clots, heart strokes, acid reflux, frustration, anxiety, OCD etc.
• Consuming too many CNS stimulants, exposure to toxic chemicals, poor eating habits and an unhealthy lifestyle can lead to Pitta imbalance.
• Bitter, astringent, and sweet food options can help lower Pitta levels. Some foods to consider:
• Rice, quinoa, wheat, oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, coconut, sunflower seeds, etc.
• Amla, neem, Triphala, and Kalyanaka ghrita are some herbs that can help manage excess Pitta.
• Cow's ghee, elaichi, and jeera water can also help maintain healthy Pitta levels.
• Regular practice of meditation and the following yoga asanas can reduce excess Pitta: Child pose, cobra pose, spinal twist, superman pose, moon salutation, corpse posture, etc.
• The ultimate solution for fixing your Pitta (or any other dosha) related concerns is maintaining an active lifestyle and ensuring healthy eating habits. For further personalized guidance, you can connect with our professional Ayurvedic practitioners. We'd be happy to help you.