More Pitta Pacifying Habits

I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but I see so many people with symptoms of excess Pitta doing things that aggravate Pitta even more. Symptoms of too much Pitta include irritability, skin issues, inflammation, excessive sweating, hyperacidity, and excessive hunger. Pitta aggravation comes in the form of eating spicy foods, drinking alcohol, competition of any form, prolonged exposure to hot weather, and having too much to do. Cooling down, slowing down, and staying calm is essential during this time of year!

Here are my personal daily habits that help me keep my Pitta in check.

1. Start every day with local, juicy fruits. Sometimes I eat them straight up, sometimes in a fruit salad, sometimes blended with some coconut water. Eating locally means the (good) bugs on my fruit are great for my gut health and microbiome. Everything living in the same environment is connected, so local bugs are like a little gift from the Divine to my body.

2. Spend a little time outside in the early morning. It can be more difficult to sleep well in the heat, and getting morning light keeps Circadian Rhythms working properly. Even on a cloudy day the light is picked up by the photosensitive ganglion in the eyes and starts a cascade of events in the body to wake it up. It also starts the clock to when we will become sleepy and ready for bed. Yes, morning light helps you sleep better, and it's science!

3. Must-do daily yoga poses: Child's, Downward Dog, Savasana. I do these poses every single day for relaxation. They are also great at naturally stimulating the vagus nerve which promotes the "rest and digest" mode in the central nervous system instead of "fight or flight."

4. Practice Nadi Shodhana, or Alternate Nostril Breathing. Nadi Shodhana is extremely balancing for your whole being, and it doesn't take long to feel the effects. For a refresher on this breath, check out this video from my YouTube channel. And while you're there, subscribe! I post new meditations and 10-minute yoga practices every week.

5. Have a hard stop time for work. I MUST have a relaxing evening in order to stay out of Pitta overload. As a small business owner and budding author, I *could* work well into the evening on all my fun projects. But I'm always sorry if I do. Taking evening time every day to relax, slow down, and unwind is essential to my wellbeing.

Those are my non-negotiables this season. If you are in need of a full Pitta-reducing yoga practice, I have opened up access to this Pitta-Reducing practice, that's free to you as a newsletter recipient. Thank you for your support.

I hope these tips will help you feel great for the rest of the season!