No, I’m not talking about sexy hot (not that that’s a bad thing) but I’m talking about hot from the heat of summer. It’s pitta time of year and the days are hot and long and I for one, can’t wait until the sun goes down to get some cool air circulating around me!
For those of you with Vata as your main dosha (you’ll love, love, LOVE the heat) you’re probably cheering to bring on the heat! You love it and you even like being out in the sun this time of year. The Pitta people (who already have sharp and hot tendencies) have to do all of their outdoor activities in the early morning and get inside by 11 am. The Kapha people (the laid back ones) are probably okay with the heat, either way is fine with them.
But heat can come in different ways. It can come via your tolerance for weather and it can also come in the form of digestion. Digestion that is heated up (you’ll feel acidic, burpy, maybe even your bowel movement feels hot) is called teeksna-agni in Sanskrit and translates into sharp digestion. If you’re that person who is “used” to feeling this way, you should act now. Out of control digestion can lead to an assortment of issues include acid reflux, ulcers, etc. You don’t want to go there when you can fix the situation yourself. Don’t forget, western medicine is all about prescription drugs. There is a time and a place for prescription drugs, but if you can manage this on your own by diet change…. why not? (And don’t forget, all those prescription and even over the counter drugs have side effects!)
So here’s my suggestions for you if you’re feeling hot and sharp with your digestion. Simple things really:
- Avoid spicy and fried foods. The body can’t tolerate these “food” items pretty much at anytime.
- AVOID ICED ANYTHING! You may be thinking that ice will cool that hot sharp digestion , but NOOOOOO! Ice constricts the blood vessels in the stomach which means the digestive juices are not produced in the stomach which means the food is not processed properly in the body. NO ICE water, tea, coffee or iced anything. Break that habit now and your digestion will improve.
- Switch to room temperature water and tea. If you love your coffee, drink it in moderation, but drink it either hot or let it cool a little and enjoy.
- Make a nice pot of peppermint tea in the morning. Let it steep and pour it in a glass container to cool and drink at room temperature. Peppermint has very cooling effects on the body (think Pepto-bismal!). You can sip this throughout the day. Put it in a thermos and take it to work with you!
- I also love and suggest this product from Banyan Botanicals called Pitta Digest. I highly recommend this if you have ongoing sharp digestive issues, even if you’re not primarily Pitta. http://www.avantlink.com/link.php?ml=536327&p=147642&pw=183162“>Pitta Digest. You can get 20% off through the end of June by using this coupon code AFB616 when you check out.
Please let me know how it works for you
Wellness With Lois 