Soothing Pitta Dosha: Natural Remedies for Summer Skin Issues
The summer is challenging for your skin. The sun is harsh, and your skin is delicate.
This combination can easily lead to skin issues such as rashes or eczema, particularly if you have a Pitta-dominant constitution.
In this blog post, I would like to offer some tips on how to manage skin issues. I would like to point out here that in case of serious skin problems, you must consult an Ayurvedic practitioner to discuss what is best for you.
Let’s start by examining the connection between Pitta dosha and your skin.
In the last blog post, we discussed, amongst others also, the basic concepts of Ayurveda and how the elements build the base and form the doshas.
Pitta dosha, containing the fire and water elements, is the summer's domain and tends to get imbalanced during this time more quickly than the others.
To recap, Pitta dosha has the qualities of fire and water elements: hot, penetrating, light, slightly oily, spreading, spicy, and acid.
Pitta dosha governs our digestion, transforming food into nutrients for our body to assimilate and nourish every cell. It also regulates the hormonal system.
Signs of a balanced Pitta Dosha
A balanced Pitta dosha is precise, sharp-minded, intense, organised, fast, good decision-maker.
Signs of Pitta Imbalance
Physically, an imbalanced Pitta can cause excessive heat, heartburn, hyperacidity, and inflammation. It can show as burning eyes, hair loss, rashes or eczema.
On a mental level, it leads to anger, irritability, and impatience.
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Why Pitta Dosha Affects Skin
Ayurveda has a different approach to skin health.
In Ayurveda, the skin has seven layers, which all relate to the different bodily tissues, the dhatus.
The top skin layer is related to the first dhatu, rasa dhatu or the white part of the blood, white blood cells and lymph.
The second layer relates to rakta dhatu, the red part of the blood. This dhatu has an affinity to Pitta dosha.
When Pitta dosha is dominant, and you consume food and drinks which aggravate Pitta, the accumulation can show in the skin as rashes or eczema. Suppose Vata dosha is also involved, for example, by drinking coffee, which has drying qualities. In that case, the imbalance can show dry, itchy eczema, where the skin can get thin and tear.
The rasa and rakta dhatu are the first tissues to receive the full brunt of this heat, so they respond immediately.
Is that you during the summer and autumn months? And, most importantly, what to do?
Here are a few tips for you.
Diet for Pitta Skin
Food is always the best place to start keeping balanced or rebalancing because you probably eat several times daily.
As previously mentioned, eating seasonally balances the body naturally because the summer harvest provides the food you need.
But then there are, of course, the habits! Mine is coffee and tea. Particularly, coffee, with its drying and heating qualities, is not helping. So, if you have a Pitta-dominant constitution and drink regular coffee or any alcoholic beverage, the heat in your body increases, but this will be on top of already existing heat; therefore, any imbalance will show quickly.
So, what to eat and drink to avoid skin issues?
Let's have a look:
The seasonal harvest provides plenty of leafy green salads, spinach, and chards; they are excellent for removing the heat, so they should feature daily.
Summer squashes and zucchinis provide nutrients and hydration and cool the body. Not to mention the cucumber, which is cool by nature.
All the summer berries are great. We have a bumper crop of sweet, tangy, and juicy blackberries this year. Peaches, the first pears, and plums all help to hydrate the body and offer quick, accessible energy. Sweet and watery melons are perfect summer food, and watermelons also make tasty drinks.
As the skin dehydrates quickly, coconut water is the best in the summer. It contains plenty of electrolytes to rehydrate and cools the body immediately.
If you are a meat eater, summer is best for the lighter meat of chicken, turkey, and sweet water fish.
Which foods to avoid?
Everything sour and salty creates heat. These are tomatoes, cheeses (particularly hard cheeses), citrus fruits, sour milk products like yoghurt and sour cream, and fermented food like wine, vinegar, pickles, sauerkraut (just a teaspoon as condiment on the side is ok for looking after your gut bacteria), soy sauce and alcohol.
You might argue that all six tastes should be present in each meal, which is correct. The aggravating, like sour, salty and spicy, should feature only in small amounts, like condiments. The balancing tastes, sweet, bitter & astringent, should be in the majority.
Spicy or pungent taste food items such as chillies, black pepper, garlic, onions and ginger should also be reduced. The spices are needed to support the digestive system; only a small quantity is sufficient to serve this purpose.
If you already have skin issues, stick to the abovementioned foods and avoid coffee, alcohol, and sour fruits and vegetables. Season your food mildly.
Yoga and Pranayama Techniques
Pitta feeds on intensity. If Pitta dosha is aggravated, you might want to work out, run, have a hot yoga practice or have a strong vinyasa flow. However, these practices might overheat the body and bring dryness, leading to skin itchiness.
The best thing to do is to settle for cooling practices. They can sound less appealing, to begin with, but you feel fantastic afterwards. The challenge-seeking mind can be harnessed by focusing on the breath and it through the body.
Instead of Surya Namaskar (Salute to the sun), practise Chandra Namaskar (Salute to the moon).
Take a breath after each round for the body and mind to settle again.
Practise opening postures to create space in the body and mind and stretch the skin.
Triangle and revolving triangle pose (Trikonasana and Parivrtta Trikonasana) and standing hand-to-toe pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana) are excellent standing postures, so are wide-legged forward bends (Prasarita Padottanasana) and seated version wide-legged forward bend (Upavista Konasana).
Cat and cow poses, practised dynamically with the breath, are super easy, release body tensions and slow down a busy mind.
Relaxing supine (lying on your back) twists are wonderfully relaxing, easing the mind, stretching the skin and stimulating the digestive system. You find similar benefits in the bridge pose (Dwi pada Pitham), which can be practised in an active way or passively using a bolster or rolled up Yoga mat combined with slow, deep breaths down towards the navel. They combine well together.
Ideally practised daily, this is the best: legs up the wall and eyes covered with a soft scarf or eye pad. This is super relaxing and replenishing energy resources.
Breathing techniques are extremely powerful. Here are a couple of easily accessible examples:
Shitali pranayama – cooling breath – breathe in through the folded or rolled-up tongue and out through the nose. Super cooling and banishes irritability and anger, both not helpful with skin issues.
Equally effective is Bhramari pranayama - Bee Breath. Breathe through the nose and hum with the outbreath. It is excellent in case of stress, creates mental space, dissipates anger, banishes anxiety, calms the mind and brain, soothes the nerves, and helps to sleep.
Read the 3 cooling Breathing Techniques to Beat the Heat blog post for more inspiration.
As mentioned before, relaxation is vital to keeping Pitta dosha in check and, with it, skin issues.
Herbal Remedies
Supposedly all went out of sync, and your skin developed rashes or eczema.
Then, the above food suggestions should be implemented immediately, together with Yoga and breathing.
Herbs can give the healing process a big boost. They are super powerful and best taken after consulting an Ayurvedic practitioner.
Here are my go-to herbs that I use when my skin flares up:
Neem:
It's a super bitter and super effective herb. In Ayurveda, it is famous for promoting healthy skin and a clear complexion. Due in part to its bitter taste, it has an incredibly cooling effect on the body, reducing excess heat that can manifest as skin blemishes. Neem supports healthy blood and helps balance pitta dosha, mainly when there is heat in rakta dhatu (the blood).
Manjishtha:
Manjistha is fantastic for balancing Pitta, particularly in the hot summer months. Not only does Manjishtha help correct excess Pitta, but it also keeps it in check before things get out of hand.
Manjistha spreads within your body, particularly in the first two tissue layers, rasa dhatu (plasma and lymph tissue layer) and rakta dhatu (blood tissue layer), which makes it an excellent blood purifier and, at the same time, sets up all following tissues for health.
Turmeric:
You already know that turmeric is an excellent herb with a gazillion benefits. It is great for the skin, too. Skin masks ensure soft and clear skin; turmeric helps with inflammation when taken internally. Skin tears from dryness heal quickly by applying turmeric powder either on its own or mixed with ghee for extra moisturising.
Of course, there are many more, but always check back with a practitioner about which herb is best for you. As mentioned, they are very powerful; some bodies might react differently to these herbs.
Lifestyle Tips
We are keen to avoid Pitta Dosha getting out of the bounce. The above tips help with that.
Start your day with a short abhyanga (full-body massage) using cooling, soothing and refreshing oils, such as
Kumari oil (contains aloe vera) is highly moisturising, rejuvenates, heals wounds, and reduces inflammation.
Jatyadee oil (contains Jasmin) helps reduce skin irritation and inflammation.
Chandanalakshadi oil (contains sandalwood) calms the mind and cools the body, reduces stress and anxiety, and balances Pitta disorders.
How to do abhyanga at home?
Warm the oil before application to improve absorption and soothing effect.
Apply the oil over your body, starting from the legs upwards, arms, front, back, and face.
Use circular motions over joints and long strokes over limbs.
Spend extra time on areas that feel tense or sore.
Allow the oil to absorb for about 20 minutes (wear an old dressing gown or pyjama and prepare the breakfast or packed lunch) before washing it off with warm water, soap only where needed.
Equally important is to have regular meals, a light breakfast, a substantial lunch and a light dinner.
Preparing for the night by turning the screens off early, practising calming breathing techniques, and some stretches to prepare the body for a comfortable and deep rest.
When the nights are hot, apply coconut oil to your foot soles before sleeping. This draws the heat out of the body. Padabhyanga with a foot bowl or Kansa wand using ghee or, even better, specialised foot ghee reduces heat and balances the doshas.
Do some free writing or journaling to process and let go of the day's events.
Go to sleep by 10 pm. Late nights create tremendous heat in the body.
Final Thoughts
To effectively manage summer skin issues, addressing the heat and imbalance of Pitta dosha with targeted dietary choices and cooling practices is crucial. Opting for hydrating and cooling foods like cucumbers, leafy greens, and melons can significantly soothe inflamed skin.
Avoiding heat-inducing foods such as spicy dishes, fermented products, and excessive caffeine helps prevent exacerbation of skin irritations like eczema and rashes.
Incorporating gentle yoga poses and pranayama techniques that cool the body can also be beneficial in maintaining skin health. Practices like Chandra Namaskar and Shitali pranayama promote internal cooling and reduce stress, which can directly improve skin conditions. Additionally, regular application of soothing oils through abhyanga nourishes the skin deeply, reduces inflammation, and supports overall skin health by aligning with the natural balance of Pitta dosha.
Herbal remedies also play a crucial role; herbs like neem and manjishtha are renowned for their skin-healing properties and ability to purify the blood, which minimises skin issues related to Pitta imbalance. By embracing these holistic Ayurvedic practices, you can effectively manage your skin health during the warmer months, ensuring it remains clear, calm, and radiant.
Resources
To further explore Ayurveda and its benefits, consider reading these blog posts and exploring our Lift Your Mood with Food course, helping you manage your busy life by integrating Ayurveda and seasonal living.
Cooling the Fire: Pitta Dosha and Its Influence on Your Health and Happiness
3 cooling Breathing Techniques to Beat the Heat
Seasonal Eating: Ayurvedic Summer Food Guide
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