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Top 10 Signs You Have a Pitta Imbalance

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1) You’re reading this post on the treadmill. Going 6.8 mph. Listening to Spotify’s top techno-workout mix. At midnight.

2) You have to get a wrist brace because lately your carpal tunnel has just been unbearable. You have the solution! MORE boxing lessons! THAT will numb the pain!

3) Your skin is a little itchy. Okay, maybe a little red. Okay, let’s face it, it looks like diaper rash has blossomed in the creases of your elbows, the backs of your knees and on your eyelids.

4) You stop off on the way to dinner for a nice pizza appetizer. The portions at Peter Luger’s are so small!

5) You are swallowing Zantac tablets like they’re tic tacs.

6) Two (excruciating) words: kidney stone.

7) Two (embarrassing) words: body odor.

8) You lost your shit in Whole Foods on your lunch hour because THAT WOMAN in front of you didn’t know about the system at the registers and cut in front of you. How can she NOT get it? It’s on a screen right above your head! DUH! IMBECILE!!

9) You lost your shit in the back of the cab because THAT CABBIE didn’t make the last four lights. THEY WERE YELLOW, does he need glasses? No tip for him! You should have just run to dinner, it would have been faster.

10) You lost your shit at the Citibike stand during rush hour because THAT IDIOT IS TAKING SO LONG GETTING THE BIKE OUT AND IT’S THE ONLY OPEN DOCK AVAILABLE! You will write Citibike and complain, because there should OBVIOUSLY be more docks. Actually, there should also be more bikes. And they should have more storage space on them and maybe a motor. If YOU ran Citibike, things would go much more smoothly!

Yup, you are in the throws of it. Pitta Season is no joke, especially in a Pitta City like New York. And, dear readers, you are also probably in your Pitta time of life, ie, the 20’s-50’s. We are supposed to have more fire. We are supposed to be getting things done, full of energy and drive.

But it will burn us out if we don’t cultivate some balance.

No one will want to talk to us, hang out with us, or SMELL us if we don’t chill out. And Vata Season is sneaking in quickly (very Vata, to come in the back door), which means we need to clear out excess heat or Vata Season will be even more intense. So here are some ideas. And yes, you can look them all up if you don’t believe me. (PITTA!)

  • Pitta folks have a lot of natural athletic ability and competitiveness. It can easily get out of hand. Get off the treadmill. Go investigate Tai Chi, Restorative Yoga, or take a Zumba class. For now, fitness should either be slower, quieter, or more FUN! Remember FUN?
  • Pitta imbalance means more inflammation in the body. Finish off a tepid shower every morning with a 20 second blast of cold water. Dab some sandalwood powder (you can get it at Dual Specialty Store on 1st Avenue and 6th St) under your arms, and a drop or two of rose, jasmine, peppermint, clary sage, or lavender oil on your palms. Rub your hands together, breathe deep, and add a little to your pulse points.
  • Neem. It’s the answer to everything right now. You can buy neem pills in the Vitamin Shoppe or at Whole Foods, or order them online HERE. Follow the dosing instructions on the bottle. Neem is antibacterial, antifungal, and clears out excess heat in the body. Great for skin, teeth, and hair.
  • Stop drinking kombucha and/or espressos!!!  Instead, drink enough coconut water that you feel compelled to make a donation to a coconut farm in Thailand.
  • Your agni (digestive fire) is going to be really strong right now. Pack snacks, so you don’t get “hangry”. My sweet Pitta friend Mia has a t-shirt that says “please forgive anything I said when I was hungry”. When we were in India, Mia ROCKED the buffet. Some good snacks for you right now are sweet fruits, like melon, blueberries or dates, unsalted cottage cheese (don’t combine the dairy with fruit, though, that’s a big Ayurvedic no-no) or some hummus with cucumber sticks and/or pita bread. An avocado smoothie is also a good option. I make a delicious one with avocado, blueberries, dried coconut, a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a few mint leaves – so cooling!
  • Try to get to sleep as close to 10 pm as you can. Otherwise, Pitta time of day (10pm-2 am and 10am-2 pm) kicks in and all of a sudden you will want to (a) eat ice cream (b) hit the aforementioned treadmill and/or (c) run the World.
  • Do some guided meditations from Spotify or a restorative yoga pose or two before bed. Skip the Sports highlights of the day or the “Vikings” marathon.
  • TEA!! Hibiscus, dandelion, mint, chamomile, fennel – all great choices right now. If you can’t do hot beverages, brew up a strong cup, pour it into your camelback, and add room temperature water. Bring it with you on your way to Tai Chi.
  • Do some karma yoga work. The big secret about Pitta folks is that they are really just marshmallow hearts in a titanium exterior. Seva (selfless service) gets them right out of the “Me, Me, Me” and into the “Us, Us, Us”. Volunteer in a community garden, offer to babysit for a friend, walk a neighbor’s dog, or make dinner for a sick friend. On a larger scale, you could also volunteer for an organization that speaks to you.
  • Or, you could do as I am doing. Get out of town! I am finishing this column from my seat on the Short Line Bus, heading up to Ananda Ashram in Monroe, NY, for the week to study with my teacher, Dr. Vasant Lad. Along with the incredible wisdom I will be taking in, I will also be pacifying my Pitta with some long walks around the lake under the canopy of trees, taking some naps and volunteering for kitchen duty.

Stay cool, stay shanti, and have a great Summer!

For those of you looking to dive in deeper, my Advanced Ayurveda 50 hour training is coming up at Laughing Lotus.  The dates are October 25-29. Click HERE for more details or contact me with any questions at Alison@laughinglotus.com

Namaste, Ali.

The post Top 10 Signs You Have a Pitta Imbalance appeared first on Breathe Repeat.


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