Again it is that time of the year where the scorching sun can be felt over our heads. The sun not only affects our mood and body temperature but also our Prakriti. Prakriti is the ayurvedic constitution of the body. There are three types of Prakriti present in our body Vata, Pitta and Kapha, while one is in the dominating form the others are present but in a suppressive form. Summers mark the aggravation of Pitta Prakriti, which can affect the mood, emotions and the behaviour of the body.
Following are a few tips to keep cool in summer:
- Avoid Spicy foods: Go easy on the spicy curries, chillies and strong spices as the aggravate the pitta and raises the heat in the body which can lead to indigestion.
- Eat cooling foods: Include foods like cucumber, melons, asparagus, broccoli and also the traditional bottle gourd, ash gourd and round gourd as they are high in water content.
- Water intake: It is very important to keep yourself hydrated in the summer, make sure you drink at least 12-15 glasses of water in a day.
- Consider your meal timings: It is important to divide your meals into 5 as it keeps your metabolism up but it is even more important to not skip lunch also lunch should be the heaviest meal as it is then when the digestive fire is the strongest.
- Use coconut oil: Rub 5-6 ounces of coconut oil on your body before bath as it has a cooling, calming and soothing effect on the skin.
- Avoid hot drinks: Specifically caffeinated beverages as they tend to dehydrate the body and aggravate the pitta.
- Morning workouts: If possible workout in the mornings as the temperature is comparatively lesser than the day.
- Include cooling oils: Incorporate cooling oils like sandalwood, jasmine and Khus in your daily life as they have cooling properties.
Follow these tips and stay cool this summer!
