Cooling from the Inside Out: Ayurvedic Summer Tips for Pitta Balance and Digestion

I’ve lived in Massachusetts long enough to recognize the particular way each season settles into the body. The first humid day of summer feels different in the bones than it does on the skin — and Ayurveda has helped me notice that. Living this path isn’t just about what we eat or when we sleep — it’s about how we respond, internally, to the cycles around us. It’s about listening, adjusting, and softening in rhythm with nature.

As the days grow longer and the heat begins to rise, I often notice subtle shifts: clients mention more irritability, digestion feels a bit off, tempers flare a little quicker. I feel it too. That unmistakable sharpness of Pitta season — the summer dosha of fire and water — begins to make itself known.

Ayurveda offers us gentle, time-tested ways to meet that fire. To cool it, rather than fight it. To balance, rather than suppress. And perhaps most importantly, to remember that even something as simple as a bowl of rice and lentils, or a sip of cool Takra, can be medicine when made with awareness.

In this post, I want to share with you how Ayurveda approaches summer — how it understands the body, the mind, and digestion through this lens of seasonal wisdom. And I’ll share a few of my favorite ways to support yourself from the inside out as the heat builds. I hope you enjoy these Ayurvedic Summer tips.

Let’s begin, as Ayurveda always does — by paying attention.

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🌞 What Happens in the Summer, According to Ayurveda

In Ayurveda, summer is governed by Pitta dosha — the energetic quality of fire and water. When balanced, Pitta brings clarity, vitality, and strong digestion. When aggravated by excess heat, it can show up in more challenging ways:

• Physically: acid reflux, loose stools, skin irritations, rashes, inflammation, dehydration

• Emotionally: irritability, frustration, perfectionism, anger, intensity

You might notice your usual foods don’t sit as well, or that you're craving ice-cold drinks, skipping meals, or feeling more easily triggered. These are all signs that Pitta may be on the rise — and that the body is asking for balance.

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🌿 The Power of Seasonal Living: Ritucharya

Ayurveda encourages us to live in tune with nature through a concept called Ritucharya — seasonal routines. Each season has its own rhythm and corresponding self-care practices, and summer is no exception.

Ayurvedic Summer Tips:

Summer Ritucharya includes:

✔️ Eating cooling, hydrating, and lightly spiced foods

✔️ Favoring bitter, sweet, and astringent tastes

✔️ Avoiding excess salt, sourness, and heat-producing foods

✔️ Taking walks in the early morning or evening rather than midday sun

✔️ Slowing down the pace of life when possible

✔️ Protecting your skin, eyes, and energy from overexposure

This is not about rigid rules. It’s about attunement. It’s about responding to what the body and mind truly need in a given moment.

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🥣 Food as Medicine: What to Eat in Summer

Of all the tools Ayurveda offers us, food remains the most accessible and immediate medicine. The right meals can stoke digestion gently, cool the body, and calm the nervous system.

In my own kitchen, I turn to simple, nourishing meals that bring balance without heaviness. In the summer, that looks like:

✨ Khichari

A nourishing blend of split mung dal, basmati rice, gentle spices like turmeric—and, yes, ghee. Light yet grounding, this classic Ayurvedic dish is easy to digest, deeply comforting, and endlessly adaptable to the seasons.

✨ Ravaiya

Baby eggplants filled with gentle spices, slow-cooked until tender — a beautiful, flavorful way to enjoy summer vegetables.

✨ Takra

A traditional Ayurvedic drink made with yogurt, water, cumin, and salt. It’s cooling, probiotic-rich, and supports digestion without dampening the digestive fire (agni).

These aren’t complicated meals — they’re simple, sattvic, and infused with the intention to nourish.

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💛 A Summer Invitation

JOIN ME IN THE KITCHEN

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, overheated, or out of rhythm lately, I invite you to step back into seasonal alignment with me.

On Tuesday, June 17, I’ll be teaching a hands-on Ayurvedic Summer Cooking Class at The Kitchen in Melrose. We’ll prepare a full meal together — Khichari, Ravaiya, and Takra — while I share insights on summer digestion, daily routines, and how to stay grounded in the midst of movement and heat.

Whether you’re new to Ayurveda or simply craving a space to reconnect to your body, I’d love to cook with you.

You can register here.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

Let’s honor this season — and ourselves — with nourishment that cools from the inside out.

With warmth,

Bhanu