Summer - A Gentle Ayurvedic Guide for Balance & Bliss
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Summer breeze makes me feel fine, blowin’ through the jasmine in my mind— Seals & Croft
As the warmth of summer intensifies, it becomes especially important to care for pitta dosha—the fire energy within us that governs digestion, metabolism, and transformation. When pitta is out of balance, we may feel overheated or irritable, or experience discomfort in the stomach, skin, eyes, or digestion.
Ayurveda, which means the knowledge of life—an ancient health science from India—places careful attention on the seasons and the fundamental elements that govern nature: space, air, fire, water, and earth, as we are reflections of the same forces. Just as the natural world changes, so too do our bodies, minds, and needs. When we live in harmony with the rhythms of nature, adjusting our diet, lifestyle, and habits with the seasons, we support deep healing, vitality, and balance from within.
My Ayurvedic teacher, Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra, often spoke about the unique challenges we face today in managing pitta dosha, especially during the summer months when the sun’s agni (fiery intensity) reaches its peak. Drawing from his family’s ancient lineage—Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda (SVA)—Vaidya Mishra shared time-tested, gentle, and effective ways to stay cool, blissful, and nourished throughout the summer and balanced year-round. These are SVA-inspired practices I personally use and offer to clients, which you can easily incorporate to stay grounded and radiant during the summer season.
But first, let’s start where pitta dosha is rooted in: our digestion and liver.
Understanding the liver and digestion’s role will help keep our inner flame steady, not flaring.
Start with the Source: Digestion & the Liver
Before diving into summer practices, let’s begin where pitta dosha is most deeply rooted: in the digestive system and liver. Understanding their role helps us keep our inner flame steady—bright, not burning.
In Ayurveda, the liver sits at the center of healthy digestion. This vital organ doesn’t just process food—it also filters toxins, regulates metabolism, governs emotional responses, and supports overall vitality.
The transformation of food, absorption of nutrients, and regulation of metabolism are all governed by pitta dosha. Pitta is seated in five primary areas of the body:
the stomach - pachaka pitta
the liver - ranjaka pitta
the heart - sadhaka pitta
the eyes - alocholka pitta
and the skin - bhrajaka pitta
In SVA, the liver—home of ranjaka pitta—is considered the true seat of digestion. According to Ayurveda, any disruption in the liver’s function affects quality of digestion reflecting an already overheated liver.
Signs of an overheated liver include:
Physical symptoms: feeling hot, acid stomach, acid reflux, ulcer, skin sensitivity, chronic inflammation, itchy eyes
Emotional imbalances: irritability, impatience, anger
Both Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine regard the liver with the same reverence as the heart. It must be supported and protected daily to maintain harmony and balance in the body and mind.
A well-cared-for liver lays the foundation for:
strong immunity
clear thinking
balanced emotions
and radiant health
The Nature of Pitta: Balancing Fire and Water
Pitta dosha is composed of two of the five fundamental elements of nature (pancha mahabhutas): fire (agni) and water (jala). This unique combination gives pitta its powerful, transformative qualities—fueling digestion, metabolism, and mental clarity.
To stay balanced—especially in the summer months when the sun’s heat amplifies pitta—we must learn to support its inner fire without smothering it or letting it burn out of control, otherwise the body gets disturbed.
Too much cold—from heavy, cold, hard to digest food such as red meat, pork, aged cheeses, cold milk, ice cream can dampen digestion and extinguish healthy agni and clog physical channels.
Too much heat—overly processed, fast food, chemicals and preservatives, synthetic supplements, refined vegetables oil, hydrogenated oils, margarine, oil supplements can inflame pitta (specifically ranjaka pitta - the liver), and too much hot spicy foods inflame the physical channels.
The water element (jala) in pitta plays a vital role—it provides the lubrication and fluidity needed to keep pitta circulating smoothly throughout the body, both physically and vibrationally. It is jala that tempers agni, allowing pitta’s transformative energy to flow and remain productive rather than destructive.
This delicate dance between fire and water within pitta dosha is something we can nurture each day—through the foods we eat, the quality of our sleep, and the rhythms of our lifestyle.
By gently nourishing pitta, we allow our internal fire to circulate with ease, supporting:
calm and clarity of mind
steady metabolism
and radiant health through summer and beyond.
With awareness, the right foods, herbs, and lifestyle choices, we can embrace the vitality of summer while keeping our inner balance and joy. So now how do we do this? Read along…
Include rose water as part of your summer skincare—gently spritzing on the face to cool the skin (bhrajaka pitta). Rose eye drops can also bring relief to irritated or itchy eyes (alochoka pitta).
Soothing Body, Mind & Home
Drinking water is a good place to start—sip room-temperature water throughout the day, or keep this hydrating drink on hand. In your meals, favour the sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes—these are naturally cooling and help to pacify pitta dosha. If vata is out of balance (due to excess stress), go easy on bitter foods, as they can increase dryness in the system. Note, that if you are vata dominant by nature (your prakriti) pay close attention that you are getting plenty of rest, managing your stress, going to bed when you’re tired, not over-exercising or multi-tasking or rushing around too much.
When cooking, choose spice combinations that offer not only flavour but also support internal balance. Cooling herbs and spices such as fennel, coriander, cumin, and cardamom are good to reach for. Check out my summer spice mix you can add to your summer dishes. Fresh herbs like cilantro, mint, dill, saffron, rosemary, rosehip are also soothing, and make beautiful additions to your spice blends. Floral herbs like rose petals, jasmine, and hibiscus can be enjoyed in teas, bringing cooling relief from the inside out.
Enjoy drinks like fresh coconut water (from mature coconuts) or a soothing herbal tea made with ¼ tsp rose petals, ¼ tsp fennel seeds, and a pinch of DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) powder.
If you enjoy a little spice, reach for black peppercorns or cloves—both provide gentle heat without disturbing pitta. Thai green chilli may be used occasionally and in moderation if your system is accustomed to more heat. Avoid turmeric in tea, grating fresh turmeric, and curcurmin capsules as they are more heating to the liver—best to cook with turmeric balanced with cooling spices.
Aloe vera is another summer ally, known for its hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties. Use it both internally and externally, and include rose water as part of your summer skincare—gently spritzing on the face to cool the skin (bhrajaka pitta). Rose eye drops can also bring relief to irritated or itchy eyes (alochoka pitta).
Wear cooling gemstones like pearls or rose quartz, and sandalwood or tulsi prayer beads (japamalas) to bring soothing, healing energy to heart and mind. In Ayurveda, these stones carry lunar or soma energy, promoting a sense of calm and peace.
Ground yourself with body work such as oil massages and marma therapy. Massage with coconut oil in the summer to cool body heat, or light and nourishing oils such as almond or grapeseed oil and combine with cooling jojoba oil. Oils infused with herbs such jatamansi or lavender to relax and calm the mind, brahmi to enhance and regulate brain function, daruharidra to balance and nourish the skin (bhrajaka pitta), and ALA (alpa lipoid acid), an antioxidant, for improving circulation and protecting cells from free-radicals damage. ALA cream can be applied around the eyes or on marma points, and at the top part of the neck from ear to ear to pacify regular exposure to cell phone and computers.
In your home, calming plant-based fragrances—like the earthy scent of vetiver—offer grounding and cooling support. Traditionally used in hot climates, vetiver is woven into mats, baskets, and window coverings to naturally cool indoor spaces. These beautiful natural fibres, along with their soothing aromas, help settle the mind and regulate temperature. Other materials such as bamboo, palm leaves, rattan, and various reeds are also used to craft furniture and accessories, creating an earthy, serene environment that gently cools and calms your living space.
Surround yourself with plenty of indoor plants. They not only purify the air and regulate temperature, but also invite beauty, serenity, and calm into your home—creating a living, breathing sanctuary that nourishes you from the inside out.
Cooling Foods for Summer
My Ayurvedic teacher, Vaidya Mishra, would say, “Eat sweet, juicy fruits.” Fruits are high in soma—the cooling, nurturing energy emitted by the moon, perfect to balance summer heat. It’s no wonder tropical fruits are sweet and juicy! Pomegranate is especially beneficial for the skin (bhrajak pitta), while pears are another excellent choice, being both cooling and soma-rich. As a wholesome snack, try blending soaked dates with homemade almond milk for a naturally sweet, nourishing drink.
When it comes to vegetables, favour those that are cooling: zucchini, bottle gourd (lauki), summer squashes, cucumber, mint, cilantro, and with astringency offered by parsley and a variety of leafy greens.
Support Digestion & Restore Balance
Use Soma Salt—Himalayan rock salt—for its mineral richness and cooling properties.
After meals, chew a blend of half raw and half toasted fennel seeds to aid digestion.
In the evening, one Triphala tablet before bed can gently support elimination.
During the day, one Wild Amla tablet after meals offers antioxidant and cooling support.
A Daily Diet for Vitality
A whole-foods, alkaline-based diet forms the foundation of health in SV Ayurveda. Focus on simple, fresh, lovingly prepared meals made from vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, legumes, seasonal fruits, nuts, and seeds. Cook with ghee or pure olive oil for nourishment and digestion of food. Make your own fermented food in seconds with takra (a yogurt and water digestive drink) or your own coconut-based probiotic drink to replenish friendly bacteria in the gut, and sip this at lunch daily.
Warm milk, whole yogurt, and soft, unripened cheeses may also be included, depending on your individual needs. If appropriate, small amounts of high-quality animal protein—such as eggs, fish, poultry, or lamb—can be included.
A Note on Milk
In Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda (SV Ayurveda), milk is considered one of the most deeply nourishing foods. Rich in soma—the cooling, stabilizing energy of nature—milk carries heavy, grounding qualities that support strength, vitality, and calm. It is unique in that it can nourish all seven tissue layers of the body (dhatus: plasma (rasa), blood (rakta), muscle (mamsa), fat (meda), bone (asthi), bone marrow (majja), and reproductive fluid (shukra) within just 24 hours. But to receive its full benefits, milk must be consumed properly. Always warm milk, and for optimum digestion add spices such as cinnamon to digest carbohydrates and cardamom to digest the protein in milk. A pinch or two of turmeric can also be added for cleansing the liver, and if you wish some grated ginger root to add a little heat during cooler weather. Milk pairs best with grains, almonds, dates, or a touch of honey. Avoid mixing it with fruit, meat, or salty foods, as these combinations can disturb digestion. Most importantly, choose the best-quality milk you can find—whole, grass-fed, and as minimally processed as possible—to ensure it brings optimum strength, nourishment, and balance to body and mind.
A Note on Fruit
Fresh fruit is a delight in the summer! Fruit is best eaten on its own, especially around midday or in the afternoon when digestive fire (agni) is strongest. As part of a gentle morning routine, SV Ayurveda recommends stewed apple with cloves to awaken digestion first thing in the morning. You can find the original SVA recipe here, along with its gut health benefits.
Grow in Balance & Bliss every Season
Summer invites us to slow down, soften, and nourish ourselves deeply. With the sun high and the fire element strong, our focus turns to cooling, calming, and steadying practices that support digestion, protect vitality, and preserve inner harmony. By aligning with the rhythms of nature and making thoughtful, seasonal choices, we honour the intelligence of our bodies.
May these gentle summer practices bring you ease, balance, and a renewed sense of bliss—inside and out.
References
Vaidya R. K. Mishra- Notes from Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda Courses, Practicum, Conferences and Lectures 2003-2015
