What to do when the dog days of summer are here? From an Ayurvedic perspective, the pitta dosha is elevated during the summer months. Signs that this is the case include:

  • inflammation
  • red, irritated skin or acne
  • being judgmental or overly critical
  • indigestion towards loose stools
  • excessive sweating or body odor

Maybe you aren’t experiencing any of these, but aren’t quite thriving either. What to do? In addition to keeping cool by drinking water or being in water and pranayama like śitali breath, certain foods have pitta balancing effects. One of these is cucumber. According to Joyful Belly, pitta calming cucumber has benefits for the blood and skin. Follow the link below for some fun pitta pacifying recipes that will keep you as cool as a cucumber.