Hasn’t it been hot! With a high in London of 40 on July 19th July, experiencing heat waves is a reality to be managed as best we can. So, with this global trend being felt by many, here are some simple choices to help keep you cool!
How to Use Your 5 Senses to Stay Cool
Ayurveda explains that three principles of nature called Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas underlie nature’s organising power, including temperature outside and within. As Pitta dosha is associated with the sun and responsible for bodily heat, digestion and assimilation, keeping Pitta in balance is essential when you need to avoid overheating and want to stay cool.
Let’s consider how you can use your five senses to help balance Pitta dosha within you to help you stay cool when needed.
Pitta is most strongly balanced through the senses when favouring:
- TASTE: Pitta balancing food and drink choices
- SMELL: Cooling and sweet aromas
- VISION: Being in nature or around lakes, seas or swimming pools
- HEARING: Hearing music or sounds that uplifts your heart and meditation’s inner stillness and silence.
- TOUCH: Touch, which provides a harmonious, cooling or uplifting influence. “Touch” in a broader sense also relates to your sleep and intensity of focus in daily activity.
Now let’s look at each of these recommendations in greater depth.
- Pitta balancing food and drink choices
First, consider what foods and drinks naturally increase heat within you to minimise these choices when the weather is hot. The most critical Pitta aggravating dietary choices to avoid or reduce when the weather is hot:
- Eating hot, spicy, salty, oily or fried foods.
- Eating sour or fermented products such as cheese, yoghurt, vinegar and sour cream and taking coffee, caffeinated food or drinks, and alcoholic beverages.
- Being exposed to contaminated food and water.
- Eating processed foods, junk foods, red meats, seafood, chillies, and sugary desserts.
Cooling food and drinks and dietary behaviours to favour are:
- Never skip or delay your meals, and aim to eat your lunch at Noon and dinner by 7.00 pm.
- Always eat when hungry, as delaying will cause the gastric juices to start digesting you.
- If your appetite becomes variable, consider taking Herbal Digest (MA927).
- To support normal appetite and freedom from cravings.
- It helps digestion feel lighter and more comfortable.
- It contains Pomegranate Seeds which help balance and stimulate the appetite and digestion process
- If prone to reflux or acidity, consider eating a sweet apple after a meal.
- Stay well hydrated – Drink plenty of water, juices and Pitta Tea throughout the day. Favour cooling herbal teas containing mint, spearmint, liquorice, vanilla or camomile.
- Eat warm whole grains, beans, milk, butter and small amounts of cream, and lots of pesticide-free sweet juicy fruits that are seasonal and seasonal vegetables, especially leafy greens. This time of the year is the best time to enjoy a hearty salad, especially at lunchtime.
- If you are a non-vegetarian, favour chicken, white portion of eggs, turkey, venison and freshwater fish such as salmon. Avoid or reduce other seafood foods, red meats such as beef, lamb and fatty meats such as pork.
- Avoid shocking the digestive system, especially around meal times, with iced tea, ice water or other icy drinks and icy desserts such as ice cream. If desired, take ice cream or similar foods a couple of hours away from main meals.
- Sit quietly and eat with your full attention as watching videos or using the computer or mobile splits attention and aggravates digestion.
- To soothe aggravated Pitta, take two teaspoons of Ghee (clarified butter) in a glass of warm milk instead of your evening meal or a couple of hours after a very light evening meal.
- Cooling and sweet aromas
Nothing is better for soothing the heart when the weather is hot or one feels a little frustrated or bothered than the sweet-smelling aroma of rose, jasmine or sweet orange, the cooling influence of sandalwood, mint, or the soothing scent of lavender and neem. Cooling and nourishing, consider adding the following to your home to help cool and nourish the whole family.
Maharishi Ayurveda Rose Soap contains natural oils and fragrant aroma essences of mint and 100% pure rose aroma oil.
Maharishi Ayurveda Pitta Soap contains essential oil of the blue water lily and 100% naturally pure sandalwood aroma oil. It is particularly cooling during hot weather.
Peppermint Essential Oil
This refreshing, stimulating and cooling essential oil provides powerful support for the digestive system, eases nausea, and can be helpful in cases of motion sickness. When used in massage oil, it relieves joint and muscle discomfort and is helpful for menstrual cramps. Put a drop on your temples and the back of your neck if you get a headache. Add it to your favourite lotion for the ultimate foot rub. Peppermint refreshes a tired mind. Make this a must for sports blends or for rubbing on tired feet.
3. Spending time out in nature or around lakes, seas or swimming pools.
Where we put our attention creates an influence on how we feel. When we see or experience cooling waters, whether a local swimming pool, walking by the lake or seaside, nature’s coolness helps bring about a balance of heat. Similarly, walking under trees or in green areas brings about evenness also.
When considering our vision’s influence, it is essential to note that violent or aggressive movies or interactions increase heat. Hot weather is the time to favour comedy, romance and light entertainment that brings laughter, compassion and camaraderie.
One area that may go unnoticed is the heating influence on our vision when we use electronic tools such as mobiles, computers, tablets etc. Take breaks to protect your eyes and wash your face, particularly over the eyes, with room temperature water regularly throughout the day if you use computers regularly.
- Soak a cotton wool ball in a little rose water and gently wipe it over the outside of closed eyes for a cooling effect.
To cool down quickly:
- Place your inner wrists under cool water.
- Apply a cool, wet cloth to the back of the neck and hydrate with cool but not ice water as it is too shocking when your body is hot.
- When showering, favour a lukewarm to cool temperature; avoid very hot showers as they heat your inner core, which needs to stay cool when the weather is hot.
4. Hearing music and sounds that uplifts your heart and meditation’s inner stillness and silence.
Music that is harmonious and brings laughter and relaxation is the best choice when the weather is hot and a cooling influence is needed. Jarring, conflicting or aggressive music carries the same effect on the listener and is heating.
Reaching for inner stillness and silence through a daily practice of meditation or prayer is helpful when the weather is hot. It provides internal ease to the mind and emotions, translating to more loving responses to loved ones and being more effective at work. I practise Transcendental Meditation.
Hot weather is also the time to give each other a little slack in conversation as tempers flare more quickly. It can be challenging to hold a broader perspective when we are overheated. If you have been waiting to have a chat to ‘sort out an issue, then hot weather is not the time to do it. Put it off until the weather is cooler and your ability to be objective and communicate compassionately is more supported by nature.
5. Touch, which provides a harmonious, cooling or uplifting influence.
A cooling breeze as it blows gently upon our skin can be very welcome when the weather is hot. Hot weather is the time to use cooling fans to reduce the heat within your home or office.
The touch of the sun upon your skin is also heating. Thus, it is best to stay out of the noonday sun and to walk or exercise gently in the cooler hours of the day.
Be sure to use a moisturiser over the face and body to help your skin stay hydrated.
Applying cooling oils over the skin as part of a daily morning massage before a shower or bath is very helpful. Choose Maharishi Ayurveda Pitta Massage Oil, Coconut Oil or Olive oil as they have a cooling influence on the skin. Sweet and cooling aromas can be added to a base oil as desired to enhance the cooling and balancing effect, as has been done with the Maharishi Ayurveda Pitta Massage Oil.
“Touch” in a broader sense also relates to your sleep and intensity of focus in daily activity. To stay cool during sleep, favour cotton pyjamas, bed linen and blankets from a natural fibre. You can aim to keep your bedroom temperature at a cool temperature as this aids sleep best. The use of a fan in the bedroom is helpful if needed.
If you are experiencing difficulties sleeping through as sleep is interrupted, then Blissful Sleep – Vata & Pitta (MA1684) may be just what is needed. Interrupted sleep is a sign of Pitta imbalance and may be more prevalent when the weather is hot. If so, consider taking this herbal to help you get a good night of sleep,
Wishing you the bliss of balance today and always as you navigate our changing world and find balance within.
