Veena Haasl-Blilie
Mar 1, 20215 min
Updated: Apr 20
What is the Pitta-sunburn connection? Everything you wanted to know to stay out of the red zone.
Explore more on the Saumya Blog, selected top Ayurveda blogs and websites to watch.
Ayurveda, the science of health, describes the world as being made up of five elements, Aakash (space), Jala (water), Prithvi (earth), Teja (fire), and Vayu (air). These five elements come together to form 3 distinct humors referred to as the Doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
The Doshas, in turn, determine people’s personalities and body types. Nature does not standardize. There are no two leaves on a tree that are exactly identical and there are not two humans who are the same. Everyone is a comprised of a one of a kind mix of the Vata, Pitta and Kapha doshas. The doshas give shape to the physical body, sleep, digestion, hair, voice, intellect and more.
Pitta dosha governs metabolism, it is the element of fire and water. Think of Pitta as an unctuous watery quality and as the fires within. Picture an old heating system in which there is a pilot light (a main fire) and then several radiators throughout the home which are also fires. The fires need to be balanced just so--not too high, not too low.
According to Ayurveda, skin is a Pitta organ and it is known that skin is the largest organ of digestion. It digests touch (think of receiving a nice hug) and it digests sunlight. Therefore, attention needs to be paid to managing Pitta outside and inside to keep Pitta dosha from spreading.
As winter comes to an end, it's more tempting than ever to spend time in the sun. Sunlight provides your body with much-needed Vitamin D, but too much sunshine can lead to a sunburn. Thankfully, once you know how to get rid of sunburn fast with Ayurveda, you'll always be able to get the relief that you need.
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When your skin is sunburned, it's inflamed. The best way to heal your sunburn and to ease your pain is to reduce the inflammation. Both ghee and aloe vera can soothe your skin instantly while helping your body to repair and recover from its burn.
Ghee can be applied to the skin once or twice each day. You can apply aloe vera to the affected areas up to eight times per day. You can continue to apply these substances until your skin is fully healed.
In addition to using topical treatments on your sunburned skin, you should try to reduce inflammation from the inside by eating foods that will keep your body cool. Fresh leafy greens like arugula and spinach can speed up your recovery time.
Other Pitta cooling and nourishing foods you should try include cucumber, watermelon, cilantro, and berries. Try eating more immunity-boosting Ayurvedic foods so that it will be easier for your body to recover from sunburns and other injuries.
Because Vitamin D is so beneficial to the body, you should try to expose yourself to the sunlight for at least 15 minutes each day. You can do this and avoid sunburn if you take steps to protect your skin and keep it safe.
One of the best ways to reduce your skin of sunburn is to drink green tea on a daily basis. The leaves in green tea are rich in antioxidants. When you drink green tea regularly, you can strengthen your skin and protect it against future damage.
While essential oils can be beneficial to your skin, you should be cautious about applying certain oils to your skin before you go out in the sunlight. Some oils, like coconut oil, lemon verbena and bergamot, can actually increase your sensitivity to the sun. It's best to wash these oils off your skin if you're going to be outdoors.
If you often find yourself developing rashes after sun exposure, you should create a paste from sandalwood and turmeric. Both of these ingredients contain natural oils that can soothe and clear up your skin without causing any damage. Turmeric is also an anti-inflammatory, which makes it especially effective at healing sunburns.
Rosewater can also keep your skin from becoming irritated. For this reason, you may want to use rosewater when mixing your paste. The right topical treatments will help you avoid rashes and clear up your skin right away.
How to Get Rid of Sunburn Quicker with Ayurveda is a natural way to keep your cool this summer.
Keep a bottle of rosewater in your refrigerator and spritz your skin. It's also a great way to refresh and give yourself a lift. Rose is refreshing, soothing, and hydrating wonderful to use in the bath and applied to the face with a base oil. The diffusing of essential oil of rose is soothing to the soul. Rose is sattvic and cooling, a perfect aroma for Pitta pacification.
"I was dreading and anticipating hating a week long outside summer event. I’ve always hated summer. Hate being in the heat. Hate being in the sun. I am SO surprised! I enjoyed being there, being outside. I tolerated the high heat well and enjoyed the whole week. I was and am in a good mood. I was not affected by the heat and sun. And, for the first time in 46 years, I didn’t get sunburnt—I tanned!"
-- A.D. Minnesota
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Veena is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and meditation teacher, and monk.
She is President Emeritus and teaching faculty of the Meditation Center.
Veena fell in love with the traditional medicine used in her family’s home, learning herbal remedies at her grandmother's knee.
These childhood experiences were the seeds of a lifelong passion. For over 30 years, Veena has dedicated her life to the world’s oldest healing system: Ayurveda.
She draws on this ancient wisdom to help others find their compass to a healthy life – and support those left wanting by Western medicine.
An experienced Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, Veena’s deep, intuitive knowledge of Ayurveda empowers her clients to reclaim their fullest, most vibrant lives –mentally, physically, and spiritually. Veena individualizes treatment plans to each person, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach, so it fits your life and becomes woven in your lifestyle, naturally.