top of page
Writer's pictureVeena Haasl-Blilie

How to Cool Pitta and Reduce Body Heat with Ayurveda

Updated: Oct 1

As the temperatures rise and life gets more intense, Pitta dosha can flare up in our bodies and minds. Pitta comes on fast and it spreads like wildfire. When this happens, it becomes more difficult to keep our cool – both physically and mentally 🥵

Fortunately, Ayurveda offers effective strategies to reduce body heat and balance Pitta dosha, helping you avoid troublesome heat-related issues like excessive sweating, irritability, and digestive discomfort.

This summer, stay cool as a cucumber (one of our favorite cooling foods) with these 16 ways to reduce Pitta and body heat with Ayurveda. Bonus: free Pitta cooling beverage eBook.

How to Reduce Pitta and Body Heat with Ayurveda and Keep Your Cool image women having hot flash

Explore more on the Saumya Blog, selected top Ayurveda blogs and websites.

Which Dosha is Responsible for Body Heat?

In Ayurveda, Pitta dosha is responsible for body heat. Pitta is described as hot, sharp, oily, and penetrating. When fiery Pitta flares up – we burn up and burn out. That's why reducing body heat with Ayurveda starts with reducing Pitta dosha.

Signs of Pitta Imbalance

Pitta heat manifests in many ways, including:

  • Inflammation

  • Skin conditions

  • Migraines

  • Acid reflux

  • Loose stools

  • Nausea

  • Constipation

  • Body odor

  • Excessive sweating

  • Unpleasant menstrual cycles

  • Burn-out and fatigue

  • Mental heat (think short-fuses and irritability)

Do these symptoms look familiar? Explore our Hot List of Common Pitta Imbalances for more insight. Then, try the following Ayurvedic tips to find relief (or book a call with Veena for personalized guidance!).

Free Ayurveda Consultation Cool Pitta

16 Ways to Reduce Pitta and Body Heat with Ayurveda

Believe it or not, it’s easy to get heat out of the body with Ayurveda. Here are 15 powerful, yet manageable, ways to reduce Pitta dosha and chill out:

woman with an armfull of zuchinni, a cooling ayurvedic veggie

1. Eat Cooling, Pitta-Reducing Foods

Your diet is one of the best ways to reduce body heat with Ayurveda. Focus on foods with cooling properties and high water content:

  • Water-Rich Foods: cucumber, asparagus, squash, zucchini, celery, etc.

  • Bitter Greens: dandelion greens, kale, spinach, chard, and beet greens (avoid mustard greens)

  • Cooling Vegetables: beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, okra, parsnip, peas, potatoes, and rutabaga

  • Cooling Herbs: dill, cilantro, coriander, rose

  • Juicy Fruits: mango, papaya, grapes, etc.

  • Berries: strawberries, raspberries, cherries, etc.

  • Melons: watermelon, muskmelon, cantaloupe

  • Whole Grains: rice, quinoa, oats, etc.

  • Dairy: milk, butter, ghee

  • Coconut

  • Almonds (soaked and peeled)

  • Moong dal (sprouted whole green moong or yellow moong dal both make great cooling snacks)

  • Flax seed

Remember to eat your main meal around noon when your digestive fire is strongest. This helps prevent excess heat buildup in the body.


Graphic Saumya Ayurveda's free Pitta recipe eBook


Cooling Ayurvedic Recipes from the Saumya Kitchen

Looking for delicious ways to incorporate these cooling foods into your meals? Explore these original Pitta-balancing recipes from the Saumya Kitchen:

These nourishing dishes are crafted to cool your body, soothe your Pitta, and tantalize your taste buds while supporting your overall well-being.

Woman Enjoying COoling Ayurvedic Drink

2. Stay Hydrated with Cooling Ayurvedic Drinks

Proper hydration is essential for managing body heat. While it may be tempting, avoid ice-cold drinks as they can inhibit digestion and lead to more heat in the body over time. Try these cooling beverages instead:

  • Coconut water with a squeeze of lime

  • Rosewater lemonade

  • Mint-infused water

  • Room temperature herbal teas (hibiscus, rose, chamomile)

  • Aloe vera juice

  • Fennel and cumin seed water


Cooling Drinks from the Saumya Kitchen

There are many ways to quench your thirst and cool your Pitta with Ayurvedic beverages. Try these original recipes from Saumya Ayurveda:

These refreshing concoctions are designed to not only cool your body but also balance your doshas and support overall well-being.


Reduce Body Heat with Ayurvedic Gentle Exercise


3. Do Light Exercise in the Morning or Evening

Exercise is great for your well-being, but it can also heat up your body and mind. Reduce Pitta by exercising early in the morning or in the evening when temperatures are lower.

Opt for less strenuous activities like:

  • Brisk walks near water or in nature

  • Gentle yoga or tai chi

  • Swimming or water aerobics

  • Leisurely bike rides

Remember to listen to your body and avoid overexertion, especially on hot summer days. Find a way to get exercise without leaving your body overheated and your mind overly intense.

client testimonial graphic

Cool Pitta with Abhyange Oil Massage

4. Perform Ayurvedic Oil Massage (Abhyanga)

Abhyanga, or Ayurvedic self-massage, is an ideal way to relax and cool the body. Massaging cooling oils into your skin can bring you instant relief on a hot day. Use oils with natural anti-Pitta properties such as:

  • Coconut oil

  • Sunflower oil

  • Brahmi-infused oils

  • Saumya Ayurveda's Pitta-cooling oil

Massage these oils into your skin, paying special attention to your feet, hands, and scalp. This practice not only cools the body and prevents Pitta from building up and boiling over, it also calms the mind and improves our overall well-being.


How to Reduce Pitta and Body Heat with Ayurveda and Keep Your Cool image cotton linen shirts

5. Dress in Pitta-Cooling Clothing

According to Ayurveda, one can reduce Pitta and heat by choosing fabrics and colors of clothes that balance Pitta. This concept aligns with Surya Chikitsa, the Ayurvedic practice of color therapy or treatment.

Surya Chikitsa teaches that colors have a profound impact on our physical and mental well-being. By extending this principle to our clothing and environment, we can create a cooling effect that helps balance Pitta dosha.

Here's how to apply this wisdom:

  • Favor cool, natural fabrics that breathe well, such as 100% cotton and linen.

  • Choose flowing fabrics that allow air to circulate around the body.

  • As Pitta quality is predominantly hot, cooling colors bring balance – look to the cool side of the color palette and favor blues, greens, cool purples, and white.

  • If you're feeling particularly warm, consider dousing your clothing with cool water or using cooling scarves and neck gaiters designed to keep you cooler.

The principles of Surya Chikitsa can be extended to your environment as well. Consider incorporating cooling colors in your home decor, such as the color of paint on the walls, furniture, or even something as simple as the color of flowers or pictures on your desk at work.

By mindfully choosing your clothing and surroundings based on these Ayurvedic principles, you can create a cooling oasis that helps keep Pitta in check throughout your day.

A woman cooling body heat and pitta with Ayurvedic meditation

6. Reduce Mental and Emotional Intensity

Hot weather isn’t the only thing that heats up Pitta dosha. There’s Pitta season, of course, and Pitta-aggravating foods like alcohol, caffeine, and hot spices. But the most overlooked source of Pitta provocation is... intensity!

We live intense lives. Commuting, stressful, demanding jobs, work-life balance challenges, pandemics, and on it goes. There's a lot of intensity just navigating daily life, so where we can, we need to release the pressure and also learn how to keep it from building up.

Here are a few Pitta-friendly ways to manage stress and intensity in your life:

  • Practice mindfulness and guided meditation daily

  • Set boundaries to create work/life balance

  • Engage in calming activities like reading, painting, or gardening

  • Take regular breaks during work to prevent burnout

  • Practice gratitude to shift focus from stressors to positives

When we take steps to make our life less intense and overwhelming, Pitta cools down – and our bodies do, too. Read our blogs Ayurveda for Anxiety and Burnout and Natural Remedies to Manage Anxiety with Ayurveda to cool intensity and reclaim your calm.

woman performing nadi shodhana or alternate nostril breathing

7. Practice Pranayama Breathwork

The way we breathe changes how energy flows throughout our bodies. If you learn to breathe diaphragmatically, you will be calmer and healthier, and you'll strengthen your mind and body connection.

So, take a deep breath – let's relax.

Ready to get started? Incorporate these cooling, centering practices into your daily routine, and you will change how you feel. Empower yourself.


Vile of Nasya Oil to Cool Pitta and Reduce Body Heat

8. Find Balance With Nasya Oil

Nasya, the Ayurvedic practice of applying medicated oil to the nasal passages, can be a powerful tool in cooling Pitta and reducing body heat. This therapeutic treatment nourishes and cleanses the nasal passageways, considered the gateway to the brain in Ayurveda.

What is Nasya Oil? Nasya oil is infused with Ayurvedic herbs to balance the doshas, improve prana flow, and alleviate various health issues. For cooling Pitta, specific cooling herbs and oils are used in the preparation.

Benefits of Nasya for Cooling Pitta:

  • Soothes and cools the mind

  • Relieves tension and heat in the head area

  • Can help alleviate Pitta-related issues like headaches

How to Use Nasya Oil for Cooling: Use Nasya oils with cooling ingredients like Brahmi oil, coconut oil, or ghee. Apply a few drops in each nostril in the morning or before bed. This practice helps cool the head and mind, often providing relief from headaches and mental tension.

*Note: While Nasya can benefit many, it's important to remember that Ayurveda emphasizes personalized care. An experienced Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner can help identify the correct Nasya oil blend to effectively reduce body heat and cool Pitta for your individual needs.

client testimonial graphic

9. Try Ayurvedic Moon Bathing

Wondering how to do an Ayurvedic moon bath? It's simple. Go outside. Sit or lay on the ground or, if you prefer a chair or lounge chair. Whichever you choose, keep the head, neck, and spine in alignment, yet relaxed.

  • Sit or lie outside under moonlight

  • Practice gentle diaphragmatic breathing

  • Listen to our free guided practices. Choose one 11-minute practice from Part Two and continue directly on to Part Three.

  • Enjoy your moon bathing experience for at least 30 minutes.


Rose spray

10. Use Cooling Mists

Soothe your skin with a cooling facial mist. Keep in the fridge and spritz if you feel a hot flash coming on. Book a free consultation to see why Saumya clients love our organic rosewater mist.


11. Embrace Aromatherapy

Use cooling essential oils like sandalwood, jasmine, or spearmint to calm Pitta. Fragrant flowers can soothe Pitta, too. So, stop and smell the roses – and the lavender, geranium, and jasmine! – it's nature's aromatherapy.


12. Practice Emotional Release:

Holding in or onto emotions aggravates Pitta. Is something or someone creating stress in your life? Conduct a reflective assessment and let go of what and who is no longer supportive.

Journal, talk with a trusted friend, or seek professional support to let go of pent-up emotions. You should feel lifted and energized after interacting with your life, not spent and irritated.


13. Incorporate Ayurvedic Daily Routines:

Establish cooling morning and evening routines to maintain balance throughout the day. Explore these Saumya guides to determine which daily rituals are right for you:


14. Be Mindful of Sun Exposure

While sunlight is essential for health, excessive exposure can aggravate Pitta dosha and increase body heat. To balance your sun exposure:

  • Limit time in direct sunlight, especially during peak hours (10 am to 4 pm)

  • Seek shade when outdoors, particularly under trees which offer cooling energy

  • Use protective clothing such as wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses

  • Apply natural, Pitta-pacifying sunscreens

  • Practice sun salutations early in the morning to harmonize with the sun's energy

  • Opt for Ayurvedic Moon Baths

Remember, moderation is key. Some sunlight is beneficial, but protect yourself from overexposure to maintain Pitta balance.

client testimonial graphic

15. Balance Social Activities

Be aware of your social energy limits and take time to recharge when needed. Be smart about events and observe what your sweet spot is for social activities. If you're prone to overheating, take it easy, don't push yourself. Pitta types may tend to push themselves, and what is needed to balance that intensity is to back off and take it easy.


16. Left Nostril Breathing | Chandra Bhedana Pranayama


Left Nostril Breathing | Chandra Bhedana (Moon-Piercing Breath)

bhedana = piercing

(chahn-drah)chandra = moon


An easy and most effective pranayama which cools the body. Single nostril breathing purifies the Chandra (moon) Nadi (channel). Nadis are energy channels in the subtle body through which prana (energy) flows.


Every hour and half, our bodies switch which nostril is dominant (most open). When the left nostril is dominant, our body cools down.


To Perform Chandra Bhedana or Left Nostril Breathing: Gently close your right nostril and simply breathing normally, inhaling and exhaling through the left nostril. This pranayama activates the parasympathetic nervous system activates, reducing adrenaline, slowly the heartrate, calming and clearing the thinking, reduces anxiety and...the body temperatures drops.

Chandra Bhedana is instantly cooling.



How Do I Know If I Have a Dosha Imbalance?

Peruse these comprehensive and convenient lists of signs and symptoms of dosha imbalances.

Peruse these comprehensive and convenient lists of signs and symptoms of dosha imbalances. As we are comprised of all Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, there can be an imbalance in any of the doshas, or a combination of dosha imbalances. Read all three lists and see if anything looks familiar.

 

Cool Pitta and Reduce Body Heat With Ayurveda

Saumya Ayurveda Can Show You How!

If you struggle with overheating during the summer months, find your body running hot throughout the year, have hot flashes, migraines, heated skin conditions, a short fuse....talk with Veena. One short conversation could be the start of a lifetime of relief.


 
client testimonial graphic
client testimonial graphic


woman drinking mango juice in hammock under the tree

“I have been so fortunate to have been introduced to Veena by a friend, and I absolutely want to share her information with you. Veena is so dedicated to one’s health that it feels amazing to have her on my side. She's truly a beautiful soul. She is helping me navigate all my issues with perimenopause and I am so glad, as the herbs she has given me have not only boosted my immune system greatly, but have chilled my nervous system out", and I’m sleeping again.”  – S.J., Saudi Arabia

 

“It is with great pleasure that I write this review! Working with Veena has remarkably changed my life – even in the places I was unaware that it demanded to be changed! Throughout the course of four months, Veena’s gentle and succinct approach allowed me to easily refine my routines into a more structured foundation that left me feeling more in graceful governance with myself – emotionally and physically.

Not only had she brought forth awareness in how I prepare/ relate to the food I eat, but she also prescribed me wonderful herbs to help calm my anxiety, detox my liver, and heal the ugly night sweats I’ve been experiencing due to hormonal imbalances.


Lastly, her guided meditations are a great grounding force, and I have since continued to explore the euphoric benefits of Yoga Nidra.

Veena is a well of divine knowledge, and her humor and light will be eternally appreciated!”

--Rachel Monson, Wisconsin


 


“I was dreading and anticipating hating a weeklong 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


 


“Veena has been great. I suffered with burning mouth syndrome for many years. Doctors and dentists had no idea what I was even talking about, much less solutions. Veena knew immediately. Within a few weeks of using the herbs and protocols she recommended, I am not experiencing any of the symptoms I did previously. And, my thinking is clearer, I am nearly free from hot flashes, and I feel more like myself.

Everything has been easy to incorporate into my life, which is the best part. This feels sustainable. I highly recommend working with Veena.”

– Liz Pfeffer, Albuquerque, New Mexico



 

“I was inflamed. I had trouble keeping weight on, I was diagnosed with incurable ulcerative proctitus, my energy was very low, and I was taking medications daily for a skin condition, and I had severe migraines.

 

Following Veena’s guidance, all these conditions have been nearly eliminated! The incurable ulcerative proctitus was given a Mayo Clinic Score of 0, normal or inactive disease. 

 

I’m very grateful to Veena for the wonderful results and the healthier quality of life we have attained together. Without reservation, I highly recommend Veena at Saumya Ayurveda.”

---Christopher Schirber, Yoga Teacher, Minnesota


 

“Before I met with Veena, I was always tired. I would wake up and then need to take a nap. I had pain all the time. Now I enjoy walks and the other day, I realized I had no pain, for the first time, and I am very happy about that. I am a believer now!” 

--Rami D., India

How to Reduce Pitta and Body Heat with Ayurveda and Keep Your Cool image woman reading a map

Discover the Saumya Ayurveda Way

We all want to be heard, understood, and cared for as whole beings, not a set of isolated symptoms. True health is more than the absence of disease, which is why Western medicine so often leaves us feeling hopeless and unseen.

Deep down, you already know what you’re searching for: a new framework for living – one that brings your entire being back into balance. With Saumya Ayurveda, you’ll receive individualized guidance to create the physically, mentally, and spiritually vibrant life you crave.

Saumya Ayurveda provides concierge, top-notch, award-winning Ayurveda care. We strive to keep it simple, so you can focus on you! Opt for virtual consultations and we'll come to you.

Our practice model is client focused, we’re not in the retail herb business. We’ll guide you where to order herbs directly online. Our top-shelf Ayurveda oils and herbalized ghees are the best in the land and we’ll ship your care package right to your doorstep.

Our effective multi-appointment consultation packages provide you with experienced Ayurveda care, enthusiastic guidance, and inspiring support.


BEFORE YOU LEAVE…

If you found value in this article, please help others by sharing it and reposting it on your social media platforms.

Saumya Ayurveda is dedicated to offering you insightful Ayurveda content for free to assist you in embracing an Ayurveda lifestyle. Thank you for your support.

How to Reduce Pitta and Body Heat with Ayurveda and Keep Your Cool image Veena at Saumya Ayurveda

MEET VEENA: YOUR AYURVEDIC GUIDE

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.

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.



Related Posts

See All