Five Tips to counter the summer heat

​Five tips to help you move through the end of the summer season with ease. 
 
1.) Drink more water.
2.) Eat moist and cooling foods.
3.) Take an afternoon stretch/rest break.
4.) Walk/exercise in the morning when the air if freshest.
5.) Tell your loved one (and others close to you) that you care about them.
 
As the summer season draws to a close, make sure you take time to get outdoors. Appreciate the long days, the warm weather, and the bounty all around you before its gone. Cultivate a sense of gratitude for this wonderfully abundant season, and let that soothe a tired heart, and softens a weary face. It does much to boost relationships with others, too and may even improve the quality of your sleep.

Here in Colorado, the air grows hotter as the sun rises higher in the sky over the course of the day. That, combined with living at a higher elevation, naturally draws moisture from our bodies each time we breathe. So it’s important to hydrate. Be conscious about how much water you consume each day. Aim to drink close to half your body weight in ounces each day. This alone will keep your muscles fluid and your body systems functioning optimally.

Eating moist and cooling foods help with that, as well. They also soothe and even cool a body that may be irritated at this time of the season by the hot, dry air or a busy schedule. Feeling “off” or a bit irritable? This is a natural reaction at the height of the Pitta (or summer) Season. Pitta is one of the three primary ayurveda doshas or psycho-physiological elements that govern all body/mind activities. It is best kept calm through the food choices we make.

Great choices to consume more of now include: melons, mangos, grapes, and pears, cucumbers, coconut, mint, broccoli, zucchini, as well as coriander and fennel, plain milk, butter, & ghee.  

While it might seem like a good idea, grabbing an iced and carbonated drink to cool you down may actually impede digestion. All year long, it is best to consume foods and beverages as close to room temperature as possible to avoid overtaxing the digestive system.

You can cool your system by consuming more of the foods listed above. You can also cool it by resting when the sun is hot and high in the sky. Rather than going on a run or long bicycle ride at mid-day, can you move your exercise activities to earlier in the morning right now? That way you may have time to take a break when the day begins heating up. Rest, rather than activity, soothes an imbalanced Pitta Dosha. How can you work some quiet time into your afternoon?

If you think of pitta as the energy and power of the fire element, it’s easy to understand how the Pitta Dosha relates to the energy of transformation.  Pitta personalities may exhibit some fiery qualities – because they typically dot their "I's" and cross their "T's" they make great planners, they’re good at pushing through obstacles, and they like to see results. However, those same qualities can tax the heart, increase digestive acids or blood pressure, and weaken the liver and gallbladder if they get out of whack. Taking time to appreciate the world around you (a walk in nature is the perfect way to do this) and to let others know you appreciate them will go a long way to pacifying an imbalanced pitta dosha.

I invite you, right now, to pause. Take a moment and bring to mind those people you love. Can you send them a message now? Telepathically, electronically, or by even picking up the phone and saying hello.

This is a great way to soothe the heart, and elevate the quality of your relationships. After all, life is short and the summer season is almost over. If you’ve been too busy to reach out and connect, please make time for that now. Your heart will thank you, and so do I.

If you’d like support as you navigate seasonal changes, or you’d like to know more about your unique wellness personality as expressed through your ayurveda dosha, please contact me. I am here to help you navigate the changes in life from a place of strength, calm, and coolness.

Namaste, Sharon Harvey Alexander C-IAYT

PS: To up the hydrating qualities of plain water and make it less "boring", consider adding a squeeze of lime juice and a tiny pinch of pink Himalayan Salt. Enjoy!