I LOVE summer and the warmth it brings (makes my vata very happy), but whew, some of these days the heat is more than I can manage. I have a significant amount of pitta in my constitution, and when heat meets heat, it’s on!
There’s a general understanding in Ayurveda that like increases like and that opposites cure—meaning that we treat the dosha involved with herbs and therapies of an opposite nature to its quality.
It’s important to remember—especially in the Summer (pitta season)—to treat pitta with cooling and calming therapies, because it mainly consists of the element of fire and is primarily hot in attribute.
Knowledge of our doshas and individual constitution is key to preventative health and optimal living. When we understand ourselves to the root of our psychological and physiological being, we have a deeper understanding of what dis-eases we may be prone to, and how to treat them when we find ourselves out of balance—and of course, most importantly, what to do to stay in balance.
So in honor of this hot summer, I thought it would be nice to offer a few cooling tea recipes for you to enjoy!
To counterbalance pitta dosha, which naturally increases during the summer, we want to treat it with the sweet, astringent and bitter tastes, all of which are cooling in nature. The tea recipes below aid in reducing pitta and staying in balance.
This Adrenal Tonic/Pitta-Reducing Tea was created by fellow Ayurvedic Practitioner and Herbalist Isabel Castro.
Pitta type of people love to work and have a tendency to burn out! Try this yummy tea which I recommend to many of my clients, which they all seem to love, myself included to replenish the adrenals and calm the mind.
Add 2 rounded teaspoons to 2 cups hot water. Cover and steep overnight. Strain and enjoy 1 cup in the morning, and 1 cup in the afternoon, away from meals.
This is another version of pitta-reducing tea, very similar to the one above and just as yummy.
Add 2 rounded teaspoons to 2 cups hot water. Cover and steep overnight or for 20 minutes, and serve warm.
(I like to add almond milk and sucanat to the tea and drink it as a replacement for chai in the summer.)
Considered sattvic and pure, this one cools the mind and opens the heart.
Add 1 rounded teaspoon to 1 cup of water. Cover and steep overnight. Strain and enjoy your cup of tea at room temperature.
Yummy…one of my favorites!
Add all ingredients to a blender and mix. Voila! Yumminess!
Enjoy your summer! Stay cool!
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Oralia Edgel
April 15, 2021
Thank you for the tea recipes. I enjoy all your face oils. Will you ever sell some of the tea ingredients in the future?