What is the pitta dosha in ayurveda?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:Pitta individuals are typically of medium build. Physically, they have good muscle tone; have a tendency to always feel warm; have premature graying hair or balding; have reddish complexions; enjoy high energy levels; and have really strong digestion -- they can eat almost anything. Mentally, they are extremely intelligent, focused, ambitious people. Emotionally, they are passionate about life, have a tendency to be perfectionists, and can become easily irritated.
To keep pitta balanced, choose more sweet, bitter, and astringent foods; spices like turmeric and peppercorn can cool pitta.Pitta individuals are typically of medium build. Physically, they have good muscle tone; have a tendency to always feel warm; have premature graying hair or balding; have reddish complexions; enjoy high energy levels; and have really strong... More -
Yogi Cameron Alborzian answered:The act of digesting the food we’ve consumed and turning it into energy is known in modern terms as metabolism. We ingest the food and our body extracts what it needs to maintain its various processes. In Ayurvedic terms, this act of creating energy is governed by what is called the Pitta dosha. Pitta energy metabolizes food, regulates the strength of the digestive system, circulates the nutritional content of that food through the body’s blood, and ensures our ability to continually assimilate the various things we imbibe—be they beneficial or toxic. It is a combination of the fire and water elements, in that it cooks energy from what we take in much like boiling water cooks vegetables. In a manner of speaking, it is the energy that produces energy. But while balanced Pitta energy facilitates healthy metabolism of energy, an accumulation of it can lead to an excess of heat. When vegetables sit over a fire too long, they burn. When an excess of Pitta energy overwhelms the body, it can get burnt out as well.
People who are born with a lot of Pitta energy in their constitution are sensitive to heat, which means that they will be likely to experience a lot of issues related to hotness and irritation:
- Indigestion and acid reflux (too much fire in the stomach)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (inflammation in the GI tract)
- Outbreaks on the skin like hives and acne (irritation of the skin)
- Profuse sweating (too much heat in need of cooling off)
- Other inflammation in the body like tendinitis and rheumatoid arthritis
- Irritability and anger (too much heat in the mind)
- Any other condition related to heat and digestion
The act of digesting the food we’ve consumed and turning it into energy is known in modern terms as metabolism. We ingest the food and our body extracts what it needs to maintain its various processes. In Ayurvedic terms, this act... More
