Pitta Dosha

Pitta is a composite of the elements fire and water, Pitta is characterized by being intense, hot,
oily and sharp.
Balanced
Temper --- Healthy Hair --- Decreased Acid
Pitta governs all heat, metabolism and transformation in the mind and body. It controls how
we digest foods, how we metabolize our sensory perceptions, and how we discriminate
between right and wrong. Pitta governs the important digestive "Agnis" or fires of the body.
Pitta Governs
Alochaka Pitta
Functioning of the eyes
Bhrajaka Pitta
Healthy glow of the skin
Sadhaka Pitta
Desire, drive, decisiveness, spirituality
Pachaka Pitta
Digestion, assimilation, metabolism for healthy nutrients and tissues
Ranjaka Pitta
Healthy, toxin-free blood
Do I need to balance Pitta
I tend to be demanding or critical
I am a perfectionist
I'm often frustrated, angry
I have skin rashes
I'm often irritable and impatient
My hair is prematurely gray, thinning
I don't tolerate hot weather very well
If you have two or more of the above symptoms you may need to balance your Pitta
Pitta out of Balance

Alochaka Pitta
Blood shot eyes, poor vision
Bhrajaka Pitta
Skin rashes, acne
Sadhaka Pitta
Demanding, perfectionistic, workaholic
Pachaka Pitta
Acid stomach
Olive oil, Sunflower oil and Coconut oil are the best for balancing Pitta. Reduce Sesame,
Almond and Corn oil as they increase Pitta.
Cinnamon, Coriander, Cardamom and Fennel are good for pacifying Pitta. But Ginger,
Cumin Seeds, Black Pepper, Fenugreek, Clove, Celery Seed, Salt, Chilli Peppers and
Mustard Seeds strongly aggravate Pitta and therefore, should be taken in small amounts.
Medicines

Triphala is recommended as the medicine par excellence for maintaining good eye sight (and
for longevity and health in general) [2]. Triphala is a combination of 3 fruits Amalaki
(Indian goosebery), Bibhitaki and Haritaki.
Depending on the type of Dosha imbalance, Triphala can be mixed with ghee, oil or honey
for the most beneficial effect.
Ayurveda emphasizes that to restore the balance of the vein system in any part of the body the
small intestine must first be cleaned with laxative or purgative drugs (see list on page 143),
along with diuretics to flush the urinary system (see page Error! Bookmark not defined.).

A reliable formula for treating Pitta is Kaisara

Guggulu.
Another formula for Pitta diseases, especially
fevers, is Sudarsana churna.
http://www.ayurvedainnepal.com/foundations/t
he-different-aspects-of-pitta/

Reducing Pitta (with cool, dry, soft, heavy, contained and sweet smelling things)
herbal approach

Brahmi, Guduchi, Bhringaraj, Aloe, Turmeric, Amla (present in Triphala), Shatavari, Punarnava,
Manjishta, Tulsi/Holy Basil, Cumin, Rose, Coriander, Bringaraj, Gotu-Kola, Gokshura, Sariva, Neem,
Licorice, Saffron,
Formulae: Pippaliamla, Nimbadi, Panchatikta Ghrita, Pushyanuga, Madasudarshan, Chyavanprash,
Triphala...
Avoid: Ashwagandha...

Pitta pacifying diet:

sweet, bitter, astringent
(See Chinese Dietary Therapy for lists of foods of different flavors. The Chinese and Indians have
identical taste buds.)
juicy, fresh, cooling, high water content, raw

Pachaka Pitta

Pachaka pitta is located in the small intestine and the stomach. Its primary function is the
digestion, absorption, and assimilation of foods. Pachaka pitta works in close coordination
withis even considered part ofjathara agni (the central digestive fire), which regulates
agni throughout the body. Pachaka pitta embodies the energy of fire, heat, and transformation,
and is intricately connected to the digestive function of the liver.
Ranjaka Pitta

Ranjaka pitta is located chiefly in the liver and the spleen, but to some degree in the stomach
as well. Of all the subtypes of pitta, ranjaka pitta is most closely related to the liver. The
Sanskrit word ranjaka means, to give color. Ranjaka pitta gives color to the blood and to all
tissues throughout the body (it even influences skin, hair, and eye color). Ranjaka pitta also
produces bile and liver enzymes and governs the transformation of rasa dhatu (plasma) into
rakta dhatu (red blood cells).

Pitta-Pacifying Exercise

Exercise increases heat and, done incorrectly, can easily provoke both pitta and the liver. Pitta
is very active in the atmosphere at mid-day, from about 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., which also tends to
be the hottest time of day. Mid-day is therefore not an optimal time of day to exercise.
Exercise in the early morning or evening, from about 610 a.m. or p.m. is far more
supportive. To guard against accumulating heat, it is also important to engage in a pittapacifying exercise regimen that is moderate rather than overly vigorous. Activities such as
walking, hiking, swimming, cycling, and yogaall done with relaxed effortare best for
keeping pitta balanced.
Lemon Water

Drinking warm lemon water first thing in the morning kindles and protects agni and helps to
clear the digestive tract of ama (toxins) that may have accumulated overnight. Despite its
citric and ascorbic acid content, once metabolized, lemon water is also very alkalizing, and
can therefore serve to pacify accumulated pitta and to purify and cleanse the blood. Further,
lemon water is a robust source of anti-oxidants, is considered a liver stimulant, and helps to
encourage liver detox while supporting bile output.
Morning Lemon Water

fresh lemon (including the peel)

2 cups filtered cold water

2 cups hot water (recently boiled, or similar temperature)

Upon waking, combine the two cups of water, squeeze the fresh juice into the
water and drop in the rind. Let sit for a few minutes and drink 2 to 4 cups on
an empty stomach (you can continue to sip on whats leftover throughout the
day). Allow about 20 minutes before eating. Note: this ratio of hot to cold
water is a good guideline for the temperature, but it can be adjusted to meet
your individual temperature preference.
Tastes to Favor and Avoid

Pitta is pacified by the sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes and aggravated by the pungent, sour,
and salty tastes. Understanding these tastes allows us to better navigate a pitta pacifying diet
without having to constantly refer to extensive lists of foods to favor and avoid.
Emphasize
Sweet

Favor naturally sweet foods like sweet fruits, most grains, squashes, root
vegetables, milk, ghee, and fresh yogurt.

The sweet taste is cooling and heavy but also anti-inflammatory. It pacifies
heat, satisfies thirst, benefits the skin and hair, and tends to be grounding,
nourishing, strength building, and satisfying.

Emphasizing the sweet taste does NOT require us to eat large amounts of
refined sugar or sugary sweet foods; naturally sweet foods are best.

Bitter

The bitter taste predominates bitter greens like kale, dandelion greens,
and collard greens. It is also found in bitter melon, Jerusalem artichokes,
dark chocolate and pitta pacifying spices like cumin, neem leaves, saffron,
and turmeric.

The bitter taste is exceptionally cooling, but also drying.

Bitters cleanse the pallet and improve the sense of taste. They tone the
skin and muscles, benefit the blood, relieve burning and itching
sensations, satisfy thirst, balance the appetite, support digestion, and help
to absorb moisture, sweat and excess pitta.

Astringent

The astringent taste is basically a flavor of dryness a chalky taste that

dries the mouth and may cause it to contract (picture biting into a very
green banana).

Legumes adzuki beans, black-eyed peas, chick peas, kidney beans,

lentils, pinto beans, soybeans, etc. are classically astringent in taste.
Some fruits, vegetables, grains, baked goods, and spices are also
astringent in taste things like apples, cranberries, pomegranate,
artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, popcorn, rice cakes, crackers,
basil, coriander, dill, fennel, parsley, and turmeric.

The astringent taste is heavy, cold, and dry.

Pitta benefits from the compressing, absorbing, union-promoting nature of

the astringent taste. It can curb pittas tendency to spread, tone bodily
tissues, prevent bleeding disorders, thwart diarrhea, absorb excess sweat
and utilize other fluids in the body.

Minimize
Pungent

Pungent is a spicy, hot flavor like that found in chilies, radishes, turnips,
raw onions, and many especially heating spices.

The pungent taste is particularly hot and light, both qualities that disturb
pitta.

Too much pungent taste can cause excess thirst, burning sensations,
bleeding, dizziness, and inflammation (especially in the intestinal tract).

Sour

Minimize sour foods like vinegar and other fermented foods, hard cheeses,
sour cream, green grapes, pineapple, grapefruit, and alcohol (an
occasional beer or white wine is often ok).

Pitta is aggravated by the hot, light, and oily qualities of the sour taste.

Too much sour taste can increase thirst, disturb the blood, create heat in
the muscles, cause suppuration in wounds, and give rise to burning
sensations in the throat, chest, or heart. It can even promote sour feelings
like jealously or envy.

An occasional squeeze of cooling lime juice as a garnish is the best way for
pitta to include the sour taste.

Salty

The salty taste is almost singularly derived from salt itself.

Much like the sour taste, it is salts light, hot and oily nature that
aggravates pitta.

The salty taste can disturb the bloods balance, impede the sense organs,
increase heat, aggravate the skin, intensify inflammation, lead to the
rupture of tissues, or cause water retention, high blood pressure, intestinal
inflammation, ascites, grey hair, wrinkles, and excess thirst. It can also
intensify our desire for stronger flavors, which can provoke pitta even
further.

Caring for a Beneficial Giant: Why the

Liver is Important to Health
Q: The liver is our largest glandular organ in the body,
and is the only one that can regenerate itself. But most
people are confused about what the liver actually does.
What role does the liver play in the body, exactly?
A: Sometimes called the engine of the body, the liver has many important roles to play in
digesting, metabolizing and manufacturing essential compounds. For instance, the liver is
responsible for converting clear plasma (Rasa Dhatu) to blood (Rakta Dhatu). It is the
liver's job to scan and identify toxins in the Rasa Dhatu and store them so they don't enter the
blood. This maintains the purity of the blood by keeping ama, or impurities, from mixing
with it.

But that's not all. The liver produces and secretes bile, using it to break down and digest fatty
acids; it produces blood-clotting factors and at the same time creates protective elements that
keep blood clots from blocking the circulatory system. It converts sugar into glycogen and
stores it for use by the muscles in the form of glucose energy; it synthesizes proteins and
cholesterol. The liver is also the place the body stores valuable trace elements such as iron,
copper and Vitamins A, D and B12.

Q: What are some health problems that can result from an

unhealthy liver?
A: Because the liver is the seat of Pitta dosha, Pitta-based problems of skin inflammation can
be a direct result of liver imbalance. Let's look at the subtle functions of the liver to
understand clearly what can go wrong. The liver is composed of five bhuta agnis five
digestive fires that correspond to the five elements of: earth (prithvi), fire (tejas), water
(apu), air (vayu) and space (akasha), each specializing in digesting that particular element in
the food. To effectively transform the clear part of plasma (Rasa Dhatu) to blood tissue, these
five bhuta agnis must be in balance.
If their flame burns too high, or too low, or burns unevenly, then the Rasa Dhatu will not be
properly converted into blood tissue, and toxins will enter the blood. All of these functions
are governed by Ranjaka Pitta, and when it goes out of balance, it

can affect the

blood and skin and result in inflammatory problems such
as skin breakouts, acne, cold sores, and skin diseases such
as psoriasis.
Unbalanced pitta manifest psychological problems such as low will power, indecisive,
depressed, lack of interest in life, anxiety, pessimism and mental dullness. Unbalanced pitta
manifest physical problems such as digestion problems, elevated/drop in body temperature,
burning sensations, ulcers, irritation, redness, skin disorders, hemorrhages, piles, acidity,
disturbed sleep, eye problems, loss of confidence, malnourishment, appetite loss/excessive
hunger, skin discolorations, and reduced/excessive secretions of hormones & enzymes.
Ultimately, the body becomes weak and cold.
How do we reestablish pitta balance?
We can pacify pitta and bring back harmony by various means; they are, taking herbs, taking
& avoiding certain foods, and making certain lifestyle change.
Below are the tips to harmonize pitta:

Pitta pacifying herbs and spices like coriander, cilantro, fennel and
cardamom.

Enjoy foods that are sweet, bitter and astringent. Take foods that are cool
both in energy and in temperature. Avoid drinking mild with the meal;
instead, take it before or after at least an hour of food. Enjoy your food in a
peaceful mind; if not, postpone your mealtime until your mind cool down.

Avoid foods that are pungent, sour and salty. Avoid foods that are hot both
in energy (such as chili and cayenne peppers) and in temperature. Avoid
highly processed foods, deep fried foods, red meat, alcohol, caffeine,
nicotine, and other stimulants.

Pitta Pacifying Foods

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Fruits

Fruits that pacify pitta will generally be sweet and somewhat astringent. Dried fruits are
typically also acceptable, but are best in small quantities, so as not to further accelerate pittas
tendency toward rapid digestion. Fruits to avoid are those that are exceptionally heating or
sour (like bananas, cranberries, and green grapes). Youll find many fruits in both the favor
and avoid columns below because different varieties of the same fruit can truly be pacifying
or aggravating, depending on how sweet or sour they are. When trying to balance pitta,
learning to distinguish between these tastes and choosing sweet fruits over sour ones is
always very helpful.
And remember, fruits and fruit juices are best enjoyed alone 30 minutes before, and ideally
at least 1 hour after, any other food. This helps to ensure optimal digestion. Note: this rule
does not apply to fruits that we typically consider vegetables (avocados, cucumbers,
tomatoes, etc.). You will find these fruits listed among the vegetables.
Favor

Avoid

Apples (sweet)

Apples (sour)

Applesauce

Apricots (sour)

Apricots (sweet)

Bananas

Berries (sweet)

Berries (sour)

Cherries (sweet)

Cherries (sour)

Coconut

Cranberries

Dates

Grapefruit

Figs

Grapes (green)

Grapes (red, purple, black)

Kiwi

Limes

Lemons

Mangos (ripe)

Mangos (green)

Melons

Oranges (sour)

Oranges (sweet)

Peaches

Papaya

Persimmons

Pears

Pineapple (sour)

Pineapple (sweet)

Plums (sweet)

Pomegranates

Prunes

Raisins

Strawberries

Watermelon

Plums (sour)

Tamarind

Vegetables
Vegetables that pacify pitta will generally be somewhat sweet and either bitter, astringent, or
both. Many vegetables include some combination of these tastes; so experimenting with a
wide variety of vegetables is a great way to diversify your pitta pacifying diet. Pitta can
usually digest raw vegetables better than vata and kapha, but mid-day is often the best time of
day to have them because digestive strength is at its peak. The only vegetables for pitta to
reduce or avoid are those that are particularly spicy, heating, sharp, or sour like garlic, green
chilies, radishes, onion, and mustard greens.
Favor

Avoid

Avocado

Olives (black)

Beet Greens

Artichoke

Onions (cooked)

Beets (raw)

Asparagus

Parsley

Burdock Root

Beets (cooked)

Parsnips

Corn (fresh)

Bell Peppers

Peas

Daikon Radish

Bitter Melon

Peppers (sweet)

Eggplant

Broccoli

Potatoes

Garlic

Brussels Sprouts

Pumpkin

Green Chilies

Cabbage

Carrots (cooked)

Cauliflower

Celery

Cilantro

Collard Greens

Kale

Sprouts (not spicy)

Squash, Summer

Squash, Winter

Spinach (raw)

Watercress

Wheat Grass

Leafy Greens
Leeks (cooked)

Lettuce

Mushrooms

Okra

Leeks (raw)

Mustard Greens

Olives, green

Onions (raw)

Peppers (hot)

Radishes (raw)

Spinach (cooked)

Tomatoes

Turnip greens

Turnips

Sweet Potatoes

Kohlrabi

Spaghetti Squash

Green Beans

Rutabaga

Dandelion Greens

Jerusalem Artichoke

Horseradish

Radishes (cooked)

Cucumber

Zucchini

Grains
Grains that pacify pitta are cooling, sweet, dry, and grounding. Grains tend to be staples in
our diets, and overall, pitta benefits from their sweet, nourishing nature. Youll also notice
that many of the grains that benefit pitta are rather dry; this helps to offset pittas oily nature.
When it comes to balancing pitta, avoiding grains that are heating (like buckwheat, corn,
millet, brown rice, and yeasted breads) is the most important guideline.
Favor

Amaranth

Avoid

Buckwheat

Barley

Cereal (dry)

Couscous

Crackers

Durham Flour

Granola

Oat Bran

Oats

Pancakes

Pasta

Quinoa

Rice (basmati, white, wild)

Rice Cakes

Seitan

Spelt

Sprouted Wheat Bread

Tapioca

Wheat

Wheat Bran

Corn

Millet

Muesli

Polenta

Rice (brown)

Rye

Yeasted Bread

Legumes
Legumes are generally astringent in taste and are therefore largely pitta pacifying, so feel free
to enjoy a wide variety of them. Beans that are not appropriate for pitta are those that are
especially sour or oily and, not coincidentally also heating.

Favor

Avoid

Adzuki Beans

Black Beans

Black-Eyed Peas

Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)

Kidney Beans

Lentils

Lima Beans

Mung Beans

Mung Dal

Miso

Navy Beans

Soy Meats

Pinto Beans

Soy Sauce

Split Peas

Urad Dal

Soy Beans

Soy Cheese

Soy Flour

Soy Milk

Soy Powder

Tempeh

Tofu

White Beans

Dairy

Dairy products tend to be grounding, nourishing, and cooling, so many of them are balancing
for pitta. Those to avoid are exceptionally sour, salty, or heating. As a rule, dairy milks (cows
milk, goats milk, sheeps milk, etc.) should be taken at least one hour before or after any
other food. For this reason, avoid drinking milk with meals. Almond and rice milks are good
substitutes, if you need to combine milk with other foods, or if you dont digest dairy milks
well.
Favor

Butter (unsalted)

Cheese (soft, unsalted, not aged)

Butter (salted)

Buttermilk

Cheese (hard)

Frozen Yogurt

Sour Cream

Yogurt (store bought, or with fruit)

Cottage Cheese
Cows Milk

Ghee

Goats Milk

Avoid

Goats Cheese (soft, unsalted)

Ice Cream

Yogurt (homemade, diluted, without fruit)

Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds tend to be extremely oily and are usually heating, so most of them are not
terrifically balancing for pitta. That said, there are a few types of nuts, and several seeds that
are acceptable in small quantities; these varieties tend to be less oily, and are either mildly
heating or cooling in nature.
Favor

Avoid

Almonds (soaked and peeled)

Almonds (with skin)

Charole Nuts

Brazil Nuts

Coconut

Cashews

Chia Seeds

Filberts

Macadamia Nuts

Peanuts

Pecans

Pine Nuts

Pistachios

Sesame Seeds

Tahini

Walnut

Flax Seeds
Halva
Popcorn (buttered, without salt)

Pumpkin Seeds

Sunflower Seeds

Meat & Eggs

Pitta does best with animal foods that taste sweet, are relatively dry (like rabbit or venison)
and that are either mildly heating or cooling in nature. Meats that dont work are those that
are especially oily, salty, or heating (things like dark chicken, beef, salmon, or tuna).
Favor

Avoid

Buffalo

Beef

Chicken (white)

Chicken (dark)

Eggs (white only)

Duck

Fish (freshwater)

Eggs (yolk)

Rabbit

Fish (saltwater)

Shrimp

Lamb

Turkey (white)

Pork

Venison

Salmon

Sardines

Seafood

Tuna Fish

Turkey (dark)

Oils
Despite being oily in nature, pitta does well with a moderate amount of oil as long as it is
cooling. The very best oils for pitta are sunflower oil, ghee, coconut oil, and olive oil. Its also
important to keep in mind that toxins tend to concentrate in fats, so buying organic oils may
be more important than buying organic fruits and vegetables.
Favor

Coconut Oil

Flax Seed Oil

Ghee

Avoid

Almond Oil

Apricot Oil

Corn Oil

Safflower Oil

Sesame Oil

Olive Oil
Primrose Oil
Sunflower Oil

Soy Oil

Walnut Oil

Sweeteners
Since the sweet taste is one that soothes pitta, most sweeteners are well tolerated by pitta, but
some are simply too heating or too processed for pitta. In general, naturally occurring sweet
tastes are far more balancing than sugary sweets, so even the appropriate sweeteners should
be used in moderation.

Favor

Avoid

Barley Malt

Date Sugar

Fructose

Honey

Fruit Juice Concentrates

Jaggary

Maple Syrup

Molasses

Rice Syrup

White Sugar

Sucanat

Turbinado

Spices
Most spices are heating by nature and therefore have the potential to aggravate pitta. The
spices to favor are only mildly heating, help to maintain a balanced digestive fire without
provoking pitta, and, in some cases, are actively cooling. In particular, the cooling qualities of
cardamom, cilantro, coriander, fennel and mint help to calm pittas heat. On occasion, these
spices can be used to make foods that would otherwise be too hot for pitta more tolerable.
Cumin, saffron, and turmeric, though heating, also offer some particularly valuable pitta
pacifying properties.
Favor

Avoid

Basil (fresh)

Ajwan

Black Pepper (small amounts)

Allspice

Cardamom

Anise

Cinnamon (small amounts)

Basil (dry)

Coriander (seeds or powder)

Bay Leaf

Cumin (seeds or powder)

Caraway

Cayenne

Cloves

Fenugreek

Dill

Garlic

Fennel

Ginger (dry)

Ginger (fresh)

Hing (Asafoetida)

Mint

Mace

Neem Leaves

Marjoram

Orange Peel

Mustard Seeds

Parsley

Nutmeg

Peppermint

Oregano

Saffron

Paprika

Spearmint

Pippali

Tarragon

Poppy Seeds

Turmeric

Rosemary

Vanilla

Sage

Wintergreen

Salt

Savory

Thyme

Trikatu

Also, toxins building up in the liver can result in allergies, high cholesterol, hypoglycemia,
constipation, digestive problems, or fatigue. If the imbalance continues for a long time,
serious diseases of the liver, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, jaundice and cancer, could develop.

Q: No wonder liver health is so important to well being.

What kinds of therapies does Maharishi Ayurveda offer
for liver health and function?
A: Maharishi Ayurveda has recognized that with so many vital bodily functions resting on the
liver, it's highly important to make sure this vital organ is healthy. Recently, Maharishi
Ayurveda has developed an entirely new product for balancing the liver, called Liver Balance.
Liver Balance stimulates cleansing of the liver to flush out undigested impurities that block
the assimilation of nutrients; clears the channels for toxins to flow out; and improves the first
step of digestion and metabolism, which breaks down food in the stomach and small
intestine.
This product also supports balanced digestion by enhancing the five bhuta agnis, and
enhances the intelligence of the liver (Ranjaka Pitta) so it produces healthy blood cells, bile,
and nutritional fluids.

Q: How is Liver Balance different from other Maharishi

Ayurveda herbal formulas for the liver?
A: Cleansing formulas such as Elim-Tox and Elim-Tox-O are still important ways to support
the liver. This formula is more targeted for liver health and function, and it also focuses more
on balancing the five bhuta agnis. Liver Balance is especially helpful for keeping the bhuta
agnis in balance even if a person has an imbalance in Ranjaka Pitta, or if they have a low agni
or digestive fire.
When the liver is cleansed and the intelligence of the liver is restored, the blood itself
becomes more intelligent, and is free of toxins. This results in greater mental and physical
strength, better oxygen flow and an allergy-free, more powerful immune system.

Q: What are some of the ingredients contained in Liver

Balance?
A: There are 19 ayurvedic herbs contained in this formula, and they work together in a
synergistic manner to create an effect that is far more powerful and also more balanced than
the effect created by individual herbs. This is the beauty of ayurvedic formulas.
Certain herbs in the formula have been the subjects of research studies. For instance,
Phyllanthus is known to be a powerful antidote to Hepatitis B, Indian Tinospora has produced
excellent results in treating jaundice, and Picrorhiza has been found to support the liver on a
daily basis and to shield it from infectious viruses.

Q: Are there any dietary and lifestyle tips for keeping the
liver in balance?
A: First, avoid toxins in your food. Eat organic, freshly-cooked foods. If you eat foods that
are laced with preservatives and chemicals, or that are processed or left over, you're just
making your liver work overtime to filter out the toxins. Eventually that's going to tax the
health of your liver.
Also avoid toxic foods such as alcohol (which is well-proven to be the cause of cirrhosis of
the liver, but even in small doses should be strictly avoided by people of Pitta constitution).
Stay away from cigarette smoke, air pollution and exposure to commercial household
cleansers and other toxic substances. These are all taxing to the liver. In general, drink lots of
water to flush out toxins, but be sure it is pure water.
One of the best ways to prevent liver imbalance is to keep Pitta dosha in balance. Eat a Pittapacifying diet in summer, favoring cooling foods such as sweet, bitter and astringent tastes.
These include sweet, juicy fruits, summer squashes, cooked greens, sweet milk products,
lassi, and grains. Avoid sour or fermented foods such as vinegar, pungent foods such as
chilies, and salty foods. If you have a lot of Pitta in your basic constitution, then favor this
diet all year round. Start the day with a stewed apple or pear, to set the metabolism and
cleanse the liver. Just eating a sweet, juicy pear every day can go a long way to soothing Pitta
dosha and cleansing the liver.

Types of pitta and their functions.

Though Pitta is only one, based on location and functions, it is divided into five types.
Pachaka Pitta
Ranjaka Pitta
Sadhaka Pitta
Alochaka Pitta
Bhrajaka Pitta
Pachaka Pitta
It is located between stomach and large intestine (between Amashaya and pakvashaya)
It is composed of all the five basic elements (Panchamaha Bhuta), it is predominant with fire
element and less of water element.
It is called by the term Anala- fire because of its function of Paka digestion and
transformation of food materials.
It cooks the food, divides it into essence and waste,
It bestows grace and influence on other types of Pitta.
Hence, among all the types of Pitta, Pachaka pitta is the dominant one.
Ranjaka Pitta
The pitta located in the Amashaya- stomach duodenum is known as Ranjaka. It converts the
useful part of the food essence into blood. Hence it converts Rasa Dhatu into Rakta Dhatu.

Q: Are there any lifestyle tips for helping the liver?

A: Yes. Be careful not to skip or delay meals, especially if you are trying to balance Pitta or
have a sharp appetite. In the evening, retire early, well before 10:00, as you want to be
sleeping before the Pitta time of evening starts (from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.). If you are
awake during this time, you'll only increase Pitta dosha and prevent the liver from performing
its necessary cleansing and resting functions during the night. Also, lack of sleep has been
shown to throw off metabolism of glucose, resulting in weight gain. It also has been linked to
an increase in anger. Both of these symptoms point to a liver imbalance caused by lack of
sleep.
Avoid situations that cause conflict or anger. Avoid pressure situations on the job. Practice the
Transcendental Meditation program regularly to reduce mental ama, and to prevent stress
and strain of daily life from taking its toll on your liver. After all, negative emotions create
powerful hormones that flood your liver with toxins. If you take care of your liver, you will
enjoy more energy, clearer skin and stronger immunity all through the year.

Disclaimer
The sole purpose of these articles is to provide information about the tradition of ayurveda.
This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any
disease. If you have any serious acute or chronic health concern, please consult a trained
health professional who can fully assess your needs and address them effectively. If you are
seeking the medical advice of a trained ayurvedic expert, call or e-mail us for the number of
a physician in your area. Check with your doctor before taking herbs or using essential oils
when pregnant or nursing.