LEADERSHIP & INTELLECT
Elements fire (tejas) + water (aap)
Qualities sharp, hot, oily, smooth, mobile
Season late spring thru summer
Nature sun
Main Location small intestines
Pitta is responsible for digestion and transformation. Pitta is the heat that transforms food, thoughts and physical exertion into energy. Pitta is the medium and agni (digestive fire) is the content so the state of your pitta dosha determines whether you are digesting food properly. Ama is caused by undigested food and it is toxic. Therefore you have healthy pitta, you have healthy agni, and you won’t get ama.
Since pitta people are made of fire and water, they are more sturdy than vata types and it takes them a moderate amount of time to get out of balance and come back into balance. Pittas tend to be on the warm side and are prone to “heated” imbalances like fevers, hypertension, pink eye, and skin problems (acne, eczema, rash).
Pitta personality. Pittas have firey personalities. They love a good debate or sporting event where they can be competitive. They make great leaders and have very sharp and quick witted intellect. Pittas are quick problem solvers but have a tendency to be opinionated and controlling. They want everything done their way and they want explanations for everything. For example, pittas are the first people to start arguing with the umpire at a recreational softball game. They are the lawyer-types and will argue, using logic until people see things their way. Pittas are also extremely punctual-often times doing a ‘drive-by’ before the appointment so that they are sure to be on time. Pittas are also list-makers and extremely organized. Their socks are probably ironed, folded, in rows, according to color. Balanced pittas have razor sharp minds, glowing skin, a witty sense of humor and have the ability to attract others to follow their direction.
Pitta body. Pittas are medium in size often with an athletic build. Their skin has nice tone and glow and they may have freckles or some moles. The features on their face are sharp – sharp chin, nose, and piercing eyes. Eyes tend to be blue or light in color. The finger nails are pink and strong and their hair is straight and shiny. Pittas have a tendency to have a receding hairline and/or early balding (ask Monica for a nice tonic!). Pittas are sensitive to the sun and can easily burn their skin if not careful.
Pittas need cooling. Since pittas run hot they need to be kept cool, mentally and physically. Nadi shodhanam, sheetali, shekali are the best pranayama for cooling. They also respond well to sweetness, so be kind to pittas and give them ice cream! They should be careful of excess salt, cheese, hot spices, sour fruits, yogurt and alcohol. To keep them cool and balanced pittas need sweet fruits, salads, legumes, breads, rice, milk, cucumber water.
Pitta digestion. Pittas have strong digestion and can eat almost anything. They are always hungry and if they don’t get fed (watch out!), they get irritable and angry. If pitta digestion is too sharp, it can result in an acidic stomach, heartburn, and diarrhea. Sweet foods are the best bet for pitta to cool and sweeten their hot and sharp fire.
12 responses so far ↓
1 michellehahn // Aug 20, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Very refreshing website. I took your test. My dosha is Pitta. But you probably new that already…didn’t you? So now what? I’m not going to stop consuming alcohol. Or yogurt, cheese, and hot spices for that matter. Sour fruit?…uh…I can live without.
2 Monica // Aug 20, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Great! I did know you were a pitta :) As long as you are feeling okay ( not angry or quick tempered, not stressed or overworked, no “heated” problems like heartburn or hypertension, diarrhea, rashes, eyes probs) you can eat what you want in moderation. As always it’s not one thing that throws us off balance, it’s the repetition of imbalancing habits that throws us off.
That said, now you know what to look for…if you do start getting any of the pitta imbalances, you know some of the tools to use to cool you down before it turns into disease :) And you can always ask more questions if you are unsure.
3 johnnyheid // Aug 26, 2008 at 6:34 pm
I’ve taken the test. Heavy on the Pitta Light on the Kapha and my Vata is in the middle. I’ll keep reading to find out just what all this means. Maybe it can help me with the emotional roller-coaster I’ve been riding for a year now. I think it’s time to get off.
4 Monica // Sep 1, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Okay heid, you will have to be mindful of the qualities of pitta + summer heat. Because there is heat in the environment now and you are naturally heated, you will need to work on cooling to keep you balanced. Cooling and sweet foods (natural sugars of course) will be best for you. Grains, rice, veggies, salads, fresh fruit, ice cream (mm!), cucumber water, are all great to cool you. Be ware of alcohol, salt, cheeses, yogurt, spicy food and anything acidic will make you hotter and more agitated.
5 Dee S // Mar 28, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Loved to take this test and learn more. Pita(11) with a close Kapha(9). Understanding from your articles about yogurt. Very intersting everytime I try to add it to my diet I can’t even eat a whole portion. Now I feel I can just leave it. I Love your Site. Thanks Look forward to learing more on my journey.
6 Monica // Mar 28, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Hi Dee! Thank you for taking the test – it really is fun to learn about ourselves isn’t it?! And yep, you can absolutely leave the yogurt – you have my permission to never eat it again :) Thank you for the nice compliment on my site. I also look forward to your journey and helping you evolve in anyway I can. Big hug!!!!
7 Natalie // Jun 7, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Thank you for the insight. It reminds me that I need to tune in better to my inner channel, not ignore it because I’ve too much on my plate. Is there an answer for the flushed skin? A soap or herb I can add to my daily routine?
8 Monica // Jun 8, 2010 at 7:11 pm
Natalie! Sandalwood soap would be GREAT for you. And amalaki would be a great herb for you – it’s excellent to balance pitta. Let’s talk before you get some, but I have a recommendation :)
9 Linn // Jul 22, 2010 at 1:55 am
Hi Monica, I just found your blog and really enjoy it. Thanks for sharing! I have a question about yogurt for Pitta. Does that include yogurt made from soy? I have alot of Pitta especially now when it’s warm outside but I do love my soy yogurt! And cheese, should I also be careful with goat cheese?
Linn,
Sweden
10 Monica // Jul 22, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Hi Linn! I’m so glad you enjoy the blog. Well…yeah, have you read up on soy? If you haven’t, maybe do a little google search. In a nutshell soy is very heating, yogurt is clogging. So…I would say probably no on both of those. One food probably will not imbalance you, but over time if you start to notice pitta-like imbalance I would definitely look at how much soy yogurt you are eating. Goat cheese is not too bad actually. It’s a bit sour, but the amount of goat cheese that you would eat is probably not enough to throw you off balance. Daily soy yogurt though…you’ll want to watch that the most. Hopefully this helps!!!
11 Linn // Jul 22, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Thanks for your reply! It’s definitely a big help. I will keep on reading your blog and maybe we’ll talk again. Take care! Linn
12 Monica // Jul 25, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Sure! Any time Linn, if you have questions just ask :)
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