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.
28 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 :)
13 Love // Oct 1, 2010 at 8:51 pm
How wonderful!
14 Brittany // Oct 16, 2010 at 7:26 am
Hey….so this dosha sounds exactly like me, except I tend to have the vata dry wavy hair and dry skin. Other than that, pitta all the way! What would you suggest for the dry skin? It bothers me mostly on my face, probably because I can’t find a cleanser that agrees with my skin.
Also, I had been overmedicated a few months ago ( I will always question docs before taking any future medications now). It threw my stomach and digestion off. It started with constipation and heartburn troubles. Now, I have poop that comes in pieces and occasionally loose. Would you say more fiber would help?
The plan I had been trying before was an anti candida type diet and I’ve been taking probiotics.
15 Monica // Oct 17, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Hey! Overall if there is dryness on the skin, this is a direct reflection of dryness in the colon (constipation). So if you get constipated again be sure to drink warm liquids and have plenty of oils in your foods until you are back to normal. For body skin, I recommend warm almond oil in the chilly months. For the face, get a good moisturizer from a good natural product line. My favorite is Simply Divine Botanicals. You can order samples of their products before committing – I highly recommend doing that first.
16 Joe Krakoski // Nov 22, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Hey MonicaB,
A 48 year old Pitta Yogi could use a nice tonic for the thinning hair! Have one?
Namaste
Joey
17 One Minute Meditation | Barbara Sinclair Holistic Health // Dec 20, 2010 at 10:16 am
[...] Christmas, and the mad rush is on. For those of you who are organized types (that’s you, Pitta!) these last few days will be a walk in the park. But for those of us who tend to procrastinate or [...]
18 Stacey Loffredo // Feb 6, 2011 at 11:40 am
I am Pitta and trying to lose weight. The diet that worked for me before ( it was given to me by my personal trainer) is full of things I shouldn’t have; berries, almonds, spinach, etc. Alot of the cooling foods I have read about are things that I have been taught make a person gain weight; White rice, grains, sugar. (I also cannot drink milk or eat icecream anymore as it upsets my stomache.) All of this makes me hesitant to adjust my diet using ayurveda, even though I think it will help my anxiety and controling nature. Any sugestions or advice?
19 Monica // Feb 8, 2011 at 3:19 pm
Hey Stacey! So as a pitta, you absolutely can have berries, almonds and spinach. Those are balancing for you. PItta foods are not white rice and sugar. The “sweet” taste in Ayurveda means healthy grains and natural sugars like fruits. I am curious to know how you got your Ayurvedic information because pittas are able to lose weight quite nicely when following a pitta diet. Pitta diet consists of healthy grains/carbs, veggies, fruits, ghee, milk, lentils. Omit red meats, cheeses, fried foods, excessively salty foods, sour foods and extra spicy foods. My first thought is that you haven’t been given the proper information…? What do you think?? Thanks for asking!!!!
20 sara // Apr 4, 2011 at 10:43 am
Hi Monica,
I am a strong pitta with an even 7-7 for vata and kapha. For the past 6 months I have been having some major digestive issues. My stomach bloats to an godly size and is painful. I eat regularly and semi healthy, Ive even had a CT done witch showed my stomach organ being 3 times the normal size (?). I am not lactose intolerant nor have celiacs. They have no suggestions and I am at my witts end…any thoughts
21 Mikayla // Apr 5, 2011 at 7:11 pm
Hello. I am a weird mix of pitta and kapha it seems like. I seem to half the symptoms of pitta and half of kapha. I am very sharp-witted, and can be a worrier, but when I am balanced I am the slow and steady one that can mediate the problems of others. Historically I have some of the symptoms of pitta, but most recently I have been gaining weight, and I have constant problems with mucus production (I have cystic fibrosis). I have been on a kapha-like diet, adjusted for CF, for a few months now. Do you have any insights or suggestions for me? Thanks.
22 Monica // Apr 6, 2011 at 8:58 pm
Hi Sara, hmmmmm…I’m sure we will find out more during your mini-bud. I’m confident we will find a link to why your stomach is so bloatey! Question – when did you start bikram yoga? That is heating for pitta (too much heat) and I wonder if that might be a source of your digestive problems. We will find out more when we chat – looking forward to it! xo
23 Monica // Apr 6, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Hi Mikayla! Sure sounds like you are combo of pitta kapha! And it’s not weird, it’s just YOU! :) If you have not yet, I suggest downloading Seasonal Bloom for Kapha so you can read up on this particular dosha and the season.
When folks are two doshas and I don’t know them personally as a client, I usually tell them to follow the season. So during kapha season (spring), you will balance your kapha. Once summer hits and it’s pitta season, your kapha will balance out but you might notice an increase in pitta. If you want, we can set up a mini bud session (30 min) and see if we can iron some of this out for you. Since I don’t know you as an individual, it’s hard to pin point the problem & solution. My favorite part of Ayurveda is that once we figure YOU out, we can figure out your problems too :) xo.
24 Mikayla // Apr 7, 2011 at 5:09 am
Thank you so much Monica. That publication is very informative! I will try out your suggestions. I am hoping the warmer weather will wake up my mind and bring things back into balance, letting the pitta come out more. I hate being sluggish. Thanks again!
25 jessa // May 6, 2011 at 6:26 pm
i love your site! thank you for this wealth of information. an ayurvedic doctor told me i am a pitta/kapha. how is kefir for such a dosha blend?
26 Heather // Oct 25, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Fantastic….really wanted to share on Facebook…but didn’t see anywhere to do so.
27 Monica // Oct 26, 2011 at 9:06 pm
Dang Heather! That’s a great idea. Leave it to a pitta person to come up with that! I will look into adding a tag so folks can share the articles. I’ll send you a note once I set it up. Thanks again for the suggestion!!
28 Lakshmi // Nov 18, 2011 at 7:31 am
Monica, your site is so much enjoyable to read and learn!
I am mostly pitta with some vata like curly dryish hai, dry face skin, occasional constipation and also personality, but other then that about 60% is pitta. My diet has always been very healthy: lots of raw fruts, veggies, whole grains, healthy oils (olive, nuts), no coffees teas no alcohol, no refined sugars, occasional milk products. I fast from time to time and do lots of yoga. People would always talk about me as being ‘super healthy’ . But recently I developed allergy for cold while being in India. I know it sounds a bit strange, but whole body esppecialy fingers, toes, lips, nose and ears are get very red, swollen and ichy when I am eposed to temperature lower then 10C and it gets so bad, that it is torture to stay in cold climate ( now I am back to washington DC area). I tried to see ayuvedic doctors while in india and was told that my pitta got very unbalanced and was prescribed some ayuvedic medicine that won’t help so far and it’s been more then 2 months by now. Do you have any ideas suggestion of what i might need to change in my diet etc. thank you so much inadvance!
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