Depression & Yoga-II

Pitta-Type Depression

Pitta appearance :

Medium to strong build, often red or light hair, fair complexion, freckles
Feel hot and be sensitive to heat
Skin reddish and may feel hot to the touch
Desire to eat sweets a lot, and butter, ghee, or creamy desserts
Irritable and easily angered
Hair failing out or turning white
Ulcers or feeling of heat in stomach
Diarrhea
Redness in eyes


Factors That Contribute to Pitta Depression

Frequently occurs in summer months
Not wearing hat in the sun
Taking hot showers
Not covering head with cool cloth in steam or sauna
Eating hot foods (both temperature and spice)
Missing meals, especially lunch
Frequent experience of anger or irritation



Treatment of Pitta Depression

Follow Pitta-pacifying diet. Avoid hot and spicy foods, red meat, fish, vinegar, cheese, alcohol, and tobacco. Prefer cool (not ice cold) drinks, a vegetarian diet, dairy products (not yogurt), sweet fruit, most vegetables and grains.

Stay out of the sun; keep cool.

Minimize hot baths or showers.

Moderate exercise such as swimming, bicycling.

Take largest meal at noon; don't skip lunch.

Panchakarma purification procedures.

Daily meditation.

Listen to relaxing music.

Use Pitta-reducing herbs such as aloe, burdock, chrysanthemum, coconut, coriander, cumin, mint, pomegranate, sandalwood, shatavari (Indian asparagus), and natural sugar.

Daily coconut oil massage.


General Tips on Wellness For Pitta Persons


Pitta constitutions will be upset by alcohol and cigarettes, as well as by overwork, overexertion, and overheating. When out of balance, they are susceptible to feeling such negative emotions as hostility, hatred, intolerance, and jealousy. Therefore it is very important for Pittas to keep cool (literally and figuratively) and to lead a pure and moderate lifestyle. Choose foods, attitudes, behaviors, personal relationships, and environmental circumstances which can be instrumental in balancing pitta characteristics. Because sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes decrease pitta influences, include these in your food plan if pitta characteristics are too pronounced. Complex carbohydrates, milk, and some fruits are sweet; some green, leafy vegetables are bitter; beans and some green vegetables are astringent.Do things that cool the mind, emotions, and body. Avoid conflicts. Cultivate the virtues of honesty, morality, kindness, generosity, and self-control.




A Food Plan to Balance Pitta Dosha


These guidelines can be used for pitta mind-body constitutions, to maintain dosha balance and to restore balance if necessary regardless of the basic constitution. Pitta influences digestion and metabolism, body temperature, and biological transformations.

Favor Cool or warm but not steaming hot foods,Bitter, sweet, and astringent tastes.

As far as practical use less butter and added fat. Consume food with moderately heavy textures.
Since Pittas have strong efficient digestion, they can generally eat just about everything. Most Pittas get into trouble by continued use of too much salt, overuse of sour and spicy food and overeating.

Take cool, refreshing food in summer. Reduce the consumption of salt, oil, and spices, all of which are "heating" to the body. Salads are good, so is milk and ice cream.

Avoid pickles, yogurt, sour cream, and cheese. Avoid vinegar in salad dressing; use lemon juice instead. Alcoholic and fermented foods should be avoided. Their sour Rasa aggravates Pitta. Coffee is also pitta aggravating due to the acid in coffee. Herb tea is good. Prefer mint, licorice root or other pitta pacifying tea.

Breakfast: Cold cereals, cinnamon toast, and apple tea is a good breakfast for Pitta. Avoid coffee, orange juice and doughnuts - they aggravate pitta.

The vegetarian foods are the best for pitta. Consuming red meat tend to heat the body from the fat. Consume abundant amounts of milk, grains and vegetables.

Avoid oily, hot, salty, and heavy foods such as fried food. Instead consume starchy foods such as vegetables, grains and beans. Avoid the tendency to overeat under stress.

Avoid processed and fast foods as they tend to be heavy on salt and sour tastes. Japanese and Chinese food are good choices. Avoid highly spicy food such as is found in Mexican restaurants.

To bring down aggravated Pitta, take two teaspoons of ghee (clarified butter) in a glass of warm milk. (Avoid taking the ghee if you have problem with high cholesterol).


In general, Avoid egg yolks, nuts, hot spices, honey, and hot drinks. Cool foods and drinks are better. Add sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes. Reduce use of sour tastes. Spices: black pepper, coriander, and cardamom.



Five Senses Remedies

Taste: Use bitter, pungent, and astringent foods, herbs, and spices. Spring churna is recommended.

Smell: Warm aromas such as cloves, calamus, and camphor are effective aromatherapy.

Sight: Use the color red.

Hearing: Listen to the sunset raga between seven and ten P.M.

Touch: Give yourself a silk glove massage daily.


In our next session,we will learn about third type of depreesion known as Kaff-type depression. Till then,Wish all of you a very healthy & peaceful life.................. Good bye,Friends........