Preventing Pitta excess
Cycle Nourishment for Ovulation & a full moon shake up
Dear moon queens,
Full moon blessings! What is being shaken and stirred within you? Under the lunar light, may all that wants to be illuminated be seen and understood. Under the lunar light, we ask ourselves “What am I ready and willing to release?”
In sync with the lunar cycle, this month I’m offering you simple ways to nourish and ritualise your life. Here we go into phase #3 >
Ovulation (Pitta phase)
AKA “Inner Summer” (Days 14-21)
This is typically the most energetic part of the cycle, governed by the fiery Pitta dosha.. Our protocol this week focus on maintaining balance to prevent burn out and excessive heat.
For some women this is the most enjoyable time of the cycle with abundant capacity to be all and do all, feeling juicy, full of possibility and creative power.
However, it’s also really common (especially after having babies) for ovulation to become the most difficult phase, which has a lot to do with changing estrogen levels. If this is you, lean into these supportive practices below.
How to Nourish
Embrace cooling foods: Incorporate cooling and hydrating foods such as cucumber, watermelon, coconut water, and leafy bitter greens.
Include liver-supporting ingredients: warm lemon-turmeric water to start the day, beet-carrot-coriander salad, kitchari, golden milk in the evening
Avoid heat-inducing foods: Reduce spicy, salty, oily, and sour foods, as these will aggravate Pitta.
Favor cooling spices and herbs like coriander and fennel, as well as plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables.
Lifestyle rituals
Moderate heat and intensity. Focus on calming activities to keep fiery emotions like anger and irritability in check.
Practice cooling pranayama: Use cooling breath like Sheetali (inhaling through a curled tongue) to regulate internal heat. (Also wonderful through pregnancy)
Capture your creative power, knowing you can’t action every idea this week so write it all down. Return to the full moon prompt : what am I ready to Release? A limiting belief, an inspired idea…what in you is ripe and ready for the world?
Consider conserving some energy for the week to come, rather than using all our fuel through the summer, save some for the inevitable wane that will come through autumn.
What is most important this week is to pay attention. Be present to the feedback your body and mind are offering you. This is where we expertly balance the abundant energy and capacity we may have and enjoy it, noticing when we tip into overdoing it and entering burn out territory.