I’m kind of obsessed with the liver right now, one of the most amazing organs in the human body. Did you know that the liver is the only organ that can regenerate? Yes, only 10% of healthy liver tissue is required for the liver to grow back to full size. Amazing! 

The liver is an important pitta-dominant organ. Read more about pitta and how to live in a more healthy way this summer in last week’s blog post called “Cool the Inner Heat.” 

The liver is located on the right side of the abdomen just under the diaphragm. Ayurveda teaches that the liver is a hot organ and the emotional seat of anger in the body. Physically, the liver filters and recycles the blood, stores important nutrients, maintains healthy blood sugar levels, and removes harmful substances from the body. 

Yoga posture practice is very good for the liver, and you might enjoy prioritizing some of these things this summer or anytime you feel your liver may be compromised.

• Side bending poses, especially when bending to the left, stretch the fascial connections around the liver on the right side of the body. Examples are standing half moon, seated side bends, and—my personal favorite—lying down on the left side over a rolled blanket or bolster for a minute or two.

• Twisting poses take advantage of squeeze and soak, where we squeeze out the juices from the internal organs then allow the fluids to rush back in as we release the twist. All twists are good whether standing, seated or lying down.

• Yin yoga for the liver meridian works a lot more than just the liver itself by bringing healing energy to the whole energy line of which the liver is a part. Yin poses are held for 3-5 minutes while creating a gentle stretch into the connective tissues and joints, rather than the muscles. (This is a specialized form of yoga and you may need to receive instruction from a certified teacher to do it most effectively.) Best poses are Butterfly, Frog, Dragonfly, Shoelace, Square, Deer and Dragons.

May you enjoy the summer season! Always remember that a happy healthy summer relies on a happy healthy liver.

It’s summer and, wow, it’s hot! In Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine), summer is considered a Pitta dominant season. Pitta is the dosha made up of fire and water and, when the two are combined, we experience the heat and humidity of summer. Too much pitta and it’s said that our pitta is aggravated. Aggravated pitta is known by its symptoms: feeling overheated, profuse sweating, a stinky smell, burning indigestion, loose stools, inflammation such as acne and rashes, sensitive eyes, and hot emotions like frustration and anger.

Ayurveda teaches that in order to return to balance, we should do things that will cool the heat of pitta. Unfortunately, many of the things we typically do in the summer tend to aggravate pitta and make our symptoms worse. Often we sit outside under the hot sun for long periods of time leading to sunburn and bug bites. We eat heavy and greasy foods like barbecued meat which don’t digest well. We drink alcohol which is both overheating and mind altering.

If we want to feel more comfortable and balanced this summer it can be helpful to practice what Ayurveda calls “opposite therapy.” Here are some suggestions:

• Eat foods that are sweet, bitter and astringent. Examples include all sweet fruits, astringent fruits (green banana, cranberries, pomegranate), leafy greens (especially kale, collards, dandelion greens), beets, carrots, eggplant, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, cucumbers, most beans, almonds, cashews and coconut.

• The best herbs and seasonings are coriander, cilantro, fennel, cardamom, basil, mint, dill, nutmeg, saffron, oregano, parsley, rosemary and turmeric.

• Dairy is cooling if you digest it well. Summer is the best time of the year for ice cream!

• Exercise should be moderate, never overheating, so avoid the hottest time of the day. Yoga, swimming and biking are excellent choices.

• Be aware of the things that tend to stress you out and make a plan to take breaks as needed. Bring calming influences into your environment, such as a companion animal, a peaceful walk in nature, the scent of fresh flowers or diffused essential oils, and cooling colors of light blue and green.

With just a few tweaks to your routine, you can be happy and healthy inside, no matter how hot it gets outside.

Fall is arriving this month, but summer isn’t over yet. Ayurveda teaches about “thermal accumulation,” an interesting phenomenon that happens at summer’s end. As the summer progresses the earth heats up. And because we are earth-bound people, we also heat up. If the heat accumulates in the body unchecked, we put ourselves at risk of poor health this fall and winter.

This is why Ayurveda teaches us to take care of ourselves in the previous season so that our immune system can be strong in the next one.

Here are some of the symptoms of thermal accumulation: diarrhea, inflammation, hot flashes, skin rashes, poor digestion and allergies. As the weather begins to turn cooler, these symptoms can change to constipation, dry skin and fall colds.

Remember that prevention is the key. This is Pitta season, the hot season of the year. Eat cooling foods: cucumber, cilantro, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains. Favor Pitta-pacifying tastes sweet, bitter, astringent. Avoid foods that are pungent, sour, or salty.

The three best foods for easing thermal accumulation are pomegranates, apples and watermelon. All are available in stores right now. Eat one of these every day.

Also stay hydrated, even when it’s humid. Drinks should be room temperature or hotter. Never drink cold drinks because they douse digestive fire. Strive to drink ½ of your body weight in ounces each day (150lbs = 75 oz or about 9 cups)

Follow these guidelines and you’ll glide into Fall with a strong immune system!

Oh my, it’s hot. In fact, we are heading into the longest hot streak since 2011. This is a great reminder that we are firmly in the grips of Pitta season, a designation that comes from Ayurveda. Pitta is made up of the elements of fire and water and we experience it in the hot, humid weather of Oklahoma. Even if you can’t spend the next three months lounging by a pool, there are things you can do to take care of pitta.

Wear shades of white, light blue and green. Bring these colors into your environment too through art and visualizing meadows and flowers. Cooling gemstones include moonstone, emerald, jade, peridot, blue sapphire and amethyst.

Exercise during the coolest part of the day and avoid direct sunlight for too long. Better yet, walk outside under the light of the moon.

Cultivate calm by letting go of anger and frustration, replacing judgment with compassion, getting outside to enjoy Nature, releasing control, loosening up on rigid to-do lists, forgiving others and yourself, and being more spontaneous.

Practice aromatherapy by placing some of these essential oils in a diffuser or putting a drop on a cotton ball or pad you can smell throughout the day: clary sage, gardenia, honeysuckle, jasmine, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, lime, lotus, peppermint, sandalwood, or vetiver.

Eat these cooling foods: basmati rice, couscous, all sweet fruits and vegetables, small amounts of beans, coconut water, sunflower seeds, peeled almonds, fruit and vegetable juices. Best herbal teas for Pitta are chamomile, dandelion, fennel, coriander, licorice and peppermint. Best cooling spices are basil, turmeric, cardamom, cilantro, coriander, fennel and mint.

Eat berries! It’s a superfood to enjoy in abundance all summer long.