5 Ways to Sooth Burning (Pitta) Indigestion

Ever had a grueling digestive nightmare after eating hot wings or spicy pepperoni pizza, where it felt like your insides were burning and churning, followed by an episode of diarrhea? Do you get hangry when you've missed a meal or haven't gotten enough to eat for the day? These are signs of pitta aggravation in the digestive system, and because of our love of salty, spicy and sour foods, this type of digestive disturbance can be quite common. However, long periods of burning indigestion, loose and frequent stools down the line can lead to more serious complications deeper in the bodily tissues, so it is better to pay attention to the signs and take action when you notice them.

Understanding the role of pitta dosha in digestion

The three doshas vata, pitta, and kapha all work together in the body to maintain correct physiological function. For example, vata is responsible for maintaining the downward movement of peristalsis as the food travels down the digestive tract, pitta is responsible for the heat and acidity in the stomach that breaks down the food, and kapha is responsible for maintaining the protective lining of the stomach. Pitta plays a vital role in digestion and metabolism. It is why those with a primarily pitta constitution tend to have higher metabolisms and stronger appetites.

Burning indigestion most often happens when there is excess pitta dosha in the digestive system. When this happens, people often experience loose stools, more frequent elimination, smelly gas, and burning sensations in the stomach. This is because pitta is comprised of fire and water elements, bringing excess hot, putrid, and moist (oily) qualities into the body. If these are symptoms that happen to you frequently, you may want to incorporate some of the following practices to calm pitta dosha.

5 tips for balancing pitta-type indigestion:

1. Mild Spices and Mild Flavors

While it might not be fun to give up the Hot Cheetos, Sriracha, and spicy mustard, it is best to go for more subdued flavorings for your food until healthy digestion is restored. Hot spices can aggravate pitta, irritating and also drying out the intestinal lining. Howev