Cooling the Fire: How I’m Nourishing My Pitta and Living the PHAM Way
Last night, in celebration of Food is Medicine Week in PHAM I had the privilege of hosting a powerful webinar with Vineeta Ahooja MD FACC FASE -cardiologist, functional medicine physician, and Ayurvedic practitioner, I had one of those full-circle moments. If you missed it, check it here.
As a clinician with 34 years in healthcare, I know the science of digestion, inflammation, nervous system regulation.
And yet, Ayurveda gave me language for what I’m feeling right now.
🔥 Overworking.
🔥 Burning digestion.
🔥 Intensity turned up a notch.
Hello, Pitta.🔥
And this, this right here — is exactly what PHAM is about.
Not just learning.
Not just listening.
But stocking the toolbox and putting it into ACTION.
Today, I’m doing just that.
What Is Pitta — and Why It Matters
A dosha is a mind–body energy pattern that influences how your body functions, how your mind processes, and how you respond to stress, food, and life.
Ayurveda teaches that we are all made up of three primary doshas — but usually one or two are dominant.
The Three Doshas
Vata🌊 (Air + Space)
Qualities: Light, dry, cool, mobile, irregular
In the body: Movement, circulation, nerve impulses
In personality: Creative, energetic, quick-thinking
When balanced:
- Creative
- Adaptable
- Enthusiastic
When imbalanced:
- Anxiety
- Dry skin
- Insomnia
- Digestive irregularity
Modern parallels:
- Nervous system regulation
- Stress response
- Gut motility
🔥
Pitta
(Fire + Water)
Qualities: Hot, sharp, intense, driven
In the body: Digestion, metabolism, hormones
In personality: Focused, ambitious, decisive
When balanced:
- Strong digestion
- Leadership
- Confidence
When imbalanced:
- Inflammation
- Acid reflux
- Irritability
- Burnout
Modern parallels:
- Metabolism
- Inflammatory pathways
- Cortisol patterns
- Overdrive sympathetic tone
🌊
Kapha
(Earth + Water)
Qualities: Heavy, slow, steady, grounded
In the body: Structure, immunity, lubrication
In personality: Calm, loyal, nurturing
When balanced:
- Stability
- Strong immunity
- Patience
When imbalanced:
- Weight gain
- Congestion
- Low motivation
- Sluggish digestion
Modern parallels:
- Immune function
- Fluid balance
- Metabolic slow-down
- Insulin sensitivity
Important: You Are Not Just One Dosha
Everyone has all three.
Your constitution (Prakriti) is your natural blueprint.
Your imbalance (Vikriti) is what’s currently out of alignment.
Doshas shift with:
- Seasons
- Stress
- Diet
- Life stage
- Environment
Why This Matters
Doshas are not labels.
They’re awareness tools
They help answer:
- Why does one diet work for you but not someone else?
- Why do you burn out easily?
- Why do you crave certain foods?
- Why does stress show up in your gut vs. your joints vs. your weight?
It is personalized medicine, thousands of years before that term existed.
In Ayurveda, Pitta is the dosha responsible for:
• Digestion
• Metabolism
• Transformation
• Drive and leadership
It’s hot, sharp, intense, and focused.
When balanced?
✨ Clear thinking
✨ Strong digestion
✨ Courageous leadership
When excessive?
Physical Signs of High Pitta
• Burning indigestion or acid reflux
• Rashes, acne, or inflamed skin
• Loose or urgent stools
• Excessive sweating or heat intolerance
• Migraines or red eyes
• Heavy or clotty menstrual cycles
Mental & Emotional Signs
• Irritability or impatience
• Perfectionism and overworking
• Critical thinking turned judgmental
• Frustration, jealousy, burnout
When you’re “burning the candle at both ends” or simply moving at the pace of a visionary founder during PHAM season — Pitta accumulates quickly.
And if I’m honest?
This is me right now.
So instead of pushing harder, I’m listening.
Cooling Foods: Turning Down the Internal Heat
Ayurveda teaches that we balance heat with cooling, soothing, hydrating nourishment.
Here’s what’s on my plate today:
🥒 Cucumber — hydrating, calming
🥝 Kiwi
🥑 Avocado — healthy fats that soothe tissues
🌿 Asparagus & leafy greens — gently detoxifying without overheating
🥥 Coconut water — replenishing and cooling
🌹 Rose & fennel tea — calming to the digestive fire
Cooling foods tend to be:
• Hydrating
• Slightly sweet or bitter
• Less spicy
• Less oily
• Not overly fermented or acidic
Foods I’m reducing right now:
• Coffee
• Spicy foods
• Fried foods
• Excess red meat
• Alcohol
Not because they’re “bad.”
But because my body is asking for balance.
Bridging Ayurveda & Modern Physiology
What I love about Dr. Ahooja’s teaching is that she doesn’t abandon cardiology or functional medicine, she integrates them.
When we look at excess Pitta through a modern lens, we can see parallels with:
• Increased sympathetic nervous system activation
• Elevated inflammatory markers
• Acid overproduction
• Hormonal fluctuations
• Cortisol overload
Cooling foods aren’t just “energetically cooling.”
They often support:
• Gut lining integrity
• Anti-inflammatory pathways
• Hydration and electrolyte balance
• Parasympathetic activation
This is integrative medicine at its best.
From Knowledge to Action: The PHAM Way
PHAM (Preventative Health Awareness Movement) is about this exact moment:
Learn something.
Reflect honestly.
Apply it.
Observe the outcome.
I’m not guessing.
I’m not blindly following trends.
I’m experimenting intentionally.
Today, I’m adjusting my nutrition to cool my Pitta and I will pay attention to:
• My digestion
• My mood
• My energy
• My sleep
• My menstrual symptoms
Because self-leadership means tracking and responding, not ignoring.
Becoming the CEO of Your Health
Being the CEO of your health doesn’t mean doing everything.
It means:
• Listening to your body
• Seeking wisdom
• Applying what resonates
• Evaluating the results
That’s empowerment.
Thank you, Dr. Ahooja, for your brilliance, your balance of cardiology and Ayurveda, and your willingness to educate and empower others.
And to our PHAM community, this is your reminder:
What is your body telling you right now?
Are you inflamed?
Overstimulated?
Burning out?
What small shift could cool your fire?
Stock your toolbox.
Try it.
Track it.
"That’s how we change the legacy of healthcare — one empowered decision at a time"
Your partner in Preventative Health,
Marg
