In Ayurveda, gunas are fundamental qualities of nature. They shape everything food, tissues, emotions, climate, behavior, and even the way the body reacts to the world. When a quality becomes excessive, imbalance appears. When its opposite is applied, balance begins to return.
The twenty gunas act as a precise diagnostic map. They help identify which qualities have aggravated vata, pitta, or kapha, allowing early recognition of imbalance in digestion, emotions, energy, or physical tissues.
Today we explore the second pair of opposites: Cold x Hot, a pair essential for understanding metabolism, immunity, and emotional states.
Cold Quality (Śīta)
The cold quality increases vata and kapha and decreases pitta. It brings numbness, contraction, stagnation, fear, and reduced sensitivity. It promotes mucus, slows digestion, weakens immunity, and lowers the body's internal fire.
Excess cold makes the body more lethargic, more congested, and more vulnerable to respiratory discomfort and low vitality.
Examples of Cold Quality:
Cucumber, coconut, mint, milk, cold foods, cold weather, damp environments
Effects in the body: Weakens agni, increases mucus, creates stiffness, slows metabolism, reduces immunity.
Hot Quality (Uṣṇa)
The hot quality increases pitta and decreases vata and kapha. It stimulates digestion, circulation, assimilation, and internal heat. Heat dissolves kapha and soothes vata by bringing stability and warmth.
When balanced, it supports clarity, vitality, and metabolic strength. When excessive, it leads to irritability, inflammation, overheating, and heightened sensitivity.
Examples of Hot Quality:
Ginger, pepper, garlic, honey, warming spices, cooked foods, heated spaces
Effects in the body: Strengthens agni, promotes sweating, stimulates circulation, dissolves congestion, enhances clarity and focus.
Cold x Hot Comparison
| Quality | Sanskrit | Characteristics | In the Body | In Foods |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold | Śīta | Cooling, contractive, soothing | Reduces agni, increases rigidity and mucus | Cucumber, coconut, mint |
| Hot | Uṣṇa | Stimulating, warming, penetrating | Strengthens agni, increases circulation, reduces kapha | Ginger, garlic, pepper |
Why does this matter?
Because the body constantly mirrors the temperatures we expose it to externally and internally.
When cold dominates, the body asks for warmth, spices, oiling, and stimulation.
When heat dominates, the body asks for cooling, soothing foods, hydration, and rest.
Understanding this pair allows you to adjust your diet and routine with precision, supporting balance and vitality day after day.
See the Full Post on Instagram
Explore the visual guide and reflections on this topic over on Instagram:
👉 @giovannaayurveda Gunas: Cold vs Hot