Nurture Yourself This August: Essential Selfcare Tips

Jeannine Love
Aug 4, 2025
2 min read

Sunset over calm ocean waves washing onto a dark sandy beach, with pink-orange sky and a partial person at the right edge.

Even though we are still in summer, which is Pitta season in Ayurveda, we can sense that summer is coming to an end, getting us ready for the transition to Autumn. In many regions, the hot, humid days of June and July have passed, (unless you live where I do, and it's monsoon season). Either way, the midday sun remains strong in August. Autumn marks the beginning of the Vata season, characterized by cold, dry, light, and mobile qualities. To prevent these qualities in your body during the fall, start preparing now by following some self-care tips for August.

August Selfcare Tips

Diet

Include juicy foods in your diet this month like peaches and grapes to prevent dryness. Peaches are also high in fiber, but don’t eat too many because they're warming and we’re still dealing with hot temperatures. However, grapes are juicy and cooling. Tomatoes are also juicy, but they are a nightshade plant so they may aggravate Pitta or Vata constitutions.
Zucchini and yellow squash are in season now and they’re light and cool.
By late August, pears will be in season, and they're cooling, so give them a try.
Lighter proteins that are easy to digest include yogurt, legumes, fish and poultry.
Good fats to include in your diet are ghee, coconut, olive oil, and avocados.
If it's a dry heat where you live, limit or avoid drying and/or diuretic foods such as parsley, celery, asparagus, popcorn, walnuts, millet, barley, pomegranate, dried fruits, as well as coffee and black tea.

Basket and crate of fresh garden vegetables—tomatoes, zucchini, corn, squash and peppers—on a sunny farm garden table. — August harvest

Herbs

Herbs and spices that cool and moisten the body are licorice root, marshmallow root, shatavari, vidari, chyavanprash and amalaki. Also, cooling herbs, such as lavender and lemon balm, are used to destress and to aid sleep.
Add a slice of lime and a pinch of mineral salt to your water to help your body stay hydrated.

Lifestyle

Take a walk or hike in the cooler mornings or evenings.
Extra sleep is needed in Autumn, so prepare now by getting to sleep by 10 pm and get up with the sunrise.
During the hot, humid weather earlier in the summer, self-oil massage wasn’t necessary or desirable; but in August you can begin again with Abhyanga, especially if you’re prone to dry skin in Autumn. Because of the heat, I use cooling coconut oil or sunflower oil to massage into my skin.
Use Nasya Oil to keep your sinus and nasal passages lubricated.
For those who garden, the top harvest season in the Northern Hemisphere is from now to November. So preserve your harvest if you can’t enjoy all that food now.