India is the land of dadi and nani ka nushkas. We would have a home remedy ready in place for any skin or hair issue, even injuries at times. Slowly with our busy lifestyles we all end up relying on over-the-counter, preservative-filled solutions for our beauty rituals. All these, at times, might give us instant or short-term relief and glow, they do not help in the long run and can lead to more issues.
To help you out, we took a look at a Webinar that Sipping Thoughts had with Ashma Khanna, Ayurveda Wellness Expert and Founder MD of Anammyaa Wellness, shared her formulas of how to treat and manage your hair issues the correct way to make sure they stay healthy.
Here’s what Ashma Khana has to share about Ayurveda and some natural ways to address some common skin and hair issue:-
What is Ayurveda?
If you split the word, ‘Ayu’ means Life and ‘Veda’ means Science, so Ayurveda is the science of life. There are five elements – Space, Air, Earth, Water, and Fire – present in the universe. And, our body is also made up of these five elements.
Every child born is perfect. The Nature (Prakriti) of a child changes over time when Ahaar (Food), Vichar (Thoughts), and Vyavahar (Lifestyle), changes.
The body constitution of a person is derived from the connection of the three Doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. As this innate constitutional type predetermines how we are living physically, mentally, and emotionally, it is of the utmost significance in Ayurveda medicine.
- The Vata is the air element. A person with a predominantly vata constitution will have qualities of space and air which brings a thin, tall, and very intellectual thinker personality.
- Pitta is a combination of fire and water. A person with a dominant pitta constitution is on the top and the go-getters. They are very much prone to hair fall, Premature graying of hair, and also prone to skin conditions and acidity issues.
- Kapha is the most balanced person. People with dominant Kapha are happy people with a calm temperament, reflecting the underlying elements of earth and water. They have very heavy hair, beautiful skin.
When you do not balance these three doshas, it will bring hair fall, dry skin, acne, and blood pressure, diabetes, stress, and more.
Some Natural Skin and Hair Care Tips:
#1. Watch What You Eat
Right time and combination of food is very important when it comes to taking care of your skin and hair.
Firstly, stop having raw salads at night. Consumption of raw vegetables and fruits after sunset increases the Vata, the air element in your body, and excessive air causes skin and hair issues, especially dryness. So, do not have any raw fruits and vegetables after sunset.
Do not have non-seasonal fruits and vegetables. For example – Something as simple as cauliflower which is warm, should not be eaten in summers, as it can lead to skin breakouts.
Coconut Water is a drink loaded with healthy minerals and vitamins and nourishes your body. So, have fresh coconut water, at least once a day.
Lastly, make sure you have at least 2 and a half litres of water every day as water is the elixir of beauty rituals.
#2. Take Care of your liver
Liver is organ that removes harmful toxins out of your body. So you need to make sure you take care of your liver to avoid skin and hair issues. Detoxification is very important when it comes to taking care of your liver. Fasting periodically with just liquid diet is a good way to detox. You can have warm water, ajwain (carom seeds) water or juices.
A simple detox recipe that you can to your regular diet is – Take 1 teaspoon of Amla and add a bit of aloe vera in it. Have this every morning for at least 7 days.
#3. Dealing with Acne the right way
It is the aggravation of Pitta that cause acne. So, it is important to avoid tea and coffee as they intensify the fire elements of your body. Another thing that can worse pitta elements are spicy and fried foods, so avoid it as much as possible.
Two natural solutions to deal with acne are –
- Chuna (slacked lime) that is available at paan shops and is processed by putting in water is a good ingredient to be used. Mix a small amount of chuna powder with natural honey and apply it gently on your pimples. Use this a spot treatment only.
- Take half a teaspoon of Triphala powder, soak it in water overnight and first thing, have that water in the morning. It rejuvenates your body and removes the toxins. Do it for 40 days to see a considerable effect on your skin. Also, the Triphala left can be used as a scrub for your scalp to remove dandruff and provide nourishment to your scalp.
#4. Natural Hair fall remedy
Custard Apple (Shareefa) seeds are a powerhouse of nutrients. Being rich in iron it can help to improve blood circulation of the scalp as well as stimulate hair follicles. It can be used to make a natural hair mask to stop hair fall.
To make the hair mask – take the seeds of custard apple, grind them, and mix a little milk in it. Now leave this aside for half an hour. After half an hour, whisk it for another 5-7 minutes, and apply it on your scalp and roots.
#5. Dealing with Dryness in Skin & Hair
If you have dry skin and frizzy hair, oiling is one of the best ways to take care of that. But do not use preservative-loaded moisturizers and cosmetic creams, as they are loaded with chemicals. Ayurveda has a simple mantra when it comes to skin and hair care – what you cannot eat, do not apply!
Instead of counter creams, moisturize your skin with natural oils. To deal with skin dryness, take 2 drops of coconut virgin oil and apply it on your face. Or, you can also use avocado oil.
Another natural way to deal with dryness is to put 3 drops of cow ghee in your navel and massage it around one inch.
#6. Hair issues due to ageing
Coming to hair issues to ageing, remember that post-menopause can aggravates Vata phase very easily, so you should be watchful of your diet.
- Ensure that you do not consume raw salads or curd at night.
- It is important to include desi ghee in your diet. While cooking, add at least 2 tablespoons of desi ghee every day.
- Putting sesame oil on your body on alternate days can help to address hair and skin care issues due to ageing.
- Another oil that can work wonders is Anu Thailam. Put 2 drops of this oil in your nostrils before you go to sleep every night.
#7. Use Natural Hair-shampoo and conditioner:
Ayurveda is all about ensuring that you make best use of natural ingredients when it comes to your body. To tackle any kind of hair issues, it is best to skip chemical products and go natural. Here’s how you can make simple and effective natural shampoo and conditioner at home.
For Hair Shampoo – Pluck a handful of hibiscus leaves and add 2-3 Hibiscus flowers in it, soak it overnight in water. Next day, grind it in a mixer and make the paste. Wash your hair with this paste. This will make your hair healthy. If you have hair fall issues, add some curry leaves in it to encourage hair re-growth.
For Hair Conditioner – Take 5-6 bhindi (Ladyfingers), chop it, and boil it, and Soak it overnight. Use the water after shampooing in your hair. And rinse it thoroughly. It will be a natural conditioner.
What’s more? Do not throw that bhindi away, put it in a mixer and make a paste and apply that on your face. It works as a natural moisturizer that will leave your skin baby soft.
One of the things that Ashma stresses again and again while sharing her skin and hair secrets is to ensure that you stop eating salads at night. Salads are good as they give you nourishment, but avoid it at night time. And if you do have it at night, steam and sautee the salad before consuming it. And, also do not salads along with your lunch or dinner. Have it at least an hour before lunch/dinner. Raw fruits and vegetables take longer to absorb by the body.
So, now add these tips to your daily lifestyle and enjoy healthy hair and skin in complete natural way thanks to Ayurveda, with no harmful chemicals, just like your nani and dadi.
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