25 Nov Ayurvedic Remedies for Anti Ageing of Skin
If given an option, most of us (if not all!) would want to look and remain young! But then God and Mother Nature certainly seem to have other plans! We age because that is how things are on this planet where time is a factor which starts and ends things- including life!
Age we will as is normal with everyone. Skin shall turn brittle, flaky and have innumerable creases and wrinkles with time. But tale note that whatever is in this world shall remain longer than its age – IF YOU TAKE A LEVEL OF CARE AND CAUTION! And this includes our skin!
Hi, this is Dr Madhura Bhide once again and today I shall tell you of Ayurvedic ways to slow down the process of ageing – if not reverse it!
Provide nourishment to the skin
Besides the usual of applying lotions and potions, what you need to do is to eat right and nourish from the inside. Ayurveda being a highly individualized system of medication, no two bodies can have an exact same pattern of food consumption. That said, there are quite a few things which can be consumed by anyone in order to get a fabulous skin. These include:
– Plentiful fruits that contain abundant juice. Oranges, apples and pears are a few such fruits. They help keep the skin soft and supple.
– Plentiful whole grains. In the Indian context, it could include wheat, pearl millet, barley and amaranth to name a few. They provide essential carbs + are known to contain trace chemicals which cause wrinkles if consumed in less than desired quantities
– Plentiful vegetables cooked in the right kind of skin-enhancing spices like pepper, cumin, turmeric and the likes. Veggies, especially the green ones are high on fibre and besides contain nutrients like iron, calcium and various kinds of vitamins. When eaten in sufficient quantities regularly (provided you cook the same in the lean Ayurvedic manner) it is sure to provide the skin tissues the all the right nutrients and make one look much younger than one’s age.
– Plentiful proteins cooked in an easily-eatable manner. Milk is the main source of proteins in India and Indians have over millennias developed ingenious ways of consuming it like chaas, paneer, curds etc. These should be consumed in reasonable quantities besides lentils and daals like moongh and toor. Consuming these provide the right quantities of nutrition to the skin and keeps it from aging fast.
– Plentiful quantities of berries like Indian Gooseberry (Amla) in its most raw and bitter form!
– Drink water throughout the day to keep your skin hydrated. India is a warm to hot country and our internal systems have to be kept moistened and cooled continuously. The body’s way to do this efficiently is through sweat. If water consumption is less than desired, it starts reflecting in our skin first when it turns pale, dry and lifeless and with time develops deep wrinkles. For this reason, never neglect drinking sufficient quantity of water. Do supplement it with fruit juices (NOT CANNED ONES EVER!).
– Eat small quantities of fats. Besides hydration, the skin ideally needs to feel moist and supple. This comes from the consumption of fats like ghee and cream. In tea-spoon full, they provide the skin its essential lubrication, softness and youthful suppleness. Don’t experiment with fad diets which advice zero-fat, zero-ghee eating. In the end, on the one hand you don’t really lose weight in quantities you desire. And on top of it, your skin still looks the same- if not worse with dryness and lines all over! And while you go about consuming adequate amount of fats, do increase your consumption of skin-enhancing condiments and ingredients which in addition to enhancing taste, also improve your digestion and its easy absorption in your gut!
– A NOTE OF CAUTION here: Before you start a regime to correct your skin condition, do ask your Ayurveda Practitioner to do a detailed “Prakriti Analysis” to know your “Dosha” i.e., your innate bodily characteristics. If it’s Vata Dosha, you are naturally dry in the skin and need more care. Conversely, if you have Kapha Dosha, you need to cut down on the fat as your skin is by nature, quite well-lubricated! t.
Abhayanga or Oil Massage:
An early morning oil massage from head to toe after all your early-morning duties using the likes of Sandalwood, Ashwagandha, Seasame and the likes opens the pores of the skin and helps push out all the accumulated toxins. The result is a certain glow and radiance that your skin gets for the whole day. With toxins all but gone from the skin and replaced with much-needed lubrication, the skin retains its age. In some cases, skin condition even reverses!
Get rid of toxins in the body
From my experience of close to 20 years, I know for a fact that those with irregular bowels tend to have dry and dull skins. That and a general demeanour of unhappiness makes a person appear much older than one really is. Toxins block the path of nutrition in the body and in doing so, starve the skin of essential nutrients. If this is a chronic condition, a serious detox regime is called for. For a start, those with IBS (irregular bowls syndrome) should exercise, drink plenty of warm water throughout the day and eat healthy fibrous foods and fruits. In doing so, the movements of the bowls get regulated and it leaves the body at its appointed time- which incidentally is at pre-dawn!
Reduce stress!
If you ever come across anyone under tremendous stress, the first thing you would observe is the fine-lines all over his/ her face which with time only deepen. Also, continuous stress takes away the glow from one’s face- despite humongous achievements and accomplishments. This could be due to one’s health condition and/ or undue pressures brought on by his/ her profession and job. A contributing factor here could be the lack of adequate sleep.
Being a physiological condition, there is no medication that can be prescribed to cure stress thought Ayurveda prescribes three acts which can bring tremendous relief.
– Meditation! Reflecting on one’s deeds in a non-judgemental manner helps resolve internal conflict fast and effectively. Meditation also helps breath easy. It takes away one’s thoughts from the present (and often) stressful situation to concentrate on one’s thoughts elsewhere and in the process reduces the feeling of helplessness and stress.
– Yoga, stretching and vigorous exercise! These help stretch and strengthen the body, its tissues and muscles. Stretching is said to aid sleep and a feeling of being at peace. Vigorous exercise helps blood circulation, sweating and release of toxins and helps the heart perform better.
– Sleep. It is in sleep that the body repairs itself. And it is sleep that our minds process information received throughout the day. If you ever come across someone with sleep deprivation, the first thing you would observe is the dullness and massive wrinkles on the face. Such a person seems low on health too. It is thus advised to take adequate rest. Go early to bed and rise early. A good night’s sleep keeps one looking young, positive and satisfied.
I am of the opinion that Ayurvedic Remedies to reverse skin ageing is more to do with one’s attitude towards finding a cure for one’s health and problems. Develop that attitude. As for the rest, we at Recova Life, are always there to help you come out a winner. Do visit our website www.recovalife.com or #roadtorecova.com.
An important point we would like to add here is of our sessions in Pune on various activities under Ayurveda which range from teaching yoga to hair-care sessions to correct breathing techniques and so on. The list of our plans is long. But we will do it for sure! And if that interests you, do visit our website and register your email ID to get timely information on all our future sessions.
Disclaimer :
This article is meant solely to provide information about remedies under Ayurveda and is not meant to be used for diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease.
Where the reader or any other person has chronic and/or dire health issues, it is advisable to consult a trained and certified medical practitioner for a complete and comprehensive diagnosis which can address the underlying issues effectively.
Recova Life and its constituents are also certified medical practitioners who can be consulted. Our numbers are +91 83800-16119 and Email ID atul@recovalife.com
With respect to the consumption of any herbs, fruits, vegetables and the likes mentioned here, it would be advisable where you consult a certified medical practitioner for his/her opinion before-hand.
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