The Ultimate Ayurvedic Treatment Hack For Better Skin & Body

Ayurveda is an ancient school of medicine with roots in the Indian subcontinent and is still relevant in modern times. It has an important place in the fields of alternative medicine and spirituality. How can you harness the powers of Ayurveda for your physical well-being? Which ayurvedic treatment is effective for a given condition?

In this article, we’ll answer these questions and provide you with ways to achieve healthy skin and body through ayurvedic treatment.

Let’s get started!

Though you must have heard about Ayurveda, are you aware of the fundamental principles that this ancient healing practice is based upon?

The word ayurveda comes from the Sanskrit words ayu and veda, meaning life, longevity, and knowledge, respectively. Thus, in the literal sense, ayurveda is the knowledge of life and longevity.

Ayurvedic treatment focuses on attaining overall or holistic wellness by promoting physical, emotional, and spiritual health. It is based on the concept of doshas, or humors, with the three doshas of the human body being vata (air), kapha (phlegm), and pitta (bile). It is believed that diseases occur due to an imbalance of these three humors, and the purpose of medicine is to get them back in a state of harmony.

To diagnose an illness, an ayurvedic practitioner may examine your pulse, tongue, speech, touch, vision, appearance, stool, or urine. For the treatment, they may recommend some or all of the following:

• Herbal medicines
• A healthy routine
• Personal hygiene
• Achieving good digestion and excretion
• Yoga and meditation

Having gained an overview of ayurvedic treatment, let’s proceed to our key question: how to achieve good health through ayurveda?

Here are the main components of ayurvedic medicine that may help you lead a healthy and fulfilling life

Certain herbs used in ayurvedic medicine can have anti-oxidizing effects on the body. Antioxidants protect the body from substances that contribute to heart disease, cancer, stroke, and age-related problems. Extracts from the catechu and myrobalan plants have antioxidizing effects, according to a study comparing the antioxidant activity of herbal components used in ayurvedic medicine. Traditionally, catechu has been used for treating muscle soreness and osteoarthritis, while myrobalan finds use in wound healing, improving digestion, coughing, asthma, and piles.

Other plants are used for herbal ayurvedic medicines, they are:

• Aparajita (butterfly pea): improving memory, reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and preventing seizures.
• Triphala (a combination of Indian gooseberry, bahera,
• Harda or Haldina cordifolia: as a laxative, antacid, and anti-inflammatory agent and for the prevention of dental caries.
• Common hibiscus: hair care
• Brahmi helps to reduce the symptoms of mental illnesses like anxiety and depression.
• Amalaki is excellent hair conditioner.

Chyawanprash is an ayurvedic health supplement containing amla (Indian gooseberry) and extracts from plants like:

• Ashwagandha (winter cherry)
• Bala (country mallow)
• Pipali (long pepper)
• Gokshura (puncture vine)
• Guduchi (heart-leaved moonseed)
• Shatavari (asparagus racemosus)
• Brahmi (water hyssop)

Chyawanprash is said to contain vitamins, protein, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, and minerals like iron, cobalt, zinc, and manganese. It is believed to help with respiratory issues like cough and asthma, strengthen weak tissues, slow down the effects of aging, and promote overall vigor and health. Consult licensed professionals or physicians prior to seeking advice regarding herbal remedies.

Ayurvedic supplements for healthy skin include extracts from plants like:

According to Ayurveda, a healthy routine helps regulate the biological clock, improves digestion, and promotes a sense of discipline, calmness, and overall balance. It helps balance the vata, kapha, and pitta doshas and keeps you connected to the circadian rhythm, according to Dr. Hansa Yogendra, director of The Yoga Institute. Some daily Ayurveda wellness practices that you can follow are:

• Say a short prayer before you get out of bed.
• Wake up early in the morning before the sunrise.
• Bathing daily and wearing clean clothes. Brushing teeth and cleaning tongue every morning.
• Washing your face with cold water and using an herbal eyewash.
• Drinking water from a copper cup and avoiding tea or coffee on an empty stomach.
• Practicing yoga and meditation.
• Early to bed and early to rise.
• Maintaining proper sleep hygiene.

Panchakarma is an ayurvedic detoxification method in which the toxins accumulated in the body due to an imbalance of the three humors are removed. It is believed that these toxins affect the flow of energy and give rise to various diseases. Panchakarma is a Sanskrit word meaning five actions that are employed to cleanse the body. These five steps are:

1. Vamana

This process induces vomiting to balance the kapha in your body. It is used for treating respiratory and skin-related problems.

2. Virechana

It helps eliminate the toxins in the stomach to balance the pitta and cure digestive ailments.

3. Vasti

The patient receives an enema of medicinal oils or herbal decoctions, concentrates made by boiling plant parts, in order to eliminate toxins and balance the vata in their body.the flexibility.

4. Nasya

Here, herbal medicines are administered through the nose to open up the sinuses and cure diseases related to the ear, nose, and throat.

5. Raktamokshana

It is a bloodletting procedure in which leeches or small incisions to the body are used to remove toxins in circulation through the body. Raktamokshana is used for the treatment of varicose veins, high blood pressure, inflammation, and skin diseases.

After the panchakarma procedure, rejuvenation of the body is promoted through a balanced diet, yoga, meditation, and oil massages.

It is an ayurvedic massage therapy in which warm oil, such as almond, sunflower, or flaxseed, is applied all over the body, kept on for some time, and then washed off. It is believed to help reduce stress, make the skin soft and smooth, lower blood pressure, and make the muscles more flexible. The massage oil may sometimes be infused with herbs like turmeric, basil, water hyssop, etc. for added benefits.

Abhyanga massage is also used before the panchakarma treatment to prepare the body for the release of toxins. You may also choose a massage for a specific part of the body, such as the Shiro abhyanga (head massage), Paad abhyanga (feet massage), or postnatal massage.

Both yoga and ayurveda are interconnected with each other and can be used in a complementary manner. While ayurveda helps you attain good physical and mental health, yoga aims at establishing a state of harmony between the body, mind, and soul. The asanas (postures) and pranayama (breathing exercises) in yoga can help improve the flexibility of the muscles, build strength, and improve balance, leading to better physical health. You can also combine yoga and ayurveda for a more effective weight-loss strategy. Yoga is not just a stress management technique. Yoga helps release natural antioxidants and improve the flexibility of muscles and ligaments.

Having covered the different components of ayurvedic treatment, let’s next cover the precautions that one should exercise before and during its course.

According to the standard textbooks of Ayurveda, a drug can be toxic if used improperly. This underscores the importance of the correct diagnosis of a disease and the avoidance of self-diagnosis. Ayurvedic herbs, though usually considered to be safe because of their natural origin, can have side effects if taken in high dosages, for prolonged periods, or without a physician's prescription. Some of the adverse effects caused by them are:

• Turmeric: Constipation, nausea, and stomach ulcers.
• Winter cherry or Ashwagandha : Sedation, diarrhea, and vomiting.
• Triphala: Headache, diarrhea, rashes, and dehydration.
• Basil: Lower sperm count and reduced immunity.
• Ginger: Inflammation of the skin and intestines, hyperacidity, and piles.

Herbal medicines may also interact with other conventional drugs and lead to adverse effects, some of which can be serious. You should consult your ayurvedic doctor before going for ayurvedic treatment or taking ayurvedic supplements.

According to cases of arsenic and lead toxicity following an ayurvedic treatment, ayurvedic drugs can also cause heavy metal toxicity.

Having covered both the claimed benefits and risks of ayurvedic treatment, you may now be in a better position to decide if the ayurvedic wellness approach is right for you. To make things clearer and safer, visit your doctor and seek their advice regarding the herbal medicines or Ayurveda skin care products you are planning to use.