Deal with bad hair days. Deal with dandruff. Brings shine to your mane. If you look at fashion or beauty magazines or blogs, you'll often see articles about hair care.
Factors such as wrong diet, irregular meal times, lack of sleep, and a sedentary lifestyle can lead to deficiencies in minerals such as vitamin B-6, B-12, D-3 or E, biotin, and copper. , which can lead to unhealthy hair.
Genetics, stress, autoimmune disease, thyroid disease, sinusitis, smoking, anxiety, sun exposure, and excessive use of hair dyes and heat devices can also affect hair health.
Enter Ayurveda.
What is Ayurveda and how can I improve my hair?
“Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old ancient Indian alternative medicine, focuses on treating the root cause rather than symptoms,” says Rajesh Nar, medical director of Ayur Vaidya Ayurveda Clinic in Dubai. The doctor explains. “Our bodies are made up of the five great elements combined into the three doshas: Vata (space and air), Pitta (fire and water), and Kapha (earth and water). It's built on assumptions.
“Each individual has a unique combination of these three doshas, and when an imbalance occurs, so-called ‘diseases’ can occur.”
Dr. Regi Raj, Ayurvedic consultant at Wellness Retreat Amar Tamara in Kerala, adds, “In Ayurveda, the health and condition of hair is closely related to the doshas.”
“People high in Vata dosha may have thin, lackluster, curly hair with split ends. People high in Pitta typically have coppery-brown hair that is more susceptible to early graying and dullness. People with Kapha dosha usually have thick, black, shiny hair,” he explains.
According to Dr. Raj, Ayurvedic practitioners assess an individual's dosha and recommend a personalized hair care routine, including the use of appropriate oils and hair packs, as well as treatments such as Shirodhara and Takradhara for healthy hair. To do.
Oil suitable for dosha
“Head massage plays a vital role in Ayurvedic hair care as it acts as a natural conditioner for the hair shaft, promotes circulation in the scalp, and calms the central nervous system.” Hair massage suitable for your dosha Oil is your best bet.
People with Vata dosha may want to look to sesame or almond oil, which provide the necessary nourishment and hydration and effectively combat issues such as dryness and frizz.
People with pitta dosha can opt for coconut oil or amla oil, which can promote hair health and prevent premature graying of hair.
People with Kapha dosha can benefit from mustard oil and herbal oils, which provide stimulation while preventing excessive oiliness.
Dr. Raj shares a recipe for hair oil for scalp massage.
material
1 handful of curry leaves
10-15 Indian gooseberries (amla)
5-6 shoe flowers
1 bunch of Ixora flowers
5g black pepper
1 pinch of camphor
200ml coconut oil or sesame oil
Method
Mix curry leaves, gooseberries, shoeflower, ixora flowers and black pepper into the paste.
Add coconut oil or sesame oil and fry over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the bubbles disappear. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Let the mixture cool and then transfer it to a container. Add a pinch of camphor. Massage your scalp regularly.
Addressing common hair concerns with Ayurveda
dandruff
Ayurveda lists skin and fungal problems on the scalp as the main cause of dandruff, which causes flaky skin and an itchy scalp, says Dr. Nair.
Ayurvedic treatment of dandruff involves assessing the type of dandruff followed by individualized treatment. “This may include gentle exfoliation of the scalp with techniques such as Recanum, utilizing special herbal medicines, or incorporating oral medications,” says Dr. Raj.
hair removal
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it's normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs each day. Multiple causes can cause unnatural hair loss, including stress, illness, surgery, and childbirth.
Ayurvedic practitioners study root causes, from imbalanced doshas to specific health conditions, Dr. Raj says. “This assessment is followed by individualized treatments, external applicators such as the use of appropriate oils specific to the dosha, hair packs, and treatments such as Shirodhara and Takradhara.”
Dr. Nile recommends detox therapy to cleanse the intestines, followed by the use of external applicators and herbal medicine to maintain healthy hair and control hair loss.
dull hair
Hair can lose its luster due to nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, exposure to strong sunlight or extremely dry and cold air, overuse of harsh tools, chemical treatments and inappropriate hair products.
“People with Pitta and Vata-Pitta Prakriti often have dull hair,” says Dr. Raj. “This treatment involves the prescription of appropriate oils (sesame or almond for Vata, coconut or amla for Pitta) aimed at restoring the hair's natural shine.”
For premature graying of hair, Dr. Naar prescribes an Ayurvedic application of a combination of fenugreek seeds and flaxseed mucilage.
split ends
Split ends often occur when hair becomes dry, brittle, and frayed. Poor nutrition, exposure to extreme weather, lack of sleep, and an irregular lifestyle can all contribute to this problem.
Regular hair trimming helps prevent split ends. However, it does not treat the underlying cause to prevent further damage.
“Ayurveda recommends scalp massage with vata-relieving oils to nourish and strengthen the hair shaft,” explains Dr. Raj.
head hygiene
Maintaining daily head hygiene is crucial and can be achieved by using mild herbal shampoos and natural conditioners such as aloe vera gel, says Dr Raj. Dry your hair with a soft towel. Incorporate a hair pack made from neem leaf paste weekly to promote a healthy scalp. Tie long hair with a soft hair tie before going to bed to prevent hair breakage.
Dr. Nile says that while it's important to apply oil to your scalp and hair, it's equally important to wash off products properly or else you could be damaging your scalp instead of improving it. .
Finally, he emphasizes the importance of proper diet and metabolism for a healthy scalp, which is essential for hair health. Here are some foods to look for.
- Fruits and vegetables such as melon, pumpkin, jackfruit, mango, Indian gooseberry (amla) for vitamins and antioxidants
- Beans and legume protein sources
- Replenish iron with raisins, green and yellow vegetables, sesame seeds, and dates
- Cod liver oil, pumpkin seeds, and flaxseed for healthy fats
Updated: December 31, 2023, 3:58 a.m.
