Gharelu Nuskhe

Gharelu Nuskhe literally means household tips or broadly home remedies, tips and recipes for common ailments … sometimes also referred to as Daadima ke Nuskhe which means Granma’s home remedies.

I was fortunate to grow up in a family that had the knowledge of traditional and time tested remedies that were used to cure simple and minor ailments . I can’t ever recall taking an antibiotic for a cold or a cough or a steroid cream for acne. Steam inhalations, salt water gargles, a detox drink were the things to go to. For acne, my Mum would simply say – “don’t pick at it. Just accept it , It’s part of growing up”, Whilst also adjusting my diet and facial care to address the acne.

Now in no way I am suggesting here that medicines are harmful , but they need to be taken only when necessary. Taking antibiotics frequently will eventually weaken the immune system as well as lessen the body’s natural resistance to the enemy , so to speak …..

Now if you haven’t experienced what home remedies are, no stress, as I will keep adding simple and readily available treatments for common ailments …

Please feel free to email me if you want to know more home remedies for something that you are afflicted with ….

Autumn is a wonderful month to detox . It is a time of natural transition and thus perfect time to detox and have a body ready for winter wellness. It is a season characterised by Vata elements – air and space and thus has qualities of coldness, lightness , dryness, roughness and mobile / erratic . Thus Vata needs to be managed and kept in balance . If not , it will aggravate Pitta and Kapha resulting in various symptoms like constipation, dry cough , mucous build up , inflammation in the body and joint pains and swellings .

Some useful tips to keep your Vata dosha in check

-follow some basic daily routines- wake up before sunrise, get active/ move your body , have a morning detox drink ( ginger, lemon juice and honey tea on an empty stomach)

-have a warm nourishing breakfast ( Oats porridge, semolina porridge , a besan( chickpea flour) vegetable pancake are some examples of nourishing and ‘easy on the digestion’ breakfast ideas

-keep your meal times regular . Same for wake up and sleep times

-a moongdaal khichidi ( for lunch / dinner) twice a week is excellent in terms of nutrition as well as a detox . it is one of the best and simplest dishes you can prepare. It is tridoshic in its effect . Your body will love it . Please email me if you want an Ayurvedic recipe for Moongdaal khichidi

-yoga.There are some asanas that work wonders for your body during autumn -Viparita Karani , Mandukasana and the Bharadvajasana to name a few. They counterbalance the attributes of Autumn which are characterised by Vata attributes i.e. dry , windy , rough and cold

-ayurvedic herbs play an important role in balancing the doshas .My all time favourite is a herbal formulation consisting of 3 main herbs – amalaki , bibhitakli and haritaki

if you want to know more , please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com

“I am eating all the right things, I have a healthy diet and lifestyle, yet I’m still not feeling right”

I have heard this numerous times from clients and friends. Have you ever wondered why and joined the dots between the food you eat and how you feel. There is a direct connection, and we all know that, yet we continue to eat ‘healthy’ and expect a different result.

In Ayurveda diet (and lifestyle) is one of the building blocks to achieving and maintaining good health. It does not have any rules and guidelines around calorie intake, it is centred though on the quality and nutritional value of the food and primarily food that will maintain the digestive fire – Agni. The process of digestion is equally important, because it is here where the food that you eat gets converted either to nutrients or to toxins. This then get carried to your vitals by the blood, which will then either nourish your body or create ill being depending on the digestion process.

So remember health is not just gained by what you eat only , but also how and when you eat , how is the food prepared for human consumption and how well your food is digested .

Some simple rules to get you started

-Eat according to your Prakruti and adjust the food when you are afflicted with any ailments ( please click on the link ‘Know your body type’ in the menu line – or click on the logo from here , to go to the ‘Know your body type’ questionnaire in order to determine your body type )

-Eat cooked foods ( yes there are certain vegetables, very few I may add that can be eated raw )

-Eat warm foods

– Avoid cold foods . I cant stress this enough . Cold food/ drinks dampen the digestive fire – Agni. Without this fire or a dampened fire , food will not be digested . Undigested food is the main cause of Ama ( toxins ) and this is what starts the process of ‘dis’ ease in the body .

-Fruits are great , but not juiced as you miss out on all the fibre and what you get is only fructose . Eat fruits that are fully ripened . As fully ripened fruits are a task in themselves to find , I suggest stewng your fruits with a bit of cinnamon and cardamon . This is an excellent breakfast option or can also be enjoyed as a dessert option for those who have sweet cravings. Cinnamon has a great balancing action on sugar , so its a great spice to add to stewed fruit or for that matter to most foods

-Drink warm water . As to the amount of water one should drink – I just say listen to your body’s needs. It has an intelligence that is often ignored , but should be listened to . ( I will post an ariticle solely on water consumption soon) . I can honestly tell you that I have helped clients with their bowel issues simply by changing how and how much water they consume.

-Eat according to the season . E.g. Avoid heavy and dense and cold foods during winter. Pungent or heating energy foods during summer should be avoided.

-There is wisdom in the saying ‘ Breakfast like a king, Lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper’. Need I say more .

-Cook your meals . I know a number of people say – well I would like to cook, but dont have the time. Im sorry to disappoint , there is no solution in Ayurveda for this . Time isn’t something you can buy off the shelf and Health is not something you can/should put away for another day . So prioritising is the answer and I am hoping that your health is your top priority . Give up on the processed foods, the canned foods and the frozen meals

-Practice ‘mindful’ eating . ‘Mindful’ is such an overused word today , but sumply put ‘when you eat – just eat’. There is no need to be heroic and multitask whilst eating . Reading a book, working at the computer, watching telly, can all be left for later . It is a hard task in itself if you chew your food right.

We see so many foods labelled as healthy , organic, vegan, gluten free ,fat free , less fat , diet drink , zero calories, low calorie , low GI, high in nutrients, low in fat , high in protein- how confusing . Then there are the turmeric lattes and turmeric beers- OMG, what next? With the pandemic, we are not just confused , we are also fearful – we end up spending money on ‘health’ foods that have zero positive impact on our health. It’s time we cut out the crap and go back to basics.

If you want to know more , please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com

Seasonal Changes bring about changes in our body and health , it is a critical time for health and if you are well equipped it has little or no impact on your wellbeing , but for most of us , when the season changes, a sore throat is one of the most common complaints. Whilst it may not be considered a major ailment, they are painful and the irritation and itchiness can distract you from your daily chores. Add the pandemic to this, it becomes extremely important to recover from a sore throat quickly. Of course, quick certainly means that one could take conventional allopathic medications to recover quickly , but in the long term, our bodies do get desensitised to them thus leading to stronger dosages . Aside from this, whilst the symptoms may seem to be taken care of , the root cause of the ailment has not been addressed.

What we should try and aim for is long term solutions that make our immune system stronger to fight off infections and resist negative external influences to our body

A few things that I practice to stave a sore throat / recover from a sore throat

-Eat warm foods

-Drink warm water. Sip , do not gulp.

-Replace your morning cuppa (tea/ coffee) with a ‘cureforsorethroat’ tea. Combine 1 inch medium slice fresh ginger, ¼ tspn of fresh ground black pepper , 2 cloves in about 100 ml of water . Boil for 5 minutes on a low flame . Strain into a cup and sweeten with ¼ tspn raw honey.

– Salt water gargle. Dissolve ¼ teasppn of finely powdered Himalayan salt or black salt (if you can get your hands on it) in ½ a cup of warm water . Gargle in order to have the salt water reacing deep down into the throat . Do this 3-4 times a day and especially after meals .

-Basil tea is also excellent remedy for a sore throat . Boil a handful of fresh basil leaves in water . You can drink this trea or even use it as a gargle .

-Keep hydrated

-Use a humidifier

What to avoid

-Dairy foods- all kinds

-Fried food and sweets

-Dry and hard foods

-Smoking

In no time you will see Sore throat Gone and your throat Soar!

If you want to know more , please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com

“A belly laugh increases the ability of your immune system to fight infections.” Elizabeth Taylor

This is certainly true. Immunity however, is no laughing matter. To understand immunity simply – it is a function of all our bodily systems, our cells, enzymes and immunomodulatory chemicals working together in harmony in order to attack pathogen creating diseases. And this concept of the body’s natural defence system against the invasion from microbes has led to the rise of antibiotics and vaccines in the world we live in today.

Whilst the understanding of microbes came about in recent times, the Ayurvedic texts of Charak Samhita in the 2nd century AD, make mention of the causes of the spread of microbes through air water and land. This has more relevance than ever in our current age with the Covid pandemic not only because of the infections spread by air , water and land , but also due to the impact of human exploitation on soil , water and air , climate changes and excessive usage of antibiotics and other such chemicals . Whilst Ayurveda explains immunity in many texts, the most significant ones are 1. Bala – literally meaning strength thus enabling the body to repair itself 2. Vyadhi Kshamatwa is the ability of the immune system to fight against the disease-causing pathogens. And 2 the concept of Ojas. In Sanskrit it literally means vigour. Ojas is extremely subtle and elusive, challenging to define but yet in the Ayurveda ojas has everything to do with immunity. Ojas explain she direct connection of digestion to immunity I suggest you read up on Ojas – there are many texts written on this subject

Putting all of this together in defining Immunity or Strong immunity from an Ayurvedic perspective – it is an outcome of good digestion, strong Agni (the metabolic fire), quality liver functioning, and a balanced endocrine system and Ojas .

Ok enough said on Immunity, let’s look at the ways we can boost our Immunity

General rules

– A balanced diet that includes all 6 tastes based on your Prakruti type

– Use of spices are very important as most Indian kitchen spices have high oxygen radical absorbance and thereby have the ability to keep cells strong and healthy as well as prevent cell damage

– Regular exercise suited to your body type

– Yoga practice – Sun Salutation or the Pranayam practice is excellent

– A positive and happy mind – this has a tremendous influence on your body’s immune system

– Managing stress

– Good night’s rest

Offcourse I can guess what you are thinking, these general rules and the tips may seem quite basic. In fact, they are, but these regimens are built on the premise that our bodies are inherently intelligent and that, given proper support, our physiology already knows how to nourish itself in order to maximise health.

More remedies to improve your Immunity

– Morning Detox drink ( recipe mentioned in an earlier article)

– Self Nasya. You can use black sesame oil , but Anu thailam is best

– Kitchen spices such as cinnamon, turmeric , black pepper, fennel , cumin and ginger are very beneficial in digestion and reducing ama ( toxins). No ama means better chances at Immunity

– Amla ( fresh ) or in a juice ( 15 ml ) daily is a great rejuvenator / Rasayana

– And so is Ashwagandha, a very good herb along with Amla to boost immunity . Ashwagandha turmeric milk is a wonderful drink to help support your immune system (take1/2 tsp. Ashwagandha + ¼ tsp. turmeric. Pour in boiled milk. drink when slightly cooled ( as in still hot but at drinkable temperature

– Chyavanprash- take 1-2 teaspoon daily to maintain overall health

– A warm oil body Abhyanga, before /after a nice warm shower .Daily self massage/Abhyanga is very important for opening the channels, stimulating the digestion, removing toxins from the body, and pacifying the Doshas. It is especially soothing to Vata dosha. All this makes massage a vital therapy in strengthening immunity and preventing respiratory problems. (It’s important to note that massage is NOT recommended if you already have a cough or other respiratory imbalance, because it can push the ama deeper into the system. Also refrain from a full-body massage during menstrual flow.)

– Steam inhalations especially in Autumn and Winter months to support the respiratory functions

– Detox drinks

There are things that need to be avoided too

– Cold foods ( water , milkshakes) and Fermented foods

– Raw vegetables

– Red meat – if you can’t avoid it , minimise intake

– Eating when previous meal has not been digested yet

– Incompatible food combinations ( fruit milkshakes are a common mistake – most fruit and milk are incompatible combination and when ingested , produce ama ( toxins)

– Frequent alcohol intake.

– Irregularity of meal times and sleep times

– Long term use of medications

– Hot showers

–I’ve mentioned this in an earlier article) Stay away from leftovers, processed foods, overly refined foods, sugar, ice-cold foods and drinks, and heavy foods such as fried foods. Vegetables from the nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and sweet peppers) should also be avoided, as these create ama.

• If you want to know more , please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com

Annavaha Srota or simply explained as the Gastro Intestinal tract is responsible for the digestion of food or the convesrtion of food into nutrients and energy which is then carried by the blood to nourish all aspects of our body. Thus any ailments of the Annavaha Srota / the GIT are very important to treat promptly and correctly as this is where we derive our nourishment and energy from .

There are many reasons why one could suffer from bloating , the important ones are

-eating food that has not been cooked properly

-a diet that includes a lot of raw foods , dry foods and cold foods , fermented foods , fried and oily foods , incompatible food combinations, refined foods and processed foods

-improper eating habits: eating on the run, gobbling food in a hurry ur not chewing your food enough , eating cold foods, eating leftovers ( definition of leftovers in Ayurveda is food cooked more than 18 hours prior), talking whilst eating ( so many of us are gulty of this)

-stress and anxiety

-and finally a weak digestive fire what we call as Agni in Ayurveda . If Agni is weal m food is only partially digested or not preoperly digested and then becomes Ama or toxins

All the above reasons end up either creating too much air or blocking the normal flow, thereby building gas in the GIT. This then is released thruough belcing , or through flatulence or can be trapped and result in bloating

Effective home based remedies to ease bloating

-use of kitchen herbs. Cardamon ( used in cooking or in a tea or chewing them raw) helps in the digestion if foods . Garlic is very effective for flatulence . and so are coriander and cloves . Fennel seeds are highly effective in digestion , so chew on these after meals .

(A little tid bit on Indian kitchen herbs- Did you know that kitchen herbs/ masalas / spices as we refer to them today were actually referred to as Aushadams – meaning medicines . As Indians especially, we do take these ‘medicines’ for granted and do not value them as they should be .

– drink warm water. If you want to get rid of bloating say Good bye to cold water , even in Summer

– sip on CCF tea ( Boil 250ml -300ml of water along with 1/2 tspn. each of roasted cumin, coriander and fennel seeds for 5 minutes on low flame . Cover for a minute . Sip on this once it is at drinkable temperature

– chewing on roasted ajwain (carom) seeds . ( Roast ajwain seeds on a pan (do not burn), add a ponch of black salt /rock salt, chew well and drink 1/2 of warm water to help swallow) Have this after all your meals

– eat only when you are hungry and need I say this ‘avoid overeating’. Can overeating be quantified? Mmm…

– I know this will be challenging for some – limit the consumption of heavy and hard to digest protein such as meat and most beans ( moong and red lintils are fine)

– include and indulge in a moong dall and rice kithchari twice a week. This is most nourishing and effective even if you are not afflicted by bloating

– include exercise to help remove the GIT blockages and normalise flow in the GIT

– a daily self massage with the oil that is compatible to your body type is highy effective in relieving bloating , as well as has many well being benefits

– avoid causative factors ( reasons for bloating to ocur)

More and more people that I consult complain of abdominal gas and bloating – no wonder, as we have strayed so far away from good wholesome home cooked meals for the sake of convenience to fast foods, processed , frozen meals and takeaways.

Its definitely a condition that can be reversed without a visit to the Dr., but as with all conditions, if it is severe, chronic and acute and home remedies havent worked, its best to consult with your Dr. There are a number of Ayurvedic formulations and body treatments that will and can treat chronic and acute bloating .

• If you want to know more , please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com

Is this a joke?

Well I find it funny every time I see it. My dentist has this on the door of one of her rooms where she practises. It reads “Just Relax”.

I’m sure it is well intentioned, but how can this even be possible when one is asked to relax in the least of comfortable places.

According to Ayurveda , the tongue is not just an organ for taste , it really is a road map depicting the health of your vital organs as in heart , liver, kidney , spleen, lungs, the small and the large intestine and the thyroid . Given that the tongue is a reflection of your vital organs and your health , we use the tongue as one of the diagnostic tools to recognize and identify what is going on with your inner system .

Colour of the tongue, cracks on the tongue and where they are located, coating on the tongue and its colour , red papillae on the tongue and teeth marks on the tongue’s periphery – all this provide information on what is happening inside your body

I don’t need to explain why our teeth are equally important. According to Ayurveda the teeth are a by- product of the bone tissue. This would mean that the health of the teeth are directly co related to the health of your bones. Teeth are a living organ and thus like other organs, they too are affected by the food we eat, our lifestyle and mental status. So if you are aware of any issues with your teeth, it is important to adopt a holistic approach that supports your teeth from the inside and the outside, in order to regain teeth wellbeing.

Here are some Ayurvedic practices to put that sparkle back

Tongue Scraping

This is the first thing that you need to do after waking up to kick start your oral hygiene

Why is this important? Your Lymphatic system works really hard at night to expel out toxins from the various tissues of your body. These toxins get deposited on the tongue in the form of plaque and bacteria. Thus, tongue scraping is the most important routine that you must do first thing after waking up in the morning

I know a number of people who wake up, have their tea / coffee / juice and breakfast before their oral hygiene. Bluntly said, this is an incorrect routine.

Aside from removing plaque and bacteria the act of tongue scraping also massages your vital organs and sends a physiological message to your vitals waking them up and getting them ready for action

A copper tongue cleaner is the best because of its ‘imperviosity’ to bacteria. It is also gentle and comfortable on the tongue

Oil Pulling

Also known as ‘kaval’ or ‘Gandoosha’ is an ancient Ayurvedic dental technique which involves swishing a tablespoon of Oil on your mouth for 10-20 mins on an empty stomach. This actions helps draw out toxins not only from the mouth, but also the toxins from the internal organs. Oil pilling also strengthens the oral cavity muscles and jaws, improves sinus thus providing health benefits beyond just a clean mouth

Best oil for oil pulling according to Ayurveda is Black sesame oil also known as The King of Oils

Brushing your teeth

Chewing on sticks of certain trees and brushing ones teeth with herbal tooth powders is an ancient tradition and across many cultures. Miswak was most commonly used in the Middle East and Neem twigs in the Indian subcontinent and recent research has shown that they are more effective than the brush/ toothpaste combination in controlling plague and very beneficial in diseases such as gingivitis

In terms of what to use I personally I recommend using Ayurvedic herbal powders for brushing teeth and can be used either in the same way as you would use tooth paste . I switched to using Ayurvedic herbal powders for teeth brushing about 2.5 years ago and both my Periodontist and dentist have been amazed with the improvements my teeth have shown. Offcourse the improvements have been a result of all my daily oral routines (BTW – I do make my own dental powder and will be most happy to share the recipe. Simply email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com)

Massaging your gums

After brushing your teeth, gargling and rinsing m it’s very important to massage your gums on the inside and the outside. Do this gently and not that its needs to be said – ensure your fingers are clean.

Flossing and Gargling after meals

Add half a teaspoon of Himalayan Salt (powdered) or Black salt to half a cup of warm water. Swish and gargle your mouth a couple of times with this after meals. This definitely needs to be done if you have consumed food rich in animal protein or any sugary meals.

Or gargle with Triphala tea. Add ½ teaspoon of Triphala powder to1/2 cup boiled water (let it cool down to warm). Swish and gargle a couple of times after meals

Before Bed

Floss your teeth, Brush your teeth and Rinse with warm water

None of these practises are hard to do or even time consuming , yet I hear and see more people rushing these activities or even worse not doing anything apart from a hurried teeth brushing ritual in the morning

Just remember that when you tend to your mouth you are going to reap benefits for your entire system right from your mouth to your digestive system and other vital organs of your body.

So come on – put your Money where your Mouth is. Make time and space to spend on your mouth health.

What’s stopping you from achieving a sparkling Mouth?

• If you want to know more , please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com

“Invest in your hair, it is the crown you never take off …….”

You lucky thing, as my friend would say to me ‘you have such beautiful thick hair and mine is thin and strawy’. It true that I have been blessed in the hair department, but more importantly I was blessed to have a Mum who would painstakingly look after it for me. I say painstakingly as I was not the most obedient of children , but my Mum made sure that she gave my hair the best treatments at home . A scalp and oil massage every week was mandatory. I remember cringing and having ‘to put up with it ‘. How I wish someone would do that for me today. How I wish that would be my Mum! It’s the most pleasurable and comforting feeling to having loving hands (not mine) going through my hair. She would also make a mask of freshly squeezed coconut milk mixed with other kitchen herbs. And of course a hair wash was with the purest and most natural herbal formulations.

According to Ayurveda hair and nails and teeth are the ‘Updhatus’ (by products) of the bone tissue. Or simply put they belong to the same family of the bone tissue. Thus this means that healthy hair is a sign of healthy bones. As you know bones are the main storage suites for calcium in the body and your body cannot make calcium so you get your calcium through the food you eat. So it is important to ensure that you are eating food rich in calcium ire through supplements

The Ayurvedic approach to hair care begins from the inside. Our hair is being nourished by the nutrients digested by our gut from the food that we eat. Thus it only make sense to, one – eat right and two , to ensure that the strength of our ‘Agni’ or in other words our digestive juices are strong in order to assimilate the nutrients from the food that we eat . Thereby nourishing and nurturing all the organs and tissues in our body including our hair. We have spoken about Agni / digestive juices in an earlier article under Genral Diet rules.

Aside from tjis there are a number of external treatmenst that you can do to give your hair the care that it deserves

General Tips to keep your hair at its best

Hair Oiling nd Massaging

Oiling ones hair and Massaging the scalp is a very important routine to promote the health of hair. It nourishes the hair follicles, activates and energise thus helping follicular strength. Hair oiling thus helps prevent hair fall and premature grey in

Heat oil passively in a container. Dip your fingers in it and apply to the roots of your hair to cover the entire area. Massage with your fingertips for anything between 5- 10 mins. Cover with a shower cap and leave on for a couple of hours before you wash your hair

Always use hair oil that is suitable for your body type or to treat the hair issue you have. Triphalaadi oil is tridoshic so will suit all hair types.

Please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com if you need an oil blend to suit your hair type or your hair concerns

Hair Mask

Our hair is most often exposed to the elements and like our skin it too gets affected. So a fortnightly if not a weekly treating your hair or a hair makes will do wonders

I can write a number of simple recipes that are quite easily made at home. But alas, these are ingredients not easily found in an Australian kitchen. So it’s best to speak to your Ayurvedic practitioner to help you along. But here are 2 of my all-time go tos’

2 Ingredients Hair Mask

1. Whisk /3 cup Alma (Indian gooseberry powder) with about 90 ml of yoghurt and apply to your scalp and hair by hand or a dyeing hair brush. Ensure that you cover the entire area including the entire length of your hair. Cover with a shower cap and leave for at least 30 mins before rinsing with warm water.

2. Whisk ½ cup methi powder ( fenugreek powder) with about 90 ml of yoghurt and apply to your scalp and hair by hand or a dyeing hair brush hair brush. Ensure that you cover the entire area including the entire length of your hair. Cover with a shower cap and leave for at least 30 mins before rinsing with warm water

Please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com if you need an Ayurvedic hair mask to suit your hair type or your hair concerns

Hair Wash

The million dollar question- Which Shampoo is the best?

You may call me biased and I wouldn’t mind that all where this is concerned as I would always suggest Ayurvedic shampoos/ Hair washes. That being said, always read the label to make sure that they are what they are claiming to be as there are a number of products out there in the market , posing to be Ayurvedic when they are far from it!

Please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com if you need a hair wash to suit your hair type or your hair concerns

Ayurvedic herbs

Take Ayurvedic herbs to help support the health of your hair .

Triphala tablets / Churna (powders) has overall health benefits, and not just for your hair. It helps aid digestion, detoxification and rejuvenation…

Brahmi tablets are also an excellent herbal formulation to support strong and healthy hair

Your Hair and Your Diet

I can’t say enough about diet , eating fresh , wholesome , warm , nourishing foods that are easy on the digestion will go a long way towards ensuring your hair is at its best aside from improving the health of your entire body .

Please refer to an earlier article that I wrote on general Diet Rules

Yoga for Hair

Yoga has a plethora of holistic health benefits – not just to strengthen and safeguard physical and mental health but also provides solutions for skin and hair issues. The science underlying these particular asanas are that they are about directing the flow of blood to the head, thereby boosting the quantity of oxygen to the scalp and thus supporting strong hair.

So here are some Yoga Asanas that will benefit your crowning glory

Kapalabhati

Adho Mukha Svanasana or the forward bending pose

Sarvangasana

Balasana

Sirasana

Uttanasana

Always consult a Yoga teacher/someone skilled in the practice of Yoga to ensure you are doing them right

Rubbing Nails – is this a Myth

Baba Ramdev the most famous Yoga Guru in our current age started speaking about the action of rubbing nails some 10 years ago and its effect on hair growth and hair health. The truth is that the nerves under our fingernails are directly connected to the hair follicles and thus by rubbing your fingernails against each other, you end up stimulating the blood circulation in the scalp thereby result in strong hair and hair growth. So rubbing nails is definitely not a myth. I must admit that I haven’t ever given this a go so , But I do recall , my older sister telling me that once this became news back home in India every single man (in this case more women) and his dog were seen to be doing this and there was evidence of results . You can certainly give this a go, provided you have the time and I mean quite a lot of time!!

Shirodhara and Nasya

These are specific Ayurvedic treatments that are carried out by Ayurvedic practitioners, so if you have serious hair concerns, I would suggest that you consult me or any Ayurvedic practitioner for these treatments

What to avoid

Refer to my earlier article of Diet rules to see a list of what to avoid or keep to a minimum

Washing hair on a daily basis is a complete No No. It strips the hair of its natural protection and makes it more vulnerable to the elements

Hot / Very Hot showers to wash your hair is another No

Using hair dryers and straighteners on a daily basis is only going to weaken your hair further

Read the labels on the hair products you purchase. Natural and Organic doesn’t really mean what you imaging them to be

Let me finish by saying that hair is such a beautiful part of our anatomy and it doesn’t matter if your hair is luscious and thick or thin and scanty or frizzy or curly – what really matters is the way you carry it !

Premature Greying and Balding / Hair Loss

I will address this in my next article so stay tuned!!

• If you want to know more , please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com

“The salt and pepper look are a good look, don’t you think and I for one am very attracted to it.

But of course, when we start greying at an earlier age, it can cause a dampener on how we feel about ourselves and it’s certainly a cause for concern. The good news is that mostly, premature graying can be reversed. Whilst dyeing your hair is one easy and quick fix, you really want to get to the root cause of the problem to have a permanent solution. This is where Ayurveda can help as Ayurveda is about identifying the root causes and addressing the issues happening at a cellular level whilst also treating the issue at a symptomatic level.

There is a lot of Western based research on premature graying and reasons cited are genealogy, stress, issues with one’s thyroid gland, B12 deficiency, alopecia and even vitiligo or even the immune system incorrectly attacking the scalp

From an Ayurevdic perspective, premature graying or for that matter any diseases are seen as a Dosha imbalance. An aggravated Pitta dosha is the main dosha responsible for Premature graying. Imbalance in this dosha affects the melanocytes that are responsible for the production of the melanin pigment, thus resulting in the loss of colour or premature graying.

So, factors relating to Premature Graying from an Aurvedic perspective are

– Overindulgence in pungent, sharp tasting, fermented foods and acidic / sour foods

– Diet lacking in iron, Vitamins B12 and D3

– Excessive and strenuous long-term exercising, smoking,

– Stress and mental thoughts preoccupied with anger, hate, competitiveness

– Long term usage of chemical products on your head

Can Ayurveda help in premature greying

The answer is yes, in the cases where the graying happens at a young age due to Pitta aggravation in the body. An Ayurvedic diet, lifestyle and herbal medications will help in bringing the Pitta Dosha into balance and thus reverse premature graying

So, let’s start with food

Firstly, one needs to cut down perhaps completely avoid at least for the first 3 months any sharp, pungent foods, sour/ acidic and fermented foods, leftover foods, and processed foods

Salt increases Pitta Dosha, so be mindful of your salt intake

Include more foods that have a bitter taste (green leafy vegetable, bitter gourd/ karela), sweet taste (rice, millets, unhomogenised cow’s milk, ghee, ripened fruits etc) and astringent taste (beans and legumes)

Greying is an indication of iron deficiency, so eat iron rich foods and what would also help here is to cook in iron or cast-iron utensils/ cook ware

Did you know that the humble curry leaf is a very rich source of iron? Chew 8-10 curry leaves in the morning on an empty stomach. This will help reverse premature graying, as well as is very good for overall hair health

A Pitta balancing tea – whilst all the ingredients that go into it might not be readily available in a typical kitchen, you can use 3 ingredients to get the benefits. Boil 1 tablespoon of whole cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds in 3 cups of water. Boil it down to ¾ and sip on this tea (warm) all throughout the day

In terms of lifestyle, avoid things that increase heat in your body, so for example if you like to exercise, be gentle in your paces and moves. Gardening and walking at a moderate pace are excellent. Yoga and meditation will be very beneficial.

Similarly, thoughts can also overheat the body. Aggression, Extreme competitiveness, over thinking and analysing, criticising and judging are emotions that will aggravate the Pitta Dosha. So be mindful of what’s going on in your head and change that kind of thought processing,

Hair and Scalp Treatments

Massage

This is an excellent technique to not only reverse premature graying but plays an important role in promoting the health of your hair.

A weekly head massage with oils such as Indian Gooseberry oil, Brahmi and Bhringraja Oil or even Coconut oil with Curry leaves are some oils suggested to reverse premature graying.

Nasya

Simply explained this is the process of putting medicated oil drops in each nostril. This should be done daily just before going to bed. Nasya is an excellent treatment for graying hair, as well as helps with the respiratory system and helps clear out mental ama (toxins).

Hair Masks Hair Shampoos and Hair conditioners

Always read the label. There are many products out there claiming to be organic, natural but are not so. Our Skin (including our scalp) is the largest organ of our body, so you want to make sure you are not feeding it with chemicals and toxic products. It is also the organ that is not able to synthesize anything that you feed it with, meaning that whatever you apply on your skin and scalp will enter the bloodstream without any filter.

I have a wonderful hair mask that I prepare myself. I’ve used this myself and so have my family and friends who swear that it’s the best prewash conditioner by far.

Shampoos and conditioners

Now we all know what shampoos do – simply put, they are a hair wash and function in the same way that you would use a body wash for.

But what do Conditioners do – the function of the conditioner is to close off all the pores in the hair that are opened up during shampooing, in doing so the conditioner helps with detangling and making the hair feel / look smoother and shinier. Given this you could achieve the same effect by running some cold water through your hair after your hair wash. Personally, I use an Ayurvedic conditioner after a hair wash, but every now and then will simply use a vinegar and cold water spritz to condition my hair

Ayurvedic Herbal Formulations

We have a few polyherbal formulations that can directly help with reversing Premature graying. They are designed for your body type and an Ayurvedic practitioner like me would be able to guide you as to which herbs suit you best

Yoga Asanas

There are several Yoga asanas that are designed to energising the scalp by directing the flow of oxygen to the scalp. Forward bends, downward dog resting pose m camel pose (forward and backward) and the head stand pose to name a few are excellent to lubricate the scalp and thus very good for overall hair health and premature graying.

Embrace your Gray

One last thing that I d like to add here is that is that no matter how bad you think your hair is it greying, thinning, falling, frizzy etc, learn to accept it and love it. Work on improving it for sure but Embrace your body including every bit of it in the now!

• If you want to know more on Ayurvedic Shampoos, Conditioners and hairmasks, treatment for premature grayingm alopecia, hair loss , please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com

If you want to know more , please email me at aumofayurveda@outlook.com