In Ayurveda, Ahara-Vihar (diet and lifestyle) are two major factors that influence our body and the health of our hair. Irregular dietary habits, poor diet, illness, and deficiencies of any vitamin and mineral affect the quality of hair, giving rise to problems like dandruff, early baldness, and premature graying.
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Do you know that your unhealthy hair is a reflection of your bad diet and lifestyle? Yes! Traditional Ayurvedic science thrusts upon the interdependence of hair health with what you eat and how you live.
Earlier, Many Indian mothers and grandmothers have traditionally pampered their children with oily, herbal head massages. Afterward, they might apply sudsy reetha, also known as soapnuts, and rinse with fragrant water.
This care and attention are believed to lead to thick, lustrous, healthy hair.
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According to Ayurveda, hair is considered a vital tissue closely linked to both bone marrow and the central nervous system. So, caring for our hair starts from the inside out and depends upon our overall state of balance, nourishment, and well-being.
The way to do this is by following a daily routine that suits our unique constitution and remains in harmony with the current season, incorporating an ayurvedic diet herbs, and nourishing self-care practices.
Incorporating a daily routine and tending to your overall state of balance is the first step to Ayurvedic hair care. From there, you can begin to add in additional practices to specifically support a head of shiny, lustrous locks.
In Ayurveda, Ahara-Vihar (diet and lifestyle) are two major factors that influence our body and the health of our hair. Irregular dietary habits, poor diet, illness, and deficiencies of any vitamin and mineral affect the quality of hair, giving rise to problems like dandruff, early baldness, and premature graying.
Ayurveda provides some basic guidelines that one can follow for the well-being of one’s hair.
Regular cleansing of scalp and hair: Always keep your hair and scalp clean to avoid clogged hair follicles and itching of the scalp. Cleanse with a gentle herbal shampoo. Excessive use of shampoo, especially a harsh one, can lead to drying of the scalp and damaged hair. Use lukewarm or freshwater to wash your hair, and follow with a natural conditioner. Let hair dry naturally rather than blow-drying. Trim hair regularly to take care of split-ends and natural wear and tear. Regularly cleaning and brushing hair is important. Brushing helps stimulate oil-producing glands in the scalp. This natural oil makes hair healthy and glossy.
Food must be eaten in a properly ventilated, quiet corner and one should not do any other job while eating. For good digestion, avoid drinking too much water during meals. The proper time to drink water is half an hour after food. Drink lukewarm water if oily, spicy, and non-vegetarian food is consumed.
By following these rules, you can keep your body free of ama (toxins). Toxins obstruct nutrients from reaching cells and tissues and so, bad food habits like excessive intake of tea, coffee, alcohol, meats, and smoking should be stopped. Eating fried, oily, greasy, spicy, sour, and acidic foods in excess is harmful. Chemical or synthetic medicines should be avoided.
Hence, our diet needs attention for perfect hair care.
A balanced assortment of nutrients is necessary to prevent premature hair loss and early greying. List of beneficial healthy hair foods includes white sesame seeds, fresh coconut, green vegetables, whole grain-rich diet, dates and raisins, Dahi (curd), a sprouted mixture of beans, nuts, and seeds, and healthy fats such as ghee or oil.
Ayurveda advises cooking food with spices and aromatic herbs as they improve digestion and detoxify our body tissues. Ayurveda advocates for regular intake of Haridra (turmeric), marina (black pepper), methi (fenugreek), dhania (coriander), and jeera (cumin) are both flavoring and Agni (digestive fire) enhancing. herbs like Amalaki (Emblica Officinalis), haritaki (Terminalia chebula), hingu (asafoetida), bhringraja (eclipta alba) and seasonal fruits especially citrus fruits help to improve digestion and immunity for all age groups and all dosha types.
As per Ayurveda, sleep is important for the well-being of our bodies. Improper or irregular sleeping schedule causes disturbance to our body clock. Sleep is a phase when our body repairs tissues and reorganizes systems. One should retire to bed before 10 pm and finish dinner two hours before sleep. Light dinner with less spice followed by a glass of milk (an hour after dinner) is always found to induce good quality sleep. Lack of sufficient sleep can lead to poor health of hair.
Living regularly in a state of stress can lead to excessive falling, premature graying, dry, dull-looking, lifeless appearance of hair. Herbal tea enriched with any one or more of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), mandookparni (Centella Asiatica), ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), and jatamansi (nardostachys jatamansi) supports the natural ability to manage stress. Always spare time to rest and relax and practice relaxing yoga techniques and meditation to keep stress under control. Massaging the scalp with medicated herbal oils is found to be helpful to mental relaxation and to control mood swings.
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