Everyone desires clear and glowing skin. We are naturally attracted to people with beautiful skin. Luckily, Ayurveda has some time-tested tips to help us maintain healthy and glowing skin.
Before that, let’s understand, Ayurvedically, why our skin tends to become dull and lifeless during certain seasons or at a certain age. This is due to the accumulation of Vata in our bodies, which tends to be at its peak during fall and early winter and in our 50s. Vata is the culprit behind thinning hair, brittle nails, dry skin and cracked heels. Vata can also raise its ugly head when you’re over stressed or follow a Vata inducing diet or live in Vata inducing climate. So, if we rightly understand, the secret to beautiful skin is to keep Vata at bay.
Some tips here tell you what you can do to keep Vata away and find your way to healthy skin
1. Love your veggies - Vegetables are your body’s and skin’s best friends. Consume veggies that have high water content (think carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, fennel, tender asparagus). These work on all skin types and hence are ‘tridoshic’. Mix at least three of them in a salad made of simple olive oil-lemon juice dressing.
2. Be like a bird - Traditional and Ayurvedic techniques quite vouch for the power of seeds and nuts in our diet. They have natural fats which can help prevent the imbalance that is likely to be caused by the excessively drying nature of Vata. Nuts and seeds have a high amount of Omega 3s and fiber besides fat and are therefore a perfect food for good skin. Go crazy on almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds etc. Mix them up in your morning oatmeal or just have them as an afternoon snack (a time when Vata is looming large).
3. Embrace Tea - Keep the coldness and dryness of Vata away by keeping yourself hydrated through warm liquids like herbal tea. Add some ginger and lemon to your regular tea. The lemon will detox your skin while the ginger will aid in digestion and you will find yourself closer to having perfect skin, within no time.
4. Moisturize your skin It is very important to take care of your skin from the outside too. An oil massage is a great remedy for dry skin. Apply apricot oil 2-3 times a week and your skin will feel soft and smooth. Also, make sure to give yourself or (ask your partner to give you) an oil massage. It boosts blood circulation, keeps your lymphatic system fine, reduces water retention in your body and the bonus is a happy and romantic relationship with your partner. Abhyanga, or full body oil massage, sharpens the mind and makes you feel calm and grounded. Try using organic and natural oils instead of lotions doused in chemicals.
5. Get more exercise - Exercise helps you tone up, it makes you look good, feel good and uplifts your mood. Not just that, when you sweat, you eliminate toxins from your body that can otherwise show up on your skin as dullness or acne. So, crush that Vata and choose any workout that you enjoy- jogging, running, cycling or even dance.
6. Focused Breathing- Vata is at an all time high when you stress out. This is also the time when all the vital juices get sucked out of your body and dehydrate you. Combat this stress through meditation and breathing. Just lie down on your back or sit comfortably. Now, close your eyes and inhale and fill your lungs with as much air. Focus on breathing in and out and feel the air getting in and out of your rib cage and diaphragm.
7. Sleep early - If your Vata is aggravated then you are likely to suffer from problems like insomnia. It is recommended that you sleep early and get seven to eight hours of good sleep everyday in order to keep your skin healthy.
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