Ayurveda has a vast repertoire to enhance beauty by various means. Broadly speaking, the factors which are responsible for the beauty of a person are
Diet & Life Style Effect of Geographical & Climatic Conditions Social Atmosphere
Life Style and Diet
Lifestyle plays an important role in health and beauty. The follow guidelines are Ayurveda’s blueprint for health and vitality.
1. Getting up before sunrise (6:00 am);
2. Taking abrisk walk or doing Yoga postures;
3. Meditation;
4. Proper cleansing, both external and internal, of the body. The external includes organic, non-petroleum based soaps, or shampoos and the right herbs to add to the water. Internal cleansing i nvolves cleaning the various orifices and proper evacuation of the bowels with periodic deep cleansing of the same.
5. Balance between the sitting, standing and lying hours in a day.
6. Allowing the natural elimination impulses of the body to happen.
Quality food and good digestion are essential to health and beauty. The body need the best substances to continually grown and rebuild itself. Digestion and assimilation of food together with proper and regular evacuation of wastes is essential for a healthy being. Proper assimilation and elimination of food creates strength, stamina and beauty which will be reflected by t clear skin, bright eyes, shining hairs, strong nails and moist lips.
Good digestion is enhanced by:
a) The right selection of food.
b) Skillful preparation of food.
c) A clean and friendly atmosphere for dining.
d) Eating the right foods at the right time in the right way
A vegetarian diet has lot to do in delaying the onset of aging. Here are some foods that are noted for their anti-aging benefits.
SOYA BEAN: There are numerous advantages this food offers. It boosts the good cholesterol and improves the ratio of HDL ( high density lipoproteins) to LDL (low density lipoproteins) . It provides anti-oxidants, one of them being genistain which is also helpful against clogged arteries and the formation of cancer cells.
The antioxidants and phytochemicals present in soya bean are especially useful in obstructing the formation of hormone related cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer. Being a rich source of calcium and iron, Soya foods prove beneficial in the treatment of anemia and osteoporosis. The Japanese arethe largest consumer of soya products, have the longest life expectancy in the world.
TOFU: A food with cheese like consistency made from soya milk can increase the life span, as studied in some animal experiments which revealed that 12-15% longer life span was observed than in animals fed on casein, the milk protein in paneer.
OLIVE OIL & ALMOND OIL: The problems of cholesterol can be easily solved by switching over to almond or olive oil. Because, while other refined vegetable oils lower the LDL (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol) simultaneously . These keeps up the HDL while lowing the total blood cholesterol & HDL. These retard the destructive effects of free radicals to a greater extent, which mean that your body has fewer free radicals, hence delayed aging. These oils contain antioxidants which protect your body cells from the negataive effect of carcinogens.
There are many other beneficial foods that can keep the individual fit and young. Consult with your Ayurveda physician for a program tailored just for you.
Georgraphical and Climate Conditions
The genetic factors of different races determine the complexion of an offspring right from the birth But there are other factors also which play an important role in complexion type. For example, in cold countries we find fairer complexions and in hot climates, like in tropical countries there is more probability of dark complexions. The diet of the mother during pregnancy directly effects the foetus. However, after birth, what really matters is how we take care of our skin and body.
Exposure to sun, dietary habits, sleep patterns, mental states, pollution, humidity, hilly areas or coast, level of salts in atmosphere; every factor counts. Ayurveda provides several creams with precious herbs to protect the skin in harmful circumstances.
Social Atmosphere
The atmosphere at home, work place or in the public also has a great role in the beauty.
A saint who indulges in holy rituals and lives in a calm and quiet atmosphere, away from common concerns and who has attained a high level of meditation could be perceived with divine beauty on his face. This type of beauty can not be attainted from external measures or cosmetics. Therefore, peace at mental level and spiritual level is necessary for elevated beauty. A tense atmosphere at work, negative thoughts, jealousy, hatred, anger and frustration do not promote peace and therefore do not promote beauty. These conditions according to Ayurveda can lead to blackishness or hyperpigmentation of the skin.. Judicious application of herbal gels or cream with Yoga and meditation can certainly replenish your external and internal look, but peace from within is in and of itself, the best beauty treatment.
Allergies and skin disorders are on the increase. Non-organic, chemical based cosmetics are a great health hazard. Synthetic colors and certain chemical compounds that provide shine in lip glosses, nail enamels and mascaras and not assimilated well in the body. Other harmful ingrediate such as alkalies in shampoos; mineral oils and animal fats used in hair oils; chemical based synthetic gums used in bindis, (Indian sign wore by females on forehead); and a few organic compounds with synthetic perfumes used in deodorants and alcohol extracts used in perfumes are polluting human body to an extent that irreparable loss is been inflicted to the skin, scalp, and eyes.
It is natural for us to want to be as beautiful and attractive as possible. What we need safe, natural, organic cosmetics. Here are some wonderful, natural alternatives:
The application of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) powder is as old as culture of skin beautification, a face cream and 100% safe and effective color can be prepared from this. This powder alone or in combination with Palashpushp (flowers of Butea monospermum) can be used in any color combination for natural cosmetics.
A cream of Manjishtha (Rubia cordifolia) and Rakta chandan (Santalum album) has curative value in skin allergies.
A cream of Saffron and Shvet Chandan is helpful for erasing hypermentation scars.
Neeli (Indigofera tinctiria), Bhringraj (Eclipta alba) and Amlaki (Emblica officinalis) have specific action on scalp and blended in shampoos and lip glosses will have a medicinal and aesthetic role.
Dry powders of flowers and Shvet Chandan (Santalum album), Shalamali Kan tak (Thorns of Shamalia) when made into fine powders are effective deodorants.
The beauty of Ayurveda natural cosmetics is that the herbs based formulas have both an aesthetic role and medicinal purpose. Here are some final helpful tips for natural and healthy beauty.
For Dandruff
1. Dry peels of lemon and oranges should be used. This will maintain soft and silky hair and also removes dandruff from the scalp.
2. Two tablespoons of fenugreek (methi) seeds soaked overnight in water. The softened seeds should be grounded into a fine paste in the morning and applied over the scalp & left for half an hour and then washed thoroughly.
3. Use of a teaspoon of fresh limejuice for the last rinses while washing the hair is equally beneficial.
Loss of hair
1. The oil from the amla, prepared by boiling dry pieces of amla in coconut oil, is a hair tonic for enriching hair growth.
2. A mixture of fresh amla juice and the limejuice used as a shampoo stimulates hair growth and prevent hair loss.
3. Application of the juice of green coriander leaves on the head is also considered beneficial.
4. Mustard oil boiled with heena (mehndi) leaves is useful for the healthy growth of hair.
For the patchy loss of hair-
1. Paste of licorice (yashtimadhu/ mulethi) made by grinding the pieces in milk with a pinch of saffron should be applied over the bald patches before going to bed at night.
Natural hair dye
1. Paste of heena leaves boiled in coconut oil to get a darkish oil should be used to blacken grey hair.
2. Washing hair with concentrated tea extract twice a week is useful in colouring grey hair to brown or black.
