Chapter 16
The Secrets of Healthy Skin and Hair
In This Chapter
Learning a simple routine for massaging your skin
Looking at diet and lifestyle to enhance the skin
Finding out what helps skin problems
Managing common foot complaints
Exploring ways to care for the hair and scalp
Your skin is a reflection of who you are and how you’re doing; it’s your outermost boundary. A brief look at someone’s skin can even tell you a lot about that person’s personality. For example, very sensitive skin indicates a highly sensitive soul, while excessively sweaty flesh suggests someone with a nervous disposition. A tough, resilient skin usually belongs to someone you’d call thick-skinned.
Your skin reflects every disturbance of your inner organs. Its close connection to your feelings is suggested in language when you exclaim how ‘touched’ you are by something beautiful or when someone offers you a kindness. Ayurveda addresses the care of your skin and scalp (which affects your hair’s health), including the treatment of common skin problems.
Read on to find practices that keep your skin and hair at its best.
Saving Your Skin with a Simple Massage Routine
According to Ayurveda, one of the most important things you can do for yourself is to regularly oil your skin. Your skin is a true mirror of your internal status, whether it be your emotions or the condition of your organs such your spleen, liver, heart, spleen and stomach. Oil massage alleviates vata dosha by pacifying it with warming and lubricating properties. (Chapter 2 explains the doshas.) Not only does it soothe your endocrine and nervous systems, oil massage can increase your resistance to bacteria and improve your muscle tone. Massage is said to strengthen your skin while facilitating the removal of impurities. Finally, massage is said to remove fatigue, improve sleep and keep the ravages of age at bay.
You can use raw organic sesame oil for your massage, or you can choose an oil that’s appropriate for your constitution by flipping back to Chapter 8. This simple form of massage is called abhyanga in Ayurveda, and is a general technique which you can use at any time.
If you’ve never used sesame oil, apply a little on the inside of your forearm overnight. If there’s any sign of redness, itching or a rash, choose another oil that doesn’t irritate you.
Follow these steps for a wonderful self-massage:
1. Apply a small amount of warmed oil to the scalp on the crown of your head.
This spot is the adipati marma (the father of all points), which is often slightly tender, and so needs a little more attention.
2. Release tension in the scalp by massaging with both hands using the fingertips.
3. Focus pressure on your temples.
4. Move to your ear lobes and stretch them gently with your thumb and index finger.
The ears often hold a lot of tension.
5. Use the tip of your first finger to gently massage the inner part of your ear.
6. Finish massaging your ears by rubbing the bony prominence that sticks out behind the ear.
7. Beginning at the top of the shoulders, with a little oil in your hand, draw it down your arm, stopping at the elbow and wrist joints to massage in a circular motion.
Repeat the action with your other arm.
8. Apply oil to your torso. Begin with your chest from your sternum or breastbone at the centre of your torso and work to the outer edges, circling the breasts and then pressing lightly between the ribs.
9. Massage your stomach by rubbing in a circular clockwise motion from your navel outwards.
10. Draw your oiled palm from the top of your thigh down to your foot with firm pressure.
11. Apply oil to the back of your thighs and calves in a downward direction.
12. Rub each buttock in a circular motion with your palms open, continuing around the waist.
13. Reach each hand over its opposite shoulder, stretching as far as you can to apply oil to your upper back and shoulders.
14. Bathe or shower to allow your pores to open and the oil to penetrate.
Identifying Foods Your Skin Will Love
What you eat and drink is recorded on your skin’s surface. Too much alcohol manifests as broken, spider-like red veins. Tobacco and too many caffeinated drinks increase dryness and lead to wrinkles.
So in general eat a balanced diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, and eat organic when possible. Avoid excessively salty and spicy foods.
The following list contains foods that are particularly good for your skin (this list assumes that you’re in good health and that your digestion is working effectively):
Barley
Butter
Castor oil
Chana dal (split yellow gram)
Cow’s milk
Garlic
Ghee
Honey
Linseed oil
Mango
Mung beans
Saffron
Sesame oil and seeds
When you’re plagued with acne, the excruciating scaliness and itching of psoriasis (see the next section) or the presence of unsightly warts on your feet and hands, you can greatly help reduce these conditions either by taking a supplement of zinc or increasing the number of zinc-rich foods in your diet. See Table 16-1 for some good sources of zinc.
Due to modern farming techniques and the use of fertilisers, which bind the precious mineral, much of our food is zinc deficient. This fact, along with low-calorie diets and food processing, leads to a widespread decrease of zinc in your diet.
Warts are caused by a virus that invades the skin and begins to produce painful growths, especially under the feet, where they are known as verrucae. This virus occurs because your immune system is challenged, and all my years of practice have shown that zinc is part of the key to recovery.
So why is this mineral so important to you? Zinc is implicated in many functions of the body, the most important of which are protein synthesis, enzyme function and carbohydrate metabolism.
Table 16-1 Zinc-rich Foods to Include in Your Diet
|
Food |
Zinc Content (mg) per 100 grams |
|
Oysters |
148.7 |
|
Ginger root |
6.8 |
|
Pecans |
4.5 |
|
Split peas |
4.2 |
|
Oats |
3.2 |
|
Brazil nuts |
4.2 |
|
Egg yolk |
3.5 |
|
Peanuts |
3.2 |
Balancing the Scales: Helpful Ways to Settle Psoriasis and Eczema
Psoriasis is a very debilitating disease in which the skin produces silvery scales called plaques, which become red and then itch and burn. In more advanced cases, joint stiffness and pain results.
Eczema, a common condition when the skin becomes rough, itchy and blistered, is no less distressing than psoriasis but is easier to manage. In Ayurveda, it’s known as vicharchari.
Eczema is commonly caused by allergic reactions to both metals and foods, and is often related to asthma.
Skin symptoms vary according to your doshic manifestation (Chapter 4 can help to determine your constitution):
Pitta: If your skin condition is pitta in nature it will be hot, red, make you irritable and become worse with heat. It’s definitely worth your while trying an antiallergenic diet, removing pungent and sour foods listed in Chapter 11, and trying bitter herbs such as sariva and manjishta to purify your blood.
Apply oils such as Brahmi and bringaraj to your hair and face, while organic coconut oil and aloe gel can work well on your body. Turmeric cream and Psorolin Ointment may help if you have psoriasis.
Kapha: Your condition will be oozing with swelling and itching involved. Dampness and exposure to cold air will make it worse. An anti-ama diet is important for you, which means no dairy, yogurt or oily, heavy or sweet foods. Triphala guggulu, gokshura guggul and neem are helpful to take. Apply Lippu Ointment for eczema.
Vata: When this dosha is out of balance, the good news is it’s the easiest to cure. It will appear as dry, scaly and fissured skin made worse by wind and cold. Adopt a diet of cooked warm food and follow the vata-pacifying diet in Chapter 11. Taking triphala guggulu and rasna is helpful in this case, as is applying Dhanvantari oil, sesame oil or ghee to your skin.
Consult an Ayurvedic practitioner to help in determining the best treatment for you.
For all cases of psoriasis and eczema, the following tips are useful:
Use a non-pore-blocking soap to cleanse your skin, like Biotique Bio-Neem body cleanser or Psorolin soap.
Don’t use soap powders with enzymes to wash your clothes; they can cause dermatitis and itching.
Make sure you properly dry your skin after washing.
Try not to do anything that makes you sweat.
Cut down on alcohol and all processed foods.
Visit spas with sulphur-rich waters.
Eat more sulphur-rich foods, including:
• Eggs
• Brussels sprouts
• Beans
• Garlic
• Cabbage
Up your intake of zinc-rich foods or take a zinc supplement (see the previous section). Psoriasis causes a very rapid turnover of skin cells, and so increases your requirement for zinc.
Expose your skin carefully to sunlight to enhance the production of vitamin D in the body.
Take one teaspoon of mahatikta ghrita, morning and evening, for six weeks.
Avoid using very hot water when you shower, and don’t languish too long in the bath; it can aggravate the skin and cause folliculitis.
Avoid coming into contact with rubber or nickel, and don’t wear synthetic fabrics, because they are occlusive and prevent the skin from breathing.
Stepping Out with Chicken Soup for the Soles
The skin of your feet faces quite a lot of challenges every day. It’s the part of you that meets the floor and bears your weight over and over, all day long. Nowhere else does your skin take as much consistent and heavy contact – usually while cooped up in socks and shoes (some of which may not be exactly right for your feet or what you ask of them). Naturally, the skin on your feet may encounter some problems.
The upcoming sections give you suggestions for addressing common foot complaints. If none of these strategies is effective after three weeks, visit your local podiatrist for further help.
Simple solutions for corns
Corns are small, painful areas of thickened skin. They result from pressure on bony areas, usually around the fourth and fifth toes.
To help prevent corns, make sure that your shoes fit properly. You can also keep your toes separate with a piece of chiropody felt or lambswool.
If it’s too late for prevention, apply a paste made from one teaspoon of aloe vera gel with a quarter of a teaspoon of turmeric. Strap the paste to the offending toe with a plaster, and leave overnight. Follow this procedure for a week, and then lift out the corn.
For soft corns, apply a drop of castor oil.
Coping with a callus
A callus is a thickened area of skin that arises from pressure or friction. It can be caused by shoes that are too high, too tight or even too big, which causes your foot to jam into the front of the shoe as you slide forwards with each step.
For immediate relief, soak your feet in an Epsom salt bath and then use a pumice stone to smooth the surface of the skin. Follow with an emollient cream such as zinc and castor oil or calendula.
At night, rub a little castor oil into your feet and wear socks in bed to help it soak in. Not so good for your sex life, but your feet will soften!
Fixtures for fissures
A fissure is a crack in the skin, usually found on the heel. A fissure can be very painful, especially when you walk or stand for long periods, and because the cracks can go deep, they leave you open to problematic infections.
Prevent fissures from occurring by oiling your feet, especially in autumn, so that your feet are ready for dry winter.
You can treat a fissure with a paste of ground nutmeg and a little water. Apply the mixture into the cracks and cover it with a dry dressing.
Check that your diet provides you with plenty of essential fatty acids, which keep the skin moisturised. Udo’s Choice Ultimate Oil Blend is a good start to mix into food and drink, and for vegetarians, use cold-pressed flaxseed oil. For really bad cases, I’ve had great success with Petroleum 6X, a homeopathic remedy, taking one tablet a day for two weeks. Also Haelan Tape, available from your chiropodist.
Managing ingrown toenails
An ingrown toenail – one in which the tip of the nail becomes embedded in the skin – is a very common problem that many people experience at one time or another. You’re less likely to run into this problem if the toe box of your shoes is big enough. You should be able to raise your big toe without feeling undue pressure from the top of your shoe.
Always trim your toenails in line with the top edge of the toe, resisting the temptation to go down the sides, because this is when problems start.
If the nail is infected, apply neem oil or cream to it and apply a dry dressing.
Reducing the pain of heel spurs
A heel spur is a calcium deposit that grows out of the heel, usually in a formation that looks like a hook. It’s a fairly common condition that used to be known as policeman’s heel, because it usually occurs as a response to too much walking on unrelenting surfaces.
To relieve the pain of a heel spur, use a heel cup – available at most pharmacies – to raise your heel slightly. Or cut a felt pad the size of the underside of your heel and remove a small circular section of felt in the spot where you feel the pain, and affix it with flexible strapping. This isn’t a particularly Ayurvedic solution but it works! Heel spurs sometimes go away on their own.
Heading in the Right Direction with Scalp Massage
Hair care has been part of Ayurveda for a very long time, and indeed the word shampoo came into our language in the 17th century from trade with India. Asian women have always been admired for their beautiful hair, and one of their secrets is oil application.
Scalp massage not only ensures that your hair is strong and lustrous but also improves your ability to handle stress. The skull is the headquarters (so to speak) of the nervous system. All the senses are located in the head region, and massage helps promote their normal functioning.
Head massage also:
Helps to prevent greying
Aids sound sleep
Helps to prevent refraction errors of the eyes
Treats tension headaches
Nourishes the roots of your hair, which can help alleviate hair loss
Some of the major marma points (focal points of energy) are located on the head. Three important ones are adipati marma, which is where the fontanel is located (the soft spot that slowly knits together after you’re born). The other marma points are the brahma randra, two finger-widths in front of the adipati marma, and the sivarandha, which is the point two finger-widths behind.
Choose an oil that matches your constitution:
Vata: Himsagara or almond oil
Pitta: Brahmi or amala
Kapha: Neem or triphaladi
If you want to address premature greying, choose bringaraj oil, which is known as keshraja, the king of hair. It promotes dark colour and lustrous locks. You can take bringaraj powder internally, as well. It’s an excellent rejuvenator.
Using lukewarm oil, follow these steps to massage your scalp:
1. Locate the adipati marma.
Place your hand on your forehead, with the base of your wrist on the ridge of the brow bone. Where the middle finger falls on the midpoint of your skull is the adipati marma.
2. Rub the oil into the adipati marma with the tips of your fingers.
3. Move two finger-widths up on the same line to the shika, and give it a gentle clockwise tug.
The shika is the little tassel of hair you see on Hindu monks, who leave it long when they shave their heads. They maintain this growth so as not to disrupt the energies, because this is the site of the crown chakra, an energy centre located on a subtle energy pathway which begins in the base of the spine.
4. Spread the oil over the whole of your scalp using both hands.
5. Let your head drop forwards and part the hair at the back of the head to apply oil to the hollow at the base of the skull.
Massage the area with your thumb.
6. Release tension in your cranium by gripping your head with both hands, interlocking the fingers from either side, just above your ears.
Apply firm pressure.
7. Use picking strokes as if lifting a tuft of hair with the tips of your fingers, to stimulate circulation to your hair roots.
This motion is a great stress reliever.
8. Grasp the hair in little clumps and twist in a clockwise direction.
Each hair has a tiny muscle attached to it, and these muscles tighten when you get stressed. The grasping manoeuvre rids you of tension in the scalp and improves blood flow.
9. If you can, leave the oil to soak in for a bit, and shampoo it out when you bathe.
Use a mild, preferably pH-balanced shampoo. Many Ayurvedic shampoos are available. Maharishi Ayurveda Healthy Scalp is very good and a personal favourite. See Appendix C for suppliers.