Ayurvedic remedies and treatments are built on intricate ancient knowledge and complex compositions of natural ingredients, offering practical applications that can easily be incorporated into your daily routine (Dincharya). Since ancient times, Ayurvedic remedies and supplements have been used by people in various forms, such as Ayurvedic herbs, Ayurvedic oils, pills, powders (churna), balms, eye drops, and many more. These remedies are easy to access, hassle-free, and thus can be adapted by any individual, making them the ultimate form of self-care to cope with our stressful modern lifestyles.
Let’s take a look at some of the endless possible applications of Ayurveda that can help us contribute to our holistic well-being.
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Skincare benefits: Ayurveda offers extensive skin care procedures for external application in the form of face packs, essential oils, herbal waters, face creams, and more. Since these are ayurvedic products made from natural formulas, they are a better choice for those with sensitive skin. Along with this, Ayurvedic herbs and remedies help with natural healing, skin pigmentation, hydration, inflammation, radiance, and overall skin health. One can find Ayurvedic products according to their skin type based on the optimal levels of the Tridoshas in your body. For example, Kumkumadi Tailam (Oil) is known to do wonders for people with sensitive skin by aiding the natural blood purification process, encouraging skin health, and cleansing through a combination of enriching ingredients such as Saffron, Lotus flower, Licorice Root, and Jasmine.
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Hair Care:  Hair fall/loss, itchy or dry scalp are common hair ailments that can be stress-inducing for an individual. Ayurvedic products in the form of herbal formulations such as Ayurvedic hair oil promote hair growth and also have anti-dandruff, conditioning, pigmentation, and scalp cleansing properties. Hair oils such as Chemparuthyadi Oil and Durupathradi Oil are extracted from natural ingredients such as Durdura (Datura metel), Hibiscus, Holy basil, Indigo leaf, Amalaki, Licorice root, etc. While Durdura combats itchiness by nourishing the scalp, the former strengthens the roots of the hair by rejuvenating hair follicles, enriching hair growth, and bringing damaged hair back to life.
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Vision/Eye Care: As a direct result of the ongoing pandemic, we have to live in a world where our eyes are constantly glued to screens, causing immense stress and strain on our eyes. Adding to this, exposure to radiation and air pollutants can lead to eye diseases and allergic disorders. Ayurveda offers comprehensive and safe approaches to manage such conditions. Netra-Tarpana is a restorative Ayurvedic treatment that helps soothe itchiness, cool the pitta, and nourish the ocular tissues by soaking the entire eye socket in a pool of lukewarm ghrita(clarified butter). Application of Rosewater as Ayurvedic eye drops to cleanse and treat dryness in the eyes is a common practice. Along with ayurvedic products for external applications, foods such as karvella (bitter gourd), coriander seeds, Cow’s Milk, and Aloe vera can be included in one’s diets to restore or maintain vision. Triphala, a herbal remedy made up of three dried fruits, is a rich source of Vitamin A. Daily use of Triphala can cure eye problems such as Cataracts, vision loss, disorders of Conjunctiva, and inflammation.
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Oral Health:Â One of the most widely known Ayurvedic products for Oral health are chewing sticks which are twigs or roots of certain plants such as Neem, which have been widely used since ancient times and act as an alternative to toothbrushes to maintain oral hygiene. These chewing sticks have several dental health benefits like improving salivary secretion, plaque control, and levelling of biting surfaces. Ayurvedic texts also suggest the intake of Bilberry fruit (Vaccinium myrtillus) and hawthorn berry (Crataegus oxycantha) that stabilize collagen and strengthen the gum tissue. Liquorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) promotes anti-cavity action, reduces plaque, and has an antibacterial effect. Herbal toothpaste made out of natural Ayurvedic ingredients such as Triphala, Lavang(clove), Pudina (Mint), and more are growing increasingly common for naturally improving oral health.
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Abhyanga or self-massage with oils: Abhyanga massage is a process of applying hot Ayurvedic oil to the body and massaging each body part thoroughly. One can perform these massages on oneself either daily or thrice a week to promote healing and well-being. Incorporating Abhyanga into our daily routine (Dincharya) has health benefits such as improving blood circulation, creating a moisturized and soft skin texture, regulating sleep, and many more. Daily application of Ayurvedic oils such as coconut oil on the head is said to be a preventive measure for eye disorders. Abhyanga performed with Murivenna oil is particularly effective for joint and tissue healing as it helps ease the soreness and tenderness of joints. A pilot study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine showed that Abhyanga massage is promising in reducing subjective stress experience. It may also be beneficial in lowering heart rate and Blood Pressure in prehypertensive subjects.
