Ayurvedic Home Remedies: Health Benefits of Oil Pulling

The best health benefit you can get from oil is to use it as a mouth rinse. This has been my experience. And you will agree with me if you browse through the experience of thousands who do ‘oil pulling’ everyday. I know many people who follow this simple process and safeguard themselves from unnecessary health complications. There are diabetics who are able to maintain their blood sugar at normal level just by adding ‘oil pulling’ to their usual daily regimen. Over a period of time they have even reduced the intake of insulin.

I have been ‘oil pulling’ for a couple of months. I use sesame oil of Idhayam Group. It comes in easy to use sachets. The company gives away these sachets for free as a form of social service and well as to create awareness among the people of Tamil Nadu. Thanks to our Parish Priest, every second Sunday people from this company come to our Sacred Heart Church in Kolathur, Chennai and give away free sachets. People from all walks of life, irrespective of religion, caste or creed gather here to collect the sachets. The participants number almost hundred and each share their experiences with one another. Each participant gets 30 sachets free. The ‘oil pulling’ community here is very active. Our Parish Priest got rid of his sinus problems with ‘oil pulling’ and prescribes this to everyone he meets.

I have seen here people cured of various ailments with ‘oil pulling’. Some of the ailments cured include headaches, eye irritation, hair loss, insomnia, migraine, bad breath, excessive sweating, heel fissures, acne, ulcers, etc.People with high blood pressure were able to regulate their BP with oil pulling.Most of the women told they were able to reverse hair loss with this simple process. Some were cured of asthma and bronchitis. It has helped people with varicose veins too.

I feel fresh everyday and have lots of energy. I don’t feel tired in the evenings.The food I eat tastes good. My mouth feels fresh. I cannot keep myself awake beyond 11 o’clock at night. I sleep like a log and get up refreshed in the morning. I am able to sit before the computer for quite a long time without getting tired.

Sesame oil and sunflower oil are considered best for ‘oil pulling’. You can use coconut oil also. Some use olive oil too. One of my earlier posts details how you can do this simple process. I request everyone of my readers to try this inexpensive ‘oil pulling’ and reap rich benefits. If you need any clarifications or help you can email me.

Ayurvedic Hair Care - Part 3

For healthy hair growth you should adopt certain healthy practices. The most important one is to apply oil to the scalp before bathing. Oil should be applied at least 15 minutes before a bath. Similarly the hair should be patted dry thoroughly after a bath. After this you can apply hair oil. You should ensure that the scalp does not remain dry for quite too long. The scalp and hair should have oil always.

Cleaning your hair is very essential to keep it healthy. Since India is a hot country, and more so the southern part, people sweat a lot and the dust gets settled on skin and scalp very quickly. Bathing twice a day would be ideal. One thing you need to keep in mind is that you should not bathe immediately after some strenuous work which had involved physical exertion. Do not bathe when you are dripping with sweat. Rest for a few minutes to let the body come back to the normal temperature and then have your bath. Also do not bathe immediately after a full meal.

After bathing use a towel to pat your hair and scalp dry. Ensure that the scalp is thoroughly dry. Do not use a hair dryer for this purpose. The hot air can damage the hair roots. Apply oil only after the scalp is patted dry.

Given below is a method to prepare the oil that is applied to scalp before bathing.

The ingredients are dried Indian gooseberry, fenugreek, and dried lemon peel. 50 gm of each of these are powdered and added to a liter of sesame oil. This oil is then applied to the scalp and allowed to stay for some 30 minutes and then washed off.

Another way is to apply sesame oil to hair. Now add soapnut powder, green gram powder, bengal gram powder, and powdered rice to rice congee. Make a thick paste of good consistency and apply the paste onto your hair and scalp. Wash it off after 30 minutes.

Another alternative is to apply sesame oil to hair. Then collect henna leaves, sesame, athimathuram, Indian gooseberries, and make a fine paste of these with cow's milk. Heat this fine paste a little and once it reaches a bearable level of heat apply it on the hair and scalp. Leave it for 10-15 minutes and then wash it off.

Another herbal preparation found to be very effective is to make a paste of karisalankanni leaves, nelli mulli and anthimathuram and applying it on the hair after the usual application of oil. This is then washed off after 10-15 minutes. This helps in luscious hair growth. The hair will have a nice fragrance and it will keep away diseases that affect your hair.

You can try a simple preparation to stop hair loss. For this you need to make a paste of split red gram (thuvaram paruppu in Tamil). Red gram is soaked in water the previous night. The next day morning it is ground to a fine paste and applied to scalp and washed off after 10 or 15 minutes. If you do this frequently, it will help in arresting hair loss and also aid in hair regrowth.

Ayurveda Hair Care - Part 4

There is a saying in Tamil ‘sani neeradu’ which means ‘bathe on Saturdays’. Some conveniently take it to mean to bathe only on Saturdays, while others see this as a way to conserve water during the dry summer season. But the saying lays emphasis on a complete bathing after application of oil on scalp and the whole body. And it is an experience in itself. This Saturday bathing is meant for men, and women are supposed to have this bath on Fridays, I do not know why this is so.

Apart from the regular bathing on all the other days, this Friday or Saturday special bathing is still followed in many households in Tamil Nadu, India. It is followed as a ritual and when combined with other useful practices recommended by the Siddha system, this is found to re-establish a sort of harmony in the human system. The whole process takes at least 3-4 hours. It is a wonderful relaxing experience.

Proper and regular ‘Saturday bath’ strengthens your body. The mouth and jaws are strengthened. The eyesight gets sharper. The respiratory system improves. The hearing capacity improves. It helps hair growth. It is an excellent hair loss treatment.

With this bath, dry skin problems become a thing of past. You can prevent eczema, scabies and other such skin diseases. You won’t suffer from itchy skin. The body becomes clean and fresh. There is reduction in stress. It cools the brain.

Some things to keep in mind before taking bath

• The oil has to be bearably warm

• Place a bit more oil on the crown

• Also apply some oil to the soles of your feet

• If herbal oil you can instill two to three drops in your nostrils

• Also instill two to three drops in your ears

Similarly use warm water for this bathing.

Herbal oil can work wonders on proper application. When applied on the soles of your feet it cures diseases of the eyes. It improves the eyesight. When a few drops of this oil are instilled into the eyes it cures problems of the ears. A few drops to the ears cure ailments that afflict the head and scalp. It gives you a clear mind. When the oil is applied on head, it cures most of the diseases that affect the whole human body.

Sesame oil and coconut oil are the best ones for application on hair and scalp. Neem oil is also a good alternative except for the smell, which some may not like. Pure cow ghee can also be used as an alternative.

Pancha karpa oil is a Siddha preparation that can be safely used on hair that can benefit you in many ways. With regular usage it is found to strengthen the hair.

Ingredients:

Kasthuri manjal (turmeric)

Pepper

Neem seeds

Kadukkai (chebulic myrobalan)

Kernel of Indian gooseberry seeds

The above items are taken in equal quantity by weight. Cow’s milk equal to the total weight of the five ingredients is taken. All the five ingredients are ground to a fine powder. This powder is dropped into the milk and allowed to boil. This is allowed to reduce to two-thirds of the original quantity. This would have reached an oily consistency by this time. Now it is removed from stove and allowed to cool and then stored in a bottle. This is applied on hair and scalp. Regular application benefits the scalp and hair immensely. This helps to stop hair loss.

My next post will elaborate on the diet and other things to be observed after this special bath.

P.S: I had erroneously mentioned ‘linseed oil’ in some previous posts where it is supposed to be ‘sesame oil’. I have corrected the mistake.

Ayurvedic Hair Care - Part 5

If there are cuts or grazes on skin you can use usilam powder obtained from usilam tree leaves. This powder can be used instead of soap during the Friday/Saturday bath.

In case of skin conditions like scabies or eczema, iluppai oil cake obtained from Indian Butter tree can be an alternative for the usual soap.

Shikkakai powder or boondhi kottai powder can be used for cleaning if you are using herbal oil.

For those using cow’s ghee, green gram powder can be used for cleaning.

The Don’ts

On the day of this special weekly bath you have to observe the following dietary restrictions. You should not have vegetables like ash gourd, snake gourd, bottle gourd and milk. Salt, sour and pungent tasting foods should be reduced to the minimum. No daytime nap and no sex on those days.

The vegetables to be avoided are

• Ash gourd

• Brinjal or eggplant

• Pumpkin

• Cluster beans

• Mango

• Coconut

• Bottle gourd

• Bitter gourd

Onions should not be taken. Green gram, mustard, fennel seeds, sesame, groundnut, palm candy, milk, curds, tobacco, crab, fish, chicken, mutton, pork etc should be avoided.

Avoid alcohol and all other such products that induce an altered state of mind. You should not loiter around in hot sun after this bath.

The Do’s

You can have

• Tender broad beans

• Tender drumstick

• Tender brinjal

• Tender mango

• Indian gooseberries

• Sundakkai (Devil’s fig)

• Manathakkali (Black Nightshade)

• Pepper

• Cumin seeds

• Fenugreek

• Cardamom

• Asafetida

• Fried salt

• Cow’s ghee

As for non-vegetarian stuff you can take quail or iguana in moderation.

Adopting these dietary restrictions on Friday/Saturday bath can help fast and natural hair growth. Some more hair growth products will be detailed in my subsequent posts.

Ayurvedic Hair Care - Part 6

Home remedy for dark and thick black hair

Ingredients

Hibiscus (Shoe flower) the dark red ones 20 nos

Coconut oil 200 ml

Method

Heat the coconut oil and when it nears the boiling point, drop the shoe flowers with the stalk into the oil. As soon as the flowers are dropped remove the coconut oil from heat and allow it to cool. Strain out the flowers and store the oil in a bottle in a cool place. Apply this oil to your hair everyday for healthy hair growth.

Fenugreek remedy for arresting hair loss

Method

A handful of fenugreek seeds are soaked in water the previous night. The fenugreek is ground to a fine paste the next day morning. This paste is then applied to the hair roots. Allow the paste to stay for 5-10 minutes and then wash it off. Regular application will stop hair loss and will help healthy hair growth.

Home remedy for premature grey hair

Ingredients

White karisalankanni plant

Coconut oil or sesame oil

Method

Take a small whole white karisalankanni plant and pound it thoroughly. Make a fine paste of the pounded plant using a mixer. Make dime-sized tablets out of the paste and dry them in shade for a couple days. Once thoroughly dried, store these tablets in a bottle. Soak a couple of these tablets for two days in either coconut oil or sesame oil 50 ml as and when needed. This oil is applied on hair to treat premature greying of hair. For good results regular application for at least 2-3 months is recommended.

Benefits of Oil Massage and Oil Treatment

It has been age old practice in South India to apply oil to the whole body with a gentle massage followed by warm water bath. For women, this is to be observed on Fridays and for men Saturdays.

A recent study by Dr K. N. Agarwal of Delhi has shown the health benefits of oil massage on 6 week old infants. The study concluded that sesame oil as the most beneficial of all other oils. Oil massage also helps in increased secretion of thyroid and insulin.

South India is a hot region with very high temperatures during the summer. Rapid deforestation, depletion of underground water, environmental pollution etc add to the woe. The Siddha saints regard human body as a microcosm that reflects the larger Universe. When the earth gets polluted due to the reasons mentioned above, a corresponding disharmony sets in, in the human body too. This is there for all of us to see. The nature strikes back with vengeance; natural calamities and epidemics like H1N1 are on the rise. The three doshas, vata, pitta and kapha get vitiated. Oil massage and bath once a week will help pacify the vitiated doshas to a large extent.

This way of bathing benefits human body and mind immensely. The skin is able to maintain its sheen and luster. The muscles get strengthened. There is improved blood circulation. Oil massage relaxes the body and energizes it. There is a sense of complete relaxation. When the muscles and joints are massaged, the body fluids stagnant at these points move on and toxins if any get eliminated. A relaxing oil massage and bath once a week will keep you energized and alert throughout the week.

Sesame oil, coconut oil and castor oil can be used for this purpose. Take sesame oil and coconut oil in equal quantities. Castor oil of one third volume is added to this mixture. Drop a few pepper corns, betel leaves, a pinch of camphor to this mixture and heat it to a bearable level.

Apply this warm oil all over the body. This should be done ideally in the mornings. Allow this oil to soak into your body for 20 to 30 minutes. Use warm water for bathing. You can add a few drops of eucalyptus oil, or eucalyptus leaves to the warm water meant for bathing.

You can also use massage oils available in the market. These oils are made by adding basil leaves, clove, jasmine, sandalwood etc. They give out a very nice, relaxing aroma.

Abhyanga snan is observed on Deepavali day. It is a full body massage with oil followed by a ritual bathing.

You can wash away this oil using soap nut powder or handmade soaps.Handmade soaps do not contain chemicals that could harm the skin in the long run. They retain skin moisture. I will share some more benefits and tips on oil massage in subsequent posts.

Ayurvedic Hair Care - Part 3

For healthy hair growth you should adopt certain healthy practices. The most important one is to apply oil to the scalp before bathing. Oil should be applied at least 15 minutes before a bath. Similarly the hair should be patted dry thoroughly after a bath. After this you can apply hair oil. You should ensure that the scalp does not remain dry for quite too long. The scalp and hair should have oil always.

Cleaning your hair is very essential to keep it healthy. Since India is a hot country, and more so the southern part, people sweat a lot and the dust gets settled on skin and scalp very quickly. Bathing twice a day would be ideal. One thing you need to keep in mind is that you should not bathe immediately after some strenuous work which had involved physical exertion. Do not bathe when you are dripping with sweat. Rest for a few minutes to let the body come back to the normal temperature and then have your bath. Also do not bathe immediately after a full meal.

After bathing use a towel to pat your hair and scalp dry. Ensure that the scalp is thoroughly dry. Do not use a hair dryer for this purpose. The hot air can damage the hair roots. Apply oil only after the scalp is patted dry.

Given below is a method to prepare the oil that is applied to scalp before bathing.

The ingredients are dried Indian gooseberry, fenugreek, and dried lemon peel. 50 gm of each of these are powdered and added to a liter of sesame oil. This oil is then applied to the scalp and allowed to stay for some 30 minutes and then washed off.

Another way is to apply sesame oil to hair. Now add soapnut powder, green gram powder, bengal gram powder, and powdered rice to rice congee. Make a thick paste of good consistency and apply the paste onto your hair and scalp. Wash it off after 30 minutes.

Another alternative is to apply sesame oil to hair. Then collect henna leaves, sesame, athimathuram, Indian gooseberries, and make a fine paste of these with cow's milk. Heat this fine paste a little and once it reaches a bearable level of heat apply it on the hair and scalp. Leave it for 10-15 minutes and then wash it off.

Another herbal preparation found to be very effective is to make a paste of karisalankanni leaves, nelli mulli and anthimathuram and applying it on the hair after the usual application of oil. This is then washed off after 10-15 minutes. This helps in luscious hair growth. The hair will have a nice fragrance and it will keep away diseases that affect your hair.

You can try a simple preparation to stop hair loss. For this you need to make a paste of split red gram (thuvaram paruppu in Tamil). Red gram is soaked in water the previous night. The next day morning it is ground to a fine paste and applied to scalp and washed off after 10 or 15 minutes. If you do this frequently, it will help in arresting hair loss and also aid in hair regrowth.

Ayurvedic Hair Care - Part 6

Home remedy for dark and thick black hair

Ingredients

Hibiscus (Shoe flower) the dark red ones 20 nos

Coconut oil 200 ml

Method

Heat the coconut oil and when it nears the boiling point, drop the shoe flowers with the stalk into the oil. As soon as the flowers are dropped remove the coconut oil from heat and allow it to cool. Strain out the flowers and store the oil in a bottle in a cool place. Apply this oil to your hair everyday for healthy hair growth.

Fenugreek remedy for arresting hair loss

Method

A handful of fenugreek seeds are soaked in water the previous night. The fenugreek is ground to a fine paste the next day morning. This paste is then applied to the hair roots. Allow the paste to stay for 5-10 minutes and then wash it off. Regular application will stop hair loss and will help healthy hair growth.

Home remedy for premature grey hair

Ingredients

White karisalankanni plant

Coconut oil or sesame oil

Method

Take a small whole white karisalankanni plant and pound it thoroughly. Make a fine paste of the pounded plant using a mixer. Make dime-sized tablets out of the paste and dry them in shade for a couple days. Once thoroughly dried, store these tablets in a bottle. Soak a couple of these tablets for two days in either coconut oil or sesame oil 50 ml as and when needed. This oil is applied on hair to treat premature greying of hair. For good results regular application for at least 2-3 months is recommended.

Benefits of Oil Massage and Oil Treatment

It has been age old practice in South India to apply oil to the whole body with a gentle massage followed by warm water bath. For women, this is to be observed on Fridays and for men Saturdays.

A recent study by Dr K. N. Agarwal of Delhi has shown the health benefits of oil massage on 6 week old infants. The study concluded that sesame oil as the most beneficial of all other oils. Oil massage also helps in increased secretion of thyroid and insulin.

South India is a hot region with very high temperatures during the summer. Rapid deforestation, depletion of underground water, environmental pollution etc add to the woe. The Siddha saints regard human body as a microcosm that reflects the larger Universe. When the earth gets polluted due to the reasons mentioned above, a corresponding disharmony sets in, in the human body too. This is there for all of us to see. The nature strikes back with vengeance; natural calamities and epidemics like H1N1 are on the rise. The three doshas, vata, pitta and kapha get vitiated. Oil massage and bath once a week will help pacify the vitiated doshas to a large extent.

This way of bathing benefits human body and mind immensely. The skin is able to maintain its sheen and luster. The muscles get strengthened. There is improved blood circulation. Oil massage relaxes the body and energizes it. There is a sense of complete relaxation. When the muscles and joints are massaged, the body fluids stagnant at these points move on and toxins if any get eliminated. A relaxing oil massage and bath once a week will keep you energized and alert throughout the week.

Sesame oil, coconut oil and castor oil can be used for this purpose. Take sesame oil and coconut oil in equal quantities. Castor oil of one third volume is added to this mixture. Drop a few pepper corns, betel leaves, a pinch of camphor to this mixture and heat it to a bearable level.

Apply this warm oil all over the body. This should be done ideally in the mornings. Allow this oil to soak into your body for 20 to 30 minutes. Use warm water for bathing. You can add a few drops of eucalyptus oil, or eucalyptus leaves to the warm water meant for bathing.

You can also use massage oils available in the market. These oils are made by adding basil leaves, clove, jasmine, sandalwood etc. They give out a very nice, relaxing aroma.

Abhyanga snan is observed on Deepavali day. It is a full body massage with oil followed by a ritual bathing.

You can wash away this oil using soap nut powder or handmade soaps. Handmade soaps do not contain chemicals that could harm the skin in the long run. They retain skin moisture. I will share some more benefits and tips on oil massage in subsequent posts.