Short journey through Ayurvedic treatments

Short journey through Ayurvedic treatments

There are many Ayurvedic treatments widespread in the West: here is an overview of the main techniques and some of the fundamental principles of this millenary discipline.

Ayurvedic-treatments

The Ayurvedic discipline is a  real philosophy of life that looks at man in his entirety, made of matter, fluid, soul / spirit and environmental factors external to him that condition him.

In fact, the approach that Ayurvedic medicine chooses in patient care is very far from what we are used to and makes use of practices and therapies based, generally, on the interaction of treatments and on a plurality of approaches: we do not focus only on the individual and on the disorder that afflicts him, but we consider the lifestyle, the diet, the context that constitutes his reality.

As we know, Ayurvedic medicine is a very ancient medical sciencewhich has its roots in the Indian tradition.

Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia  then mainly uses remedies of natural origin such as plants, roots, leaves and flowers; properly treated, these remedies can be used according to their specific properties in the form of ointments, creams or solutions.

 

Ayurvedic treatments: benefits

Ayurvedic treatments have as their primary purpose the health of the person, through the restoration of the balance of the three doshas, ​​or the three constitutions  that, to a greater or lesser extent, concern each individual: vata , pitta and kapha . 

A condition of perfect balance is quite rare, and to align these three energies it is necessary to intervene through various practices, first of all nutrition, considered a real medicinal resource, then the lifestyle in general, and, finally, with real and own treatments.

Ayurvedic treatments act on many psycho-physical ailments :

  • They improve blood and lymphatic circulation;
  • they act on the internal organs favoring their physiological functionality;
  • they induce deep relaxation, to counteract stress and anxiety.

Using natural oils and specific ointments , the benefits of the treatments are combined with those of these conductors used to slide the hands over the body with particular well-being of the epidermis that will acquire brightness, softness and hydration.

A completely negligible aspect of Ayurvedic treatments is that, under normal conditions, they do not have side effects and are also suitable for the most delicate subjects ; some massages are aimed and recommended even for newborns.

 

Ayurvedic treatments for mother and child

Pregnancy can bring with it some disorders from weighting and circulatory slowdown  and  lymphatic stasis  but also  fatigue , anxiety, intolerance.
One of the many tools at the service of women to find relief from discomfort such as agitation, poor circulation, water retention is the Ayurvedic massage during pregnancy : it is a delicate massage, which gently moves the energy blocks and re-oxygenates the tissues.
With regard to the newborn, once released from the embrace of the maternal uterus, given the innate need for contact and care which, according to Ayurveda, also manifest themselves through massage, the mother or an operator can massage the child from the very beginning. moments of his life with technical specifications.

 

Ayurvedic treatments: some examples

The best known Ayurvedic treatments also in the West are mainly massages and mud baths. We do not include real therapies in this description because they must only be prescribed by a competent Ayurvedic doctor.

Abhyanga massage is the king of Ayurveda massages and involves the whole body, literally from the feet to the head. It is performed with oil at room temperature, if possible specific to the dosha of the recipient. In fact, there are ad hoc products for Ayurvedic massages, prepared according to ancient Indian recipes and developed for the different doshas.

The operator carries out tapping, kneading and friction maneuvers which have the purpose of releasing tensions, eliminating fatigue and improving body functions. Anti-aging and relaxing, it is a tonic for the nervous system.

Shirodhara

This treatment only involves the head and yet is able to give very deep states of relaxation. It consists in pouring oil poured continuously on the forehead, at the point between the eyebrows, stimulating the epiphysis.

It is particularly suitable for problems related to insomnia , psycho-physical exhaustion and headaches.
Ayurvedic

muds In Ayurveda, not only oil is used as a conductor during treatments, but also Ayurvedic muds. These are not inert matter, but are rich in numerous substances that generously return to the epidermis during the massage.

Sprinkled all over the body, they are enriched with essences suitable for each dosha . They are particularly suitable for skin problems.

 

Pindaswedana

This type of treatment is quite characteristic because it involves the use of hot tampons all over the body . After having sprinkled the body with oil, the operator uses these specific tampons, linen bundles filled with herbs, spices or rice cooked in specific decoctions, which are expertly pressed all over the body giving a great relaxing effect.

 

Urdvartana

The Urdvartana massage is carried out with powders which have the task of constituting a delicate peeling for the entire epidermis. A mixture of flours and oils is in fact rubbed on the body, activating and invigorating the skin.

This treatment ends with a detoxifying steam bath called swedana.

Hukka

The oil massage is enriched with hot smooth stones placed in specific points of the body. The use of stones is quite widespread in the massage tradition and, sometimes, some of them can also be precious (ratna massage).

 

Ayurvedic hair treatments

In addition to the treatment with the shirodhara technique , which relaxes the muscles of the head and face, nourishes the skin and relieves tension with a direct action on the epiphysis , there are specific products with which to carry out self-treatments for hair care.

A fundamental principle that concerns the vision of the hair according to the Ayurvedic tradition: hair is considered a sub-tissue of the bone and for their development, growth and pigmentation the earth and ether elements are necessary.

Talapotichili is the application of powders and oils for broad spectrum hair care

The remedies that stimulate these functions are based on fenugreek , aloe vera , jasmine , coconut milk , hibiscus , gooseberry , lotus , phyllanthus indica .

These preparations can be combined with oils to stimulate the natural pigmentation of the hair, such as Amla Thailam, Bhringaraja Thailam, Neelibhringadi Thailam.

Ayurvedic products can be purchased in outlets that specifically deal with this kind of remedies.

 

Ayurvedic nutrition

According to Ayurvedic philosophy it is necessary to nourish ourselves with foods that resonate with our characteristic energy and with the dominant dosha.

The foods we eat have a life force that must be preserved both in the way they are grown and when they are cooked.

There are 3 qualities, called gunas , associated with food:

  • Rajas : activity, passion, movement. Fried and spicy, or energized foods such as caffeine are rajasic foods.
  • Sattva – purity, knowledge, harmony. Fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and legumes are sattvic foods because they grow from the soil and receive the positive energy of the sun.
  • Tamas – destruction, impurity, laziness. Alcohol, meat, processed foods are tamasic foods.

Gunas are present in everything , inanimate objects, human beings, food, animals. The human being can modify its energetic charge.
Flavors are of primary importance and each dosha is characterized by specific flavors:

  • Vata : it is aggravated by bitter, pungent and astringent flavors, while it is beneficial with the salty, sour or sweet taste
  • Pitta : it is aggravated by sour, pungent, salty flavors, while it is lightened by bitter, astringent and sweet flavors
  • Kapha : It is aggravated by sour, salty or sweet flavors, while benefiting from it with bitter and astringent flavors.

The food investigation, as we can understand, is not so simple, but due to the complexity of the analysis, the research leads to particularly precise results, which allow us to “cure” the organism in its entirety starting from food.

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