In Ayurvedic understanding, the skin is much more than just our largest organ - it is also incredibly important for the diagnostic detection of diseases! As a mirror of our inner self, we can read from it if something is not quite right and we can react accordingly. Here you can learn how to ensure healthy skin with the help of European Ayurveda®!
A healthy skin from an Ayurvedic point of view
The teachings of Ayurveda aim at a holistic concept . For this reason, healthy skin naturally plays a major role in the preventive and therapeutic approaches of the Indian healing teachings. You can ensure a healthy skin appearance with the 3 most important pillars, namely with beneficial nutrition, proper main care and a mental balance!
Basically, you can imagine the skin from the Ayurvedic point of view as follows: the skin (Tvak/Tvaca) is a secondary tissue (Upadhatu ), which is formed when the third main tissue flesh (Mamsa Dhatu) is formed. The preceding main tissues have a strong influence on the skin: the nutritive juice (Rasa Dhatu) and the blood (Rakta Dhatu). Depending on the condition of the nutritive juice, the skin has a different tension, or a certain skin moisture (turgor).
That sounds a little complicated at first. But in principle it is like this: if Rasa Dhatu is weak, then typical problems are dryness and wrinkles. Diseases then lead to redness or paleness, but also impurities and various skin diseases. Then one of the 5 subdoshas of Pitta plays a role: the Bhrajaka Pitta. It controls the skin in terms of pigmentation, colour, shine and receptiveness.
What skin type are you?
So, each skin has different characteristics depending on which dosha it is dominated by. The best thing to do is to see which skin type corresponds most closely to yours:
- Vata skin: this is dry, rough, thin, fine, cold, pale, dull, wrinkled, and often prematurely aged. Mild cleansing is important here, as well as intensive care.
- Pitta skin: often reddish, highly pigmented, warm, moist or oily. Tends to be inflamed - most strongly influenced by nutrition. Consistent intensive cleansing is important, as well as care products that are low in irritants, cooling, sebum-reducing and astringent.
- Kapha skin: more dense, cool, well moisturised, and with a whitish glow. Regular cleansing makes sense. But Kapha skin is the easiest to care for in comparison.
What causes skin diseases?
Disturbances of the metabolism naturally also have an effect on the appearance of the skin. Ayurveda describes the following causes for the development of skin diseases:
- Too much fresh cereals, yoghurt, fish, salty & sour things
- Too much Urid Dal, radish, sesame, milk, pastry & jaggery.
- Incompatible, fatty or heavy foods
- Suppression of natural needs, especially nausea & vomiting
- Cold water after intense heat, physical exertion or upsetting situations
- Physical exertion in intense heat & after a heavy meal.
- Uncooked food, even before the previous meal has been digested
- Sexual activity in the absence of digestion
- Wrong execution of Panchakama
- Daytime sleep
Many skin diseases such as neurodermatitis result from a mental imbalance. The skin symptoms that can be read from this are divided into the three categories Vataja Kushta, Pittaja Kushta & Kaphaja Kushta.
Of course, only a precise examination by an expert can provide accurate information. The results then provide the individual disease development (Samprapti) - from this, an adapted therapy concept can then be developed.
Ayurvedic care for healthy skin
If you want to care for your skin ayurvedically, it is best to use ayurvedic natural cosmetics.
The oils and medicinal plants contained therein are adapted to the particular needs of your skin condition. If you read the term "Lepa", it means external applications.
These should always be applied against the direction of hair growth. This is because the active ingredients are ultimately absorbed through the sweat glands, hair roots and capillaries.
After drying, the lepa is removed.
You can also find beneficial oils for your skin in our store.
10 nutrition tips for healthy skin
Now we would like to give you some practical nutritional tips that will help you generate a healthy skin. Only a balanced diet provides the skin with essential nutrients that do not irritate it, nor cause digestive or metabolic residues. In principle, Ayurvedic skin nutrition is vegetarian.
Good for healthy skin are:
- Sweet & bitter foods
- Boil, steam or stew
- Fresh steamed vegetables
- Fresh, sweet, seasonal and ripe fruit (apples, grapes, pears, melons)
- Fresh, bitter salads (endive, chicory, radicchio, dandelion)
- Cooked pulses (especially mungdal)
- Cooked cereals (rice, quinoa, spelt, oats, wheat)
- High-quality & stable fats(ghee, coconut oil, olive oil)
- Only pasteurised cow's milk and cream (organic)
- Mild, digestive spices (ginger, kukuma, coriander, cardamom)
With these 10 nutrition tips you can do something good for your skin! They ensure good hydration, a stable skin surface oil and a healthy skin barrier. In addition, you prevent inflammation and allergies.
On the other hand, avoid:
- Very sour food
- Roasting, Baking, Grilling & Deep Frying
- Red meat, dark fish & seafood
- Excessive alcohol
- Sunflower oil, safflower oil, sesame oil (because highly heated)
- Finished products or fermented products
- Excessively hot spices (chilli, hing, pepper)
- Too much salt
Of course, herbal supplements are also an option to counteract dryness, for example, or to prevent inflammation.
Conclusion
Together with the main pillars of Ayurvedic teachings, you can give your skin the care and treatment it needs. Find out if you have Vata, Pitta or Kapha skin and follow some basic dietary tips. With European Ayurveda® you can prevent skin diseases or actively fight against them - for a healthy and beautiful skin!
