An Ayurvedic Approach to Healthy Hair

Herbal products give a natural and safe way to deal with skin and hair mind. Organic skin care products have been brought out for face, body, and hair and they reduce exposure to toxins and curtails their potentially harmful effects on people, animals and the environment. These products contain properties which are vital for nourishing dry skin, balancing oily skin, caring for the sensitive skin of babies and healing of skin and scalp problems. The research in medicine has reached great heights which involves basic science analysis, clinical analysis, new methods to diagnose diseases and deliver treatment. The Ayurvedic approach is different. Ayurvedic hair care employs both products and treatment strategies that are 100% natural. Furthermore, the Ayurvedic tradition is intrinsically holistic. So whether you choose a topical treatment for the hair itself, a more systemic approach, or a combination of the two, Ayurveda aims to address the root cause of the problem which often originates well beneath the surface. Despite being over 5,000 years old, Ayurveda offers quite an impressive number of treatment strategies for optimizing hair health, all of which remain relevant today. What follows is an introduction to Ayurvedic hair care from theory to practice. Our intention is to support you in expanding your understanding of the Ayurvedic approach and to give you the practical tools to optimize your hair’s strength, abundance, luster, and shine.

Common Imbalances

On the other hand, imbalances can and quite often do impact both the strength and appearance of our hair. And this can absolutely be remedied. The following symptoms may help to give you an idea of which dosha(s) may be compromising your hair:

Excess Vata: causes the hair to be dry, frizzy, brittle, and lusterless. It also causes the hair to thin, fall out in clumps, become shorter and more difficult to grow out, and present with split ends.

Excess Pitta: causes excess heat in the hair follicles, which can damage the hair and lead to premature thinning, early greying, and baldness. Heat in the hair follicles is often accompanied by a tendency to be hot-headed, short-tempered, or excessively ambitious.

Excess Kapha: causes excessive oiliness, heaviness, and thickness in the hair.

A Long Legacy of Holistic Hair Care

At its root, Ayurvedic hair care is largely about rejuvenation for the hair, for specific tissues that may be affecting hair health, and for the body as a whole. Ayurveda has an entire limb devoted to rejuvenation (Rasayana, in Sanskrit), which is the practice of offering deep nourishment (at a cellular level) to encourage the healing and regeneration of bodily tissues and systems. Closely related to this concept of rejuvenation is the role of the Anupam, a carrier substance which helps to "carry" herbs deeper into the tissues. The following herbs are exceptionally revered for their capacity to promote the strength, luster, thickness, and overall health of the hair largely due to their nourishing and rejuvenating properties. You will notice that these herbs make recurring appearances in the formulas and recommendations that follow.

Amalaki: Amalaki is one of the three ingredients in Triphala. It is a potent rejuvenative, a highly concentrated source of natural antioxidants, and it has a strong affinity for the hair and the bones making it an effective addition to any hair care routine. Also powerfully cooling, Amalaki is particularly pitta-pacifying, helping to remove excess heat from the digestive tract and elsewhere in the body, while gently encouraging the removal of toxins.

Triphala: This formula (which includes Amalaki) offers a powerful source of both rejuvenation and detoxification that is naturally pacifying to all three doshas. In particular, Triphala offers profound support for the digestive system and can, therefore, help to improve tissue nutrition throughout the body, which inevitably supports the hair.

Brahmi: Brahmi is highly revered for its capacity to cool, soothe, and quiet the mind, encouraging calm tranquillity. Interestingly, it also acts as a nourishing rejuvenative for the digestive tract, scalp, and hair, making it a welcome systemic source of support for any hair care routine.

Nourish the Hair with Your Diet

Eating a diet of fresh, whole foods and minimizing processed foods and sugars can go a long way toward improving the health of the entire system. Bolster this baseline with adequate fiber from fresh fruits and vegetables, along with healthy proteins and fats. Beyond that, there are a number of nutrient-rich foods that are especially supportive of hair health such as fresh, organic dairy products (non-homogenized whole milk, unfermented cheeses, and fresh, non-sour yogurts), carrots, beets, greens (like kale, spinach, and collards), sesame seeds and tahini, sunflower seeds, coconut, coconut water, and ghee. Increasing your exposure to these foods will certainly bolster the nutrition available to the body and to your hair. In addition, including Agni-kindling spices such as cumin, black pepper, and turmeric will help to bolster hair health. It is equally important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout each day. This helps to optimize the health of the digestive and circulatory systems and bolsters the body’s capacity to carry out tissue nutrition.

Conclusion:

Ayurveda is an ancient, holistic system of medicine with incredible wisdom to offer. And at the end of the day, you will be most served by the practices that best align with who you are, what you find nourishing and supportive, and what kinds of experiences feed and excite you. A combination of your own inner guidance with the wisdom of Ayurveda is sure to support you in cultivating gorgeous, healthy hair. We hope that we can continue to support you in achieving optimal health, radiant beauty, and a vibrant sense of wellness in every aspect of your life.