In my little quest to get my skin back on track from messing around with too many products, I recently re-acquaintedmyself with the ancient medical system of Ayurveda.If you are not familiar with Ayurveda, it is an excellent additionto your current skin care and nutrition practices. Ilove Ayurveda because it ties in closely to what I alreadyknow and follow in regards to caring for my overall healthand physical appearance. There is an intricate, inseparableconnec¬tion between your inner health and outer beauty,since the state of your inner health is reflected outside andany problems (e.g. acne, dryness, hair loss, etc.) are notto be ignored. To use Ayurveda properly, you should know your dosha (i.e. body type) by taking a free test that will help you deter mine if you are a pitta, vata, or kapha dosha — or even a mix of two or all three.
[If you don’t know your dosha, visit http://www.chopra.com]
for a quick dosha test, or do a search on the Internet.]Once you know your dosha, the sites I recommend abovehave information on your dosha and how to balance it. Idiscovered that my dosha is Pitta-Vata, and that I hadtoo much fire (pitta) in my system which was exacerbatingmy dry skin problem. Essentially I just needed to relaxand quell the fire! So I have taken a temporary breakfrom my usual circuit training and replaced it with moreyoga, I’m listening to relaxing music (right now iTunes isplaying an album by Deepak Chopra), I’m avoiding peoplethat are negative and stressed out, and I’ve been eatingmore “soothing” fats from salmon and almond butter. Myskin has gone from looking sun burned to being it’s normalwhite color in a matter of 3 days, plus I feel calm and relaxedinstead of rushed and worried about everyone. Evenif any of this sounds new-agey to you, I would try to get pastthat (I certainly did — I’m pretty fond of clinical studies andmicro scopes) and try some of the suggestions becauseAyurveda is a valid system with some wonderful “tricks”forgetting yourself back in balance.
{VATA}
Vata types have dry, thin, delicate skin with small or invisible
pores. Your skin may be cool to the touch, or youmay only be cold in your hands and feet. Balanced vataskin is very pretty, even, and refined (porcelain-like) whenin balance. Unbalanced vata skin excessively dry, roughand flaky. Vata has a tendency toward eczema and mentalstress, which leads to tired skin and premature aging.Moisturize with a paraben-free, fragrance-free moisturizer(plain coconut oil or shea butter are also great). Eat awarm diet with healthy fats like olive oil, almond butter, fishand fish oil, and ghee (if you are acne prone due in part toa dairy allergy, then avoid ghee). Eat sweet foods like freshfruit (melon, berries, apples, pears, plums, etc.). While youmight favor salty foods, make sure the salt you use is seasalt (not iodized or kosher salt) and not excessive, sincethis can cause fluid retention and bloating. Foods to avoidinclude: dry, baked goods like bread, cakes, and crackers;refined sugar; alcohol;chocolate; and caffeine. It is especiallyimportant for vata types to be on a regular routine(especially when it comes to bed time), drink lots of roomtemperature or warm water, and avoid any skin care productsthat contain alcohol.
{PITTA}
Pitta types have soft, warm skin that tends to be fair with a rosy glow and some freckles. When out of balance fromstored emotional aggravations and stress, pitta types canget acne, rashes, and even rosacea.Avoid hot temperatures, steam/sauna, hot showers, anddirect sun light, since this can aggravate pitta skin excessively.Eat sweet, juicy fruits, dark leafy greens, brownrice, goat yogurt (sweeten with honey or stevia, sincepitta types don’t really like sour tastes), and seasoningslike cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, and mint. Avoid hot,spicy, salty, and sour foods. Cool and room temperaturefoods are great for pitta types, as is drinking lots of cooland lukewarm water. It is also best for pitta types to avoidred meat, caffeine, and alcohol which warm the body andaggravate pitta. Soothing herbal teas, yoga, and meditationare also great for calming pitta types. As with vata, you willwant to avoid skin care products containing alcohol.
{KAPHA}
Kapha types have soft, thick, oily skin that tends to age slowly and is very lovely and glowing when balanced. Unbalancedkapha skin tends to get acne, enlarged pores,edema (water retention and bloating), and even eczema.Eat light, savory, stimulating foods like ginger, citrus (ifyou are acne prone, use only lemon for your citrus source),fish, fresh fruit, dark leafy greens, and olive oil. Avoid excessive fats, dairy, refined sugar, cold food, and fried food. Avoid oily skin care products like cream cleansers andthick, heavy moisturizers. Use light foam or gel cleansersand light serums (oil serums are fine as long as they areorganic, natural and made from quality oils). Kapha maynot need as much water as pitta and vata types, but be sure to drink a good amount of room temperature water every day.
Read more on Dr Chopra Indorsment at Zrii International
