Essential Oils: Oil Or Nothing

Oil is a mainstay in Indian households, wherever you're in the kitchen, in the medicine cabinet, or at the altar. Oil lamps are a common sight on family altars, and Indian cuisine wouldn't be the same without the ghee used to simmer onions, garlic, ginger, and spices into a masala. Oil therapies new mothers give their babies, to the rejuvenation treatment called Pancha Karma. In traditional and sacred India, oil is equated with love, beauty, and health.

Oil massage lubricates and nourishes the body from the outside in. It enhances skin tone and improves circulation, digestion, and elimination. It helps release toxins from the body and induces sound sleep.

Modern problem; ancient cure 

In ayurveda, lifestyle has a direct influence on the balance of the dosha and your susceptibility to disease. Maintaining a home oleation routine is important, but it can't replace eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest. Your home routine can, however, strengthen your defenses during periods of intense stress.

Ayurvedic physicians agree that the abundant health benefits of sesame oil are good for every doshic type.  -

The most common home treatment is abhyyanga or self-massage. You also can include nasya (oil application to the nostrils), which clears the sinuses, provides protection form cold and flu viruses, and imporves vision, the voice, and concentration. A could of drops of sesame oil applied to the ears at night may help your sense of hearing to last longer. And gargling with warm oil can even strengthen the teeth and gums and fight wrinkles.

Ayurvedic self-care

Ayurveda allows you to take your health into our own hands with simple oil treatments easily done at home.

All you need to start is some quiet time and a bottle of oil.

• Abhyanga (self-massage): Every morning before you bathe, massage your body with comfortably warm oil. Sesame oil works well for all doshic types . In general, massage in circular movement, with longer strokes on the limbs and smaller circles on the joints. The abdomen and chest should be massaged in clockwise circular motions. If you're short on time in the morning, you can do self-massage in the evening.
•  Head massage: At least once weekly, all dosha types can rub warm sesame or coconut oil with cotton and rubbing it with your palm into the adhipati marma, a vital energy point located atop the head in line with the ears. Then massage oil all over the scalp with the fingertips.
• Nasya. Nasya, which clears the sinuses, can be performed once or twice per week. Lie down, face up, with your head resting on the side of the bed so your nose is at a lower level than your throat. Use a dropper bottle to insert two to four drops of warm ghee or sesame oil into each nostril. Massage the sides of the nose in an upward direction. Remain still for one minute so the oil doesn't drain into the throat.
• Ear oleation. Oiling the ears daily keeps your sense of hearing in top shape and helps balance vata. The oil also calms jaw tension. Use your little finger to rub a drop or two of sesame oil on the openings of the ear canal. Or apply oil to a cotton ball and rub the ear openings.
• Oil mouthwash. Before brushing your teeth, garble with a teaspoon of warm sesame oil. Swish it around in the mouth and rub the gums with your index finger. Doing this daily helps prevent tooth and gum infections.