Every person is born perfect. Inferiority is a
mistake of the mind, a cloud covering the light. Dissolve the clouds by
observing a balanced life with healthy habits. Nourish your mind and
body. Connect with your own inner self. Celebrate your own magnificence
and your beauty will always shine through.
Dr. Rama Kant Mishra, renowned Ayurvedic physician and dermatologist
The Three Pillars of Beauty
Maharishi Ayurveda , the modern, consciousness based revival of the
ancient Ayurvedic medicine tradition, considers true beauty to be
supported by three pillars, Outer Beauty, Inner Beauty and Lasting
Beauty. Only by enhancing all three can we attain the balanced state of
radiant health that makes each of us the most fulfilled and beautiful
person we can be.
Outer Beauty,
Roopam
The outer signs of beauty your skin, hair and nails are more than just
superficial measures of beauty. They are direct reflections of your
overall health. These outer tissues are created by the inner
physiological processes involved in digestion, metabolism and proper
tissue development. Outer beauty depends more on the strength of your
digestion and metabolism, the quality of your diet, and the purity of
your blood, than on external cleansers and conditioners you may apply.
General Recommendations for Outer Beauty
As we will discuss, the key to skin care is matching your diet and skin
care routine to the specific skin type you have. Meanwhile, there are
some valuable recommendations for lustrous skin, hair and nails that
will be helpful to everyone, regardless of skin type.
Diet, Without adequate nourishment, your collagen layer thins and a
kind of wasting takes place. Over time, your skin can shrivel up like a
plant without water from lack of nourishment. To keep your skin plump
and glowing:
A. Eat fresh, whole organic foods that are freshly prepared.
Avoid packaged, canned, frozen, processed foods and leftovers. These
foods have little nutritional value and also they are often poorly
digested which creates impurities that localize in the skin. The
resulting buildup of toxins causes irritation and blocks circulation
depriving the skin of further nourishment and natural cleansing
processes.
B. Favor skin nourishing foods. Leafy green vegetables contain
vitamins, minerals and are high in antioxidant properties. They nourish
the skin and protect it from premature aging. Sweet juicy fruits like
grapes, melons, pears, plums and stewed apples at breakfast are
excellent for the skin in almost everyone. Eat a wide variety of grains
over different meals and try mixed grain servings at breakfast and
lunch. Add amaranth, quinoa, cous cous, millet and barley to the wheat
and rice you already eat. Favor light, easy to digest proteins like
legume soups, whole milk, paneer and lassi . Oils like ghe and organic,
extra virgin olive oil should be included in the diet as they
lubricate, nourish and create lustre in the skin. Use spices like
turmeric, cumin, coriander, and black pepper to improve digestion,
nourish the skin and cleanse it of impurities. Avoid microwaving and
boiling your vegetables. They lose as much as 85% of their antioxidant
content when cooked in this way. Steaming and sautéing are best.
Caring for outer beauty through knowledge of skin type
Besides these general recommendations the key to Outer Beauty is to
understand the difference in skin types so you can gain the maximum
benefit from your individualized skin care regimen. MAV identifies
three different skin types based on which of the three main metabolic
principles present in everyone, but to different degrees is most
dominant in your body.
Vata Skin
Description, Vata is composed of the elements of air and space. If you
have a vata skin type, your skin will be dry, thin, fine pored,
delicate and cool to the touch. When balanced, it glows with a delicate
lightness and refinement that is elegant and attractive. When vata skin
is imbalanced, it will be prone to excessive dryness and may even be
rough and flaky.
Potential problems, The greatest beauty challenge for vata skin is its
predisposition to symptoms of early aging. Your skin may tend to
develop wrinkles earlier than most due to its tendency to dryness and
thinness. If your digestion is not in balance, your skin can begin to
look dull and grayish, even in your 20’s and 30’s. In addition, your
skin may have a tendency for disorders such as dry eczema and skin
fungus. Mental stress, such as worry, fear and lack of sleep, has a
powerful debilitating effect on vata skin leaving it looking tired and
lifeless.
Recommendations for care
With a little knowledge, you can preserve and protect the delicate
beauty of your vata type skin. Since your skin does not contain much
moisture, preventing it from drying is the major consideration. Eat a
warm, unctuous die and favor sour, salty and sweet tastes as they
balance vata. Avoid drying foods like crackers. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of
warm water throughout the day and eat plenty of sweet, juicy fruits.
Going to bed early is very soothing to vata and will have a
tremendously positive influence on your skin. Avoid cleansing products
that dry the skin and perform Ayurvedic oil massage to your whole body
in the morning before you shower.
Pitta Skin.
Description, Pitta dosha is composed of the elements of fire and water.
If you have a pitta skin type your skin is fair, soft, warm and of
medium thickness. When balanced, your skin has a beautiful, slightly
rosy or golden glow, as if illuminated from within. Your hair typically
is fine and straight, and is usually red, sandy or blonde in color.
Your complexion tends toward the pink or reddish, and there is often a
copious amount of freckles or moles.
Potential problems, Among the many beauty challenges of pitta skin
types is your tendency to develop rashes, rosacea, acne, liver spots or
pigment disorders. Because of the large proportion of the fire element
in your constitution, your skin does not tolerate heat or sun very
well. Of all the three skin types, pitta skin has the least tolerance
for the sun, is photosensitive, and most likely to accumulate sun
damage over the years. Pitta skin is aggravated by emotional stress,
especially suppressed anger, frustration, or resentment.
Recommendations for care
Avoid excessive sunlight, tanning treatments and highly heating
therapies like facial or whole body steams. Avoid hot, spicy foods and
favor astringent, bitter and sweet foods which balance pitta. Sweet
juicy fruits , cooked greens and rose petal preserves are especially
good. Drinking plenty of water helps wash impurities from sensitive
pitta skin. Reduce external or internal contact with synthetic
chemicals, to which your skin is especially prone to react, even in a
delayed fashion after years of seemingly uneventful use. Avoid skin
products that are abrasive, heating or contain artificial colors or
preservatives. Most commercial make up brands should be avoided in
favor of strictly 100% natural ingredient cosmetics. And be sure to get
your emotional stress under control through plenty of outdoor exercise,
yoga and meditation.
Kapha Skin.
Description, Kapha dosha is composed of the elements of earth and
water. If you have a kapha skin type your skin is thick, oily, soft and
cool to the touch. Your complexion is a glowing porcelain whitish
color, like the moon, and hair characteristically thick, wavy, oily and
dark. Kapha skin types, with their more generous collagen and
connective tissue, are fortunate to develop wrinkles much later in life
than vata or pitta types.
Potential problems If your skin becomes imbalanced, it can show up as
enlarged pores, excessively oily skin, moist types of eczema,
blackheads, acne or pimples, and water retention. Kapha skin is also
more prone to fungal infections.
Recommendations for care
Kapha skin is more prone to clogging and needs more cleansing than
other skin types. Be careful to avoid greasy, clogging creams.
Likewise, avoid heavy, hard to digest foods like fried foods, fatty
meats, cheeses and rich desserts. Eat more light, easy to digest,
astringent, bitter and pungent foods as they balance kapha. Olive oil
is the best cooking oil and a little ginger and lime juice can be taken
before meals to increase your characteristically sluggish digestive
fire. Take warm baths often and use gentle cleansers to open the skin
pores. Avoid getting constipated and try to get some exercise every day
to increase circulation and help purify the skin through the sweating
process.
Inner Beauty, Gunam.
Happy, positive, loving, caring individuals have a special beauty that
is far more than skin deep. Conversely we all experience the quick and
deleterious effect on our skin from fatigue and stress.
Inner beauty is authentic beauty, not the kind that shows on a made up
face, but the kind that shines through from your soul, your
consciousness or inner state of being. Inner beauty comes from a mind
and heart that are in harmony, not at odds with each other, causing
emotional confusion, loss of confidence, stress and worry. Inner peace
is the foundation of outer beauty.
Maintain your self confidence and a warm, loving personality by paying
attention to your lifestyle and daily routine and effective management
of stress. You will also be healthier and feel better through the day
if you eat your main meal at midday and make a habit of going to bed
early.
Remember, kindness, friendliness and sincerity naturally attract people
to you. On the other hand, being uptight or tense makes people want to
walk the other way, regardless of your facial structure, body weight,
or other outer signs we associate with attractiveness.
Lasting Beauty: Yayastyag
In order to slow the aging process and gain lasting beauty there are
two additional key considerations beyond those already discussed,
Eliminate toxins and free radicals in the body,
The main deteriorating effects of aging come as toxins and impurities
accumulate throughout the body. These toxins may begin as free radicals
in the body, or over time may become oxidized into free radicals, all
of which contribute to premature aging in the body. For lasting health
and beauty it is essential to avoid and neutralize free radicals, to
prevent impurities of all kinds from accumulating and to remove those
that have already become lodged in the body.
The most powerful cleansing therapy in Maharishi Ayurveda is pancha
karma therapy, a series of natural treatments ideally performed twice
yearly, that involves 5 to 7 days in a row of massage, heat treatments
and mild herbal enemas. Ayurveda emphasizes the importance of
undergoing this cleansing program once or twice a year to prevent
impurities from accumulating, localizing and hardening in the tissues.
Just as we change the oil in our cars regularly for optimal performance
and lifespan, Ayurveda recommends that we cleanse the sludge from our
tissues on a regular basis through pancha karma treatments.
Best of all, pancha karma treatments are luxurious, blissful, and make
you feel completely rejuvenated in just a few days time. I have had
many a patient who told me that friends asked them afterwards if they
had gotten a facelift, they looked so fresh and youthful.
Other free radical busters include: reducing mental stress, eating
antioxidant foods like leafy green vegetables, sweet, juicy fruits and
cooking on a daily basis with antioxidant, detoxifying spices like
turmeric and coriander.
Add rejuvenative techniques to daily living:
The daily activities of life in the modern world systematically wear us
down and speed up the aging process. Ayurveda maintains it is crucial
to practice daily rejuvenative regimens to counteract the stressful
wear and tear of everyday life. According to Ayurveda the most
important rejuvenative routines for your life are: Going to bed by
10:00 PM. This simple habit is one of the most powerful techniques for
health and longevity, according to MAV. Meditate daily. Any meditation
that does not involve concentration can be very helpful. I highly
recommend the twice daily deep rest and enlivenment of the
Transcendental Meditation technique, whose benefits have been verified
by over 700 published research studies. Eat organic, whole fresh food
that is freshly prepared. There is an Ayurvedic saying, Without proper
diet. medicine is of no use. With proper diet, medicine is of no need.
Be sure to avoid those leftovers, processed and microwaved foods for
better nutrition and vitality. Perform A yurvedic oil massage in the
morning . Morning oil massage purifies the entire body, reduces anxiety
and stress, helps prevent and heal injuries and supports circulation.
It is especially helpful in creating a radiant complexion and keeping
your skin youthful. Research shows it may also help prevent skin
cancers. Practice yoga asanas. Maintaining flexibility and circulation
is key to health. Practice pranayama techniques. Pranayama enlivens the
mind and body. Ideally practice the following sequence twice a day.
Asanas, pranayama and meditation.
Summary
Everyone is unique beauty shines forth when they have radiant health
and personal happiness. Beauty is a side effect of a balanced,
fulfilled life. Supreme personal beauty is accessible to everyone who
is willing to take more control of their health in their day to day
life through time tested principles of natural living.
For most of us, beauty is not a gift but a choice. Every woman can be
radiantly beautiful simply by beginning to lead a healthier life. You
will be rewarded by the glowing effects you will see in your mirror
each day and the powerful, bliss producing effect your special beauty
has on everyone in your life.
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