Known as the ‘ancient science of life’, Ayurveda is no new thing. It’s a system of medicine that goes back thousands of years. With more and more people taking the natural approach to maintaining their physical and mental wellbeing, Ayurveda has made something of a comeback in recent years.
Ayurvedic practices are now heavily relied on to shape and enrich every aspect of the mind, body and soul, with its teachings even influencing hair health. For those impacted by hair loss and looking for solutions for regrowth, Ayurveda is a holistic option that’s well worth exploring.
Here we delve deeper into the Ayurvedic teachings on hair loss and regrowth, and how you can use them to positively influence your journey to better hair health.
The word ‘Ayurveda’ literally means knowledge (Veda) of life (Ayur). Ayurvedic practices revolve around three ‘doshas’ – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha – which ultimately represent the energies that influence the physiological and psychological functions of the body.
What’s central to Ayurveda is the belief that each individual is unique, with imbalances in the doshas impacting people in different ways.
A lack of balance in specific doshas can result in physical illness or mental health issues. Ayurvedic practices focus on maintaining this delicate balance, with natural remedies and recommendations (including Ayurvedic herbs, dietary improvements, and practices such as yoga and meditation) the key to a happy, healthy lifestyle.
Ayurveda originates in India, with Ayurvedic teachings featured in some of the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. While first shaped by the sages and seers of ancient India, principles have evolved over the years with even advancements in medicine and science altering how Ayurveda is practised.
Ayurveda can be used to enhance every aspect of our body, mind and lifestyle, including hair health, and it all starts with defining your hair type. Each Ayurvedic hair type has different characteristics and needs different care, leading to a more personalised hair care routine.
Other Ayurvedic hair care tips include managing stress to influence the physical condition of the body, improving your diet to do the same, and embracing hair oiling and scalp massage to boost hair health. Herbal treatments – in the form of scalp and hair masks, rinses and soaks – also cleanse and nourish the hair in accordance with Ayurvedic principles.
Like many other alternative medicines, the research surrounding the proven benefits of Ayurveda is limited. Many people however rely on Ayurvedic teachings to improve hair health. Here Banyan Botanicals explains more about Ayurveda’s holistic approach to 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.”
While Ayurveda doesn’t provide miracle cures, it has helped many establish the foundations for enhancing hair health naturally. By using Ayurvedic teachings to improve hair health from the outside and within, you can embrace a more naturally enriching hair care routine and give struggling locks the support they need.
