Ahh, Vata season is in full swing! Across much of the country, frigid temperatures and biting winds keep furnaces running around the clock. In turn, these ultra-dry atmospheric and environmental conditions often lead to having ultra-dry skin—from an itchy scalp all the way down to sandpaper feet.
Sound familiar?
Now is the perfect time to adopt a health and beauty habit that will serve you exceptionally well throughout this and every season. That habit is a daily self-oil massage.
In the Ayurvedic tradition, a self-oil massage is known as an abhyanga (ah-bee-yan-ga).
It is an age-old, morning practice of lubricating the body with wholesome oil.
An abhyanga—especially when using a high quality, cold pressed oil—has many significant benefits:
Nourishment: Oil nourishes your body through the skin (transdermal absorption), restoring vital nutrients.
Removing unwanted toxins: Using oil on your skin takes known toxins off of your skin. Most store-bought lotions introduce known endocrine disruptors and carcinogens into your body. (Most things placed on your skin are absorbed into your blood stream within hours.) The long-term impact of skin-product chemicals on your health is not known. And there is growing evidence that what they are doing to us is not pretty.
Immunity builder: Abhyanga forces lymphatic movement. Your lymphatic system is the foundation of your immunity. Unlike your blood circulatory system, you lymphatic system largely relies on body movement to keep it flowing. A self-massage is a lovely way to help your lymph flow.
Keep Vata in alignment: Oil helps to keep Vata in alignment. And since a Vata imbalance is the root of so many health issues, a daily oil massage is a key preventative practice.
Self-love: A self-oil massage is an expression of self-love. Giving yourself permission to focus exclusively on yourself for 15 minutes a day is powerful stuff on its own.
Not to mention….it just feels great!
Abhyanga is a nice addition to your morning health routine. Some Ayurvedic Practitioners exclusively promote a 15-minute daily oil application and massage. While this is ideal, you can achieve great results with much less of a commitment.
At Ayureka we maintain a practical approach to wellbeing. Our philosophy is to try to savor at least one lengthy “lube-up” weekly. (It will have a noticeable impact on how you look and feel!) And for the rest of the mornings, do what you can. Just try to get wholesome oil on—and unwanted chemicals off—your skin daily.
Take your first step toward building a better self-care ritual. Download our self-oil massage instructions and set aside some time for yourself. Review, learn and experiment with your daily oil massage. Get your lube on and glide through the winter drudgery with a stunning glow, a calm mind and a more relaxed stride.
