Beating Dry Skin and Dandruff the Natural Way
By Jane Arnold
For most of my life I've struggled with dry skin and
dandruff. I've gone through every cream and shampoo available on the
market without any acceptable results. I started to look to diet and
more alternative practices for help.
I've realized that it is possible to find solutions
to dry skin and dandruff through diet, in combination with other health
models, such as the Eastern practice of Ayurvedic medicine.
Ayurvedic is an ancient medical system from India
which empasizes more natural paths to healing through diet, massage
and holistic remedies. It classifies individuals according to a metabolic
body type or dosha.
Each dosha is characterized by a combination of the
earth's elements like fire, water, wind, etc. When your doshas are
out of balance, ill health can occur. The three doshas are Vata, Pitta,
and Kapha.
Depending on what body type you are, you could be
more prone to dry skin and dandruff. For example, a person with an
imbalance in their Vata dosha is prone to dry skin. Various herbal
rememdies and oils can help to restore balance to specific problems.
With Vata, a regular body and scalp massage with sesame
or sweet almond oil is recommended. For Pitta the oil would be coconut
and for Kapha try olive oil. These can all be found in health food
or grocery stores if you don't have a store that specializes in Ayurvedic
remedies.
You can also gently heat the oils in the microwave
for a more intense moisturizer. Another great natural moisturizer
is a mixture of egg yolks and honey. Thick and messy, but it works!
In addition to topical remedies, you can also work
on your body from the inside out. Diet has a great impact on dandruff.
Try these following dietary tips:
- Cut back on sugar and yeast. Foods that contain high levels of
these ingredients can encourage fungus growth that causes dandruff.
Unfortunately, that includes beer and wine!
- Pack your diet full of B-vitamin, Omega 3 fatty acids, and zinc
rich foods like egg yolks, fish, whole grains, bananas, avocados,
nuts, seeds, flaxseed, and spinach. These nutrients help maintain
healthy hair and skin and zinc is actually found in many anti-dandruff
shampoos.
- Use a tea tree oil shampoo on your hair. This is a very popular
natural product from Australia, and has been used as an antiseptic,
antibiotic and antifungal agent. This is the only anti-dandruff
shampoo that has worked for me!
These are only a few tips that can help to restore
your body to optimal health. Ayuvedic medicine is as vast as the Western
model requiring years of study and knowlege. I hope to have simply
provided an introduction to a wide range of help available.
Find out what your dosha is by visiting: http://www.ayurbalance.com/explore_articlethreedoshas.htm
Jane Arnold is a freelance writer and part-time
beauty buff. You can get more health and beauty tips at her website
at: http://www.girlyside.com/girlyside.html
The website is a girl's guide to health, beauty, love and leisure.
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