Ayurveda is a comprehensive health system that has been used for centuries to treat a wide variety of health conditions. According to Ayurvedic theory, disease is the result of imbalances in the doshas, which are different types of energy that govern bodily functions. Each person contains three doshas -- vata, pitta, and kapha -- though one or more is typically dominant. According to Ayurvedic practitioner Dr. Savitha Suri, dry skin is the result of excess vata dosha in the body. Ayurveda uses herbal treatments, individualized dietary recommendations and lifestyle changes to restore balance to the doshas and treat disease.
Step 1
Keep yourself warm in cold, dry climates to control vata dosha, but do not sit near the fireplace, advises Dr. Suri.
Step 2
Avoid dry, fried or stale food. Ayurvedic medicine generally advises against eating leftovers as they are lower in vital energy and hard to digest.
Step 3
Consume warm, cooked foods with fats such as olive oil or ghee, a clarified butter oil. You may also eat sour and salty foods, as well as juicy fruits.
Step 4
Avoid cold water and other cold beverages, which increase vata. Drink warm water throughout the day.
Step 5
Massage the body with vata-balancing herbs before bathing, and introduce more vata-balancing herbs and spices into the diet. HolisticOnline.com recommends herbs and spices such as anise, basil, caraway, cilantro, cinnamon, clove, cumin, ginger, mustard, nutmeg, oregano and sage to help balance vata. Avoid bitter or astringent herbs such as coriander seed, fenugreek, parsley and saffron.
Step 6
Keep a regular sleep schedule. AyurHelp.com recommends getting 8 hours of sleep every night.
Things You'll Need
- Olive oil
- Ghee
- Sour foods
- Salty foods
- Fruits
- Massage oil
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