According to ayurvedic principles, psoriasis is caused due to vitiation of Vata dosha and Kapha dosha. Ayurvedic diet, herbs, bath scrubs, etc help as natural home remedies for this skin condition ( Causes of psoriasis )
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Do physical exercise and avoid skin dryness
Psoriasis is a common chronic skin disorder that causes some forms of inflammation that change the skin cells’ life cycle. It is a persisting autoimmune disease symbolized by red patches on the skin. This skin condition can make cells build up faster on the surface of the skin. It is characterized by new skin cells with thick and silvery scales, dry, itchy, and red patches which bring discomfort.
The aim of natural ayurvedic remedies for psoriasis is to treat the root of the problem and brings comfort to you without any adverse effect. Changes in lifestyle and some sort of commitment will go a long way in treating this condition without needing to patronize drugstores. Discussed below are some natural ayurvedic remedies to fight this
Balance Doshas
According to Ayurveda imbalance of Vata dosha and Kapha dosha leads to this skin ailment. Vitiated Vata dosha causes dryness, cracking, and flaking of the skin, whereas vitiated Kapha dosha causes itching. Various factors like stress, unhealthy eating, unhealthy lifestyle, addictions, hereditary, etc cause an imbalance of these two doshas. Hence Vata balancing is very important to bring this skin condition under control.
There have been a series of research to cure this condition, though there have been some successes, there is no complete cure for it, but many natural remedies exist to suppress the symptoms of this skin problem. Some of these natural remedies will be discussed in this article.
Use Ayurvedic Oils and Creams
Massage the body with natural oils like coconut oil and sesame oil. Warm the oil before massaging. Massaging with oils not only reduces stress but also soothes inflamed skin and balances Vata dosha. These oils accelerate the healing process of the skin.
Ayurvedic creams which contain beeswax as an ingredient and ayurvedic herbs like shweta kutaja (wrightia tinctoria), vetiver (khus or ushira), amla, turmeric, neem, etc are very effective in this skin problem.
Use Ayurvedic Herbs
Texts of Ayurveda recommend excellent herbs to control this condition. Ayurvedic herbs tend to fight the root cause and are very effective when suitable diet and lifestyles are properly followed . Texts of Ayurveda recommend following dinacharya (ayurvedic daily routine) and rutucharya (ayurvedic seasonal routine).
Use herbs like amla, haritaki, vibhitaki, turmeric, sariva etc. Make your own ayurvedic body scrubs using kitchen ingredients. Texts of Ayurveda explain the use of various homemade body scrubs which act as effective bath remedies for this disease. A mixture of fine flours of a yellow gram or chana dal (besan), split moong dal ( green gram) and fenugreek seeds act as an excellent bath scrub for this condition.
Do physical exercise and avoid skin dryness:
Regular exercise and consumption of plenty of water have been found effective to combat this condition. Physical exercise helps smooth the flow of blood in your system and as well as brings out unwanted substances in your body through sweat. Brisk walking is the best aerobic exercise for this health condition. Also, drinking clean water contributes to maintaining your body’s hydration. A hydrated body prevents skin dryness. Keeping your skin hydrated by drinking plenty of water is important for your body to fight this disease. Your body contains over 90% water which must constantly be replenished to achieve a good result in combating this. Another easy way to prevent your skin from dryness, especially in winter is by using a humidifier.
Ayurveda acharyas recommend using copper water (water stored overnight in a clean copper vessel ) for this condition.
Eat a healthy diet:
Texts of Ayurveda suggest eating Vata and Kapha balancing diet. Use warm fresh food than stale refrigerated food. Eat foods according to agni or body fire. This means eating foods that you can digest easily without causing any disturbances.
Just as it was studied that poor diet is part of the causes of this disease, the diet has been found to play a vital role in curing this condition. Some foods such as fatty snacks and red meat should be eliminated to prevent flaring up. Because of the inflammation nature of this disease, foods such as nuts, seeds, omega-3 fatty acids, and cold water fish are known to minimize inflammation symptoms. Another beneficial skin diet that may have a soothing effect when applied to the skin is olive oil.
Reduce Stress:
One of the main causative agents for this ailment is stress ( 1 ). Involve yourself in every activity that can reduce stress. Activities such as meditation, prayer, and hypnosis have been found to be stress management activities. Stress tends to aggravate psoriasis symptoms. Yoga has also been discovered to be an excellent stress reducer. Stress-reducing practices and activities prior to light therapy treatment have been studied to have a better result than receiving light therapy alone. Massaging is another way to reduce stress to minimize symptoms.
Shun alcohol:
A study has shown that alcohol increases the chances of psoriasis in women who are involved in drinking non-light beer. Alcohol has been found to be a stimulant of this condition ( 2 ). Avoidance of alcohol will go a long way in fighting this skin condition. It doesn’t cost you anything to discipline yourself and stop alcohol for this serious reason of treating this frustrating skin ailment.
Quit Smoking:
Smoking increases the flaring up of psoriasis ( 3 ). Smoking increases the dryness of the skin by vitiating Vata dosha. Smoking can also cause erectile dysfunction in men which becomes a stressful situation for them.
Expose to Sunlight
A 2001 study found that Vitamin D deficiencies have been researched rampant in people with this disease. However, sunlight exposure is known to be a source of vitamin D. Avoid spending all your day indoors as this can result in vitamin D deficiency. Spending some time during the day under sunlight helps in fighting this disease ( 4 ).
Avoid fragrances:
Chemicals and dyes in most perfumes and soaps may inflame your skin and lead to the exaggeration of symptoms. Though they make you smell good, they do more harm than good by flaring up this skin condition. Always check the products’ labels to avoid such fragrances that can increase the symptoms.
Try acupuncture:
Acupuncture is known to help many diseases, and psoriasis is one of them. Chinese have used acupuncture to treat psoriasis successfully. However, there has been some reported success for isolated zones such as knees and joints. It is also a way of reducing stress
Conclusion
Different skins with different treatments! What works for one person may not work for another. Though there hasn’t been a single solution to treat this condition totally; however, the discussed natural ayurvedic remedies above have been found to help minimize discomfort brought by this disease. Discipline and engaging yourself in the practices that prevent and reduce psoriasis will keep you on the safer side. Above all, try to avoid skin dryness at all costs.
(Whats App Dr.Savitha Suri @+ 91 6360108663/ to know more about ayurvedic treatment and remedies )
Author : Dr.Savitha Suri Consultant Ayurvedic Physician
Call us at +91 9945995660 / +91 9448433911
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