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Ayurveda for Healthy Aging & Longevity

Ayurveda views joints & mobility issues as we age with more Vata. It is possible to manage Vata & restore dosha balance with diet

Table of Contents

What is aging?

Our bodies do break down as we get older. Since the joints’ synovial fluid begins to wear thin, our bodies become more fragile, causing friction and pain. Bones, joints, and organs are more delicate. In Ayurveda, this means an excess of Vata, the dosha that governs movement within the body. Too much Vata can mean dryness, fatigue, and excessive coldness. As we get older, we gather more Vata; age avoidance, Ayurveda-style, is all about managing Vata and restoring doshic balance. One research found that beginning to utilize preventive Ayurvedic treatments and fundamentals during late childhood or middle age can help lower the incidence of health problems in the future while also increasing life span.

See: Ayurveda for Leukorrhea

How Ayurveda views healthy aging

Ayurveda uses herbal remedies, spices, dietary guidelines, oil therapies, and lifestyle advice to initially achieve effects that could be subtle initially but may eventually cause profound developments and aging well. Even though it is 5,000 years old, many haven’t heard of Ayurveda’s ancient art, which is a boon to the aging procedure. And unlike many modern drugs, this alternative approach does not have unpleasant side effects. 

Ayurveda views the human body as continually interacting with the outside environment. Ayurveda helps keep the body’s systems balanced with the natural surroundings, particularly important to aging well. In Ayurveda, people are comprised of five components.

See:
Three Doshas, Vata, Pitta, Kapha

Five elements and doshas

According to Ayurveda, the five principles or building blocks are space/ether, air/wind, fire, water, and earth.
– The first is the space (skies ). Space within the body contains the digestive tubes, the heart’s chambers, and the lungs. Without space, these systems wouldn’t function (consider what happens if people become constipated).

– Air describes the crucial gases in the blood and all motion, either physical or psychological, as passing moods.

– Water contains anything fluid in the body, such as lymph, saliva, urine, and blood.

– Fire is your body’s heating system in the shape of the digestive tract and may also refer to the brain’s fire.

– Our teeth and bones represent Earth.

These essential concepts derive from ” doshas,” or paired qualities of components acting in a living system.

– Vata, which is cold, dry, and moveable. Vata reflects distance, changeability, and movement. Vata is aggravated by traveling, wind and cold, dry weather, or meals. Unbalanced Vata will make you feel sleepless and constipated. Balanced Vata is innovative, inventive, and adaptable.

– Pitta is fiery,  transformative, and dynamic. Pitta is aggravated by warmth, too vigorous exercise, or hot food. Raging Pitta can lead to irritability, sour stomach, and inflammation; healthy Pitta is organized, dynamic, and glowing.

– Kapha represents solidity, stability, and cohesion. Too much Kapha results in lethargy, water retention, and weight gain. Balanced Kapha is grounded, sturdy, and well-lubricated.

See: Ayurveda Introduction & Guide

How Ayurveda helps aging

When doshas are in balance, your health is great, but different illnesses or symptoms may result when one is out of balance or when one is out of balance. Maintaining your doshas in harmony lets you stream through the process of aging more readily. In this alternative approach, some remedies may be as close as your kitchen cupboard. Meals become great medication when Ayurvedic knowledge is applied.

The doshas predominate during three important phases of human life irrespective of your principal constitution. Kapha is the period of youth and adolescence. Pitta increases in late adolescence and brings energy and push through middle age, and Vata, which is cold and dry, rises after age 50. This is why the elderly are so affected by constipation, gas, and cold sensitivity.

In the Ayurvedic perspective, maintaining the digestive tract healthy is critical to health. Foods and herbs such as ginger, curry, fennel, coriander, and cinnamon aid digestion. Garlic is believed to kill parasites and reduced cholesterol.

See: Ayurveda Kapha Diet

Ayurveda for aging skin

Collagen is a type of protein that constitutes a large portion of our skin. It’s the protein in our skin that is responsible for its firmness, elasticity, and tightness. Collagen can also be found throughout the body, such as in the bones and muscles, where it supplies necessary strength.

When skin is healthy, it regularly fixes and leaves new collagen and keeps skin smooth, firm, and free of fine lines.

What leads to collagen loss? Our skin is exposed to variables such as pollution, smoke, UV rays, unhealthy diet, alcohol, and stress. These factors wreak havoc by generating free radicals in the skin, causing Collagen fibers’ breakdown, thinning skin, and hastening the skin aging procedure.

Ayurveda to boost collagen naturally

Ayurveda’s holistic approach to aging gracefully is called “Rasayan Chiktsha,”  or the holistic treatment of body and mind to retain energy and youthfulness. Many Ayurvedic herbs, foods, and other ingredients are critical parts of Ayurvedic anti-aging therapies, which work well to boost collagen and other proteins to keep the skin glowing.

– Vata pacifying diet

In Ayurveda, the Vata pacifying diet is the perfect diet that helps build the Ojas (the vital energy) in the body. An anti-aging diet should include nuts such as almonds, walnuts, and seeds such as sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and ghee are a few crucial elements to creating Ojas. Anti-inflammatory foods such as ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric are potent cleansers that cleanse the blood, lymph, and liver. Leafy greens and rainbow-colored fruits are chock full of mobile renewing antioxidants, and they flush toxins from the body and improve the complexion.

Ayurvedic herbs for skin

In Ayurveda, many herbs are categorized as Rasayana or rejuvenators. Gotukola, Ashwagandha, and Bala are several powerful reparative herbs that work on the skin by boosting collagen production. A mixture of these powerful ayurvedic herbs can help control collagen loss and naturally repair wrinkles or aging signs.

Ghee for nourishing skin

Ayurveda’s “ghee” can act as anti-aging nourishment for the skin. Aged Ghee helps illuminate skin, smoothing out fine lines and imparting a plumped, young luster to the skin. It turns into a tonic for skin that’s very nourishing, with age arresting, skin firming qualities.

Minerals

Minerals such as gold have been known for thousands of years in the ancient science of Ayurveda for their beautifying, brightening, and therapeutic properties. Gold can help slow down collagen loss, and enhances blood circulation, and prevents premature aging.

See: Ayurveda Oil Benefits

Ayurvedic herbs for longevity

Ayurvedic herbs can allow you to delay the signs of aging and fight its visibility in your skin. These herbs are full of antioxidants that fight against cell damage and initiate new cell development. Here’s a list of anti-aging herbs that you should include in your diet today to reap their benefits.

– Turmeric

Turmeric is no less than a magical herb. It’s long been known as the herb which can do everything. From treating bruises and cuts to enhancing the immune system to battling chronic pains or making you feel and look younger, turmeric can do everything. The compound curcumin found in turmeric has exceptional age-defying properties and can combat free radical damage and suppress inflammation.

Basil

Basil is on a list of herbs for combating visible signs of aging on your skin. It’s the new anti-aging superfood that may assist you in your battle against wrinkles. Topical application of basil can prove beneficial in keeping the moisture and hydration of the skin, reducing roughness, and providing a smooth feel to the surface.

Guduchi

Also called Giloy, this herb has immense anti-inflammatory properties. It works towards reviving the skin’s tissue and combat inflammation. The herb, together with benefitting the epidermis, also enhances the immune system and promotes mental clarity.

Ashwagandha

This herb has long been famous for its rejuvenating properties and benefits for skin, hair, and general health. Consuming ashwagandha regularly will help in reducing wrinkles to leave the skin firmer. It can radically alter your skin’s appearance, make it even more youthful, and glowing.

Amla

Amla or Amalaki is a rich source of antioxidants and vitamin C. Its anti-aging properties may promote healthy skin by firming it, reducing signs of aging, and make your skin glow. The herb also has observable effects on hair texture, growth, and strength.

Gotu-kola

Gotu-kola is another crucial anti-aging herb. It’s full of flavonoids and antioxidants that nourish the skin and improve collagen production to fight visible signs of aging. The herb also promotes the overall wellbeing of the human body.

Gulab (Rose Plant)

Famed for its enticing fragrance, Gulab, also referred to as shatapatri, holds vast reserves of hydrating phytonutrients, besides vitamins A and B complex. These contribute to locking in moisture, boosting collagen synthesis, and nurturing skin integrity.

Ginseng

Ginseng, a name frequently heard in Korean and Japanese beauty products, is a fantastic anti-aging herb. The phytochemicals present in this herb combat aging indicators and activate the skin’s metabolism. The herb also fights and protects your skin from free radical damage caused due to sunlight exposure.

When these herbs might not do everything to keep you looking younger forever, they will undoubtedly keep your cells healthy, and your skin nourished. Try these Ayurvedic herbs for your skin, hair, and digestive health.

See: Ayurveda Pitta Diet to Balance Pitta Dosha

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