Ayurdeva identifies three body types, known as doshas. The three are Vata, Pitta and Kapha and the different doshas are present in each of us. The key to good health and wellbeing is to keep the three types in balance.
Premature hair loss in particular is often seen as a side effect of modern life – our fast and frenetic lifestyles involving unhealthy eating, smoking, drinking and dealing with environmental factors such as air pollution. In Ayurdeva medicine, hair loss can be traced to imbalances in the Pitta Dosha so to reduce the aggravation and promote hair growth, it’s important to use Ayurdevic herbal remedies.
You can improve your hair growth by changing your diet, too. Ensure you have a diet rich in vitamins E and B, regularly eat iron-rich foods such as leafy green vegetables and fresh fruit, and drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated.
Ayurdeva recommends using the leaves of specific plants to deal with hair loss with neem leaves one of the most prized. One remedy involves boiling neem leaves, then cooling them before making a paste with the boiled leaves. Add a little coconut oil and honey to the paste, then rub on to your scalp and hair, massaging gently for at least 10 minutes. Leave the paste on your head for half an hour, rinse off with lukewarm water and then shampoo as normal. The neem leaves paste will also help get rid of dandruff and kill lice.
Try carrot juice as another Ayurdevic remedy for hair loss – a daily glass will give you the antioxidant carotene that carrots are full of and boost your hair and skin. Other Ayurdeva remedies include pastes made from coriander leaves and almond oil or liquorice leaves. Apply twice a week for effective results.