Have you considered the benefits of how a 5-10 min oil massage a day can not only help you calm and relax yourself, but also help dry and itchy skin? In addition to that, oil massages have other beneficial uses as well. Massaging my body with oil has helped my dry skin and reduced my eczema, and I no longer spend money on moisturizers that probably have harmful chemicals in them.
A few years back, I developed dry and itchy skin in a few areas and was diagnosed with eczema. The skin specialist recommended I use soap sparingly and apply a moisturizer after each bath. For years, I had been religiously following that routine. The cream helped my dry skin, but if I missed applying it for even two days in a row, my skin would itch. I had to carry the moisturizer even when I traveled.
A couple of months back while reading Deepak Chopra’s “Perfect Health”, I read a section about the benefits of ‘Abhyanga’ or Oil massage. Abhyanga is the ayurvedic oil massage which is an integral part of the daily routine recommended by this healing system for overall health and well-being. Hoping to avoid smearing my body with all the chemicals that the moisturizer was loaded with, I decided to give the oil massage a try and see how it works for my skin.
After finding out my body type by taking a simple dosha quiz in the book, I bought organic sesame oil as it suits by body type. I started massaging myself everyday before my baths, following the direction for the massage. Now it’s been over four months, and I have noticed that along with helping me deal with dry and itchy skin, the massage has also helped me feel calmer and more relaxed. Also, I no longer have to use the chemical moisturizer to prevent my skin from itching.
Abhyanga(Oil Massage)
What We Need
- 3-4 tablespoons of oil (for your body type)
- Vatas can use either refined sesame or almond oil
- Pittas can use olive or coconut oil
- Kaphas benefit from sunflower or sesame
- small plastic squeeze bottle to hold the oil
- small bowl to fill with hot water to warm the oil in the plastic squeeze bottle
- plastic stool
- mat-to cover the floor
When Do You Do It?
Before your bath and preferably in the morning. Morning massage soothes both the nervous system and the endocrine system and helps to start your day relaxed.
Where Do You Do It?
As massaging with oil can be messy, it is better to do it in the bathroom or even inside the bath tub.
How Long Does It Take?
It takes me less than 10 minutes to do the massage and saves me the time to apply moisturizer after my bath everyday.
How Do You Do It?
Click here to read the step by step guide to do self Abhyanga or watch the video below.
What If You Don’t Have Time Everyday?
On days that I don’t have the time, I end up doing the mini massage which consists of massaging just the scalp and the feet and barely takes 2-3 minutes. Also, when I don’t have the time to shampoo, I massage my scalp without using the oil.
What Are The Benefits?
- rejuvenates the skin
- tones the muscles
- eliminates impurities
- calms the nerves
After I noticed how helpful the massage has been to me, I am now trying it with my three and half year old son who also has dry and itchy skin. Recently his hands started becoming very scaly probably due to the soap that he is using at school, and that led his skin to be very itchy especially at night. It has been three weeks that I started massaging him, and I notice that his skin is not dry anymore and have not seen him itch either.
Oil massage is a nice way to start your day relaxed. Regular oil massages at the start of my day, has helped me feel calmer. After having a very positive experience with the massage, I highly recommend this process and hope you find oil massages as relaxing as I do.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on this article. You can leave a comment below or click here to have future articles delivered to your inbox.
If you enjoyed this article and found it beneficial, then share it with your circle of friends.
- You May Also Like:
No related post.
