Introducing Ayurvedic Herbs and Herbal Oils Into Your Life

Being a scientist, I started out very much a Western-medicine-oriented, need-to-see-the-data-points-to-believe-it type of person, reluctant to accept that herbal oil remedies could have much worth.  But upon closer examination, particularly of the Ayurvedic herbs system, plenty of scientific evidence exists to verify the claims that particular herbs can aid the body’s processes and promote balance.

The Ayurvedic herbs system is said to have come from southern India thousands of years ago.  The two fundamental ideas behind the herbs systems and use of their herbal oil are that the body and the mind are inseparably linked, and the mind is the most capable and powerful tool to help the body recover from maladies.  This two-pronged principle is not hard to affirm considering the fact that the design of pretty much any medical study you’ll read about will always include a placebo test group.  The placebo effect, a psychosomatic response of perceived improvement of health simply from believing one has received medication, is a very real and well-documented phenomenon; the mind holds significant power to push the body toward perseverance.

A healthy balance of all the body’s components and mechanisms is another vital goal one strives to achieve by applying the Ayurvedic system.  Guidance on beginning a number of diet plans, including those designed by physicians, encourages consumers that once they employ healthy choices for several weeks their junk food cravings will drastically diminish, all thanks to detoxification and the nutrient balance it creates.  Ayurvedic philosophy teaches that your body knows what it needs and will desire what is healthy and good for it once it achieves balance.

Important herbs that play a part include amalaki, which contains antioxidants and boosts immunity, manjistha which helps with inflammation, rashes, and purifying the blood, brahmi for optimizing brain power, triphala which aids in digestion, and ashwagandha to manage stress and promote energy.  Cumin helps with digestion but also stress, restfulness, joint health, and skin and hair vitality.  Arjuna benefits the cardiovascular system, and cardamom is a metabolic aid, good for combating weight gain, drowsiness, and also congestion.  These and other extensively studied herbs are combined in herbal oil formulas for either ingestion or external application, and the formula and amount you choose can depend on what your needs and goals are.

Application of particular herbs and herb combination formulas has been a standard for healthy living for centuries in many parts of the world.  The use of a gentle, natural remedy to balance the body’s chemistry as opposed to a harsh drug with myriad side effects sounds preferable to a number of people.  Easy to incorporate into anyone’s diet and routine, let Ayurvedic herbs complement your healthy lifestyle.

Cheryl Wheeler