The Ayurvedic Approach to Beauty

Ayurvedic Skin Care for Fire Predominant Skin

The fundamental element Fire blesses the skin with natural glow and luminosity.

If fire is the predominant element in your skin, it will tend to have a pinkish tone and be warm to the touch.

This type of skin has medium pores.

Fire predominant skin is susceptible to the impact of emotional trauma. Also, persons with this skin type tend to have almost zero tolerance to the sun and hot foods such as long hot red peppers and cayenne pepper. Sometimes even black pepper can be problematic.

How to care for fire predominant skin

Diet

If you have fire predominant skin, you should favor sweet, cooling, ojas-enhancing foods. Avoid hot spicy foods as much as possible. Never skip or delay meals. Here are some suggestions for foods and beverages to include in your diet:

  • Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Favor spring water with a pH of 7.5 for balanced hydration.
  • Eat lots of sweet juicy fruits, such as ripe mangoes.
  • Loki and summer squashes, leafy greens (except spinach) and cabbage are recommended vegetables. Chop the vegetables and cook with the recommended spice mix for fire predominant skin (see box top right).
  • Include coconut in your diet--the juice of young coconut makes a refreshing beverage and the meat of the coconut, grated, can be sprinkled on your vegetables, rice and lentil dishes.
  • Enjoy grains such as rice and barley.
  • Mung dhal should be your lentil of choice. Avoid other beans and lentils.
  • Drink a cup or two of whole organic milk everyday. Boil the milk for added digestibility and then cool it to room temperature before drinking it.
  • Feed your skin added nutrients with skin rasayanas--ayurvedic herb combinations such as Triphala Rasayana are designed to balance, nourish and protect your skin.

Protection

If you have fire predominant skin, your skin is very susceptible to the sun. Therefore, take precautions when you go out during the heat of the day.

  • If you have eaten spicy foods such as red peppers, or are angry or emotionally upset, stay out of the sun. These situations increase photosensitivity.
  • Include some photo-protective clothing in your wardrobe. Wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect delicate facial skin.
  • Spray your skin with rose water several times a day.
  • Try to stay indoors or in the shade during the hottest parts of the day.
  • Sponge face and body daily with a blend of rose water and milk. For a truly royal treat, indulge in a luxurious once-a-week milk bath, to which 1-2 teaspoons of pure rose water have been added, to pamper and nourish your fire predominant skin.


Lifestyle

Persons with fire predominant skin should avoid situations that give rise to anger, jealousy or emotional stress, as negative emotions can adversely impact the health and appearance of this type of skin:

  • Take a stroll in the evening, after the sun has gone down, to soothe your heart and mind.
  • Go to bed early; adequate rest is essential to maintain emotional equilibrium when confronted with stressful situations.
  • Listen to soothing music.
  • Learn to walk away when you feel negative emotions getting the better of you.
  • Perform a full-body self-massage everyday with a cooling, soothing massage oil to help restore balance to body, mind, spirit and emotions.
  • The aroma of rose can help pacify Sadhaka Pitta, the subdosha of Pitta that governs the emotions.

 

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Building Ojas

Ojas (pronounced oh-jus) is the ultimate, most refined result of the process of digestion, metabolism, absorption and assimilation of food. It is a wholesome biochemical substance that nourishes all the body tissues and has a direct influence on the nature and quality of physical, mental and emotional life.

Ojas contributes to the attainment of higher states of consciousness, purity of thought, perfect health, positive thinking, love, joy, superior immunity, longevity, intelligence, creativity, memory, and bliss.

Everyone, and in particular persons with fire predominant skin, should lead a life that builds ojas. Attention to daily meditation, yoga, proper diet and daily routine, honoring elders, practicing unconditional love, and speaking the truth all contribute to the heart-mind coordination that creates ojas.

Milk-Mango Shake

Try this Milk Mango Shake recipe for a cooling, nourishing drink:

  • Flesh of one ripe mango
  • 1 cup milk, boiled and cooled
  • 6 raisins
  • 2 dates, pitted and chopped
  • 8 pumpkin seeds

Place ingredients in a blender and blend to a smooth puree.

 

 

 

 






The Ayurvedic Spa

Potent ayurvedic skin rasayanas, pure essential oils and restorative nutrients come together in a premier line of healing, nurturing skin care that will keep your skin looking clear, radiant and youthful with daily use. Formulations are designed by skin type or balanced to benefit all skin types. Cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize with pure, potent, plant-derived formulations.

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--- S.B.

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Fire Predominant Skin Spice Mix

  • Turmeric - 1 part
  • Cumin - 1 part
  • Coriander - 1 part
  • Fennel - 11 parts

Lightly toast whole spices in a frying pan and grind to a powder. Add
powdered turmeric and mix well. Store in an airtight container and use as
needed.

To use: Spices can be sautéed in ghee (clarified butter) and added to dishes or added to foods such as lentils during the cooking process.

Ayurvedic Skin Care Recipes

Our ayurvedic skin care recipes have been customized for each of the five types of skin.

Each set of recipes includes a cleansing mix, a steaming herbs mix and an internal cleansing tea recipe. Ingredients are all-natural, and the mixes can be made at home and stored for daily use. Recipe sheets include directions on making, storage and use; and give brief explanations of the healing values of each ingredient. The recipes can be mailed out as hard copies or e-mailed as Microsoft Word document attachments, whichever you prefer.

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Bitter is Better

When it comes to your skin, bitter is better. In our daily diet, most of us tend to avoid the bitter tastes and favor the sweet. As a result, our skin tends to suffer from the impact of sweet-induced ama (internal toxic matter created by imperfect digestion), which clogs the pores of the skin.

Cooking with fenugreek and a little turmeric or eating leafy greens or well-cooked bitter gourd can help keep the skin's channels free of ama.

However, ayurveda recommends moderation in everything, so be careful not to overdo the bitter.

 
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© AyurBalance, Inc., 2003-2005. All rights reserved.
The statements on this web site have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. None of the information or products on this web site is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For medical concerns, please consult your physician. Before making changes to your diet or lifestyle, please consult your physician.