Looking for the best Abhyanga oil for vata dosha? Are you an active exerciser, runner, or serious yoga practitioner? Do you have a dominant vata dosha? Do you have fatigue and exhaustion? An abhyanga practice could help improve vitality, & bring you to balance. But let’s first start with the basics

What are the benefits of a self Ayurvedic oil massage?

Abhyanga is nothing but an Ayurvedic oil massage done by ourselves. Many times when we think about Ayurveda, we think of a massage service. However, a self ayurvedic oil massage is what is mentioned as a health-giving wellness practice across many classical Ayurvedic texts . This ayurvedic oil massage done by ourselves is included in "Dinacharya" or a list of wellness practices to be done daily. A regular Abhyanga gives us many benefits:  

• Improves strength & vitality
• Nourishes all the organ systems internally
• Improves digestion and elimination
• Deepens sleep quality
• Reduces pain and fatigue
• Balances all 3 doshas
• Improves immunity, health and vitality

Why is an ayurvedic self massage so beneficial to balance Vata Dosha?

An Abhyanga is beneficial for all prakritis. In order to make the abhyanga suitable for each prakriti, we change the choice of Abhyanga oil, the amount of oil used, the length of massage and the Snana after massage. In people with dominant vata dosha or those where Vata is aggravated, an Abhyanga is especially beneficial. This is because vata dosha responds very quickly to taila (oil) and Sparsha (touch). When those with dominant or aggravated Vata dosha do Abhyanga regularly, they can see the following changes ·       Improvement in skin texture and health - skin does not feel as dry or rough ·       Improvement in digestion and elimination – the appetite is healthier and constipation reduces ·       Reduction in pain and fatigue ·       Strengthening of the body ·       Faster recovery after injury or hard exercise

How do you choose the right Abhyanga oil for you and your dosha?

Each dosha type requires some customization in their Abhyanga products (both oils and ubtans) to help them get the best benefits out of their abhyanga practice. For Vata prakriti people, we should choose an ayurvedic massage oil with sesame and additionally castor oil as the base and use nourishing, pain relieving vata balancing herbs like Bala, Ashwagandha, Devdaru, Dashamoola, Daruharidra, etc. For a pitta balancing effect, we should formulate an ayurvedic massage oil which uses Ghee, Coconut oil or Kokum butter along with Sesame oil as the base. Pitta balancing herbs like Ananthamoola, Usheera, Lodhra, Nimba are used in the formula . At Krya, we have formulated a special pitta balancing Abhyanga oil which you can explore here. For Kapha balance, we look at pain relieving and Kapa melting herbs like Dashamoola, Daruharidra, Triphala etc.  

What is the difference between a Vata dosha massage oil and a body lotion?

As Vata aggravation often leads to dry skin, we may find ourselves reaching out for a synthetic moisturizing lotion. This may offer symptomatic relief from dry flaky skin that is so common in vata prakriti. However, this effect is not long lasting and you may need to reapply your lotion every few hours. This is because you are not addressing the underlying root case of the dry skin which is vata aggravation. When you bring your vata dosha under balance by doing a regular abhyanga, the different symptoms of vata imbalance like dry and flaky skin, insomnia, restlessness, deep fatigue etc. also come down. So by doing an ayurvedic self massage, you address a multifaceted set of vata imbalance symptoms, and you get lasting relief.  

7 questions you should ask to find the best vata dosha balancing massage oil for you

There are many Ayurvedic oils out there. How should you choose the right abhyanga oil for vata dosha? If your Vaidya has recommended a classical Ayurvedic oil like Dhanwantra tailam or Maha Narayana tailam, you may buy this product from reputed Ayurvedic companies like Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala or Nagarjuna Ayurveda. If you are looking for general wellness and have identified that your Vata Dosha is out of balance, then you should look for these factors to buy an vata dosha massage oil. 1.     Is the product prepared according to classical Ayurvedic tila paka veedhi? 2.     Is the oil manufacturing done over 3-5 days? 3.     Are the herbs selected as per Ayurvedic principles to balance Vata dosha? 4.     Are the ingredients in the oil like the herbs, spices and oils well sourced? It is better to go for an organic oil and butter base . Refined oils should ideally not be used. 5.     Are the herbs extracted according to classical Ayurvedic principles? (For example certain herbs are best extracted via a Kashayam, some via a Kalpa) 6.     Reputed company with good integrity, transparency and a willingness to share details about their ingredients, process, etc. 7.     Is the product well formulated? Can you see good feedback from people who have had similar issues like yourself?

What goes into the Krya Intense Abhyanga oil for vata dosha?

The Krya Intense Abhyanga oil for vata dosha has been carefully researched and thoughtfully formulated as an ideal abhynga oil for Vata dosha balance. This vata balancing massage oil is made using 44 Ayurvedic herbs processed in 4 cold pressed organic oils. Each herb is extracted using the classical Ayurvedic process either as a Swarasa (fresh juice), Kashaya (boiled decoction) or as a Kalpa (fresh herb paste). Each Kashaya is soaked overnight to maximize nutrient absorption before processing on a slow fire the next day before extraction. The focus on following the classical Ayurvedic process strictly both while formulating and while manufacturing the Krya intense Abhyanga oil for Vata makes it a very effective oil for balancing vata dosha.  

Who is the Krya Intense Abhyanga oil for Vata suitable for?

·       People with dominant Vata prakriti – lean build, extremely active, prominent bones and joints, skin and hair is slightly rough ·       Aggravated Vata issues – insomnia (cannot fall asleep easily), high stress and anxiety, prone to bone and joint disorders ·       Lifestyle aggravating vata issues – night shift, erratic eating timings, long work hours, highly creative job involving a lot of talking especially with headset ·       High level of physical activity – yoga practitioners, marathon runners, professional athletes, professional dancers

When should you avoid doing an Abhyanga

An abhyanga practice should be avoided if: ·       You have a fever, cold, cough or are otherwise ill ·       If you have a digestive issue like diarrhea ·       If you are feeling extremely exhausted, fatigued or debilitated ·       If you have just come back after sun exposure or are planning to get some sun exposure ·       Immediately after a meal ·       At night or just before going to sleep ·       If you plan to eat a large meal after Abhyanga ·       If you are pregnant (do an abhyanga only on your Vaidya’s advice) ·       If you are menstruating (although a regular abhyanga is extremely beneficial when done throughout the rest of your cycle as it helps ease up menstrual cramps and discomfort during your periods)

What is in my Krya Intense Abhyanga Oil for Vata Dosha?

This product is made using 44 nourishing, pain relieving, circulation improving and dosha balancing herbs with a special focus on vata balance. The herbs are processed over 5 days in a blend of 4 organic cold pressed oils which are sesame oil, Karanja oil, koku butter and coconut oil. The highest proportion of oils in this base is of sesame oil and Karanja oil which are both excellent for relieving symptoms of vata imbalance. The formulation has been carefully researched and derived from study of the classical Ayurvedic texts. Each ingredient has been carefully and reverently processed to give you this high quality vata dosha balancing oil.  

Directions to use this vata balancing oil

Regular abhyanga with this product helps heal skin, rings down skin dryness and gives in all the benefits we had discussed earlier. We recommend doing an Abhyanga early in the morning on an empty stomach after visiting the washroom. Abhyanga is considered half of a vigorous workout, so massage strokes must be brisk with firm pressure. Warm the oil on a double oiler, and then massage briskly into skin briskly, generating heat and applying firm pressure. It takes about 3-5 minutes for the oil to penetrate deeper layers of the body, so we recommend spending this time on each body part while doing the massage. After the abhyanga, we recommend covering up and avoiding cold wind or draughts. Soaking for 10-15 minutes is recommended before a Snana / bath.

Ayurvedic bath / Snana after Abhyanga massage:

An Ayurvedic Snana is strongly recommended after an Abhyanga massage. This ensures that skin does not go dry, and also ensures that continuing warmth and cocooning is provided to the body after the comforting experience of the Abhyanga. Soaps, shower gels are extremely drying on skin. They also interfere with the skin’s healthy microbiome. Such bathing products are especially no recommended for those with dominant or aggravated vata dosha because their skin tends to be already prone to dryness. We recommend a well formulated Ayurvedic ubtan that is suitable for vata prakriti after an Abhyanga. Use tolerably hot water below the neck to have a bath, and bathe with the correct Ayurvedic ubtan. Usually, in vata dominant individuals, the skin absorbs oil extremely well, so there is no need to double cleanse, as is recommended for kapha or pita individuals. Wear comfortable, loose, and slightly warm clothing after Abhyanga. Avoid heavy food and heavy wind, exercise or fatigue-promoting activities on abhyanga day.

A special note on Pada Abhyanga (ayurvedic foot massage)

Ayurvedic texts recommend the daily anointing of oil on the head and the soles of the feet. A daily foot massage or pada abhyanga is very useful to improve sleep quality. Vata aggravated people usually have problems falling asleep on time. a regular foot massage with the Krya abhyanga oil removes fatigue accumulated during the day, relieves tiredness, nourishes the eyes, and improves elimination the next day. Here's a detailed blog post and video on how to do a pada abhyanga correctly.  

Ayurvedic Shiro Abhyanga - applying ayurvedic oil in your hair

Shiro abhyanga or the daily act of applying oil to the scalp and hair is also a "dinacharya" or a suggested daily wellness routine. we have written extensively about this health-giving practice in the Krya blog. This practice does not just positively affect the quality of hair growth and scalp health. It only deeply nourishes eyes, calms down vata-based stress and anxiety, helps keep the mind calm and steady, and aids in promoting deep restful sleep. Red more about this wellness practice here & here. Please explore our range of ayurvedic hair oils to begin your shiro abhyanga practice.  

Suggested Abhyanga practice schedule for vata balance

For those who are new to Ayurveda and Abhyanga practice, we suggest starting with this abhyanga schedule

• Mini Abhyanga 2-3 times a week
• Full Abhyanga twice a week - Tuesdays & Fridays suggested for Women, Wednesdays & Saturdays suggested for Men
• Pada Abhyanga - 4-5 times a week
• Shiro Abhyanga using one of our hair oils - 3-4 times a week (leave on)