How Can This Ayurvedic Food Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

Can't shake the winter chill? Massage sesame oil into your skin and let your body bask in the warm, nutty aroma of this ancient secret. Sesame oil is highly touted in the Ayurvedic world for its healing benefits. A symbol of strength and vigor, sesame oil nourishes the skin as it calms your nerves. Its luscious and unctuous nature both fortifies immunity and aids in detoxification.

Sesame Oil for Massage
Does your skin appear lifeless and dull in autumn? Colder weather forces your blood to withdraw from the surface of the skin, drying it out. Sesame oil is the perfect remedy to restore your skin's natural luster and youthful sheen. Make this superb skin tonic an essential part of your daily beauty and skin/hair care routine. For best results warm the oil and massage it into your skin. When performing a self-massage, use long strokes on your limbs and circular motions on your joints. Your self massage will not only nurture your body and mind, you will also experience benefits such as:

• Improved circulation, increased blood flow
  
• Lymphatic stimulation which aids detoxification
  
• Reduced pain and stiffness of muscles
  
• Calm mind and nervous system, reduced mental stress
  
• Comfort and relaxation
  
• Improved sleep patterns
  
• Enhanced self image and a feeling of well-being
  
• Improved body awareness
  
• Decreased effects of aging, soft and lustrous skin
  
• improve collagen production and elasticity
  
• Coating your skin with sesame oil locks in body heat.
  
• Provides a natural barrier against drying weather elements.
  
• Massage directly stimulates and cleanses internal organs
  

Luxurious Hair
Sesame oil encourages thick, luxurious hair growth. As the richness of sesame oil nourishes your skin and hair follicles, its warming nature improves circulation to the very root of the hair shaft. Massage this extraordinary liquid into your scalp for a deep conditioning treatment that also reduces split ends.

Sesame oil is a multi-faceted and exceptionally healing oil. The deep nourishment that sesame oil offers penetrates even to the bone. Ayurveda knows sesame oil as a bone, teeth, hair and nail tonic.

Oral Care - Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is an ancient method of swishing oil between the teeth that is gaining modern popularity. As a detoxicant and anti-bacterial, sesame oil pulling greatly enhances dental hygiene. Oil pulling is a simple, affordable way to help aid your body's natural detoxification processes. You will notice whiter teeth, reduced plaque and tartar, healthier gums, a smoother singing voice, and a cleaner tongue. Your dentist will notice! Here's how:

Place 1 tablespoon of unrefined and cold-pressed sesame oil into your mouth and swish for up to 15-20 minutes. If you simply cannot tolerate the taste of the oil, try adding a pinch of salt. When the sesame oil turns white you're done. To avoid clogging the plumbing, spit the oil into the garbage, not the sink. Please, never swallow! Don't fancy swishing oil? Chew one tablespoon of sesame seeds in the morning to keep your pearly whites clean. You can also sniff a couple of drops of sesame oil into your nostrils, and massage gently. You will find that your usual nasal dryness will not be as noticeable.

Digestive Health
If you are feeling a little sluggish or irregular in the digestion department, consider adding sesame oil to your diet. Its nourishing properties will feed your digestive system and colon. It has also been shown to relieve constipation and generally improve your digestive power. For some of our cells that require fat to thrive, sesame oil can provide the essential nourishment that you need.

Antiviral & Antibacterial
Ancient practitioners of Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine believe that sesame oil holds great significance for its immune building properties and ability to treat associated ailments and common skin pathogens. Western science knows it as an antiviral and antibacterial.

Sesame Facts
Sesame oil was the oldest oilseed crop known to man, domesticated well over 5000 years ago. Sesame has one of the highest oil concentrations of any seed, exceeding 50 percent compared to soybean's 20 percent. It is also one of the most stable vegetable oils. Natural anti-oxidants give sesame oil a long shelf life.

ABOUT SESAME OIL

Sesame oil is derived from nutty sweet sesame seeds. As the seed matures, it bursts out of its pod. Think back to the children's story about "open sesame," a secret password in the medieval Arabic adventure tale Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. As the magic words revealed a cave full of treasures, the bursting sesame pod reveals all the goodness of a nutritional treasure. Sesame oil is one of the most widely used base oils in Ayurvedic medicine, however if you have excess heat in your body, Ayurveda recommends that you limit and / or moderate your intake and use of sesame oil.

BUYING & PREPARATION

Generally, it's best to purchase in small quantities if you don't anticipate using the oil quickly, although sesame oil is stable due to its high antioxidant values and doesn't turn rancid very quickly. Favor cold-pressed, unrefined, untoasted sesame oil for your skin and hair. Toasted sesame oil provides a much richer, nuttier flavor, for cooking but isn't necessarily the best choice for skin, hair and dental use. As with other oils, store your sesame oil in a cool, dark place in an airtight container.

Sesame comes in several forms:

• Sesame Seeds
• Sesame Oil
• Sesame Tahini

COOKING SESAME OIL

Browse Recipes This rich oil pairs delightfully with a myriad of different flavors. Darker sesame oil prepared from toasted sesame seeds has a stronger flavor and should be used in smaller quantities. Light sesame oil from untoasted sesame seeds has a delicious nutty flavor and will fill your kitchen with homey and appetizing aromas. Sesame oil has a robust and earthy sensuality to it. The intoxicating aroma of a simple mixture of ginger and sesame gently sauteing is enough to get your mouth watering. Pair sesame oil with chicken, veggies, humus, dipping sauces, salad dressings, rice - oh the list goes on!

WHY EAT AN AYURVEDIC DIET?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Ayurveda shows you your specific body type’s needs and what should be favored in your Ayurvedic menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.

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Is Sesame Oil Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether Sesame Oil is a good fit for you. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute.

AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL BIOCHARACTERISTICS

What is the biocharacteristic theory of medicine?

INCREASES Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	HOT ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation. LEARN MORE ABOUT HOT OILY ABOUT OILY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Oily refers to anything fatty, or that increases fat. LEARN MORE ABOUT OILY
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	PUNGENT ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper. LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT SWEET ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	EFFECT: Ojas OJAS Ojas is the essence of healthy tissue, immunity, stable energy and happiness. Substances that improve ojas are recommended after long-term illness, debility, emotional and physical trauma, and even sadness. LEARN MORE ABOUT OJAS , Sattvic SATTVIC Sattvic foods promote awareness and a refreshed mind by nourishing the body without taxing digestion. Sattvic foods do not stimulate desire or nervous energy. They create clarity instead of drowsiness or heaviness. LEARN MORE ABOUT SATTVIC , Acidifying ACIDIFYING An herb that creates an acidic pH in the blood chemistry. LEARN MORE ABOUT ACIDIFYING TYPE: Oils ELEMENT: Fire FIRE Resembles fire (tejas) in quality - hot, sharp, penetrating, light, dry. LEARN MORE ABOUT FIRE , Water WATER Resembles water (ap) in quality - fluid, sticky, soft, heavy, stable, cool. LEARN MORE ABOUT WATER NUTRIENT: Fats NOURISHES: Muscle MUSCLE Muscle tissue (Mamsa Dhatu) includes muscles and ligaments. LEARN MORE ABOUT MUSCLE , Fat FAT Fat tissue (Meda Dhatu) includes adipose tissue and sebum (skin oil). LEARN MORE ABOUT FAT

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Experiences are Personal

Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Here are the herbal actions of Sesame Oil:

Bone & Joint:

Bone Tonic

BONE-TONIC

An herb that strengthens the bones and joints.

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Hair Growth Tonic

HAIR-GROWTH-TONIC

An herb or formula that encourages healthy hair growth.

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Energy Vitality Strength:

Builds stamina

BUILDS-STAMINA

Promotes strength, endurance and resistance in the body. Rebuilds weak tissues after a time of depletion.

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Stimulates energy

STIMULATES-ENERGY

This category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbs

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Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

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Tonic

TONIC

A tonic herb strengthens tissue, often restoring healthy function. Tonics usually target a specific organ, tissue, or system ie: brain, muscle or respiratory tonic.

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Heart & Circulation:

Blood Tonic

BLOOD-TONIC

An herb that produces more blood cells in the body or otherwise strengthens blood. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency.

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Immune System:

Antimicrobial

ANTIMICROBIAL

An agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial is an umbrella term that can be broken down into specific categories of target microorganism, such as anti-bacterials, fungals, and virals.

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Liver & Gall Bladder:

Livotonic

LIVOTONIC

An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias.

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Reproductive Health:

Builds Semen

BUILDS-SEMEN

Herbs that increase the production of semen, often by rebuilding fluids in general.

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Galactagogue

GALACTAGOGUE

Increases production of breast milk.

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Promotes Fertility

PROMOTES-FERTILITY

An herb that promotes fertility. Generally used by women who wish to become pregnant. These herbs may also help with menstrual problems of deficiency, such as amenorrhea (lack of a period).

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Promotes Virility

PROMOTES-VIRILITY

Encourages virility and potency.

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Skin Care & Beauty:

Emollient

EMOLLIENT

soothes & softens the skin

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Rubefacient

RUBEFACIENT

An herb used topically that causes dilation of the capillaries and an increase in blood circulation. The skin will appear red or flushed.

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Skin Tonic

SKIN-TONIC

An herb that strengthens and nourishes skin, improving tone, color, moisture and complexion.

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Strengthening-Tonics:

Muscle Tonic

MUSCLE-TONIC

Herbs that strengthen and tone muscle tissue. Helpful for people recovering from long term illness and debility, or after a sprain.

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