Hot Shower Benefits, Uses, Side Effects According to Ayurveda

Metabolic Nature of Hot Shower

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.
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CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

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HOT

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot is identified by increased body temperature, metabolism, or inflammation.

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LIQUEFIED

ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs.

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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?
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PUNGENT

ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.

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DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.
Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.
Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.
Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.
The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).
Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.
Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.
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PACIFIES

AGGRAVATES

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.
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PACIFIES

MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

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PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

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AGGRAVATES

CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

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SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot and oily with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body. Vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

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Other

Affinity:

Respiratory Health

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Hot Shower
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.

(see all)

Skin Care & Beauty:

Diaphoretic

DIAPHORETIC

An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin.

SEE ALL 'DIAPHORETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Respiratory-Health:

Clears Sinuses

CLEARS-SINUSES

Cleanses sinuses by draining excess mucus, allowing for clear, easy breathing.

SEE ALL 'CLEARS-SINUSES' FOODS / HERBS

Flushes Sinuses

FLUSHES-SINUSES

An herb that relieves sinus congestion by flushing out mucus.

SEE ALL 'FLUSHES-SINUSES' FOODS / HERBS

Warms Chest

WARMS-CHEST

Warms the chest and lungs, clearing mucus and allowing for clear breathing. Often these herbs are hot, aromatic, and pungent.

SEE ALL 'WARMS-CHEST' FOODS / HERBS

Bronchodilator

BRONCHODILATOR

An herb that encourages the widening or opening of the lung airways. They are helpful in wheezing and asthma.

SEE ALL 'BRONCHODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

Decongestant

DECONGESTANT

An herb that reduces mucus production often by restricting blood flow to mucus membranes.

SEE ALL 'DECONGESTANT' FOODS / HERBS

Expectorant

EXPECTORANT

Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract.

SEE ALL 'EXPECTORANT' FOODS / HERBS

Hydrotherapy

HYDROTHERAPY

Uses water in various forms (liquid, steam, or ice) to promote health and wellness. Includes baths, steam, etc.

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Mucolytic

MUCOLYTIC

An herb that breaks apart mucus, liquefying the mucus.

SEE ALL 'MUCOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS

Immune System:

Flushes Membranes

FLUSHES-MEMBRANES

Herbs in this category stimulate mucus membranes to release fluids, flushing them out.

SEE ALL 'FLUSHES-MEMBRANES' FOODS / HERBS

Heart & Circulation:

Cardiac Stimulant

CARDIAC-STIMULANT

Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area.

SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

Warms Head

WARMS-HEAD

An herb that increases sensations of heat and warmth in the head.

SEE ALL 'WARMS-HEAD' FOODS / HERBS

Vasodilator

VASODILATOR

A vasodilator is an herb that widens the blood vessels by the relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, thereby increasing circulation systemically or to a local area.

SEE ALL 'VASODILATOR' FOODS / HERBS

Strength, Muscle Health:

Muscle Relaxant

MUSCLE-RELAXANT

Herbs that relax muscles. Helpful for chronic pain or tension as well as healing from physical trauma.

SEE ALL 'MUSCLE-RELAXANT' FOODS / HERBS

Relieves Tension

RELIEVES-TENSION

An herb that releases tightness, constriction, and rigidity in a muscle.

SEE ALL 'RELIEVES-TENSION' FOODS / HERBS

Antispasmodic

ANTISPASMODIC

Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, heart palpitations, migraine, or IBS.

SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Hot Shower

Mustard Powder

Mustard Powder has these Actions in Common
Warms-head, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Vasodilator, Antispasmodic, Clears-sinuses, Expectorant, Muscle-relaxant, Warms-chest, Bronchodilator, Decongestant, Flushes-membranes, Relieves-tension
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Mustard

Mustard has these Actions in Common
Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Vasodilator, Antispasmodic, Clears-sinuses, Expectorant, Muscle-relaxant, Warms-chest, Bronchodilator, Decongestant, Flushes-membranes, Relieves-tension, Warms-head
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Mustard Seed

Mustard Seed has these Actions in Common
Flushes-sinuses, Vasodilator, Antispasmodic, Clears-sinuses, Expectorant, Muscle-relaxant, Warms-chest, Bronchodilator, Decongestant, Flushes-membranes, Relieves-tension, Warms-head, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic
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Daikon Radish

Daikon Radish has these Actions in Common
Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Mucolytic, Clears-sinuses, Expectorant, Warms-chest, Bronchodilator, Decongestant, Flushes-sinuses, Warms-head
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Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne Pepper has these Actions in Common
Decongestant, Flushes-sinuses, Warms-chest, Antispasmodic, Diaphoretic, Mucolytic, Cardiac-stimulant, Expectorant, Vasodilator
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Garlic (raw)

Garlic (raw) has these Actions in Common
Cardiac-stimulant, Expectorant, Vasodilator, Decongestant, Flushes-sinuses, Warms-chest, Bronchodilator, Diaphoretic, Mucolytic
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Horseradish

Horseradish has these Actions in Common
Cardiac-stimulant, Expectorant, Vasodilator, Clears-sinuses, Flushes-sinuses, Warms-chest, Diaphoretic, Mucolytic
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Wasabi

Wasabi has these Actions in Common
Cardiac-stimulant, Expectorant, Vasodilator, Clears-sinuses, Flushes-sinuses, Warms-chest, Diaphoretic, Mucolytic
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Allspice

Allspice has these Actions in Common
Cardiac-stimulant, Muscle-relaxant, Warms-head, Clears-sinuses, Vasodilator, Antispasmodic, Decongestant, Warms-chest
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Rosemary

Rosemary has these Actions in Common
Cardiac-stimulant, Muscle-relaxant, Antispasmodic, Decongestant, Vasodilator, Bronchodilator, Diaphoretic, Warms-chest
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Scallions (Raw)

Scallions (Raw) has these Actions in Common
Diaphoretic, Vasodilator, Clears-sinuses, Expectorant, Warms-chest, Decongestant, Mucolytic
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Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Hot Shower

Hot Bath

Hot Bath has these Actions in Common
Diaphoretic, Vasodilator, Expectorant, Warms-chest, Flushes-membranes, Warms-head, Antispasmodic, Flushes-sinuses, Bronchodilator, Hydrotherapy, Cardiac-stimulant, Mucolytic, Clears-sinuses, Muscle-relaxant, Decongestant, Relieves-tension
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Epsom Salt Bath

Epsom Salt Bath has these Actions in Common
Cardiac-stimulant, Mucolytic, Clears-sinuses, Muscle-relaxant, Decongestant, Relieves-tension, Diaphoretic, Vasodilator, Expectorant, Warms-chest, Flushes-membranes, Warms-head, Antispasmodic, Flushes-sinuses, Bronchodilator, Hydrotherapy
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Inhale Steam

Inhale Steam has these Actions in Common
Flushes-membranes, Flushes-sinuses, Hydrotherapy, Bronchodilator, Mucolytic, Clears-sinuses, Vasodilator, Decongestant, Warms-chest, Diaphoretic, Warms-head, Expectorant
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Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common
Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Expectorant, Muscle-relaxant, Antispasmodic, Vasodilator, Bronchodilator, Warms-chest, Cardiac-stimulant, Warms-head, Clears-sinuses
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Encourage a Sweat / Sweat Therapy

Encourage a Sweat / Sweat Therapy has these Actions in Common
Muscle-relaxant, Relieves-tension, Antispasmodic, Vasodilator, Bronchodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-membranes
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Sit in the Sauna

Sit in the Sauna has these Actions in Common
Relieves-tension, Antispasmodic, Vasodilator, Bronchodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-membranes, Muscle-relaxant
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Hot Foot Soak

Hot Foot Soak has these Actions in Common
Muscle-relaxant, Relieves-tension, Vasodilator, Antispasmodic, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Hydrotherapy
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Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru)

Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru) has these Actions in Common
Antispasmodic, Bronchodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Muscle-relaxant, Vasodilator, Warms-chest, Warms-head
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Mustard Poultice

Mustard Poultice has these Actions in Common
Expectorant, Flushes-sinuses, Vasodilator, Bronchodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Diaphoretic
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Chest Rub with Essential Oils

Chest Rub with Essential Oils has these Actions in Common
Vasodilator, Bronchodilator, Cardiac-stimulant, Decongestant, Expectorant, Flushes-sinuses, Mucolytic
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Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Hot Shower

Table of Contents

How Does This Ayurvedic Home Remedy Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Metabolic Nature of Hot Shower

Metabolic Nature

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT HOT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC

The 6 Tastes

ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

The Three Doshas / Body Types

The Four Temperaments / Humors

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Other

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Hot Shower 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.

DIAPHORETIC

CLEARS-SINUSES

FLUSHES-SINUSES

WARMS-CHEST

BRONCHODILATOR

DECONGESTANT

EXPECTORANT

HYDROTHERAPY

MUCOLYTIC

FLUSHES-MEMBRANES

CARDIAC-STIMULANT

WARMS-HEAD

VASODILATOR

MUSCLE-RELAXANT

RELIEVES-TENSION

ANTISPASMODIC

Foods with a Similar Nature to Hot Shower

Mustard Powder has these Actions in Common

Mustard has these Actions in Common

Mustard Seed has these Actions in Common

Daikon Radish has these Actions in Common

Cayenne Pepper has these Actions in Common

Garlic (raw) has these Actions in Common

Horseradish has these Actions in Common

Wasabi has these Actions in Common

Allspice has these Actions in Common

Rosemary has these Actions in Common

Scallions (Raw) has these Actions in Common

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Hot Shower

Hot Bath has these Actions in Common

Epsom Salt Bath has these Actions in Common

Inhale Steam has these Actions in Common

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

Encourage a Sweat / Sweat Therapy has these Actions in Common

Sit in the Sauna has these Actions in Common

Hot Foot Soak has these Actions in Common

Deodar (Himalayan Cedar, Devadaru) has these Actions in Common

Mustard Poultice has these Actions in Common

Chest Rub with Essential Oils has these Actions in Common

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMS

Respiratory, Lung, Throat & Sinus

Heart, Blood & Circulation

Bones, Muscles & Tendons

Skin Care

Lifestyle

Mind, Stress & Sleep

Weight Loss

Digestion

CONTRAINDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMS

Herb Drug Interaction Risk

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What is Ayurveda?

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Hot Shower
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.

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

CONTRAINDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS