College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Self Massage

Self-massage reduces anxiety and stress. Add massage oils to reduce dryness.

How Does This Ayurvedic Home Remedy Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

A massage with oils is called Abhyanga in Ayurveda.

Metabolic Nature of Self Massage

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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OILY

ABOUT OILY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

In Ayurveda, oily refers to anything moistening. More specifically, oily refers to building substances that increases fat, or are themselves fatty. For example, sugar is Oily.

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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
Kapha pacifying Pitta pacifying Vata pacifying

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
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.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

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.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

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

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

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.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

Other

Muscle

MUSCLE

Muscle tissue (Mamsa Dhatu) includes muscles and ligaments.

SEE ALL 'MUSCLE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Nerves

NERVES

Marrow tissue (Majja Dhatu) includes bone marrow and nervous tissue.

SEE ALL 'NERVES' FOODS / HERBS

Mind Stress Sleep,
Skin Care

SKIN-CARE

Includes skin care, and anything that nourishes epithelial membranes (of digestive, respiratory, urinary tract, blood vessels, etc).

SEE ALL 'SKIN-CARE' FOODS / HERBS

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Self Massage
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)
Internal Detoxicant

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system.

SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

Nerve Relaxant Grounding

STRONG NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING

Encourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. Reduces agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts.

SEE ALL 'NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING' FOODS / HERBS

,
Relaxes Eyes

RELAXES-EYES

Eases tension in eye muscles, so the eyes feel less strained, often by supporting the liver.

SEE ALL 'RELAXES-EYES' FOODS / HERBS

,
Anxiolytic

ANXIOLYTIC

Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines.

SEE ALL 'ANXIOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Nervine

NERVINE

Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature.

SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Sedative

SEDATIVE

Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain.

SEE ALL 'SEDATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Adrenal Tonic

ADRENAL-TONIC

Strengthens, supports, or increases output of adrenals.

SEE ALL 'ADRENAL-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Soothing

STRONG SOOTHING

Calms and alleviates irritation, discomfort or pain in a particular region.

SEE ALL 'SOOTHING' FOODS / HERBS

Adaptogen

ADAPTOGEN

Herbs that promote stabilization of physiological processes and homeostasis. Adaptogens increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological functioning.

SEE ALL 'ADAPTOGEN' FOODS / HERBS

Calms Heart

CALMS-HEART

An herb that literally calms the heart. These herbs are helpful in the treatment of anxiety, sadness, depression, or other emotional imbalances in the heart. Related to the Chinese Herbal Category 'calms spirit.'

SEE ALL 'CALMS-HEART' FOODS / HERBS

Muscle Relaxant

STRONG 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

STRONG RELIEVES-TENSION

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

SEE ALL 'RELIEVES-TENSION' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Self Massage

  • Poppy Seed

    Poppy Seed has these Actions in Common

    Sedative, Calms-heart, Relaxes-eyes, Muscle-relaxant, Relieves-tension, Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

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  • Nutmeg

    Nutmeg has these Actions in Common

    Internal-detoxicant, Nervine, Adrenal-tonic, Muscle-relaxant, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Pumpkin

    Pumpkin has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Sedative, Muscle-relaxant, Relaxes-eyes, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Relieves-tension

    LEARN MORE

  • Hemp Seed

    Hemp Seed has these Actions in Common

    Anxiolytic, Nutritive, Muscle-relaxant, Relaxes-eyes, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Popped Amaranth

    Popped Amaranth has these Actions in Common

    Muscle-relaxant, Relaxes-eyes, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Relieves-tension, Nutritive, Soothing

    LEARN MORE

  • Amaranth

    Amaranth has these Actions in Common

    Relieves-tension, Nutritive, Soothing, Muscle-relaxant, Relaxes-eyes, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Beets

    Beets has these Actions in Common

    Internal-detoxicant, Nutritive, Muscle-relaxant, Relaxes-eyes, Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

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  • Apple (cooked)

    Apple (cooked) has these Actions in Common

    Nutritive, Internal-detoxicant, Relaxes-eyes, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Relieves-tension

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  • Oats / Oatmeal

    Oats / Oatmeal has these Actions in Common

    Adaptogen, Nutritive, Anxiolytic, Sedative, Nervine

    LEARN MORE

  • Sorghum Flour

    Sorghum Flour has these Actions in Common

    Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Sedative, Nutritive, Anxiolytic, Relaxes-eyes

    LEARN MORE

  • Saffron

    Saffron has these Actions in Common

    Internal-detoxicant, Sedative, Nervine, Anxiolytic, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Self Massage

  • Shirodhara Treatment

    Shirodhara Treatment has these Actions in Common

    Calms-heart, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive, Relieves-tension, Adaptogen, Sedative, Adrenal-tonic, Soothing, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE

  • Oats, Fresh Milky Seed

    Oats, Fresh Milky Seed has these Actions in Common

    Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine, Nutritive, Relieves-tension, Sedative, Adaptogen, Soothing, Anxiolytic

    LEARN MORE

  • Ashwagandha

    Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

    Nervine, Nutritive, Relieves-tension, Adaptogen, Sedative, Adrenal-tonic, Anxiolytic, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • California Poppy

    California Poppy has these Actions in Common

    Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine, Relaxes-eyes, Relieves-tension, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Calms-heart, Muscle-relaxant

    LEARN MORE

  • Gokshura

    Gokshura has these Actions in Common

    Nervine, Nutritive, Relieves-tension, Sedative, Soothing, Internal-detoxicant, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Eleuthero Ginseng

    Eleuthero Ginseng has these Actions in Common

    Nervine, Relieves-tension, Adaptogen, Adrenal-tonic, Anxiolytic, Internal-detoxicant, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

    Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

    Nervine, Sedative, Adaptogen, Adrenal-tonic, Anxiolytic, Internal-detoxicant, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Passionflower

    Passionflower has these Actions in Common

    Nervine, Relieves-tension, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Calms-heart, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Kava Kava

    Kava Kava has these Actions in Common

    Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine, Relieves-tension, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Internal-detoxicant, Muscle-relaxant

    LEARN MORE

  • Pitta Shirodhara Oil

    Pitta Shirodhara Oil has these Actions in Common

    Calms-heart, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine, Nutritive, Relaxes-eyes, Relieves-tension

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

Guidelines - When & How Much

Apply warm before shower or as directed by your practitioner.

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Self Massage may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any herb supplement for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.

CONTRAINDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

Self Massage may be harmful or contraindicated for these symptoms. Note this is not a complete list of all possible contraindications. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.

Herb Drug Interaction Risk

Here are some potential herb drug interactions with Self Massage. Please see your health care provider for more information.

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What is Ayurveda?

Founder of Joyful Belly Ayurveda, John Immel, answers the question ‘What is Ayurveda?’

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* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information and products on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.