Lubricate your head for a healthy brain
So how do you lubricate your head for a healthy brain?
There are a number ways, such as:
- Ingesting quality dietary fats.
- Taking herbs that support health.
- Massaging oil onto your head.
Today we will share with you…
“The human brain has 100 billion neurons, each neuron connected to 10 thousand other neurons. Sitting on your shoulders is the most complicated object in the known universe.”
Michio Kaku
Head oil massage
Ayurveda advises to give yourself a full-body oil massage (known as “abhyanga”) every day before you bathe.
The most important part of the self-oil massage (self-abhyanga) is to apply oil and massage the head, known as “shiro-abhyanga” in Ayurveda.
Oils to use:
- Ayurveda recommends to use sesame oil in winter/cold climate and coconut oil in summer and for those with sensitive skin.
- You can also use other oils like almond and macadamia.
- These types of oils can also be used for the whole-body massage, as well as the head.
- If you warm up your massage oil, it will increase nourishment of this practice.
Self-head massages
Here are two self-head massages for you to lubricate your head and brain:
1. Full head oil massage (3-8 mins)
- Pour a generous amount of oil on your head (amount varies according to how much hair you have. Approximately a couple handfuls of oil for long hair, and half a handful of oil for short hair).
- Massage the oil into your scalp. If you have long hair, lift up your hair and apply the oil under on your scalp.
- Once your scalp is lubricated, give yourself a head massage. You can experiment with any strokes that feel good. Like washing your hair. The head is a part of the body you can massage vigorously. This helps activate the central nervous system.
- Ears – apply oil inside the ears. Dip your fingers in oil and stick them inside your ears. Then massage your ear lobes.
- Nose – apply oil to the tip of your nostrils and gently in the lower insides edges of them.
2. Quick head oil massage (1 min or less)
Dip your fingers in oil and apply that to the “vital points” of your head:
- Firstly, rub the oil into the crown of your head.
- Massage with your index and thumb oil inside the peripheral bottom end of your nostrils.
- Stick your oily fingers inside your ears and apply oil there.
When to do and not to do head oil massage and when to wash it off
- Shiro abhyana is ideal to do before your shower/daily bath, morning or evening
- It is recommended to leave the oil on between 8 – 45 minutes before you wash it off.
- While you wait in between your head massage and the shower, you can do things like meditate, yoga, exercise, prepare breakfast, clean the house etc
- Don’t leave the oil on for more than 50 minutes – this is because the oil pulls toxins out of the head and skin through its lipophilic releasing action[1]. We want to wash these off, not let them reabsorb back in.
Shiro Abhyanga should be avoided when one is sick with fever or cold.
If you have short hair, the full head oil massage is wise to do daily.
If you have long hair and don’t want to wash your hair every day, we understand!
Do the full head massage a couple times a week, and you can do the short head massage daily.
Enjoy your oily head!
References:
1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12233802/