Three different levels of pH need to be maintained in the body, and without the integrated ayurvedic approach, medical science might occasionally offer correct observations but fail to formulate solutions or answers.
Articles
Vaidya R.K. Mishra shares his insight of Ayurveda in a series of articles and cutting edge white papers.
Hare Care
This interview with ayurvedic expert Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra covers the Shaka Vansya Ayurved perspective on hair care detailing imbalances inside-out: imbalances that may result from external environmental factors and, those that are induced internally due to dietary habits or the local accumulation of stress. Etiological factors that result in the thinning and graying of hair are correlated with different organs and tissues involved. The article offers a number of preventative tips and guidelines to help correct imbalances that may result in thin and/or gray hair and brittle nails. It also offers recipes to support the physiology and to particularly nourish the bone tissue, the source of good hair and nail. It discusses herbal products and supplements that can be used to help prevent hair and nail damage, as well as to detox and rejuvenate the bone tissue and the overall physiology.
Living Tradition: Vaidya Mishra, how does Shaka Vansya Ayurved approach the problem of thinning hair and brittle nails?
Vaidya RK Mishra: The problem of thinning hair is covered under the section of one particular type of hair called kesh. Ayurved classifies hair into different types and deals with imbalances accordingly. In Chapter 7 verse 14 of the Carak Samhita, we read:
“chawanti chaiva Kesh shamasru loma niti” (Carak Sarir chapter 7, verse 14). Here Carak explains that there are three kinds of hair: a) kesh, hair on the head, b) loma, body hair, and c) shamasru, pubic hair. The three kinds of hair are differentiated based on their location.
LT: Since there is primarily concern with the health of “kesh” or hair on the head given the summer season, high levels of stress, as well as environmental pollution in our current culture, could you focus directly on that type? How is hair formed? And what is the most immediate factor that hinders the proper formation of good hair follicles?
VM: According to Maharishis Carak and Susrut, kesh is the bi-product of the transformation of the bone tissue into bone marrow. Nails are another bi-product of this transformation and they are called nakha. Given this, the health of hair and nails, of kesh and nakha, depends on the health of the bone tissue, or the asthi dhatu. When we discuss the health of a tissue or dhatu in Ayurved, we mean that it has to be present in two forms: it has to have good quality, and it has to have enough quantity. In this sense, to answer your question, the maintenance of the bone tissue – making sure one’s physiology has enough bone tissue and it is in good clean quality – would be the most immediate factor of any protocol targeting the health of hair (and nails).
LT: What would be the first step towards taking care of the bone tissue so that it maintains optimal levels and quality?
VM: Ingesting calcium-rich foods such as sesame seeds (for more details see the recipe section on PAGE 000). However, the body should be able to break-down and absorb the calcium ingested, simply ingesting any calcium (specially in a processed variation) might not hit the target. Coral Calcium for example is readily delivered to and absorbed by the bone tissue. Using the “bone herb” or asthi shrinkala will help detoxify the bone tissue and nourish it in the long run making calcium absorption easier. However, for optimal bone tissue health, one has to take care of the fat tissue or the medha dhatu, because its health directly impacts the bone tissue.
LT: How exactly are the bone and fat tissues, or the asthi and medha dhatus related?
VM: The fat tissue constitutes the raw material for the bone tissue. Keeping the fat tissue healthy and balanced (in good quality and good quantity) should be the objective. But there is also another important factor. Sweat is the waste product of the transformation from fat to bone tissue. Sweat glands are found on the scalp. If the fat tissue is laden with toxins, then the glands on the scalp will release toxic sweat which will suffocate and damage the hair follicles. Keeping the fat tissue clean and balanced is thus a very important factor.
LT: What measures do you recommend to maintain the fat tissue or medha dhatu in balance?
VM: The muscle tissue or mamsa dhatu constitutes the raw material for the fat tissue or medha dhatu. Vasa or liquid fat is the upadhatu or sub-tissue of the muscle tissue (its bi-product if you like). As this verse from Bhav Mishra’s Bhav Prakash (Part 1, section 64) says:
“Sudh mamsasya (pure muscle tissue) yaha sneha (that oily substance) sa (that) vasa (liquid fat) pari sneho was (the fat comes out), kathita wasah (that is called vasa). In this sense, taking care of the muscle tissue is a crucial part.
LT: And in order to take proper care of the muscle tissue…
VM: Blood or rakta is the raw material for the muscle tissue, and healthy blood gives supplies of oxygen and nutrition as well as pranic energy to the scalp. Keeping the blood tissue or the rakta dhatu in balance, in good quality and good quantity is necessary. And finally the liquid part of the plasma in our bodies, known as the rasa dhatu in Ayurved, constitutes the raw material for the rakta dhatu or the blood tissue. The rasa dhatu’s role is very important as well because it maintains the aqueous moisture levels of the scalp. Good food and the support of the digestive system are key factors in maintaining the rasa dhatu in balance.
LT: Besides the tissues, which organs are involved in the health of the hair and nail?
VM: For bone, fat, muscle, blood, and plasma tissues, or asthi, medha, mamsa, rakta and rasa dhatu-s to be supported and function properly not just locally but integratively, the liver system has to be supported. According to Ayurved, whatever we ingest is broken down in the digestive system to produce the rasa dhatu. The rasa dhatu then carries it to the liver where everything is “cooked” and detoxified by the five bhutagnis or the five “flames” corresponding to the five fundamental elements. The rasa that is transformed in the liver via the five “burners” results in the production of blood or rakta. The liver produces “intelligent” blood, or blood that is typical or characteristic of that particular individual. This is a very complex and “intelligent” transformation. Modern science also confirms this ayurvedic perspective. It sees the liver as a key organ in the processes of metabolic transformations, the absorption of nutrients and the filtering of toxins.
LT: Can you give us some more details about the different functions of the liver and how they relate to healthy hair?
VM: The liver is a central organ that helps in the following:
- Carbohydrate metabolism of sugar
- Fat metabolism
- Protein metabolism
- Processing of drugs and hormones
- Production of ama (toxin) – free and garvisha (xenobiotic) – free blood (rakta) muscle (mamsa) and fat (meda) tissues
- Storing nutrients such as vitamins A, B12, D, K, and E
- Storing minerals such as iron (loha), copper (tamra),
- Activating the vitamin D absorbed from the sun and other sources
LT: In terms of what you explained about the role of the different tissues involved and the different tasks of the liver, it is evident how central the liver’s role is. Are there any other factors besides the tissues and the liver organ that play a role in the health of the hair and nails?
VM: There are several other factors according to Ayurved. These are immediately of concern to overall health; however, they also impact the health of hair and nails. Absorption and elimination are key amongst these. In addition, specific sutras discuss the use of natural and balanced topical care herbal blends (products).
LT: What about stress? Is that a factor?
VM: Stress is a major factor because it directly impacts digestion, elimination, absorption, and these, in turn, affect the formation of the tissues, and play a crucial role for the immune system, the liver system.
LT: What do the texts say about the etiopathogenesis of hair problems and disorders?
VM: Bhav Mishra in his textbook, Bhav Prakash, in verse 1 of part 2, in the Chapter on the Shudr Rogas or diseases of the hair, discusses etiopathogenesis or nidan poorvakam, the symptoms or lakshanmaha of the graying of hair (tatra palita rogasya) explaining that they are caused by the following factors:
The gist of these verses is contained in the following: “Krodaha (anger) shok (grief) srama krit (created by) sariroshma dehagni (the body’s heat) sirogataha (go to the head and the scalp) pitancha (bhrajak pitta, that is the pitta residing in the skin) kesan pachati (goes to kesha, to the hair of the head) palitam yena jayate (it creates discoloring of the hair) ekaha (one) prakopita dosha (one aggravated dosha or factor) itira wapi kopayet (aggravates another one).”
Or in other words: “excessive heat in the body created by anger and grief goes to the head, aggravating the pitta dosha in the scalp and skin. This results in the graying of hair.”
LT: What about the thinning of hair - hair fall and balding?
VM: In a section entitled Atendro luktashya nidan purvak samprapti maha, which singles out the etiopathogenesis of hair loss, alopecia areata and male pattern baldness, Bhav Mishra says:
“Roma kupanugam pittam (bhrajak pitta accumulated in the hair follicles) patena saha murchitam (merged with vyana vata) prachya vayati romani (brings about hair fall) tataha shleshma sa sonitaha (then aggravated shleshak kapha along with aggravated bhrajak pitta in rakta) runnadhi roma kupanstu (fill the hair follicles and obstruct the hair follicles creating inflammation in the hair follicles) tato anyhsam asambhavaha (this takes away the possibility of the growth of new hair, and this may manifest as) tada indra luptam (as alopecia areata) kalithyam (baldness, male pattern balding) ruyyam (or generalized falling of the hair).
LT: So emotional turmoil or stress is a major factor?
VM: Anger, grief, excessive mental, physical, emotional stress are the primary factors that cause hair loss.
LT: What about topical products used? How important is their role?
VM: Any products used topically that may aggravate the vyana vata and bhrajak pitta subdoshas of the scalp, such as the use of chemical shampoos or conditioners, create high pitta in the hair follicles, burning the soma and imbalancing pitta and vata. This may result in or accelerate the graying and thinning of hair, balding and general hair fall. Hair loss is however also related to all internal etiological factors as I mentioned earlier, such as an improper diet and routine. These also aggravate vyana vata and bhrajak pitta. In addition, anything that clogs the channels and aggravates shleshak kapha can also result in hair loss. Any etiological factor that aggravates the heat of the body, that imbalances the heat distribution in the brain area will also affect the scalp. This, in its turn, will create inflammation in the hair follicles and will fill the hair follicles with a blend of shleshak kapha and unclean blood: a mix of amavisha and garvisha which will result in the graying of hair and different patterns of general hair fall.
LT: It is all quite complex in that the phenomenon involves many correlated factors. What is the first thing one can do?
VM: General diet and routine should be three-dosha pacifying, particularly vyana vata, prana vata, sadhak pitta, ranjak pitta, bhrajak pitta and shleshak kapha. The hair massage oil should be tridoshic, it should particularly target vyana vata and bhrajak pitta. It should also open the channels and clean out the amavisha and garvisha accumulation in the scalp. Products used on the scalp should certainly not contains any harsh chemicals such as parabens, SLS, because these constitute garvisha according to Shaka Vansya Ayurved.
LT: What about genetic predisposition? How does Ayurved approach that? For example, two similar individuals can be exposed to similar conditions, be fed the same kind of diet and be exposed to similar stressful conditions and toxic environments, and yet each will respond differently, one will experience hair loss and the other not…
VM: Ayurved explains that there are gaps (sandhi) or openings between the different tissues or dhatus. Every gap or sandhi naturally has the power to protect and keep virulent toxins such as amavisha from traveling further and deeper from one dhatu or tissue to the next level. The deeper the tissue the deeper the gaps in between them, and the greater the power or the shakti that hinders toxic build-up from delving further. And diet here, plays a major role, so does behavior. For example, some food items can cut across those gaps or space barriers between the tissues much faster and more perniciously than other, such as white sugar. Raw sugar will not travel as fast nor have the toxic qualities that processed white sugar has. Depending on the individual’s diet, toxins will travel to the bone tissue faster causing hair problems. So I cannot stress the importance of diet enough. However, Ayurved does talk about genetic predisposition as well. This is not predisposition to lose hair, but rather to be more prone to accumulate toxins or to allow toxins to travel faster and deeper all the way to the bone tissue causing greater harm at an earlier age. If you remember, when we were discussing the health of the bone tissue, I specifically mentioned two factors that are important for optimal tissue balance: the quality of the bone tissue, as well as the quantity. Some individuals may be born will less quantity of bone tissue thus “genetically predisposing” them to earlier patterns of hair loss. However, with Ayurved, it can be easy to prevent damage resulting from “genetic predisposition” with the timely diagnosis and then proper dietary and lifestyle guidelines that can correct an inherent predisposition.
LT: So the most important thing then remains diet…
VM: I can not stress the importance of diet enough. The key is to maintain the bone tissue in good health whether or not one has genetic predispositions, and for this end, we need to ingest good calcium rich foods, such as sesame seeds, and overall, maintain a sattvic diet free from preservatives, rich in intelligent protein, balanced for all the six tastes, etc.
LT: And the proper intake of calcium rich foods is directly connected to the intake of fat…
VM: Eat only “intelligent” fats, such as ghee or organic olive oil. If you think your fat metabolism is weak and you are overweight, add fenugreek to your basic spice mix, or use Mum’s Masala™, take the Samagni™ tablets – one tablet twice a day.
LT: And maintain a clean and healthy muscle tissue…
VM: Eat good “intelligent” protein. No processed cheeses or meats. Prefer “smaller” rather than “larger” lentils in your diet – mung dahl, French Dupuy lentils, masoor dahl, black caviar pearl lentils. If you are a non-vegetarian, use fish and/or chicken – organic preferably. To enhance protein synthesis, use Wild Amla™ one tablet in the morning and one in the afternoon. Use Mum’s Masala™ in your cooking to enhance agni or the digestive fire without aggravating the doshas or the tissues.
LT: What recommendations can you give us for local application?
VM: I just finished formulating some ayurvedic products for hair care: an herbal shampoo that contains no SLS or parabens, a nourishing hair capsule, and a hair oil, prepared with a special synergy of herbs and raw organic milk. The oil helps cleal the skin from garvisha build-up, environmental chemical toxins that cause inflammation and suffocate the hair follicles.
LT: What kind of foaming agent did you use if not SLS?
VM: There are many herbs in ayurvedic herbology that are known to accomplish the results that we seek in hygienic products, without the side-effects of harsh chemicals found in most cleaning products. Foaming is an important quality for shampoos, and in Ayurved, we have an herb called reetha that can accomplish foaming gently. The sutra about reetha says:
Reetha or arishtakastu is mangalayah (auspicious). It is krishnavarno, black in color, and artha sadhanah, commercially in demand. Its seeds are red, rakta beejah, and it is phenilo, a foaming agent. When taken orally it can cause miscarriage, garbha patanah, but it is tridosha pacifying (arishtak tridoshagnih). Reetah is kandu, used for itching. It is Vishpot nashana, helps to calm burning on the scalp, and lekhar, removes toxins from the scalp. It is also doshtravoharo, it pacifies all three doshas, and removes amavisha from the skin. In addition to reetha I have also added shikakai, which is a another good cleaning foaming agent.
LT: Reetha is an amazing herb! What other ingredients are there?
VM: Three other ingredients stand out. The first one is Coral Jasmine seed paste (harsingaar), it is used for hair fall. The second ingredient is Terminalia Chebula, which is haritaki. Haritaki coordinates the functioning of dhi dritti and smritti – the intellect’s capacity to gather (dhi), store (dritti) and recollect (smritti) information. Haritaki is shotkusthnut, it supports the scalp and is an anti-inflammatory according to Maharishi Susrut. It is shothtraya, it helps the scalp fight inflammation, it opens the channels by its laghu (light) and tikshna(sharp) qualities. And finally, I have added Asthi Shrinkala or Cissus Quadrangularis Linn. Asthi Shrinkala is called asthi sandhan janani: the mother of bone unification.
LT: Why is it called the “mother of bone unification”? What does it do?
VM: It cleans the amavisha and garvisha from the bone tissue which allowing the bone to heal and grow naturally. There is an old but excellent study on this herb - Ken Udupa et al in JIMA 39, 590-93, June 1962. But in addition to Asthi Shrinkala I have also added Amala, Amala is a wonderful hair tonic.
LT: Amla is one of the perfect fruits of Ayurved with its numerous healing properties, we have covered it in this issue in our “Sutra to Science” section (SEE PAGE 000). What other ingredients have you used?
VM: I have added Gotu Kola which is a medhya, it increases dhi dritti smritti coordination. Bhav Mishra says that it is vish soth hari, it releases accumulated amavisha, provides the skin on the scalp and the physiology resistance to fight inflammation. I have also added Eandri or Bacopa Moniera, which is also a medhya visha soth. Then Shanka Pushpi or Convolvulus Pluricaulsi, or Aloe Weed, which is a medhakrit, has a similar action to Gotu Kola according to Maharishi Carak, in that is it keshavadhan, enhances hair growth. Then there is Vacha or Calamus Root which is again a medhya, it unclogs the circulatory channels. Tagar or Indian Valerian is calming, Narikela is a keshyam or hair tonic, it is also cooing according to Bhav Mishra. And last but not least I have included Till or Sesame seed. All the maharishis agree that sesame seed is a wonderful ingredient for nourishing the bone tissue and hair follicles.
LT: What do they say?
VM: Carak Sutrasthan verse 27 says that sesame is:
- twachan, nourishing for the scalp and the skin overall.
- It is keshyach, nourishes the hair, and
- balyashca, gives physical stamina.
Susrut Sutrasthan verse 46 says that sesame is
- dantyo, nourishing for the teeth because it is high in calcium.
- In addition, it is agni medha janano, creates agni and medha,
- twacho, nourishes the skin,
- medhagni vardhanam, increases agni in the gaps of dhi, dritti, and smritti.
LT: Are the effects of the seeds different from those of the oil?
VM: Yes, the oil itself has a special quality: tailama samyog sanskarat sarrogapaham, it has an internal quality of coordinating with other ingredients efficaciously based on the principle of combination (samyog) and processing (sanskar).
LT: Any more ingredients?
VM: Several more! There is Neem or Azadirachta Indica called Jantughna in Sanskrit. It supports the immune system to fight bacteria, and has the quality of dahaprashaman, it is cooling, and it is kandughna, it alleviates itch. I have also added Haridra or Turmeric which is a varnya, a complexion enhancer according to Bhav Mishra. It has the quality of twogdosh hari, it pacifies all the doshas of the skin and the scalp. In addition, it is also an anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic. I have also added karpor or camphor which is kushta kandu hrita, it helps the skin and the scalp heal, is an anti-itch agent according to Bhav Mishra. Then Taruni or Rose Buds are shat patri hima, or cooling, and varnya complexion enhancers. Kumari or Aloe Vera according to Bhav Mishra is bhedini, a channel opener, it is sheeta, cooing, and vat visha pranut, pacifies vata by binding amavisha and garvisha. The Raj Nigantu says that it is pitta vishagnihi, it is pitta pacifying as it eliminates amavisha and garvisha.
LT: Many of your ingredients target amavisha or garvisha or both, why is that?
VM: Very good question! The accumulation of amavisha or garvisha on the scalp adds to the hair problem locally. If the bone tissue is already encountering problems because it is laden with toxins, and is not able to produce good hair internally, then the problem becomes twice as big when there are accumulated toxins on the scalp itself. Externally, whatever hair finally grows will be suffocated and fall out even faster and hinder the growth of additional hair. It is not enough to stop using products that have toxic elements in them, it is important to make sure that whatever toxic build-up is already in the skin is taken care of and eliminated. In this sense, I have added a couple more ingredients.
LT: Which ones?
VM: A couple more. I have added
- Jati Phal or Nutmeg which is vishapakahara, it eliminates amavisha according to Bhav Mishra, it is also dourgandha nashanam, a deodorizer
- Ajavon or yavani also known as Ajwain, is vishagna, eliminates amavisha and garvisha, it is also a jantughna, bactecidal, shothahar, anti-inflammatory, and twagdoshahar, cleans the scalp and the skin
- Daru Haldi or Daru Daridra is Indian Burberry or Tree Turmeric, which according to the Dhanvantri Nighantu is rujam kandum cha nashayate: it takes care of itching and itchy pain on the scalp and the skin. It is also shlesham visha vkarnu, it cleans the channels of the scalp and the skin and evacuates visha and amavisha. Bhav Mishra explains that it is chhedanama brandushhrit, cleans out channel by removing deposited toxins from scares.
- I have also added Japa or Indian Hibiscus which is a keshya, it nurtures the hair according to Bhav Mishra.
- Bhumi Amalaki or Phyllantus Niruri is hima, cooling, it is pittanshrakaphna, and pandu paha, pitta pacifying, also great for hepatitis. It is also a vishapaka, removes amavisha, particularly from the liver, which is a very important organ for the hair as we saw.
- Bhring Raj or Eclipta Alba according to Bhav Mishra is a keshrajo, the “king of hair” herb, it is kasha rajanah, help in pigmentation. It is also kapha shopha vishagnach, it pacifies the kapha dosha by pacifying the shleshaka kapha and cleaning amavisha from scalp and skin.
- Finally, I’ve added Sandalwood. Carak Sutrasthan says that Chandan or Sandalwood is durgandha haran, a deodorizer, it is also svisha, takes care of amavisha, and pittashradhanut, cools by pacifying pitta.
LT: Are these herbs found in all three products, the shampoo, the capsules, and the oil?
VM: The hair capsule has less ingredients. It is a simple yet potent synergistic blend so as not to overwhelm the liver or the tissues, to cleanse and nourish the physiology slowly and effectively. The oil and the shampoo contain most of the ingredients and work locally, transdermally.
Copyright 2008, Chandi LLC, 2753 Broadway, #187, New York, NY. Photocopying, reproduction, or quotation is strictly prohibited without written permission from the publisher
Disclaimer: For any suspected or known illness or dysfunction, always consult your physician for medical diagnosis and treatment first. Products mentioned here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Back to top