Let’s Know the Science (Native)— Oil bath

Have you ever taken an oil bath? No / Yes

If yes, is it once a year for Diwali?

This article is a must read for those who don’t bathe with oil, or those who bathe only once a year, or those who say that they take oil bathe once every month because of their parents’ compulsion.

Oil bathing is an important in our culture lifestyle. Siddha medicine calls the oil bathing as a ‘daily ritual’. If not daily, at least once a week.

“Let’s have oil bath regularly” — Siddha medicine says that it is necessary to rub oil and bathe once in four days. That is, if it is summer, twice a week, and if it is rainy season, oil bath should be done once a week.

An oil bath is not a bath with four drops of oil on the head. A complete oil bath is a head-to-toe.

What is the best oil for an oil bath?

Sesame (Gingelly) oil is very suitable for oil bath. Similarly, Coconut oil, Castor oil etc. can be used for oil bath. By rubbing oil and taking bath will have following benefits:

- Bones get stronger and reduces wear and tear on joints.

- Skin and nerve related diseases will not occur.

- Relieves body heat

- The mane will be beautiful.

- Relieves eye irritation and vision will be strengthened.

- wind ( vata) ,bile (pitta) ,phlegm ( Kaph) are balanced. (Vata is the energy of movement; pitta is the energy of digestion or metabolism and kapha, the energy of lubrication and structure.)

- The movement of the body organs becomes regular.

- Regulates blood flow.

- Oil bath helps in hormone secretion.

- Relieves physical fatigue and body pain

- Helps in life expectancy and delays aging.

- Balanced sleep

- Eliminates body waste when oil is rubbed on every part of the body.

- Reduces stress and helps the body’s internal organs to function in a refreshing manner.

- Reduces hair loss, hair growth.

Here are some tips for taking an oil bath.

1. Bathe in hot water: Do not bathe in cold water after applying oil. Bathing in cold water is more likely to cause colds and flu. Siddha medicine also emphasizes that “If you get oil, take a bath in hot water.”

2. Bathe after few hours after applying the oil: Half an hour after applying the oil, stand in the morning sun and then take a bath with lukewarm water. Do not rub oil on your head on the previous night and sleep and take a bath the next day. If you do this, you will get fever and sometimes you will get convulsions due to increased cold, so this should be avoided completely.

3. Shikakai (acacia concinna)is best for oil bath.

4. It is good to take a break after taking a bath with oil and have pepper soup in lunch. Do not sleep during the day after taking oil bath. Do not drink anything cold.

The health routine of ‘a week-one-day oil bath’ has become a mere Diwali ritual today, modern medical influences are upon us. Oil bath is not just a cure, body heat is the beginning of all diseases, oil bath protects our body from diseases.

If you rub oil and take a bath, you will be look like shiny lamp. Let’s bring back the forgotten oil bath.