The heat of summer is making us all sweat a little bit more.
But, what about when excessive sweating happens even in cool places or when we are not engaged in physical activity?
If you have tried everything, yet nothing seems to help, don’t despair.
Ayurveda offers effective remedies that can alleviate the annoying excessive sweating!
YOUR TYPE OF SWEAT
We all sweat under normal circumstances, like working out or when we are under the sun.
Sweat is mostly water along with trace amounts of electrolytes and minerals, like sodium and potassium, and it happens when our body needs to regulate the temperature system of the body and clear out toxins or ama.
Sweating in these situations is actually a good sign that our body is working the way it should. On the other hand, diaphoresis or sweating to an unusual degree is a red flag showing that a deeper imbalance is going on.
Not sweating enough is as bad. Lack of sweating can lead to dry skin, scaling, and falling of hair and it probably happens to people with Vata body types.
Now, one of the many factors that can indicate our dosha tendency is how much we perspire.
*Vatas don’t sweat a lot and when they do, it has no smell.
*Pittas, especially if aggravated, tend to sweat profusely. Their sweat is hot and strong. And can have an unpleasant smell.
*Kaphas have moderate sweat patterns. Their sweat is cold and has a pleasant smell.
AYURVEDIC VIEW
Diaphoresis in Ayurveda is named swedadhikya, where sweda means sweat and adhikya means excess.
Although Ayurveda does not consider it as a separate disease, it is included as a symptom in other conditions like gastritis, migraine, and bleeding disorders.
Immoderate perspiration is thought to be a Pitta dosha imbalance that can dehydrate the body and lead to accumulation of bacteria, infections in areas that are consistently moist, and an unpleasant body odour.
In addition, according to Ayurveda, sweat is one of the three malas or excretory products. It is discharged by the fat tissue.
Pitta is responsible for body temperature, digestion, skin and eye health. The locations of this Ayurvedic humor are in the sweat, the stomach, the liver, the plasma, blood, and large intestine.
CAUSES
Sweating can be localized in feet and hands or in the entire body.
These are some of the causes of diaphoresis:
- Prolonged physical activity. Working out too much can be detrimental to our health
- Consistent over exposure to heat and sunlight
- A diet that aggravates Pitta dosha
- Being overweight and obesity
- Anger
- Fear
- Stress
AYURVEDIC TREATMENT
Excessive perspiration can be both annoying and embarrassing.
In order to reduce the perspiration intensity and eventually stop it from happening, first we need to focus on reducing Pitta aggravation.
These are some Ayurvedic recommendations for excessive sweating:
- Follow an anti-pitta diet. You can start with my FREE 7-day Meal Plan for Pitta
- Establish an Ayurvedic Morning Routine that makes your days more calm, yet productive.
- Practice breathing exercises
- Go to bed early, wake up with the sun
- Practice happy, calm thoughts to avoid anger, stress, or anxiety.
- Favor sweet, bitter & astringent tastes
- Avoid coffee!
- Use cooling scents and perfumes like cardamom, anise, or sandalwood
- Wear cool gems like pearls and rose quartz.
- Take moonlight baths
- Listen to calm music
- Avoid alcohol!
Do this EVERY morning
REMEDIES
Apply Ayurvedic pastes
The pastes are made from cooling herbs like sandalwood, lotus stalk, or amalaki. Make the paste by mixing the powder with rose water. Apply on the most affected areas as let it sit for 20-30 minutes. Remove by taking a cold shower.
Raisins remedy
Soak about 10 organic raisins overnight in cool water and, if possible, let sit the glass under the moonlight. Drink it first thing in the morning. For more details, watch my IGTV Video.
Coriander, fennel, and cilantro tea
Boil coriander and fennel seeds with some cilantro and let it cool. Sip this tea throughout the day. You can add some mint too!
Balance fat tissue storage
Since sweat is a byproduct of fat tissue, addressing fat can help reduce excessive sweating by engaging in appropriate exercise, without increasing Pitta dosha, and nourishing your body with a diet that contains healthy fats like ghee, avocado oil, and olive oil.
In addition, you should also stay away from processed foods and sugar.
Anger management
Try to breathe deeply and slowly throughout the day, apply brahmi oil or coconut oil on the scalp, and practice calmer responses to stressful situations. I believe we can train our emotions. Changing old patterns that continue to harm us is possible.
Additional tips:
- Shower twice a day with cool water or more if necessary.
- Wear comfortable loose-fitted clothes, avoid synthetic fibers, especially in socks.
- Avoid wearing black!
- Avoid hot and spicy foods
- Stay away from fermented foods
- Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water.
Hope this helps!
Monica xx
