Oiling the body everyday is Ayurvedic Wisdom for keeping the skin and joints lubricated. This protects us from dryness, which is important in the winter months. Over time, daily application of the oil is absorbed by the skin into the deeper layers of tissue. With enough good quality oil in the in the diet, and daily oil massage, we can help protect ourselves from problems with the joints.
In India, women oil their babies with ghee (clarified butter) everyday. Both the mother and baby are massaged for the first forty days after delivery with ghee in order to protect the woman from joint problems later in life and to protect the baby from dryness and irritation.
Always skin test anything you plan to put on your baby by applying a small amount on one area and waiting at least a couple of hours to watch for any reaction.
Tips for Quick and Easy Daily Oil Application
1 If you tend to be cold and/or you suffer from aching joints, use unrefined, unroasted sesame oil. Do not get the toasted/roasted kind that is used for asian cooking. You can find it in most large grocery stores and in health food stores. It can be put in a squeeze bottle and left in the shower. When you get in the shower, simply apply about 1-2 Tablespoons all over your body, except for the face (sesame oil is too thick for the finer pours of the face).
Do not use soap over the entire body unless you are very dirty for some reason. Soap drys the skin so just use it on the stinky bits. (I exfoliate at least once a week with brown sugar to remove the outer layer of dead skin cells-Give it a try. It's wonderful!) The heat from the shower will help the oil soak into the skin and the oil will protect you somewhat from the chlorine and flouride in the water. When you get out of the shower, simply towel off and there will a thin layer of oil left on your body.
2 If you are the hot type who likes the winter, you may be happier with coconut oil as it is less warming than sesame. However, it doesn’t have the same bone strengthening quality as sesame oil. Sesame is full of calcium which feeds the bones. Coconut oil will be liquid in the summer and solid in the winter. I use it on my face and often in my hair for an oil treatment. Since it is solid at this time of year, I put it in a wide mouth plastic jar in the shower for easy access.
3 Oil inside your nose to keep it moisturized. If the nose gets dry, the hairs that are supposed to help keep viruses from entering the body, do not work as well and you will be more prone to colds and flu.Imagine that everyday, since the day you were born, you had your body oiled. Imagine all those years of it soaking into your skin and deeper tissues. No you know one of the secrets of having beautiful skin and hair that the Indian women and men have known and practiced for thousands of years.