Nabhi Oil: Ancient Ayurvedic Practice for Modern Wellness

Ayurveda is a large vessel of knowledge and wisdom that even has answers for unasked questions. From self-care to a detailed view of the body, it's a solution to uncountable problems.

As the time flies, people are becoming aware of their well-being, and they tend to do everything they can to make their bodies healthy and better. But often certain visible factors overshadow the other important matters.

The well-being of Nabhi is one of the most under-discussed matters, despite the fact that Nabhi is called the center of life.

Introduction to Navel wellness

Navel, which is often referred to as “Nabhi” in Sanskrit/Hindi, is the utmost point of contact between a fetus and a mother. The umbilical cord through which we receive nutrition in the womb is connected to the navel of the fetus to the placenta that is ultimately connected to the uterus of the mother. Hence, it won’t be oversaying that Nabhi is the center of life.

But have you ever wondered why, despite being a central point of our life, the navel’s wellness is often ignored by people?

Well, I believe that we as humans are obsessed with only more exposed areas of our body; we tend to avoid the wellness of critical parts of our body like the navel just because it is not much visible, and this could be one of the major areas of concern for us.

What does Ayurveda say about Nabhi and its wellness?

Several stalwarts of Ayurveda have given several opinions on the navel and its wellness.

As per renowned Indian scholar and a giant figure in Ayurveda, Acharya Sushruta, the Nabhi is one of the 15 Koshthang identified by him.Here, the Koshthang refers to the gastrointestinal tract. 

On the other hand, Acharya Charaka has referred to Nabhi as Pratyanga, a structure located inside the main part or organ of the body. The Nabhi, which is made of Siras, i.e., blood vessels, is a very sensitive and delicate part of our body; if injured, it may cause immediate death.

Thus, it becomes immensely important to ensure the wellness of Nabhi.

Now the question arises, “How can we take care of our Nabhi?”

As we mentioned in the first line that Ayurveda has answers even for unasked questions, it answers to this question as well.

The ancient method that was once widely used to keep the Nabhi healthy was “Nabhi Oiling.”

Many of you may ask, How can Oiling keep our Nabhi healthy?

Just like oiling helps engines of vehicles, machines and others, oiling a therapeutic method helps our body as well.

Let's dig a little deeper into Nabhi Oiling and its benefits.

Nabhi Oiling: A Navel Therapy

Nabhi oiling is an ancient method of massaging the navel with special oil or ghee.

In Ayurveda, it is referred to as “Nabhi-chikitsa,” in which, when the navel is massaged with oil, the oil gets absorbed by the pechoti gland, which is situated inside the navel. Though there’s no scientific research supporting this claim, there are so many people who have had miraculous experiences.

It is a specialized Ayurvedic therapy wherein the medicated oils are applied in the navel to cure certain disorders. 

What are the benefits of Nabhi OIling?

The Nabhi oiling has extensive benefits.Its influence is beyond Navel; it could help us in getting rid of so many problems. From healthy skin to a happy stomach, the Nabhi oiling has multi-dimensional benefits.

1. Dirt-free navel: The Nabhi oiling helps in cleaning the navel, which is very crucial for a healthy body.

2. Shield from infection: The oiling keeps the bacteria and fungi away by removing dirt and moisture from the navel. For better results, we can use special oils such as tea tree oils that have antibacterial properties.

3. Healthy Skin: It promotes skin health by reducing the dryness.It hydrates the skin which helps in providing us a glowing and supple skin.We can use neem or tea tree oil to reduce acne as well.

4. Happy Stomach: The Ayurveda refers to Nabhi as a “Pitt Sthana” because of its close proximity with the digestive system. Hence, the Nabhi oiling becomes crucial, as it plays a significant role in keeping our stomach healthy by alleviating stomach woes like diarrhea, bloating, stomach aches, nausea, and others. For the best results, we can use peppermint oil in a coconut base.

5. Detoxification: Nabhi is a key detox center as per Ayurveda; when oiled, it flushes out the toxins and helps in improving metabolic health.

6. Reducing menstrual pain: The menstrual pains are often unbearable, and those four days can make you feel like hell. The Nabhi oiling in this case can help you in significantly reducing your menstrual pain.It is also instrumental in reducing endometriosis.

7. Hormonal balance: The Nabhi oiling facilitates the hormonal balance by nourishing Nabhi- a key energy center.

8. Boosts Fertility: The navel, when massaged with oil, improves the blood circulation in abdomen areas, which further enhances the reproductive health. Certain oils, like coconut and sesame oil, are considered important factors that improve the health of the ovaries and uterus in women and sperm health in men.

9. Blood circulation: The Nabhi oiling helps in improving the overall blood flow of our body that ultimately facilitates the better delivery of nutrition throughout our body.

10. Immunity booster: The several properties of Nabhi oil that include support of the detox paths, reduction in inflammation, better blood flow, and others altogether help in boosting the immunity of a person.

Aside from this, there are some other benefits of Nabhi oiling, like aligning chakras, improving vitality and energy, supporting emotional health, relieving pain and discomfort, etc., that are very critical for our overall well-being.

What oils can we use for oiling the navel?

Different types of oils are used for Nabhi oiling to treat different sorts of woes .

Let’s take a glance at the type of oil and for which it is best suited for:

How can we use Nabhi Oil?

It's quite easy to do Nabhi Oiling; you just need to perform a few steps:

• Step 1: Warm the oil; make sure that the oil is not too hot. It should only be a little hot.

• Step 2: Lie down on a comfortable seat.

• Step 3: Apply a few drops of oil (3-5 drops suggestively) in the navel.

• Step 4: Start massaging the area around the navel gently for a few minutes in a clockwise motion.

• Step 5: Leave the oil overnight or for a few hours, whatever feels convenient to you.

Note: The frequency of Nabhi oiling depends on your routine; you can choose a daily, weekly, or seasonal routine as per your own schedule and suitability

Precautions

There are certain precautionary measures that must be followed before including Nabhi oiling in your self-care routine. These are as follows:

• Avoid oiling your navel in case there’s any injury in the navel.The oiling may worsen your injury.

• Perform a patch test first, whether it suits you or not.

• Refrain from using the oils that contain chemicals and additives, as it may cause adverse effects. Only natural oils are suggested.

• Don't perform Nabhi oiling during pregnancy without consulting your doctor.

• Warm the oil safely; make sure the oil doesn't burn your skin.

• Don’t oil your navel just before any physical activity.The sweat can mix with the oil, which will make it sticky and uncomfortable. Nabhi oiling is suggested to be performed during the evening or at bedtime for better results.

• Clean your navel in the morning or after a few hours of oiling to avoid clogging and buildups.

• Do not use undiluted essential oils like tea tree oil, peppermint oil, etc. Diluting them with carrier oil like coconut and almond oil should always be preferred.

Conclusion

Nabhi, which is considered the “Sira Moola"—root of blood vessels—in Ayurveda, is indeed our center of life. From nourishing us as fetuses, it has the capability to nourish us as adults too. The only thing it requires is proper care. Despite being such a life-giving organ, its wellness is often ignored by people.

Nabhi oiling—the ancient method for leading a healthier life—needs to be adopted again by us in order to live a life with fewer woes. Having extensive properties, Nabhi oiling is key to enhancing the overall health of our body.

Oiling our navel regularly can help us in reducing Vayu (gas), promoting digestion, and reducing the warmth in the stomach. Apart from these,nabhi oiling has several other benefits that includes protecting navel from infection, radiating skin, providing hydration, balancing temperature, and improving fertility.It is also instrumental in relieving menstrual pain, balancing hormones, improving blood circulation, and boosting immunity.

Different oils are used for different purposes; the common oils that are used generally by all are coconut oils, mustard oils, and almond oils. However, it is very important to exercise necessary precautions before making Nabhi oiling part of our daily routine; we must check the suitability first by performing the patch test. The oils containing additives and chemicals should not be used, and the people must avoid using Nabhi oil during pregnancy or any navel injury.

Navel, or Nabhi, is considered the central point in our body; its wellness decides the overall wellness of our body. Therefore, it is imperative to take utmost care of it.

Recommended Products by Blue Nectar:

Triphaladi Ayurvedic Slimming and Anti Cellulite Fat Loss Massage Oil (11 herbs)

Balalakshadi Jasmine Bath & Body Massage Oil | Skin Hydration & Relaxation

Related Articles:

Slimming Oil - The Herbal Boost

References:

https://www.pristyncare.com/blog/benefits-of-applying-oil-near-belly-button-pc0135/

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/endometriosis