The Good Oil and The Bad Oil

Photo Courtesy: www.naturallynanny.com

The practice of massaging a new born is being passed on from generations. “It will make your brother healthy and strong”, my Dadi used to tell me while she smeared my brother’s body with lukewarm sesame oil. She would carefully wring his hands and slither her hands over his back.

"When you give your baby a massage, you're actually stimulating her central nervous system," explains Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine. "That sets off a chain reaction: It makes her brain produce more serotonin, a feel-good chemical, and less cortisol, a hormone that's secreted in response to stress. As a result, your baby's heart rate and breathing slow down, and she becomes more relaxed."

In the age of corruption and adulteration; many anti-social elements are manufacturing adulterated and chemical based or synthetic baby oils. Even the well known brands manufacture baby oils which claim to use ‘good’ chemicals. These may be better than the adulterated oils but the risk of a side-effect always remains. The manufacturers maintain that they use 100% mineral oil but do not reveal that mineral oil is 100% chemical; it covers the skin like a plastic wrap and hinders its ability to breathe thereby causing the skin to age prematurely. The fragrances that the baby oils use are also chemicals. If the baby has a small cut or an infection on the body, these chemicals might aggravate the infection.

Ayurveda which literally means ‘the science of life’ - teaches us the use of natural sources for each and every ailment without any side-effects. Ayurveda based oils help in keeping the skin soft and moisturised. It allows the baby to sleep peacefully. The baby is always in a sleeping position; massaging will get him rid of the aches. It will help in increasing his weight and muscle growth.

Photo Courtesy: www.activemum.ie/

I recollect my Dadi telling me with a frown on her face, “It is so hard to find pure and refined oils now; when you were small we had small oil factory in the village. I massaged you only with that oil and see how healthy you are now”, the frown on her face changed to a smile which went from one eye to another as she completed her sentence.

I assured her that there are still some manufacturers that produce the oil that you used to massage me. They make it even better by using the latest developments in the field of Science and Ayurveda. Dabur is the world's largest Ayurvedic and Natural Health Care manufacturers. Dabur Lal Tail is an Ayurvedic Baby massage oil made from time tested ayurvedic ingredients which has many proven benefits for the Baby. Its massage helps in strengthening baby's bones and muscles and is proven safe and effective for better overall physical growth of babies. Clinical Research further proved the positive effects of Dabur Lal Tail massage in inducing better sleeping pattern in Neonates and Infants, which is very important for a baby’s development.

Note: This post has been written as a submission for the contest held by Dabur at Indiblogger