Navel Oiling: Benefits of Applying Oil to Your Belly Button
Last updated on March 30th, 2024 at 07:41 am
Nabhi (belly button) means centre or origin. Before birth, the unborn child derives nutrition from his/her mother through the navel, which is why the navel or the umbilicus forms the most important part of an individual’s body. The navel (or nabhi) is said to be the originating source of all blood vessels present between the stomach and the small intestine. The belly button directly leads to the peritoneal cavity. It is believed that movement of our life is from the navel towards the brain. As per Indian philosophy, navel is the centre of life-energy. A child derives energy, vitality and acquires life from the navel region.
It is said that the first tremor after an injury or the first impact of danger is felt at the navel. Such is the importance of the belly button or navel; and as per Indian medicine, it is considered as the door for energy and the centre of life and vitality.
So, Indian medicine, especially Ayurveda, lays a lot of importance on taking care of the navel region and many treatment methods in Ayurveda are based on the application of medicines in and around this region of the body. This writeup gives you an overview of navel oiling and the benefits of applying oils on your belly button.
The Concept of Navel Oiling
Nabhi Purana is an age-old Ayurvedic treatment in which the navel pit is filled with medicated oils with the purpose of treating certain disorders, preventing disease and boosting overall wellbeing. It is useful in reducing anxiety, boosting self-esteem, and treating sleep disorders. It is also helpful in treating urinary problems, digestive disorders and infertility. Nabhi is a not a passage through which the applied oil reaches the target site. It is absorbed into the skin and due to the presence of several blood vessels in the navel region, applying oil on your belly button is useful for many different health conditions.
How to Practice the Pechoti Method (Navel Oiling)?
If you are using essential oils, they should be diluted with a carrier oil.
- Before oiling your belly button, clean the region.
- Then sit or lie down. Put a few drops of the oil into your belly button and let it get absorbed by the skin.
- Place a clean towel over your navel. Then gently press on the region with your thumbs or together with your index, middle and ring fingers.
- If you feel pain in the area, continue pressing until the pain stops. Move to other parts in the region surrounding the navel and keep pressing gently.
- Stroke your stomach clockwise for about a minute.
It is advisable to oil the belly button daily, after bath or before going to bed. It is best to consult your doctor before deciding which oils to use for navel oiling and the frequency of this practice, especially if using this method as a therapy for any particular underlying condition.
Which Oils to Use?
- As per Ayurvedic medicine, castor oil is considered as the best for Pechoti method.
- CBD oil is good for pain relief.
- Apart from ghee, coconut oil and castor oil, sesame oil, due to its warming effect, helps digestion.
- Applying oils like castor oil, olive oil or coconut oil on the belly button can improve digestion and relieve constipation.
- Massaging ghee or coconut oil into your belly button helps with dry eyes and improves your eyesight.
- Navel oiling with coconut oil improves your skin health. An almond oil massage on the navel region can give a glow to your skin.
Amazing Benefits of Navel Oiling
- Applying oils on your belly button, also known as pechoti, can work wonders against many ailments, help in cleansing the body and also balance the chakras.
- It is said that oils and scents absorbed through the belly button can remove disease and improve health.
- Applying an oil to the belly button helps clean that area, thus removing dirt and germs collected in the navel region. This cleansing action is helpful in keeping stomach problems at bay.
- Castor oil if applied on the belly button, can help you get relief from bloating, nausea and an upset stomach. It can also improve digestion.
- Massaging the navel region with an oil helps women get relief from menstrual cramps and relaxes the veins around the uterine lining.
- Navel oiling is believed to improve fertility in men and women.
- A castor oil or rosemary oil massage on the navel region is effective against joint pain and body pain.
- Using coconut oil or lemon oil to massage the belly button and surrounding areas can purify the blood, remove impurities from the body and keep your skin glowing and blemish-free.
- Applying coconut oil in the navel region nourishes the hair follicles and leads to healthier and stronger hair.
- Massaging the navel region with castor oil helps relieve pain, keeps the skin and hair healthy, boosts digestive health, detoxifies the body and gives you a better sleep. Castor oil is said to be absorbed best through the belly button.
- Tea tree oil massage to the belly button is effective in boosting immunity.
- It is believed that the belly button is linked to the vagus nerve which helps in the parasympathetic nervous system function, and thus enhances the feelings of relaxation and calmness.
- Massaging oils into the belly button promotes the release of mucus and reduces inflammation in the respiratory system.
- As per Ayurveda, the navel region or the belly button, is the centre of energy. An oil massage in this area is said to balance all the chakras and rejuvenate the mind and body. Nabhi chikitsa (also called pechoti) is an ancient Ayurvedic practice in which warm oil is poured into the belly button and gently massaged on the navel region. Ayurveda experts say that this practice detoxifies the body, helps in the prevention and treatment of various diseases and improves overall functioning of the body.
Navel oiling works by diffusion mechanism whereby the oil penetrates the skin and is absorbed slowly into the body. The belly button (navel region) has a lot of blood vessels which is why it is a good site for absorption. Massaging herbal or medicated oils into the belly button is effective against various diseases and a daily practice of navel oiling improves overall health.