• The relevance of certain traditional and beauty rituals goes beyond culture and are scientific
• Science testifies that the constant friction produced by bangles on the arm stimulates our circulatory system
• Along with being a colouring agent, henna has a number of medicinal properties too

While most of us prefer the modern way of grooming ourselves that heavily relies on the use of chemicals, it must be understood that the relevance of certain traditional and beauty rituals goes beyond culture and are scientific.

Here are some of the astonishing reasons behind our cultural practices:

• Bangles: Traditionally worn by a married woman, bangles not only add to the feminine grace but are also known to enhance the blood circulation. Science testifies that the constant friction produced by bangles on the arm stimulates our circulatory system. The thermal energy produced by this friction is in turn absorbed by the hands, enabling our hands and arms to work better.

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• The connection between toe ring and fertility: Symbolic of the marital status of a woman, these are worn in the second toe and are made of silver. It is believed that the vein of this very toe in the foot is directly connected to the uterus. The silver in the toe activates the nerves and enables a smooth flow of oxygen and blood, thus maintaining a regular menstrual cycle. Directly affecting and encouraging conception, toe rings are adorned by married women only, mentions indiatribune.com.

• Piercing: Earlobe piercing is a trend followed throughout the world but its purpose stretches beyond being a mere fad. It is scientifically proven that acupressure points converge on the earlobe. Thus, piercing it enables an efficient working of every body part. In a similar way, nose piercing in women is associated with reproductive health, sexual pleasure, and smooth brain functioning.

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• Haldi: For almost every north Indian family, a wedding ceremony is incomplete without a haldi function. Haldi or turmeric apart from being antiseptic works as a magical ingredient for skin and related ailments. It is probably because of this property that a bride and a groom both are scrubbed with Haldi, at least a day before the wedding.

• Mangalsutra: Worn close to the skin, mangalsutra is much more than an ornament. The reason behind wearing mangalsutra is that the gold in the pendant being close to the skin regulates blood pressure and blood circulation of a married woman who generally works very hard throughout the day.

• Henna: We do know that a bride is incomplete without applying henna on her hands and feet on her wedding. But there is a theory behind this tradition too. Along with being a colouring agent, henna has a number of medicinal properties too. Known for its cooling property, henna is an essential part of major Unani and Ayurvedic medicines. It is generally used for treating headaches, leprosy, and some skin-related problems. It also helps people with the bad temper and controls this emotion.

-prepared by Bulbul Sharma, a staff-writer at NewsGram. Twitter handle: iBulbul_

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