Panchakarma in Ayurveda
Panchakarma Treatment Centre in Kerala, India
Panchakarma is an excellent ayurvedic treatment that detoxifies the body and the mind, strengthens the immune system and brings balance and wellbeing. It is recommended to have panchakarma at the change of every season or when one feels out of balance or experiences illness.
As per ayurveda, good health depends on the capability of assimilating that nourishes and eliminate the rest. This relates to all aspects of life. When our body doesn’t digest our food, our emotions, our experiences, the toxins accumulate in our body and this puts our body out of balance. And, when our digestion is weak and incomplete, it will create toxins that are stored in the body. An unhealthy lifestyle can have drastic effects on your body. When not taken care of properly, body stores toxic secretions (ama). The toxin stays in our body and it is difficult to excrete them.
Panchakarma is a process that releases the stored toxins and restores the body’s ability to heal itself. When our digestion is strong, we create healthy tissues, eliminate waste products efficiently, and produce ojas, which it is the innermost sap of our psychophysiology, ojas is the basis for clarity of perception, physical strength, and immunity.
Process of Panchakarma Treatment
Five basic cleansing methods used for panchakarma are:
- Vamana: therapeutic vomiting or emesis
When there is congestion in the lungs causing repeated attacks of bronchitis, colds, cough or asthma, the Ayurvedic treatment is therapeutic vomiting, vamana, to eliminate the kapha causing the excess mucus. Often this also releases repressed emotions that have been held in the kapha areas of the lungs and stomach along with the accumulated dosha. Once the mucus is released, the patient will feel instantly relieved. - Virechana: purgation
Virechana is a controlled process that gathers ama (toxins) from many pitta locations in the body, concentrates it in the small intestine, and then discharges it. Virechana customarily leads to a state where the toxic and disease-causing pitta dosha is removed from the body while there is a formation of new pitta and this leads to all the benefits that healthy Pitta has including the promotion of digestion and metabolism. This dosha is believed to control metabolism, digestion, and the body’s energy. - Basti: enema
Vata is a very active principle in pathogenesis (disease). If we can control vata through the use of basti, we have gone a long way in going to the root cause of the vast majority of diseases. Vata is the main etiological (causal) factor in the manifestation of diseases. It is the motive force behind the elimination and retention of feces, urine, bile and other excreta. Vata is mainly located in the large intestine, but bone tissue (asthi dhatu) is also a site for vata. Hence the medication administered rectally affects asthi dhatu. The mucus membrane of the colon is related to the outer covering of the bones (periosteum), which nourishes the bones. Therefore, any medication given rectally goes into the deeper tissues, like bones, and corrects vata disorders. - Nasya: elimination of toxins through the nose
The nose is the doorway to the brain and it is also the doorway to consciousness. The nasal administration of medication is called nasya. An excess of bodily toxins accumulated in the sinus, throat, nose or head areas is eliminated using the nearest possible opening, the nose. - Rakta Moksha: detoxification of the blood
Toxins present in the gastrointestinal tract are absorbed into the blood and circulated throughout the body. This condition is called toxemia, which is the basic cause of repeated infections, hypertension and certain other circulatory conditions. This includes repeated attacks of skin disorders such as urticaria, rashes, herpes, eczema, acne, scabies, leukoderma, chronic itching or hives. In such conditions, along with internal medication, elimination of the toxins and purification of the blood is necessary. Rakta moksha is also indicated for cases of enlarged liver, spleen and gout.
Benefits of Panchakarma Treatment
The purpose of panchakarma is to detoxify the body and cleanse it from within. A few benefits of panchakarma are:
- Better Immunity
It is a well-known fact that immunity is the most important aspect of our defensive structure in the body. Panchakarma heals the body within increasing the immunity power and the overall health of an individual. - Stress Release
During panchakarma we experience very deep relaxation. It balances the doshas and increases mental efficiency. Some of the treatments help eliminate deep-rooted stresses and tensions. Principally the stress release during panchakarma is efficiently effective and soothing. - Detox
Panchakarma detoxifies and cleanses the body and mind. It strengthens the immune system and leaves the body healthier, stronger and free from ailments. The Panchakarma purifies and revives an individual mentally and physically. Every specific treatment acts in conjunction with all the other treatments to reach maximum detoxification and wellbeing. - Sleep
Sleep is the longest and most significant movement in a day as our body heals more during this stage. Stress has a very direct impact on our sleep, especially these days with the increase in the number of pollutants in the world. It is understandable why Ayurveda emphasises on the importance of quality rest. Panchakarma promotes a better quality of sleep as it releases body, mind and emotional stresses, and balances the entire physiology. The body rests deeply enjoying more energy and vitality in everything we do. - Balance
Balance is a fundamental and important aspect of life. Panchakarma gives support for achieving balance harmoniously with the most holistic technique available. For many of us, the toxic residues produced by negative emotions and feelings, are more debilitating than digestion problems in the physique. Panchakarma is the perfect therapy to do this as it detoxifies and restores our body’s balance and vitality.
Panchakarma therapy makes use of a range of different Ayurvedic treatments. All of these, in different ways, serve to cleanse the body, mind and spirit. These treatments are fundamentally different not only in terms of the nature of the detox but also in terms of the herbs and oils used, which are blended especially for each dosha.
At Krishnendu Ayurveda, one of the best Panchakarma Treatment centre in Kerala & India, we have a very systematic approach; we plan a customized Panchakarma treatment for each individual which is specific to their requirements and needs.