According to Ayurveda, Ama (toxins) is the internal cause of all diseases as it aggravates Kapha, Pitta, and Vata doshas. Therefore, to prevent diseases, it is vital to help the body eliminate ama. In order to restrict ama production in the body, Ayurveda suggests putting a person on a proper cleansing program such as Panchkarma. Although many people think that Panchkarma is the entire procedure, it is a part of therapy belonging to a cleansing procedure class called Shodhana. Certainly, Panchkarma plays a vital role in leading a healthy life. Wondering how? Let’s get an answer to this question in detail.

What is Panchkarma?

Panchkarma is derived from Sanskrit, which means five treatments or five actions. It is an effective means to flush ama out of the body by rejuvenating and cleaning the mind and body. Panchkarma uses five methods that assure to detoxify the body and making it healthy.

Vamana

This treatment is ideal for patients with Kapha dominant body. The patient is given internal and external oleation and fomentation treatments that include Ayurvedic medicines and therapies. Vamana is best for those suffering from anxiety, hyperacidity, asthma, and weight gain.

Virechan

Virechan is Prescribed especially for dominant pitta conditions like jaundice, herpes zoster, celiac infection, etc. In this therapy, patients are given a natural purgative in order to purify toxins from the body.

Basti

Basti has many benefits when it comes to chronic and convoluted diseases. It uses herbal oil enema to heal the body. This therapy uses ghee, milk, or homegrown decoctions into the rectum. This therapy is ideal for Vata dominant conditions such as piles, arthritis, constipation, and more.

Nasya

This therapy is really powerful in purging and clearing the head area. It includes gentle massage of the shoulder and head area. Afterward, nasal drops are dropped in both nostrils. These drops effectively clean the head area and eliminate headaches, sleep disorders, sinusitis, neurological disorders, and respiratory problems.

Raktamokshan

This is an effective treatment useful for blood cleansing and helps treat conditions caused due to blood impurities. It can be done either for the whole body or any specific affected area. Raktamokshan is useful, especially for different skin issues such as dermatitis, psoriasis, etc.

What is the Ideal way of Carrying out Panchkarma?

Depending on the facility you choose, the Panchkarma program can vary slightly. It is done under the supervision of an Ayurvedic practitioner. The program is tailored to the constitution of the patient’s body and mind to get most of it. Basically, there are three major components of the Panchkarma program. These are:

• Poorva Karma (Preparation phase)
• Pradhana Karma (Principal Phase)
• Paschat Karma (Post-therapy phase)

Poorva Karma (Preparation Phase)

In this phase, your body is prepared to eliminate imbalances of doshas. It includes steps that help the body release stored toxicity. During this phase, a patient has to go through the following steps:

Pachan Karma- Partaking and fasting of herbs so patients can easily digest liquified butter (ghee) to dissolve fat-soluble toxins.
Snehan Karma- In this step, a patient is given an increased dose of medicated ghee to stimulate toxins liquefaction.
Swedan Karma- This step involves steam bathing and deep Ayurvedic massage to open body channels to facilitate the movement of the digestive tract.

Pradhana Karma (Principal Phase)

During the Pradhana karma phase, the main focus is to remove toxins (ama) from the body. This is where the five Panchkarma therapies would be used.

Vamana is the first step of Panchakarma therapy, in which you will be given herbal ghee to drink. Kapha foods such as milk, sweets, black gram, and yogurt are given on the first day. Then large quantities of natural herb purgatives like decoctions, licorice, and saline are given to cleanse the stomach, liver, chest, and intestinal tract. Then around 4-8 cups of liquid are given. Most patients start throwing it up, and if someone doesn’t, they will be asked to stimulate their throat back to activate the gag reflex. The vomit helps bring up digested food, drinks, bile, mucus foam, gerbs, and then vitiate bio energies. This therapy makes the patient feel relieved and light.

Virechana is done after Vamana. It cleans sticky Kapha and acidic Pitta toxins. The body draws these endotoxins from the gallbladder, spleen, and liver, eliminating them through small intestines. After the Kapha-Pitta dominant toxins settle down in the small intestines, they show symptoms such as rashes, diarrhea, acne, allergies, liver problems, etc. Virechana takes 1-3 days, depending on the condition of the patient. It also supports snehana oleation therapies. The patient must have a strong digestive Agni to reap benefits from Virechana drugs. This therapy helps in bringing the best feeling of lightness into the body.

Basti enema has half of the treatment in itself. In this Panchakarma therapy, the urethra, urinary bladder, and colon are flushed, nourished, and rinsed with herbal oils and decoctions. This therapy is carried out on patients who have issues due to their Vata origins. There are basically three times of Basti: Anuvaasana, an oil-based enema given to people with high Vata. Niruha Basti is offered in the morning or afternoon after lunch. Uttara Vasti is for cleaning the urinary bladder and urethra.

Basti is a safe process and creates a sense of well-being. It makes the body feel great relief and light.
Nasya is a therapy in which an Ayurvedic physician uses healing oils or Sneha with herbal extracts to the shoulders, throat, and head channels. The herbs go through the Shringaataka marma spot at the head base, moving through the micro-capillaries and veins in the head and face. It brings the dosha energies back to the Sattvic harmony. The different types of Nasya are : Virechana Nasya, Brinhana, Shamana Nasya, Pratimarshya Nasya, Marshya Nasya, and Pradhamana. It is only given to those who are strong enough to handle the therapy. In this therapy, the physician put 6-10 drops in the nostrils. The patient has to stay in bed until he/she feels fresh and alert. When done correctly, it helps one feel energetic and provides sound sleep.

Raktamosksha is the final panchakarma therapy that helps in purifying blood. If you have heavy metal content in the blood, have severe toxicity and inflammation, a few raktamokshana therapies can help. These are Pracchana which needs micro-needling, Siravyadha which is done by using a syringe. Jalauka uses leeches. This therapy is ideal for underweight, anemic, have asthma, menstruation problems, impotence, etc.

How can Panchkarma Help in Fighting Diseases?

Panchkarma plays a vital role in flushing out toxins from the body that are responsible for various ailments. Today, as a toxic environment and stress affect mental and physical states causing various diseases and damaging wellness and health, Ayurveda is a rescuer. It works on the following objective:

Swasthasya Swasthya Rakshanam AthurasyaVikaraPrashmanam”

Swasthya Rakshanam means that healthy people should maintain their wellbeing, and AthurasyaVikaraPrashmanam means unhealthy people should be freed from diseases. Here Panchkarma plays a vital role. It provides instant relief by expelling out harmful toxins from the body and detoxifying it. Moreover, this therapy also maintains the proper balance of doshas, immune system, digestive fire, health conditions, life span, and other factors. It helps the body in various ways such as:

• Restoring Metabolic fire (Agni)
• Boosting the immunity levels of the body
• Balancing three doshas – Kapha, Pitta, and Vata.
• Implementing a healthy lifestyle through a healthy diet
• Improves tolerance, relaxation and reduces stress.

How can Panchkarma Help in Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle?

Panchkarma is an effective Ayurvedic therapy that supports the constitutional harmony of the body and mind while promoting overall immunity, energy, and cellular rejuvenation. The key to a healthy body is to remove all toxins from the body and re-establish the constitutional balance of equilibrium dhatus (metabolism) and doshas. In order to achieve this, Ayurveda has advocated a few treatments and regimental modalities like Vega Adharana, Rasayana Vajikarana, Dincharya, and Panchkarma. The five therapies in Panchakarma cleanse the body toxins after lubricating it. This treatment is effective, unique, and includes promotive, curative, and preventing action for various diseases.

Panchkarma, as a habit.

If you are looking for a therapy or treatment that helps in blood purification, de-stressing, and supports metabolism, Panchakarma is the right therapy for you. It is an effective treatment that works from weight loss to getting healthier hair, glowing skin, a calmer mind, and treating various diseases. When you make it a part of your life, you will see how your health improves. The treatment helps clean the secretion and excretion channels and optimize the movements of hormones, blood, lymph, and electric conductivity of motor and sensory neurons. It removes dead cells from the skin and gives you a flawless look. Anyone can go for Panchakarma treatment. If you have some disease, it can provide curative benefits. If you are healthy, it will have detox and rejuvenating effects on the body.

Conclusion

I, Guru Manish believe that Ayurvedic Panchakarma therapy helps you to be healthy from the inside out. Therefore, at Shuddhi Ayurveda, I provide the most effective Panchakarma Therapy that helps in balancing your doshas while removing toxins from the body. With years of experience in providing Panchakarma therapy, my main focus is to help people stay healthy.