Ayurveda is called the “science of life,” and is one of the oldest pathies in the world. It is a holistic science that mainly works on prevention in health through maintaining the harmony of body, mind, and spirit, or consciousness. It also includes diet and lifestyle, herbal remedies, yoga and meditation practices, and various therapies known as Panchakarma.
What Are Toxins?
According to Ayurveda, health is defined as a state of balance, and happiness. When a toxin enters the body and mind then it interferes with your natural state and creates imbalances that can lead to illness. Various kinds of toxins that can distill into two major sources are:
- Physical toxins are found in the food items, household, and your products. It is also found in environmental elements such as water, air, etc.
- Emotional toxins like negative thoughts, self-criticism, painful experiences, stress, and anxiety that you haven’t fully digested
- Ayurveda and its panchakarma therapies detoxify regularly to eliminate toxins and maintain the state of health and well-being.
To understand Panchakarma, it is important to learn Ayurveda basics. Ayurveda defines the state of health where every aspect of our being is working and in harmony with all its other aspects.
Balance in the body and mind system requires:
- A balanced state of the digestive fire (Agni)
- The three Doshas (or the energetic qualities) ie., Vata, Pitta, and Kapha — are in an equilibrium state
- Production and elimination of the waste products (Malas) normally
- Mind, senses, and consciousness work together
The main aim of the Ayurveda is “to preserve the health of the healthy individual,” and to maintain the balance of the body. Any vitiation of the Doshas will affect the digestive fire (Agni) and produce toxins or Ama in the body. Ama is also produced when there is poor digestion, improper food combinations, and choices, pollution, poor drinking water, pesticides in food, emotional and physical stress, or trauma. As the toxins get accumulated in the body, they spread and eventually deposit themselves into the deeper tissues, organs, or channels that create disease.
In Ayurveda, the detoxification of the body refers to the elimination of the toxins or ama in the body. This is the first step of healing which recognizes the rejuvenation and balances the body.
Personalization, detoxification, and rejuvenation:
In panchakarma, Panch means “five” and karma means “action” which consists of five therapeutic actions or therapies that safely and effectively removes the Ama (toxins) from different areas of the body without damaging or weakening the body systems. These therapies work naturally and effectively on the body and remove the toxins from various areas of the body without causing any side-effects. The main aim of panchakarma is not only to remove the physical toxins but also restores the mind and body system.
Panchakarma is a unique treatment that meets each individual’s needs according to their body’s constitution and Doshic imbalances. Before doing the Panchakarma, a skilled Ayurvedic practitioner must assess one’s imbalances and determine the individual’s constitution and current state of Doshas, as well as which tissues, channels, and organs are involved in the imbalance and need to be addressed. These therapies are performed by a Panchakarma technician that includes customized herbs and oils to loosen Ama (toxins) from the deep tissues to remove through the body’s natural channels of elimination.
How to clean the body through Panchakarma therapies?
Internal cleansing of the body is done at every change of seasons and detoxification of the body is considered especially beneficial in the spring, because at this time nature is rejuvenating itself.
Before doing the panchakarma, the preliminary therapies are done ie., Snehana and swedana.
The main five procedures that are included in panchakarma are:
- Vaman
- Virechana
- Basti
- Nasya
- Raktmokshan
Preliminary therapies are done to loosen and move toxins from the body:
Purvakarma therapies are done to prepare the body by eliminating out the stored Ama (toxins) from the tissues. Snehana (oleation) is the first step which is done in Purvakarma and this consists of saturating the body with herbal or medicated oils. It can also be done by internal oleation through ingesting ghee or medicated oil. In external oleation, Abhyanga (or Bahya Snehana) is done which consists of vigorous massage over the whole body with herbalized oils. The choice of oils mainly depends upon the particular needs and according to the dosha imbalance of the individual. It helps to loosen Ama and move it from the deeper tissues into the GI tract, where Panchakarma’s therapies eliminate it out from the body. Once the massage is done then Swedana (sweat) is performed. Its main function is to dilate the channels so that the removal of Ama can be more easily achieved.
In the main Panchakarma procedures, the elimination of toxins is with the help of main Panchakarma therapies which include Vamana, Nasya, Virechan, Raktamokshana, and Basti. Each of these therapies promotes the removal of Ama throughout the normal channels either moving it upward, downward, or through the periphery (skin). It is done by assessing the imbalance of doshas and deciding which therapies should be emphasized, which tissues and organs are involved and where Ama has lodged in the body.
Vamana and Nasya:
Vamana (therapeutic emesis) and Nasya (nasal administration of medicated oils and herbal preparations) usually relate to Kapha Dosha; Virechan (therapeutic purgation) relates to Pitta Dosha, and Basti (therapeutic herbal enema) relates to Vata Dosha. So, for example, in the case of a person with a Kapha imbalance, or excess Ama in a Kapha site, Vamana and Nasya will be emphasized to remove excess Kapha.
Vamana is not associated with nausea and sickness. It is done with the use of natural ingredients and herbs that make it a smooth and painless process. It restores the balance and cures various serious Kapha conditions, such as lung problems and metabolic imbalances.
In Nasya, removal of ama is from the nasal passages, ears, and eyes, and cleanses and opens the channels of the head which improves oxygenation of the brain that means which provides proper oxygen to the brain.
Virechana:
Virechan is a natural purging process that mainly cleanses the small intestine and Pitta-related organs (such as the liver and gallbladder), and removes Ama and excess Pitta from the body naturally. It also balances all the metabolic functions in the body. This is mainly done in pitta related disorders to cure the associated diseases and balance the pitta dosha.
Basti:
Basti is the main and most powder procedure in all of the five procedures. In this procedure, the administration of the medicated oily substances into the colon and absorbed by the whole body. In this method, proper purification and rejuvenation of the colon are done, as the colon is linked to all the other organs and tissues of the body. The colon is the seat of Vata Dosha, which is the mover of the other Doshas and thus the main cause of all physiological activity. It balances and nurtures Vata Dosha which is the main reason behind the various disorders.
Raktmokshan:
In raktmokhan, the impure blood is removed out of the body with the help of jaloka. These jalokas sucks the impure blood and eliminate toxins from the body. The main blood related and pitta related disorders are cured with the help of jalokas.
All these procedures are done in Chandigarh Ayurveda Centre under the supervision of the Ayurveda MD experts for the proper balancing of doshas and the removal of toxins from the body. These procedures will cure the diseases and help you to keep healthy and kit.