Panchakarma—What Is It And What Are Its Benefits?
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Our bodies are magical and have the ability to heal themselves. But do you think your lifestyle and habits allow it? Not so sure, are you? Don’t worry because there is Panchakarma, the most effective healing method of Ayurveda that balances, detoxifies and heals your body.
Your body accumulates toxins because of bad diet, poor exercise and lifestyle choices and needs to detoxify from time to time to keep healthy. Panchakarma, an age-old unique healing method is the best way to detoxify.
Wondering how, are you? Find out below in our full-fledged guide to Panchakarma.
What Is Panchakarma?
Panchakarma is a process that involves 5 methods to balance the doshas in your body and rejuvenate it. Pancha means five and karma means treatment or action.
It cleanses your tissues deeply, removes toxins, tackles deep rooted stress and disease. Panchakarma is an essential part of Ayurveda that removes waste from your body through organs like lungs, bladder, sweat glands, stomach, intestines.
Panchakarma is a crucial part of Ayurveda which helps achieve a balanced state of body, mind, and consciousness through detoxification and rejuvenation.
This method requires you to get massages, oil baths, and nasal administrations. It is a pleasing and soothing experience.
Bad habits and diet accumulate a lot of waste matter in your body called ‘ama.’ Ama is sticky, harmful and bad-smelling that Panchakarma removes so your body is protected from disease.
Panchakarma treatment differs from person to person. It is specific to individuals and varies according to your dosha imbalances, age, strength, immunity levels, etc. Make sure you get checked by a trained therapist and go through the treatment in the right manner.
Some basic procedures that help you understand the Panchakarma process better are mentioned below. Have a look.
Pre Panchakarma Procedures
The Panchakarma process involves two processes called Oleation and Fomentation.
Oleation
Oleation is applying oil to your body. It is the process of applying oil of various formulas that suit the needs of your treatment internally and externally to help carry the medicinal properties into your body and loosen up the toxins present in the tissues.
Fomentation
Fomentation makes you sweat it out. The toxins which are made soft in the oleation process become thinner here. The oleation process softens severe and deep-rooted toxins, which are liquefied by fomentation to flush out of the body through sweat eventually.
Types Of Panchakarma
Vamana
Vamana is a vomiting process; your body is treated to internal and external oleation and fomentation therapies for a few days till the toxins liquify in your body and gather up to the upper layers.
Then you will be given an emetic medicine that induces vomiting clearing the toxins from your tissues. Vamana works best for kapha dominated bodies such as obesity and asthma.
Virechana
Virechana is excretion. Here, you eliminate toxins by cleansing your bowels. Here too, you are treated to oleation and fomentation therapies.
Then, you are administered with a herbal laxative that enables you to cleanse your bowels of toxins freely.
Virechan therapy works best for pitta domination such as jaundice and colitis.
Nasya
Nasya clears your head region. Your body is prepared for Nasya by administering a light massage and fomentation on your head and shoulder areas.
After that, nasal drops are dispensed into your nostrils. Your entire head is cleared with the drops relieving headaches, migraine and hair problems.
The nasal drops are medicated oil that cleanses the Kapha toxins in your head and neck region.
Basti
Basti is unique to Ayurveda. The process involves administering medicated substances such as herbal decoction, oils, milk or ghee into your rectum to cleanse it.
Basti works ideally for complex and chronic diseases. It is perfect for vata dominated beings and works well on arthritis, piles, and constipation.
In fact, Basti works well for all the 3 doshas and is rightly called the mother of all Panchakarma treatments.
Raktamoskshana
Raktamoskshana is blood cleaning. It cures diseases caused by to impure blood. Raktamoskshana can be done in a particular area of the body or on the entire body.
It works best to treat skin diseases such as eczema and pigmentation. Raktamoskshana must be tried only when necessary due to the risk of infection during the cleansing.
While you go through these processes to cleanse your body, you can also follow a parallel regime at home to aid Panchakarma. Let’s learn about it.
How To Aid Panchakarma At Home
Make sure you increase the intake of water, have herbal teas and fresh organic fruit and vegetable juices.
- Rest well and eat lightly in moderation.
- Keep calm and be gentle on yourself.
- Complete the Panchakarma process with a small fast.
- In addition to getting a Panchakarma treatment, a healthy diet and exercise routine will help maintain good health.
Benefits Of Panchakarma
- Panchakarma eliminates toxins from your body and mind
- It improves your health and wellness
- It strengthens your immune system
- Panchakarma slows down your aging process
- It enhances your strength, energy and mental clarity
- It helps you to relax deeply
- Panchakarma cleanses your body entirely
- It opens blocked channels in the body
- It improves the strength of your digestive juices
- Panchakarma rejuvenates your tissues and helps you lose weight
Precautions To Be Taken
Avoid Panchakarma when you have a fever, pregnant or injured. Go for Panchakarma treatment only after a thorough consultation with a trained and qualified Ayurvedic physician.
Expert’s Answers For Readers’ Questions
Can I go for a Panchakarma treatment even if I don’t suffer from a disease?
Yes, you can. It will aid in cleansing your body.
What should I avoid during the Panchakarma treatment?
Avoid going late to bed, sleeping late in the morning, strenuous activities, and sexual acts.
Ayurveda is a vast science of healing, and we are lucky enough to be handed down this amazing healing method. Panchakarma forms a major part of Ayurveda treatments helping you keep clean from toxins, stay active and energetic and be healthy. Find a right place and get Panchakarma done and let us know what you think of it.
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