Ayurveda is one of the trusted and tested streams in the field of medicine. People have seen a lot many changes in their body and behaviour only because of Ayurvedic treatments. One of such therapeutic treatments is Panchakarma which can make you stronger and healthier from inside than ever before.
Keeping that in mind, today we will be discussing some of the treatments, Shodanas, dos and don’ts of, effect on health and diet, changing lifestyles and whatnot. So hold on your horses and tighten your seatbelts for a roller coaster ride of Panchakarma expedition.
Ready?
Let’s go!
What is Panchakarma
Panchakarma helps in getting rid of collected of impure particles from your body physiology. It is necessarily decontamination process. Pancha in Sanskrit means “Five” and Karma means “Action” and refers to five different refining and refreshing procedures in Ayurveda. At first when it was created thousands of years ago, there were not much problems regarding unhealthy bodies. But things went great and hygienic with this Pancha Karma program. Today as everyone is dealing with improper diet, stress and environmental hazards flourish Panchakarma can be a panacea cure.
The Panchakarma program is conducted over the course of few days, giving plenty of time and space to rest and have a calming experience. Each step in the process has its own use and purpose. It is meant to re-impose the natural healing agents of your body. A human body knows how to clean itself very expertly and is well-tooled to get rid of the waste by a number of medium.
Panchakarma Theories / Shodanas
- Vamana: At the time of congestion in human lungs which causes repeated attacks of cough, cold, bronchitis or asthma, this Ayurvedic treatment is therapeutic vomiting, vamana to eliminate the Kapha causing the extra mucus. This often releases oppressed emotions that have been held in the areas of Kapha of lungs and stomach along with the stockpiled dosha. Once the mucus is out the patient will feel relieved instantly. It helps in relaxing the congestion, wheezing breathlessness and they disappear, ultimately vanishing sinus.
- Virechan: When extra bile or pitta, is secreted and collected in the gall bladder, liver and small intestine, it results in rashes, redness, and acne, chronic disease of liver, biliary vomit, nausea and jaundice. Ayurvedic literature recommends in these circumstances the working of therapeutic purgation or a laxative. It helps Pitta to remove the imbalance of bile in a human body. In fact, it can completely help it to remove problem of extra Pitta. At this time patient shouldn’t eat foods that will aggravate the predominant humor or cause the three humor imbalance.
- Basti: Vata is very active base in Doshas. If Vata can be cured by basti, we have covered a long way to find the root cause out. Vata is the prime etiological component in the indication of diseases. The motive behind rectifying of feces, urine, bile and other excreta. It is located in the large intestine and sometimes in bone tissue i.e. Asthi Dhatu. The mucus membrane of the colon is related to the outer coverage of the bones. Hence, any treatment given ultimately goes into the deeper tissues, like bones and correct Vata problems.
- Nasya: The nose is the gateway to the brain and consciousness. The nasal administration is called Nasya. An over dose of bodily humors collected in the sinus, throat nose of head portion is deleted by mean of the nearest possible hole, nose. Prana, life force as nerve energy, enter the human body through the breath take by nose. It is in the brain what maintains sensory and motor functions. For this, little finger is dipped in ghee and inserted in the nose to massage deeply and nicely in clock and anti-clock directions. It helps in opening up your emotions.
- Rakta Moksha: Toxic elements are absorbed by blood and circulated in the entire body. It results in skin problems like urticarial, rashes, herpes, eczema, scabies, acne, leukoderma, itching, etc. in this condition elimination of toxic components along with the medication is also necessary. Rakta Moksha is not only the solution for this but also for enlarged liver, gout and spleen. You can get rid of toxicants by extracting a small amount of blood with the help of medication or even leeches. There is also blood purifying ways which includes herbs, gem therapy or color water therapy. For Rakta Moksha alternative treatment, one has to keep them away from yogurt, salt, sugar, alcohol, and marijuana, sour and fermented foods.
The Treatment Procedure
- Poorva Karma: This is the preparatory procedure which is needed prior to the main treatment, to ease the tissues so that the lipid-soluble toxic components which get settled into them are liquefied and flow back in your digestive area. Then, they can be extracted out. This treatment makes the patient physically and mentally strong for the main course of the Panchakarma procedure. It includes three main steps: Pachan Karma, Snehan Karma and Swedan Karma.
- Pradhan Karma: This is the second step of the Panchakarma, a five steps process which is highly individualized depending upon the needs, digestive strength, age, immune system and other primary factors. This highly intense Panchakarma process can only be done under the instructions of an Ayurvedic Doctor or Practitioner. This includes five main parts, i.e. Vamana, Virechan, Basti, Nasya and Rakta Moksha.
- Paschaat Karma: This is the after or post therapy procedure of Panchakarma process. It is diet regime to maintain the digestive system and absorptive ability to its normal condition. It includes enhancing treatments, managing lifestyles and diet, and also consuming herbal supplements. It includes basically three steps: Sansarjan Karma, Rasayan Adi Prayogam, and Sham Chikitsya.
Benefits of Treatment
New life of Body and Soul: As discussed earlier, this therapy is the fine solution to eliminate all the impurities and toxic elements from your body and soul. It assists to keep the balance between all the three which helps in ruling your inner body and soul.
Gives a Complete Well-Being: A complete development of the inner you is very important. This can be done by going through some good therapies and treatments. The calm and beautiful atmosphere acts as a healing element that maintains the natural beauty within you. The therapy which Panchakarma holds is considered as one of the finest therapy
Balancing the crucial Doshas: According to Ayurveda, Doshas are the prime governing components of a human body. Sometimes our body reacts in a different way and we become prey of such events, it is all because of the imbalances in our Doshas. Therefore, Panchakarma therapy helps in balancing and marinating the Doshas along with the proper body functioning.
Panchakarma Diet, Health and Lifestyle
It is always said to get as much as rest you can during practicing Panchakarma while keeping distance from exhausting workouts, sexual activities, long nights, loud and harsh music, non-stop watching of television and many other such habits. It is also recommended to stay oneself warm as much as possible and not in contact of wind anyhow. It is needed to observe one’s own imagination and encounters during this time.
Mono-diet of Kitchari and ghee can be included in your meals, while staying away from cold drinks, cold food, caffeine, white sugar, recreational drugs, alcohol and other dairy products, all these substances should not be back to your life till the time you haven’t practiced Panchakarma completely. The purpose of doing so is to clean the digestive fire by giving it some rest. Basmati rice and moong dal holds the properties of being sweet and cooling with a sweet aftertaste. Together they create a wonderful protein blend of that is Tridoshic.
Why should you choose Panchakarma?
Survival of the fittest philosophy connects a lot of factors that joins together to enhance as well as deteriorate the condition of the human body. Unending work, wear and tear of tissues, ignorance of the functioning parts, bad or improper eating routines, all blended together gives the proper functioning of a human body. A body should be cleaned timely to gain a lot of impurities and toxic elements while balancing its function can be excluded. If you don’t get rid of these things a proper timing, it can become a major source for diseases to attack on your body.
Panchakarma is supposed to be done yearly as its effects are very long lasting and permanent. It assists in destroying the root cause of any disease which ultimately helps in overall transformation of a body, from following a hardcore Ayurvedic diet to managing and adapting healthy lifestyle.
Day in a Life with Panchakarma
- Get up early in the morning and practice yoga for keeping your mind at peace.
- Have a mug of tea with all the herbs like ginger, cardamom, fennel seeds and some other herbs according to your dosha
- Try having a light breakfast
- Start you day by giving a perfect oil massage as the first treatment of the day
- Enjoy the time in a dry or wet steam room to get rid of the toxins.
- Eat a healthy lunch including lentils and rice
- Try having a walk with greenery or sit to have mediation.
- Stay away from gadgets for some time.
- Take naps whenever needed
- Start the second treatment, i.e. herbalised basti
- Eat light dinner with cooked veggies and rice
- Read a good book, mediate or write journal
- Finally, have very sound sleep
When and how often to get Panchakarma Treatment?
Ayurveda recommends doing Panchakarma with every season change, so approximately three times annually is its target. Anytime, a body feels transformations, things can be out of balance and accumulations happen. To maintain the ills or sorts, Panchakarma is suggested. The entire process helps to nudge you about the importance of taking care of yourself, over where are you and what you need that time. When they are given some breathing space and peace, your mind and body gets a new life.
Panchakarma not only glows a human mind and body but also gives a way to see yourself in a different way. The importance of knowledge of what is a good health feels like, even if it’s just a glance, serves a sense of hope that it isn’t impossible to live in this world and feel positive. Give Panchakarma a chance.
Final Views
Some of us don’t believe or want to believe on Ayurvedic and that is fine. But one must always go through the process before judging anything of that sort. Ayurveda has given its whole life and journey for us in trusting natural and organic elements present in nature. We must respect it.
On that note, we are signing of and will meet with another new post on some amazing topic. Till then pour your thoughts and reviews of what you think about above mentioned information. Also don’t forget to visit our instagram @renji_anooj as well as our brand page @sheshaayurveda for all updates
Stay Safe!