Panchakarma is part of the Ayurveda treatment. The panchakarma treatment aims at the removal of toxins from the body. And because these are five in number. Therefore we name it Panchakarma. It is a simple approach to treatment that reverses the adverse effects. It cleans and restores the health and wellness of the body.
Detoxification therapy involves cleaning the body from its roots in such treatment. Massage is provided to the body for deep conditioning and prepares it for Panchakarma treatment. It also includes drinking ghee and therapy by steam. Treatment therapies of Panchakarma include the following phases:
- Poorva karma: This phase is essential to accumulate and collect all toxins in one place with the help of ghee externally or internally. Poorva Karma means, the procedures before the main process. Through these, we ensure bringing toxins to the gut. Obviously, these toxins will remove in the later process.
- Pradhana Karma: This is the phase of expelling waste and toxins from the body. Therefore we name these main karmas too. These are Virechana, Vasti, Nasya, and Raktamokshana.
- Pashchath Karma: After removing waste and cleaning the body, it is imperative to bring back the body into normal condition. All diet and exercises need to regulate during this period. Everything starts from a lower level and then increased gradually under proper observation. This aftercare is crucial to bring the body to normal. So that body can come to normal condition.
The requirement of the cleansing of the body
The human body is a cluster of millions of cells, and these cells perform all the functions. These functions include the major working of metabolism, which means digesting and assimilating the food and later converting it into energy. Many other processes are involved in the removal of these toxins. Like all automobiles, the body also requires proper and timely cleaning.
Panchakarma has several benefits-
- Panchakarma removes toxins from the body and helps in healing the mind-body.
- It strengthens and restores the body.
- Panchakarma helps in balancing Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Because through panchakarma excess of these doshas remove through Panchakarma.
- Cleansing opens the blocked channels of the body.
- It also helps in reducing body weight as toxins and waste are removed through this process.
- The digestive system smoothens and increases the metabolism of the body.
- Immunity improvises through Panchakarma. Because the removal of toxins helps in the normal working of the system.
- Increase the efficiency of the body physically as well as mentally.
- When the body cleans from the inside, it also soothes the mind too. Therefore Panchakarma works well in conditions of stress and anxiety and depression.
- The flexibility of joints increases by cleaning and restoring body functioning.
Cleansing and restoring the natural working of the body
Due to no exercise, poor lifestyle patterns, low metabolic activities, and hormonal factors, the body is full of toxins and waste material.
These waste materials which are foul smelled and harmful are known as “Ama” which represents the in Ayurveda. It is essential to remove this Ama from the human body altogether and restore the body again. There are various channels and organs of the body included in the elimination of wastages like the colon, lungs, bladder, sweat glands, urinary tract, intestine, and stomach.
It requires a minimum of two weeks to completely clean the body and restore it. Restoration to a healthy body is quite a slow process and is done step by step. Fasting and light exercises help in removal of the small amounts of Ama. With time the frequency of meals and workouts should increase gradually.
Why do we need to clean deep inside the body?
Obviously, It is highly important to detox and cleans the body deeply from time to time. There are sure signs which indicate the need to clean the body as follows:
- Diarrhea or constipation: Due to continuous eating and not cleaning the gut properly, such problems occur, and by Panchakarma, such conditions can be eliminated.
- Breathe smells bad & a thick layer of coating on the tongue: Due to poor health and hygiene of teeth, Breath odor is there. Its symptoms include a lousy odor and taste in the mouth with dryness and a white coating on the tongue.
- Foggy mind: If cleaning the body is not proper, it results in a lack of concentration power, improper sleep patterns, and poor memory.
- Pains and aches in different parts of the body: Deposition of toxins weakens the immunity of the body and causes various body pains and problems.
- Cravings are not under control: when cleaning the body is not proper, it causes a foggy mind. Which in turn affects parts of the brain which are responsible for hunger control and memory pleasure. Due to this, cravings of food never settled down and this results in overeating of fat and sugar-containing food.
- Tired throughout the day & feeling lethargic after meals: Due to the release of more serotonin, a person feels tired and exhausted. It leads to hormonal imbalance. Obviously the reason for this is- high levels of toxins and internal turbidity.
Different Panchakarma Procedures
Here are the details of the procedures which we count as Panchakarma treatment. These procedures can be broadly classified into two as follows:
Classical Ayurvedic Panchakarma
To remove toxins from the body, five treatments together make Panchakarma, as the name suggests. These are classical because they come from the ancient text of Ayurveda.
Vamana:
This consists of the accumulation of toxins and elimination by vomit from the body. Mainly indicated in the Kapha disorders. In conditions like obesity, depression, and overweight, this process helps better.
Virechana:
It is the clearing of the bowels. The patient is provided with many purgatives and bowel-increasing elements making the gut.
Nasya:
It includes the removal of wastage through the nose. Nasya cleans the mucus of the sinus, and it medicates the central nervous system. It combats respiratory and allergies.
Basti:
It removes all toxins from the colon. Basti is of two types. And Basti covers almost all conditions and diseases. There are several conditions where treatment is just possible through Ayurveda because Ayurveda has basti treatment.
Raktamoskshna:
As the name signifies, it clarifies and purifies the blood and treats skin infections like dermatitis and psoriasis.
External Panchakarma Therapies
Panchakarma is also known as the preventive and curative mechanism. Apart from significant therapies, Panchakarma also includes some minor methods like:
- Swedana: It is a method to open the clogged sweat glands and get rid of impurities by them.
- Udarvartanam: A proper massage is given to the body by Ayurvedic powders.
- Pizhichil: It is kind of massage only which is done by oil. In this, the bath is provided, which relaxes the body completely.
- Kati Vasthi: It includes the treatment of Ayurveda for the lower back.
- Shirodhara: Warm hot oil is poured on the forehead in a constant stream. The oil is herbal, and it nourishes the scalp.
