AYURVEDA
Ayurveda is the alternative medicine system developed in India thousands of years ago. Ayurvedic therapies have evolved over two millennia, and these tried and tested therapies are offered at various wellness resorts, hotels and spas. It is a holistic system of medicine as the person as a whole is treated, taking into consideration the body, mind, emotions and personality.
Curative medicine in Ayurveda includes herbal medicines, specially devised diets, enemas, laxatives, yoga, meditation, and medical oils. In the Ayurvedic texts, the balance of Dosha is emphasized. Imbalance of dosha is supposed to be the cause for illness, as well as the suppression of natural urges.
The three elemental doshas in Ayurveda are vata (air or space equated to nervous system), pitta, (fire, equated to enzymes), and kapha (water and earth, equated to mucus). Samyaktva or balance of doshas is healthy and visamvatva or imbalance of doshas result in disease.
There are mental doshas too, known as Satogun, Rajogun, and Tamogun which control the psychology of a person. Each of these doshas have particular attributes and roles in the mind and body. The natural predominance of one dosha defines the personality (prakriti) and Ayurvedic practitioners take prakriti into consideration while creating the medicine and dosage.
Physical and mental existence and personality are supposed to influence the others and this is kept in mind from the diagnosis to the treatment stage. Srotas or channels are another major aspect of Ayurveda. These channels carry fluids in the body, and blocked or unhealthy channels cause disease. Practitioners open up the srotas or channels by massaging with various oils.
What is panchakarma?
Pachakarma in Sanskrit means five actions or therapeutic measures. Based on your diagnosis, the Panchakarma practitioner will include massages, baths and application of the various medicinal substances, to cleanse the toxins from the body and balance the doshas.
Panchakarma is meant for healthy people as well, as our bodies are chock full of pollutants from fertilizers in food, as well as the atmosphere. The synthetic chemicals in agriculture have fat soluble properties which get lodged in the lipid layer of cells. With Panchakarma, the amount of pesticides accumulated in the body can be reduced.
There are three phases of the Panchakarma process:
Snehana or Oleation: This is the phase when your diet is monitored and different food items included to burn the ‘ama’ (toxins) and detoxify the body from within. Herbal oils are applied to the body externally and massage is done to remove the toxins through the digestive tract. The massage also helps to relax and de-stress.
Swedana or Steam bath: In this, the practitioner will give you ayurvedic massage and steam bath for a period of 3 to 7 days, to loosen impurities and shift them to the gastrointestinal tract. Herbal oils are added to the steam bath.
Karmas: The main procedures of Panchakarma are performed in this phase. The five procedures are Nasya, Virechana, Basti, Vamana, and Raktamokshana.
Panchakarma diet, Shirodhara, Shirovasti, Pizichil are some of the other procedures carried out depending on your need.
Shirodhara: Herbal oils flow onto the forehead from a vessel which hangs above. It relieves stress and induces sleep. Recommended for hypertension, insomnia, depression and anxiety.
Shirovasti: Special oils are poured on a long cap placed on your head. This is beneficial for hair loss, facial paralysis etc.
Pizhichil: Herbal oil massage is carried out on the entire body in a prescribed manner. The therapy addresses nervous disorders, rheumatic trouble, paralysis and rejuvenation.
Kadivasthu, Uttar basti, Tarpanum, Udvarthanam are some other therapies used to treat specific ailments such as joint pain, slip disc, knee arthritis, backache, female infertility, eye ailments, and skin treatment.