THE AYURVEDIC CLEANSE OF PANCHAKARMA

Benefits of Panchakarma

• Cleared toxins from the entire system
• Balanced doshas
• Healed digestive system
• Enhanced immunity
• Decreased stress
• Anti-aging
• Improved skin lustre
• Weight-loss (if overweight)
• Deep relaxation
• Meditative outlook on life
• Enhanced mindfulness

Panchakarma Treatment Procedure

The complete process of Panchakarma involves the following three steps:

1. Poorva Karma

This is a preparatory procedure required before the main treatment, to soften the tissues so that the lipid-soluble toxins deposited into them are liquefied and flow back into the digestive tract. From here, they can be eliminated. This treatment prepares the patient mentally and physically for the main procedure of Panchakarma.

It involves three procedures:

• Pachan Karma – improves digestion with herbs and fasting so that the patient can digest the ghee (clarified butter) which is provided to liquefy the fat-soluble toxins.
• Snehan Karma – medicated ghee is given to the patient in increasing doses in order to aggravate and liquefy the fat-soluble toxins deposited in the deep tissues.
• Swedan Karma – a full body steam bath is given to the patient thereby opening up the body channels and allowing the heat to liquefy the toxins further. This facilitates their movement from the tissues to the digestive tract.

2. Pradhan Karma

This is the Panchakarma, a five-step procedure which is highly individualized depending on the needs, age, digestive strength, immune system, and other factors. This intense Panchakarma procedure can only be done under the guidance of an Ayurvedic practitioner.

The five karmas to cleanse the complete body are:

• Vamanam (therapeutic emesis) – targets kapha. It is defined as a "procedure in which Doshas (waste products or toxins) are eliminated through upper channels i.e. mouth". A supervised, medically induced emesis clearing the stomach and upper airway. Published protocols exclude anyone with hypertension, diabetes, renal disease, peptic ulcer, jaundice, acute infection or dehydration.
• Virechanam (therapeutic purgation) – targets pitta. Medicated purgatives clear the small intestine. In a published trial the whole sequence ran: deepana-pachana (digestive herbs) 2-3 days, snehana (oil loading) 3-7 days, external therapies 3 days, then the purgation itself, then samsarjana krama (staged re-feeding) 3-7 days — roughly 11 to 20 days end to end for one of the five procedures.
• Basti (medicated enema)– targets vata. Given in two alternating forms: niruha (decoction-based) and anuvasana (oil-based). The typical Kala Basti schedule is 16 applications: 6 Niruha and 10 Anuvasana.
• Nasyam (nasal administration) – medicated oil, ghee or powder given through the nostrils, for conditions above the collarbone: head, sinuses, throat, eyes, ears.
• Raktamokshana (therapeutic bloodletting) — removal of a controlled quantity of blood, for conditions attributed to vitiated blood and pitta. Done by leech application, vein puncture or cupping.

3. Paschaat Karma

This is a post-therapy dietary regime to restore the body’s digestive and absorptive capacity to its normal state. It includes rejuvenating treatments, lifestyle management, diet management, and intake of herbal supplements.

It includes the following procedures:

• Sansarjan Karma – food therapy after detoxification, which aims at gradually increasing the patient’s diet from liquids to semi-solids to a normal diet.
• Rasayan Adi Prayogam – a rejuvenating rasayan therapy which aids in increasing natural immunity and enhancing your general well-being.
• Shaman Chikitsa – a pacification therapy with herbs and lifestyle management.

It is important to note that a Panchakarma procedure is designed specifically for an individual after a thorough physical examination and pulse diagnosis. Hence, there is no universal package for everybody. Traditional Panchakarma is delivered over a minimum of two weeks and more usually four, in a retreat or hospital setting.

Who Needs Panchakarma?

Panchakarma Side Effects and Who Should Avoid It

References

• Gupta B, Mahapatra SC, Makhija R, Kumar A, Jirankalgikar NM, Padhi MM, Devalla RB. "Physiological and biochemical changes with Vamana procedure." Ayu. 2012;33(3):348-355. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.108821
• Shukla G, Bhatted SK, Dave AR, Shukla VD. "Efficacy of Virechana and Basti Karma with Shamana therapy in the management of essential hypertension: A comparative study." Ayu. 2013;34(1):70-76. doi:10.4103/0974-8520.115455
• Conboy LA, Edshteyn I, Garivaltis H. "Ayurveda and Panchakarma: Measuring the Effects of a Holistic Health Intervention." ScientificWorldJournal. 2009;9:272-280.
• http://vikaspedia.in/health/ayush/ayurveda-1/panchakarma#section-2
• https://www.encyclopedia.com/medicine/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/panchakarma

Glossary

• Abhyanga / Abhyangam = warm-oil massage over the whole body
• Shiroabhyangam / Shiro Abhyanga = head and scalp oil massage
• Padabhyanga / Padabhyangam = foot massage
• Shirodhara = a steady stream of warm oil poured across the forehead
• Sweda / Swedana = sweating brought on deliberately as part of the treatment
• Snehana = oiling the body, inside and out
• Vasti / Basti = a ring of dough that holds warm oil on one spot; in Panchakarma the same word means a medicated enema
• Dosha = one of the three functional types Ayurveda uses to classify imbalance
• Vata = the dosha associated with movement
• Pitta = the dosha associated with heat and digestion
• Kapha = the dosha associated with structure and fluid
• Panchakarma = a five-procedure cleansing programme
• Vamana = therapeutic vomiting
• Virechana = purgation
• Raktamokshana = bloodletting
• Purva Karma = the preparation phase before the main procedure
• Deepana / Pachana = herbs that stimulate appetite and digestion
• Ghee / Ghrita = clarified butter
• Sudation = sweating
• Oleation = oiling