Panchakarma for detoxification and rejuvenationPancha in Sanskrit means five and Karma means action. The word Panchakarma means a set of five procedures aimed at detoxifying purifying and rejuvenating the body. As mentioned in the introduction Ayurveda primarily focuses on maintaining health and then on treating diseases. The procedure removes the accumulated toxins from the body and balances the doshas. It is a specialized procedure and should be supervised by a competent ayurvedic physician. It should not be done on pregnant women and those suffering from debilitating diseases. Before starting the actual procedure some preparatory procedures called Poorva karma are recommended. These consist of internal oleation and external oleation. Internal oleation consists of consuming a specific quantity of ghee for several days. This is recommended for 3 to 5 days or longer depending on the individual. Those having high cholesterol may be advised to take some other oil instead of ghee. Flaxseed oil is recommended for such people. Internal oleation is supposed to loosen toxins in the body so that they can be easily eliminated. According to Ayurveda our body has numerous channels called srotas.
Internal oleation prevents the toxins from clogging the srotas and allows them to move freely so that they can be eliminated by the procedures of panchakarma. Internal oleation in followed by external oleation which consists of oil massage (snehana) and sweating (swedana). Oil massage helps to relieve stress. It is also supposed to facilitate the movement of toxins for easy elimination. This is followed by steam bath which causes sweating and helps to remove some toxins from the body. After several days of preparatory procedures the actual procedure is started which is called Pradhana karma. This consists of the following. During the entire period the person has to follow a particular diet as advised by the physician depending on the constitution of that person. The constitution is determined by the three doshas namely vata, pitta and kapha. Vamana or therapeutic vomiting helps to remove excess of Kapha from the stomach. Virechana or purgation helps to remove toxins and excess of pitta from intestines and liver. Basti or medicated enema to remove excess of vata from large intestine Naasya or nasal administration of medication either as powders or oils is supposed to remove accumulated doshas from the nose, sinuses and throat areas. Raktha moksha which is done either by blood letting or by the use of purificatory herbs aims at purifying the blood. Burdock a herb is commonly used for this purpose. Several controlled studies have demonstrated the efficacy of panchakarma in getting rid of toxins. Hence the procedure is becoming popular in many countries. Useful links Ayurveda and Panchakarma: Measuring the Effects of a Holistic Health Intervention
Page last reviewed on 5th November 2009
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