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Specialized ayurvedic remedies
such as panchakarma, marma chikitsa, dhara
or following an ayurvedic diet, basically endeavor to restore the
harmony of the tridoshas. The purpose of all ayurvedic remedies
and herbal medicines is to keep the doshas or the humors
in equilibrium, since an imbalance indicates a disease condition.
Samsodhana (cleansing process), samsamana (palliative
measures) and nidanaparivarjana (treating the causes) are
the three main stages through which ayurvedic remedies usually progress.
Of these three remedial phases, samsodhana is considered
a prominent process and according to ayurveda, should be administered
with full care. Panchakarma is synonymous with this process.
In fact, panchakarma is a group of five ayurvedic remedies,
all of which are not practiced in all diseases.
Ayurveda recognizes that all living and non-living things are composed
of panchamahabhut or five basic elements of the entire creation.
One branch of Indian philosophy—Sankhya, states that
there are 24 elements in all, of which five are the foundation of
the gross world: earth, water, fire, air and ether. According to
ayurveda these five elements in different combinations constitute
the three body types/doshas—vata
(air and ether), pitta
(fire) and kapha
(earth and water). These two theories are the guiding factors of
ayurveda as a therapeutic science.
Ayurveda
advises undergoing panchakarma at the seasonal changes
to both keep the metabolism strong and keep toxins from accumulating
in the body as well as the mind. The process finds the way to
the root cause of the problem and corrects the essential balance
of mind, body, and emotions. It is considered extremely effective
to go through the process of panchakarma prior to any rejuvenation
treatment (rasayana/herbal medicines), for it cleanses
the body, improves the digestion, the metabolic processes of the
body and cleanse the thought process as well.
Basically,
panchakarma is meant to make an individual most receptive
to the curative process of ayurveda by removing accumulated waste
in body and mind.
Vamana
(Emesis) It
is a process of therapeutic vomiting (induced), which helps eliminate
the toxic or waste matters from the stomach and thoracic cavity.
Kapha dominant diseases like severe skin diseases (psoriasis,
urticaria); bronchial asthma, mental disorders etc. are selected
for this treatment procedure. This process is not suggested for
expecting mothers. Normally eight bouts of emesis are followed.
The vomiting is stopped when yellow coloration is seen. Then, dhoomapana—inhalation
of medicated fumes—is done through a special process. Finally,
certain rules have to be followed called paschatkarma that
basically implies strict diet regimen.
The
entire treatment takes 15 days, and requires good attention as well
as skilled assistance.
Virechana
(Purgation) This
eliminates the toxic or waste matters from the intestine. It also
cures pitta or pitta-dominated diseases. Poorvakarma
or initial process of cleansing like vamana is suggested
here. About 20 purges may be seen in this process depending on
the patient's health.
A mild
form of virechana without the poorvakarma, is an integral
part of ayurvedic therapy.
It is also used for prevention of diseases.
Vasti
(Enema) The
process of vasti or therapeutic enema is resorted to eliminate
toxins from colon, and strengthens the tissues. Two kinds of vastis
are followed in ayurveda. Snehavasti is the vasti
where medicated oils are used. This is not advised in patients suffering
from diabetes, anemia, diarrhea, and obesity. Poorvakarma
is required here.
For kashaya vasti, honey, rock salt, sneham (oils),
paste of medicines are required and mixed one by one in the above
order. This concoction is taken in an empty stomach. After the process
the patient is allowed to take a bath.
Diseases
like hemiplegia, and disease due to vata are treated by
this process. Medicines are selected as per disease and stage.
Nasya
(Nasal Application of Herbal Medicines) Nasya is instillation of medicine through nose. It
is an important procedure of ayurveda for the treatment of sirorogas
or diseases affecting head area. Nasya helps cleanse the
head and sinuses. The process is contraindicated in various psychological
diseases, asthma and cough.
Here,
the patient is to inhale lightly warmed oil. Warmed oil is massaged
in the patient's neck, shoulder, palm, face and sole before and
after the process of nasya. Different timings are indicated
for different dosha types. Morning time is prescribed for
kapha diseases, noon in pitta diseases and evening
in vata diseases.
Raktamoksha (Blood-Letting) Susruta
gave stress to Raktamoksha (blood-letting) as one of the
panchakarma, taking two of the vastis as a single
karma (here, procedure). The process of letting out the vitiated
blood is termed raktamoksha. In this procedure localized
impurity or poison from the blood is removed through various methods.
Often leech is used to suck out the impure blood from the affected
area. Blood-letting is also done to eliminate toxins from the blood
stream causing various chronic skin disorders like urticaria, eczema,
scabies and leucoderma etc. The method was also effectively used
to cure enlarged liver and spleen.
There are steps to be followed before doing panchakarma called
poorvakarma. One is snehana or oleation where medicated
oils are applied internally and externally. Another process called
swedana or sudation is actually classified into four types
to induce sweating. The purpose of poorvakarma is to liquefy
and guide the provoked doshas to the mainstream to facilitate
the sodhana or cleansing.
Following a strict ayurvedic diet also forms part of the ayurvedic
treatment method. Ayurveda emphasizes that the diet we take has
a close influence on our mind and body. According to ayurveda,
the mind has three possible states (tri-gunas) that are
related to the three states of our physical constitution or the
three-dosha types. Sattva, or peaceful equilibrium,
rajas, or excessive activity and tamas, or inertia—the
three tendencies or gunas of mind influence the imbalances
in the three doshas. Specific dietary adjustments serves
to maintain the balance of specific doshas and thus entail
perfect health. Appropriate diet can be used to remove or neutralize
toxins in the body, also.
Ayurveda suggests eating food until one's appetite is satisfied.
When ill, one should eat only light food, and then normal food
in small quantities, until half the appetite is fulfilled. One
important rule in ayurveda is never to combine contradictory foods
in terms of their qualities. Some of the commonly followed rules
on food habits according to ayurveda are as below:
• Keeping high-protein or high-fat food items in separate meals from lighter
foods such as starches and vegetables.
• Not mixing milk with yogurt.
•
Not eating cooked foods and raw
foods at the same meal since they require different types
of digestion.
Practice of yoga
is an integral method in ayurveda, which is applied to keep both
the body and mind healthy and relaxed. It is recommended for cure
as well as for prevention of various ailments. Different yogasanas
are prescribed for different dosha based ailments. The
lifestyle regimens mentioned in yoga are integral to ayurvedic
treatment. Meditation
is often recommended to maintain balance or peace in the thinking
process. Meditation removes any disturbances in the balance of
the three mental states of sattva, rajas and tamas.
Recommendation of gems
to avoid any imminent problem is associated with JyotishShastra (astrology).
Ayurveda applies Jyotish Shastra (astrology) to ascertain
the imminent diseases an individual is going to suffer as well
as to ascertain what type of gems would be beneficial for him.
Ayurveda prescribes nine precious gemstones to be used externally
and internally as well. Apart from recommending wearing gems,
the rasayana branch of ayurveda, also, recommends calxes
of various gemstones (bhasma) as internal medicine.
Marma
Chikitsa is a significant aspect of the ayurvedic treatment.
Marmas are specific points on the body where the application
of pressure or insertion of needles (bhedana) induces the
flow of vital energy (prana) along a complex system of
subtle channels called (nadis). Basing on the knowledge
enumerated in DhanurVeda (deals in martial art),
ayurveda recognizes about 350 therapeutic marma points
and over 100 lethal marma points within our body. The injury
to some of these lethal marma points can lead to instant
death. Massage is widely applied in the treatment of marmas.
Oil is an integral ingredient in ayurvedic treatment. Sesame oil
and ghee (Butter oil) is commonly used. Oil can be administered
internally as nasal-drops (nasya) or can be used for mouth
gurgling. The external oiling is in the form of a massage. Specific
oils are used for individuals having specific dosha types
of vata, pitta and kapha.
Kaya kalpa literally means renewal of the body. This is a
unique method of treating both the gross and the subtle body to
prolong the youthfulness and vigor in younger people, and revive
the vitality in old. The treatment method of kaya kalpa is
considered to be the culmination of ayurvedic knowledge as a complete
medical science. The two significant branches of ayurveda—kayachikitsa
and rasayana
deal with this method.
