Do you know the secret of long and healthy life? Don’t worry! We will discuss it here. Our ancestors used to live a natural and active lifestyle with Yoga, Ayurveda, proper diet, and exercise and this is the key to a long and healthy life.

Ayurveda is not only a health care system but also a lifestyle. It describes in detail the dos and don’ts of a healthy life. It puts great emphasis on prevention, a healthy lifestyle, and the complete elimination of a disease. It is the oldest form of medical treatment, originated in India and gradually gaining popularity across the world. According to Ayurveda human Body has three doshas (Vatta, Pitta, and Kapha); we need to maintain a balance in them. The imbalance of doshas makes a person sick. The best method of getting cured faster is to eliminate excessive doshas from the body. Five procedures are described in the Ayurveda for that and they are called Panchakarma.

Panchakarma is a popular Ayurveda Therapy used to cleanse the body. It eliminates toxic elements, vitiated doshas, and rejuvenates the body. Panchakarma is a set of five therapies (Vamana, Virechana, Basti, Nasya, and Raktamokshana). It is also done on healthy persons so that they can continue with their good health. Panchakarma improves the overall health of a person; it improves stamina, strengthens the immune system, increases energy, and makes him/her look younger.

You should get Panchakarma treatment under a qualified Ayurveda Doctor only because it is a specialized therapy and demands keen observation. Each therapy is classified into three steps

1) Purva Karma (Pre-procedure )
2) Pradhan Karma (Main Procedure)
3) Paschat Karma (Post Procedure)

Before starting the Panchakarma therapy, two Purva Karma (pre-procedure) therapies are applied which are given below.

Snehana – It is body lubrication therapy in which a person is asked to increase the intake of oil or ghee till some specific symptoms appear and he has to follow some restrictions like drinking only hot water, not sleeping in the day, etc.

Svedana – In this therapy, sweating is produced through a steam bath which helps in the liquefaction of doshas.

Five Procedures of Panchakarma (Main Procedure):

Vamana (Emesis) – A person is made to vomit with the help of oral drugs and liquids. Its purpose it to expel excessive Kapha from the body. Increased Kapha causes problems like colds, coughs, etc. Kapha is situated at chest area so it is easy to expel it by vomiting. The Vamana Therapy improves digestion and metabolism system; it also enhances the power of senses and slows down ageing process.

Virechana (Purgation Therapy) – It is used to remove Pitta dosha from the body through the rectum. Mainly it focuses on clearing accumulated toxins in the liver, gall bladder, and gastrointestinal tract. Medicated loose motions are produced to eliminate toxins. It is given in cases of chronic constipation, Indigestion, worm infection, and skin diseases, etc. Autumn is the best season for this therapy.

3)Basti (Enema)- cures Vatta disorder diseases like common cold back pain, constipation, hyperacidity, etc. It is the most effective therapy out of five procedures because it fights of its fights with Vatta dosha which is mainly responsible for 80 types of diseases and disorders. Basti therapy balances Vatta, Pitta, and Kapha in the body and enhances the immune system. There are two types of Basti Asthapan Basti removes the doshas which are struck in body tissues in feces form. Anuvasan Basti procedure strengthens the body. It purifies and nourishes body tissues

4)Nasya – In this procedure, medicated oil or liquid medicine is poured into the nostrils. The process should be repeated twice or thrice as per the need. As the nose is the door to the head this procedure is useful in eliminating head-related diseases such as migraine, hair fall, headaches, etc. This therapy keeps our senses healthy and strong. It is helpful in a sound sleep, vibrant skin, and improving concentration.

5)Raktamokshana (Blood Purification) – Sometimes blood becomes infected by doshas and causes many diseases like skin disorders, hypertension, herpes, arthritis, etc. The best option here is to let the infected blood flow out of the body with doshas. Autumn is the best season of this therapy. Raktamokshana is highly successful in the treatment of blood-related diseases.

Paschat Karma (Post Procedure)

A week’s time after Panchakarma is very crucial. It is highly recommended to follow restrictions and recommendations to gain the full benefit of Panchakarma. A person needs to take the prescribed diet for a few days after the treatment, lurk warm water, body massage, and a healthy daily routine.