PANCHKARMA AN INTRODUCTION

Ayurveda has prescribed both curative and healing therapies, inclusive of various methods of purification of toxins from the body system as well as rejuvenation of the body. Ayurveda is not just a healing medicine; it is a science of correct living, which helps to achieve disease free and long-peaceful life. Ayurveda guides individuals in the proper choice of diet, living habits and proper exercise, yoga asanas, and postures etc. to achieve balance in the body, mind and consciousness, thus preventing the process of disease, which arises out of imbalance of the body systems.

Ayurveda emphasizes that each individual is a unique being, a part and manifestation of the cosmic consciousness, expressed through the five basic elements. Space, air, water, fire, earth. Vatta – a combination of space and air, pitta – a combination of fire and water, and kapha – a combination of water and earth, are termed as the tridoshas. Every individual’s physical and mental, characteristics are derived from these three Doshas.

There are seven basic characteristics derived from these three Doshas. They are vatta, pitta or kapha predominant, vatta-pitta, pitta-kapha or kapha-vatta predominant and tridosha meaning all three Doshas.

Every individual has his unique signature of Doshas. When all the Doshas are in balance or in harmony, there is order or health in the body, when the balance is disturbed a person is in a state of disease.

Balance exists when the digestive fire (agni) is in a balanced condition, the bodily Doshas are in harmony, as a result the body produces waste products normally(urine, feces and sweat), the seven body tissues also function normally (rasa, Rakta, mamsa, meda, Asthi, majja, and sukra). As a result the mind, senses and consciousness are all functioning in a harmony.

The health of a person is governed by vatta, pitta and kapha, which are constantly affected by outside factors such as food intake, improper sleeping habits, seasonal changes, repressed emotions, and mental and physical stress etc. these all the factors combined or individually can greatly affect the balance of these Doshas, ultimately resulting in detrimental effects on agni ( gastric fire ) and produces ama (toxins).

These toxins enter the blood supply and are subsequently circulated throughout the body, clogging the channels. The accumulation of toxins will weaken the vital body functions resulting in disease. All diseases result from an imbalance of Doshas resulting in Ama (toxins).

Therefore health lies in the prevention of ama built up in the body, eliminate whatever is present in the blood supply, and to stop any further production of Ama. The steps include proper diet with appropriate life habits, and exercise along with a cleaning programme known as Panchkarma, it is part of a process called shodhan and shaman.

(Prepared by Divyajyot Ayurvedic Research foundation India. We are conducting research and treatment in Ayurvedic herbal cure of cancer since last 25 years. The data and information contained on this site is based on Ayurvedic herbal wisdom and our research.)