WellBeing

Body Type and Doshas

Ayurveda derives its healing philosophy from the fact that our body is composed of all the five elements (Panchamahabhoota) in Nature — Ether, Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Earth. These elements and their combination or proportion determine the constitution of our body. They are accordingly clubbed into three ‘humours’ or body types or what Ayurveda calls the Doshas. There are three types of Doshas (Tridoshas) and when joined with the ‘Universal Force’ that resides in each living creature, these Doshas make up the bio-energy of each body. These bio-energies or Doshas are: Vata: This is composed of air and governs all bodily movements.
Pitta: Pitta is composed of fire and water and governs heat, metabolism, digestion and other transformation processes of the mind and body.
Kapha: Kapha is a watery humour that binds the elements in the body.
A large part of our illnesses may be attributed to lack of adequate attention to our body signals caused by an imbalance in the Doshas resulting in accumulation of toxins and blocking of energy points in the body. The curative process in Ayurveda therefore includes removing these blockages and toxins by making us listen to our body signals and accordingly taking corrective steps based on our Dosha.

Snehanam

During the preparatory stage, the body is prepared for removal of toxins through two methods namely Snehanam where the body is oleated internally and externally and Swedanam where the body undergoes therapeutic sweating. Depending on the medical condition and Doshas, the Vaidya will determine the course of cleansing processes. The body is made unctuous internally through drinking of medicated ghee (clarified butter). This helps to loosen and move the toxins towards the gastrointestinal tract. Medicated ghee consumed over 3-7 days with increasing dosage according to doctor’s prescription with restricted diet is called Achapanam. The intake of medicated ghee with the normal diet is called Vicharana. During the snehanam stage, the body is massaged with medicated oil to make it unctuous or oily externally. This too aids in the removal of toxins.

Panchakarma Cleansing and Rejuvenation

Panchakarma is an intensive cleansing treatment that follows the early texts of Ayurveda like Charaka Samhita. Panchakarma, which literally means five actions, is essentially about purification of the body. The five actions of Panchakarma according to Charaka Samhitha are Vamana (induced vomiting), Virechana (purgation), Kashaya Vasti and Sneha Vasti (two kinds of medicated enemas) and Nasya (nasal medication). It is preceded by a preparatory process called Poorvakarma. At this stage the body is prepared for removing “toxins” first through Snehanam which make the body unctuous or oily internally and externally, and second through Swedanam which means therapeutic sweating. Once the preparatory stage is completed, the doctor will prescribe one or more of the 5 Panchakarma cleansing procedures depending on each individual’s condition. The third and final stage of treatment is Samana or Paschatkarma where the patient undergoes corrective measures through medicines, moderate therapeutic treatments, appropriate diet and activities for the body and mind. On completion of the Panchakarma treatment, the imbalances that lead to diseases in the individual is stabilized and brought to equilibrium.

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Body Type and Doshas

Snehanam

Panchakarma Cleansing and Rejuvenation