Panchakarma is the most famous detoxification process of Ayurveda, restoring youth with the help of medicated oils. This special treatment of medicated oil massage and herbal remedies was prescribed in ancient Vedic scripture, and has been practiced in Kerala for many centuries, in accordance with the great works of the ‘Charaka Samhita’.
Panchakarma and Shirodhara are the leading therapies in Indian Ayurveda; considering the level of transformative detoxification they provide, it is not difficult to understand why. Panchakarma includes five natural methods of purgation or elimination, giving the body an intensively detoxifying the body, while balancing the three doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Panchakarma is Ayurveda’s primary purification and detoxification treatment. Panchakarma means “five therapies”. These 5 therapeutic treatments that help in eliminating toxins from the body are: Vamana, Virechana, Nasya, Basti and Raktamokshana. The series of these five therapies help remove deep rooted stress and illness-causing toxins from the body while balancing the doshas (energies that govern all biological functions).
Diet is important both during and after Panchakarma. After the purification process, the patient should take Kitchari (a mixed veg meal) whenever he feels hungry. He should maintain this diet for three to four days, slowly increasing the variety of other items like ginger, pepper, salt, green gram soup and other pulse soups, and increasing the quantity gradually.