Avaghaswedam – Complete Rejuvenation with Steam and Herbal Decoctions | Best Ayurveda Hospital in Chennai

Avaghaswedam – Complete Rejuvenation with Steam and Herbal Decoctions

Many Ayurveda procedures use steam as an effective vehicle, given its power to open up the skin’s pores and allow all the herbal formulations to be thoroughly absorbed. With the heat stimulating blood circulation and causing perspiration, every procedure that involves steam will definitely lead to detoxification. Avaghaswedam or avagha swedam is a unique combination of sudation or a sweat-inducing procedure and immersion or avagha. This procedure involves preparing a relaxing, deep, warm, medicated bath filled with herbal medications and essential oils. The person sits or even sometimes lies down in this preparation for a stipulated period, resulting in complete relaxation and detoxification. Warm water and even milk are used as vehicles to carry the herbal medication. This treatment is fast becoming popular, given its potential to cleanse your body and relax your mind. Since I am receiving a lot of inquiries in my Ayurveda hospital in Chennai about this interesting procedure, I thought I could provide you a little more information about Avaghaswedam.

What are the benefits of Avaghaswedam?

Avaghawedam is perfect for complete relaxation of not just your body but also your mind. The benefits of this procedure in calming your mind and relieving you from conditions such as stress, anxiety, and insomnia are reasons why this procedure is increasing in popularity. This treatment also focuses on removing muscle- and joint-related pain, and is especially beneficial in the case of a backache, and conditions such as arthritis, hip pain, and sciatica. The procedure also has benefits in case of urinary and menstrual disorders and with allergic conditions. Its intense detoxification and rejuvenation benefits help with giving your skin a healthy glow and weight loss.

How is this procedure beneficial?

The procedure involves the use of a bath where your body is submerged entirely or at least up to the hip region. The bath is prepared from herbal and medicated extracts that your Ayurveda doctor will recommend based on your health condition. In addition, the bath is heated up. All these effects, in addition to the extended period of time, you will have to relax in the bath, will lead to a well-stimulated circulation, relaxation, rejuvenation, and deep cleansing. All the heat produces sweat that seeps out through the skin. The skin is indeed a powerful excretory option your body has. Hence all the toxins that your body releases lead to purification. The specific benefits of the essential oils or medicated extracts are definitely an added benefit. In addition, all the happy chemicals (scientifically termed endorphins) released by the body brings about immense calmness.

In some instances, an oil massage precedes the procedure. Hence when you soak in the warm, medicated bath the penetration of all the goodness of the herbal wonders will be magical. Sometimes a damp cloth supports the back of the neck or even the forehead to tone down the effect of the steam. Some therapies also include serving relaxing tea that prevents your body from overheating. The standard recommended period of this procedure is anywhere between 30 and 60 min.

I highly recommend that you add avaghaswedam to your routine practice of giving your body and mind a well-deserved treat. But ensure that you consult with an experienced Ayurveda expert who can recommend the perfect combination of herbal extracts and vehicle. Contact me for any questions you have about avaghaswedam. You can connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.

Karnapooranam – The perfect Ayurveda Solution for Tinnitus and Other Ear-Related Complications

The word “karna” refers to the ears; hence karnapooranam is a complete Ayurveda procedure that helps you overcome some of the most common to chronic and rare ear complications. This simple procedure also helps you clean your ears and maintain them in an ever-healthy mode. Ears are one of the most critical players in our body. Without them you are really lost, yet most of us do not treat our ears properly. Especially in today’s earphone-obsessed lifestyle, your ears struggle to maintain their hearing capability. I am hence seeing a steady increase in conditions such as tinnitus when patients come to consult with me at my Ayurveda clinic in Chennai. How can a simple treatment such as karnapooranam help in such conditions? Let’s find out.

What’s Karnapooranam and what are its benefits?

Karnapooranam is a therapeutic procedure focusing on the ears. It takes just a few minutes, where the therapist introduces medicated Ayurveda oils, from the simple sesame oil to complex herbal formulations, into your ears and places the formulations there for about 10 minutes. This procedure cleans your ear, removing wax and other dirt particles. It also helps in healing ear-related disorders.

Ear pain and reduced hearing are common indicators of inherent complications with the ear. In such conditions this procedure is useful in enabling a cure. The procedure results in lubricating the entire ear canal and also reaches the smallest and narrowest portions to remove all collected dirt and wax. This simple solution itself helps in improving hearing in many cases and in curing dry and itchy ears, as well as ear infections.

This treatment is also a critical process that helps in overcoming tinnitus or karnanada, a vata roga–based condition that is now becoming increasingly common, thanks to today’s lifestyle options such as excessive mobile phones, exposure to extended periods of loud noise, blood pressure, stress, etc. This procedure helps in delivering relief in this condition too.

In addition karnapooranam helps in strengthening the delicate bones in the inner ear and in strengthening the nerve endings in the ear. All these help relieve stress, control ear pain, manage vertigo and also deliver related support in managing stiffness of the neck and painful jaws.

What does the process involve?

This procedure, although simple, requires some poorvakarma before the therapist starts the procedure. The Ayurveda doctor first examines your ear-related condition and determines the specific herbal oil formulation that the therapist will use. The therapist then helps you lie face upward on a firm wooden table. You will then undergo a relaxing massage – to the head, ear, and neck. This will relax the muscles and improve circulation to the ears. As a result, the medicinal oil will effectively percolate through the skin and circulate through the bloodstream. The therapist then cleans your ears with cotton. Now your ears are ready for the pradhanakarma.

The therapist now shifts your position and carefully fills your ears with the warm medicated Ayurveda oil. The therapist adds oil drop-wise until the oil entirely fills the ear canal. You will need to hold the oil in the ears for about 10 minutes in the appropriate position. This ensures that the body entirely absorbs the medicinal effect of the oil into the bloodstream. After the prescribed time, the therapist cleans your ear to remove the excess oil and repeats the procedure in the other ear too. In some cases, Ayurveda doctors recommend medicated smoke instead of medicated oil. Follow the procedure for about 10 days or as prescribed by your Ayurveda doctor. You will definitely observe a sharp improvement in your hearing abilities and you ear-related condition.

Contact me for any questions you have about karnapooranam. You can connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.

Knee Joint Pain –Ayurveda-Based Causes and Solutions for This Debilitating Condition

Painful knees are one of the toughest battles that most adults face as they age. The knee joints are most often the first set of joints to lose the battle of strength, resulting in innumerable painful symptoms. W Ayurveda categorizes knee joint pain as a Vata disorder, with kapha influences. Interestingly, Ayurveda also connects ama or toxins as a result of digestive complications to knee joint pain. Let’s find out a little more about how you can manage knee pain with food, exercise, and massages. Since this condition is a common bother for many of my patients at my Ayurveda clinic in Chennai, I feel that this little detail will help many of us face knee pain with more confidence.

What causes Knee Joint Pain?

A million reasons can contribute to knee pin – it could range from a simple sprain that just needs some simple rest and Ayurveda-based pain remedy to complications the bone tissue due to lack of nutrition. The latter part of the spectrum of causes raises many concerns. The health of your knee joints depends a lot of the health of your bone tissues. Hence, conditions such as degeneration, in-depth infection, osteoarthritis, and other similar conditions can lead to severe knee pain. Inherent nerve conditions can also lead to knee pain. However, the most interesting connection is between toxins in the digestive system that enter the bone tissues and knee pain. These toxins or ama causes inflammation and severe knee pain. The response of your knee joints to these triggers varies depending on your body’s strength.

Symptoms accompanying knee pain

Many symptoms accompany knee pain, which helps Ayurveda doctors make a confirmed diagnosis. Some of the extremely common symptoms accompanying severe joint pain include stiffness, inflammation, swelling, tenderness, limited ability to move or carry weight, and a distinct coloration.

Managing knee pain

While treating the core cause is essential for getting rid of knee pain, you must be equally watchful about managing knee pain during your recovery period. The approach includes multiple focal points.

Helping the joints in detoxification and rerouting the ama back to the digestive tract and subsequent elimination
Efficient nutrition to the bone tissues
Restoring healthy circulation to the knees
Complete cleansing
Gentle lubrication of the joints to relax surrounding muscles

Knee joint–friendly food

The following food item is found to be incredible for the knees

Ginger is a natural healer, given its anti-inflammatory nature. Adding ginger as a flavoring agent or as ginger tea can work wonders.

The very trustworthy turmeric is known for its antiseptic effect and is equally effective in getting rid of severe inflammation that accompanies knee joint pain

The sap from the bark of the Banyan tree has tremendous pain relief effect – hence using this ingredient often helps in masking the severe pain.

Ashwagandha helps in improving the strength and immunity of the body and in delivering anti-inflammatory effects.

Triphala heals by eliminating toxins such as uric acid from the joints and hence curing inflammation of knee joints.

Massage

Massages that focus on the knee joints relax the region, ease the pain, remove the stiffness and improves blood circulation. This helps with easily moving the affected region. Similarly, alternate heat and cold compress helps in relieving the pain and improving circulation

Yoga and exercise

A carefully planned exercise regimen is critical for recovery from knee joint pain. But avoid self-training and take the support of an Ayurveda doctor who can help you choose the right regimen of exercises

While the actual inherent cause of knee pain definitely requires attention and cure, you can definitely use a healthy combination of the above approaches under the watchful eye of your Ayurveda physician to gain relief from pain.

Contact me for any questions you have about knee joint pain and its inherent causes and cure. You can connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.

Padabhyangam – A Special Ayurveda Procedure Focusing on the Feet

Ancient Indian healing methods refer to the feet as the windows to our body and mind. Our feet have the answers to most of the conditions affecting our mental and physical wellbeing. Since many nerve endings are found on the feet, massages that focus on these smart parts of the body or padabhyangam are indeed extremely popular. Padabhyangam not only helps overcome tired feet and other diseases associated with the feet but also strengthens nerves, reduces stress, and delivers many other benefits. This holistic approach to delivering vitality to the body starts and ends right at your feet. So let’s find out a little more about padabhyangam.

Why is padabhyangam so popular?

Padabhyangam translates to foot massage. This relaxing procedure when performed by expert therapists under the recommendation and overview of an Ayurveda doctor can have miraculous benefits not only for you but also for your entire body. This procedure has multiple benefits and is also an essential part of sarva-abhyangam or whole body massage. Let’s start from the obvious benefits it has on the feet.

Benefits to the feet

Padabhyangam helps in curing cracked, dry, stiff, sore, or tired feet; roughness in the feet, and a whole range of foot diseases. It strengthens the feet and makes it tender.

Retrieving energy balance

Five critical marmas are present in the feet; hence padabhyangam can remove all the negative energy from these marmas, allowing positive energy to flow through the body

Better eyesight

Feet contain critical nerve endings, especially those that contribute to clear eyesight. Hence a warm massage helps improve eye sight

Improve circulation

This procedure also improves blood circulation; hence this procedure is beneficial in case of circulatory disorders too.

Other conditions

Padabhyangam helps in overcoming the foot-related symptoms in case of conditions such as diabetes and arthritis; for example diabetic neuropathy, epilepsy, high BP, etc. Interestingly, this procedure improves digestion too and is critical in rebalancing the three rogas (vata, pitta, and kapha)

Minimizing stress and anxiety

Padabhyangam calms your mind as much as your body and helps in reducing stress and helping in case of insomnia and related sleep disorders, as well as depression, headache, and chronic fatigue. The procedure also improves immunity

The actual procedure

The specific procedure has many variances; however, it commonly has three stages.

Purvakarma

During this preparatory stage, the Ayurveda doctor does a thorough examination of your condition and recommends not just padabhyangam but also the specific oil-based formulation that the therapist has to use. The therapist prepares the oil formulation based on the type of roga and the desired outcome. Base oils or tailams, milk, or ghee are used as the carriers of these herbal medications. Sesame oil, coconut oil, and even sunflower oil are used commonly. Some of these carrier oils also have their own benefits. Hence determining the accurate type and dosage of medication and oil are critical for an effective padabhyangam procedure. This formulation is warmed.

Pradhanakarma

This is the main procedure, where the therapist applies the formulation in oil across the patient’s feet, soles, heel, and ankle, all the way up to the knees. Therapists use different massage approaches, with about 20 minutes taken for each foot. One of the approaches involves using the hand to stroke, massage, and even rub the feet to improve circulation and stimulate free energy flow across the feet. In another related procedure, the purvakarma of preparing the oil-based formulation happens in a kasa bowl, which is made of bronze. The therapists also warm the oils inside this bowl and then use this warm oil for massage. Foot massage also involves removal of toxins by focusing carefully on specific energy points.

Pashchatkarma

After completing the procedure, the therapist removes the excess oil using hot water or salt water dip.

This simple and popular procedure is extremely popular because of the immense benefits that you can derive. However, please do first consult with an Ayurveda doctor before proceeding with the process since each health condition requires a different oil-based formulation and technique.

Contact me for any questions you have about padabhyangam. You can connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.

Shamana Chikitsa – Complete Palliative Care from Ayurveda

.Shamana Chikitsa refers to all the Ayurveda procedures and protocols that reduce, suppress, and eliminate disease symptoms. This form of palliative care pacifies the body by balancing the three rogas – vata, pitta, and kapha. These treatments are much simpler and less severe than shodhana chikitsa. They are intended to make the patient recover and feel healthier by suppressing the disease symptoms. Hence, while the inherent disease might still be present the patient undergoing Shamana chikitsa can control the symptoms. Hence, this approach primarily has symptom care as its focus.

These treatments are popular options when strong and exhaustive procedures such as panchakarma cannot be used because the patient does not have the physical or mental strength to bear the intensity of such treatments. Hence, Ayurveda doctors often prescribe this form of treatment when patients do not have the health and stamina to withstand the severity of strong medications, forceful movements of abhyangam, or the physical and mental strain of vamana, virechana, nasya, and other such procedures. Hence, this mode of treatment primarily focuses on Ayurveda medications and recipes that deliver just the right combination of nutrients and medicinal effects that your body needs based on your medical condition.

Applications of Shamana Ckikitsa

Shamana Chikitsa often finds use when the body needs care and improvement but is too weak to handle strong treatments. The treatment also helps in alleviating symptoms after an intense session of Shodhana Chikitsa, where the effects of the Shamana Chikitsa will remove even any residual rogas that are present in the body. These medications help to correct imbalances of rogas, agni, and dhatu through simple oral and external applications, as well as in delicate detoxification. Hence this chikitsa is useful for simple or less severe diseases and disorders that do not have a severe and deep-rooted cause. It is also useful when the intention is to first improve the patient’s strength and then plan treatment.

Therapists use this chikitsa in children younger than about 10 years and in geriatric patients or during pregnancy, where severe procedure might cause harm and for acute health conditions that can easily be annihilated. In chronic conditions, it can only act as a support form of treatment.

How does Shamana Chikitsa act?

This chikitsa does not affect the root of the disease; hence it can never result in complete removal of the disease or cure. The approach, however, reverses the damage caused by the disease. It focuses on altering the body’s roga balance through the administration of the right combination of medications. The approach also involves effecting a change in diet and lifestyle. In common diseases such as fever, cold, diarrhea, and other mild conditions, the roga imbalance does not require any stringent approach. Hence here the Shamana Chikitsa acts as the primary mode of care. In case of chronic and deep-rooted conditions such as diabetes, Shamana Chikitsa only plays a supplementary role. In such cases, the approach helps in purification and improves the overall health of the body.

Three main elements contribute to Shamana Chikitsa – herbal medications (oral and external applications), exercises, and food. A popular example of Shamana Chikitsa is Dashamoolarishtam, which is an effective formulation containing 10 precious herbs. This arishtam is not just a nerve tonic but is also precious in case of anemia and other conditions. Shamana Chikitsa uses extensive, lehyams, kashayams, churnams, arishtams, tailams, lepams, bhasmams, and other formulations.

The decision whether you require a Shamana or Shodhana chikitsa belongs to your Ayurveda doctor. The severity of your condition, your mental and physical strength, your age, and many other factors contribute to this decision. Hence always consult an expert Ayurveda doctor first before proceeding to treatment options.

Contact me for any questions you have about Shamana Chikitsa. You can connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.

The Essence of Sodhana Chikitsa – A Complete Detoxification Ayurveda Protocol

Sodhana Chikitsa is all about internal purification. Indeed, this cleansing procedure is at the core of the Ayurvedic approach to restoring health. This extensive treatment involves removing metabolic toxins or ama from the body through a 3-stage procedure. A critical aspect of Sodhana Chikitsa is Panchakarma treatment. This Chikitsa is critical to helping the body regaining the balance between vata, pitta, and kapha rogas. In addition, the Chikitsa is the treatment of choice for many diseased conditions including arthritis and metabolic disorders. The treatment approach includes stimulating every mode of the body’s excretory system, from the sweat glands to the lower digestive tract.

What is Sodhana Chikitsa all about?

Ayurveda principles function on the principle that built-up ama within the body leads to most of diseases and disorders of the body, affecting the routine functioning and responsibilities of tissues and organs. These accumulated toxins are often the result of an inherent problem in the body or a collation of poor body routine, from types and timings of food to sleep habits. Sodhana Chikitsa helps remove all these accumulated toxins, thereby calming the body and mind and restoring every system’s inherent quality and balance. A collection of intensive treatment protocols including snehana, swedana, and the five critical steps of panchakarma, including virechana, vamana, vasthi, nasyam, and rakthamoksham, form the core of this Chikitsa.

This treatment protocol requires the person to be considerably strong since it can be an exhaustive procedure extending to weeks. So first consult your Ayurveda doctor before you decide.

Procedure of Sodhana Chikitsa

The procedure involves a wide spectrum of treatments divided into three stages:

Poorvakarma, or the preparatory stage; pradhanakarma or panchakarma treatment; and paschatkarma, or the post-detoxification treatment

Poorvakarma

The first step is preparatory and it includes complete oleation with medicinal Ayurveda oils and steaming to prepare the body for the intensive protocol involved in detoxification. This preparatory procedure improves circulation and gets the tissues ready to eliminate the toxins. The oleation could be in the form of abhyangam, shirovasti, pizhichil, or other forms massages, while steaming could also includes kizhis.

The essential elements of Panchakarma, the pradhanakarma

Virechana involves purgation induced by Ayurveda formulations, while vamana involves inducing emesis orally. Vasthi is an enema while nasyam involves delivering medication through the nasal cavity. However, rakthamoksham is not much in use nowadays since this involves blood-letting using leaches or needles.

Paschatkarma

This stage helps patients get back to their daily routine refreshed but with healthy food habits and lifestyle, including a stringent diet, exercise routine and sleep habits.

Sodhana Chikitsa although an intensive and time-consuming procedure is quite effective in cleansing the body from all toxins.

Contact me at The Madras Institute of Ayurveda for any questions you have about Sodhana Chikitsa or specific health conditions. You can connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.

Permanent Management and Control of Osteoarthritis Pain with Ayurveda Treatment

Osteoarthritis or Sandhigata Vata roga is a degenerative condition of joints. This means that the condition commonly results as people age because the cushioning agent between bones in the joints undergoes wear and tear. This leads to severe pain and restricted movement. Although I commonly see patients older than about 40 visiting my Ayurveda Clinic in Chennai for this condition, I have also worked with juvenile patients. Osteoarthritis is a condition that has attracted a lot of attention both in allopathy and in Ayurveda, primarily because of the challenges involved in its management.

What are the options available for the Ayurvedic treatment for osteoarthritis pain? Let’s find out.

What is osteoarthritis all about?

When the cushioning agent of the joints loses its elasticity over a long period of hard work, the bones start scraping each other painfully. This causes joint stiffness and all the other symptoms characteristic of this condition. Although there are no clear answers, Ayurveda connects this condition to Vata roga. Vata primarily has a drying tendency and hence causes the cushioning agent to degenerate and dry up. Ageing and stress or injury to the joints are the common causes for this roga.

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

The common symptoms of osteoarthritis include joint stiffness, tenderness and pain, swelling, inflammation, and restricted movement. All these symptoms are observed to varying degrees, from manageable to completely debilitating. These symptoms can generally affect any joint in the body, especially those that bear weight, such as neck, knees, lower back, and hips. Severe limitations in leading a normal life also lead to emotional upheavals.

Treatment of Osteoarthritis

Allopathic medications focus on limiting pain and inflammation, with surgery as the final option. However, these approaches have limitations in terms of arresting the condition, undesirable side effects, and possible risks. Ayurveda, however, focuses on correcting the cause, that is, the vata roga. Hence, Ayurveda treatment approaches are much more effective in limiting the progress of the deterioration and in enabling the rejuvenation of the cushioning agents. Medications, exercise, Panchakarma, diet, and lifestyle changes are all part of the Ayurveda treatment approach. However, an expert Ayurveda doctor will first do an in-depth review to determine the cause and then prescribe the specific treatment module. Each treatment procedure will aim at rejuvenating the cushioning agent and strengthening the affected joints.

Diet

Avoid spicy and oily food, especially deep fried items. Consume food when they are freshly cooked and hot. Add a lot of proteins in your diet. Include ginger and pepper in your cooking. Avoid poor food habits as they lead to exacerbation of the vata roga. Ensure that your body is properly hydrated. However, avoid carbonated drinks. The key is to consume easily digestible foods.

Herbal medications

The pain caused by this condition is treated by specially prepared herbal formulations, whose ingredients are known for their anti-inflammatory effects. Common herbs include ginger, turmeric, triphala, and shatavari.

Massages

Follow Doctor-prescribed schedules for massages wit h warm oils, most commonly sesame oil. The massage is often done during the mornings. Abhyangams stimulate circulation of the blood in the body, removing toxins and reducing all sources of inflammation. Local and external application of medicated herbal oils is also recommended along with heat fomentations. This immediately soothes the pain and reduces the inflammation. But avoid excessive massaging of the affected areas since it might be contra-indicatory.

Panchakarma treatment

I highly recommend detoxification to help the joints heal effectively. However, given the physical strain involved in undergoing this entire procedure, do not choose this option unless your Ayurveda doctor feels that you are ready to take up this procedure.

Lifestyle changes

Practice correct postures and moderate exercises. Avoid strenuous workouts and tasks that worsen the joint wear and tear. Similarly, avoid a completely sedentary lifestyle that can stiffen the joints. Brisk walking and yoga are great options. Watch your weight as obesity can add a lot of strain on the joints. Practice meditation to calm your mind and bring a body-mind balance to your life and release your stress.

Management and control of osteoarthritis requires focused and sincere efforts to bring the desired results. But it also requires sticking to a healthy lifestyle and avoiding excessive stress. With the right Ayurveda guidance you can easily move from a restricted to a completely energetic way of living.

Contact me at The Madras Institute of Ayurveda for any questions you have about specific health conditions. You can connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.

Ashwagandha – the Superpower Herb of Ayurveda Having Rejuvenation Power

Ashwagandha has been the backbone of Ayurveda treatments for thousands of years. A true wonder drug, ashwagandha is known for its rejuvenating properties, its ability to beat stress, and its anti-ageing capabilities. Ashwagandha is popularly known as the Indian ginseng, thanks to the magical properties of its roots in building the body’s immunity and ojas and energy. The word Ashwagandha has two interpretations. The word literally means the smell of an ashwa or horse. This is interpreted as the literal smell of horse’s secretions, which is the smell of ashwagandha’s roots. It is also supposed to refer to the strength of the horse, representing the power of this herb.

Ashwagandha is a common ingredient in many energy- and immunity-boosting Ayurveda formulations. Hence, most of my patients at my Ayurveda clinic at Chennai are curious about its effects. Here are a few interesting uses of this wonder drug.

Benefits of Ashwagandha

This magical root has held the imagination of Indian and Western scientific worlds over the last many decades, with many studies evaluating its obvious and hidden benefits.

Ayurveda recommends this root for vata and kapha rogas. It is especially beneficial for neurological conditions, for boosting the immune system, for reproductive disorders, and for revitalizing the body.

Ashwagandha and stress relief

This powerful root is probably the most valuable for its stress relief properties. It has “adaptogenic” properties, which means that it guides the body to deal with stress. The root supports the adrenal glands in responding positively to stress, by mitigating the negative reactions of stress such as exhaustion, agitation, anxiety, and insomnia. It also rejuvenates the nervous system and immune system, energizing the entire body. As a result, the effects of stress do not negatively affect the body and resolve quietly over a period. In addition, these roots improve the body’s ojas and helps overcome insomnia. Unlike many allopathic sedatives, ashwagandha does not induce drug-dependent sleep, but it helps the body relax, encouraging the person to sleep.

Ashwagandha for a strong body

Ayurveda highly recommends these herbs for sportspersons since it exponentially improves exercise endurance and the body’s strength. It also reinforces the body’s immune system, which is critical for postsurgical care or recovery after illness or prolonged treatment. The medicinal herb helps in restoring the body’s balance of hormones, stimulating the digestive power of the body and improving the body’s overall fitness.

Ashwagandha is also the herb of choice to correct menstrual cycle disorders, providing strength and stamina to women,

Forms of intake

A churna or powder form of the roots is a popular formulation. Ayurveda doctors commonly mix this powder with milk and sometimes water and consumed at bedtime for stress relief. Milk and ashwagandha are both rejuvenators; hence their combined effects will bring relief to the body. Ghee and honey are also popular vehicles. When you mix Ashwagandha with sugar, the resulting combination cools the body. Doctors prefer this combination for women with menstrual disorders. We also use tablets, decoctions, and extracts of Ashwagandha.

However, ensure that you always consult an expert Ayurveda doctor for a detailed assessment and diagnosis before you decide to self-medicate. Not all conditions are conducive to the intake of these roots; for example, pregnancy, excessive toxins in the body, and a pitta-based body.

Contact me at The Madras Institute of Ayurveda for any questions you have about specific health conditions. You can connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.

Pure Ghee – The Magical, Secret Ingredient of Ayurveda

Pure ghee has been the royal ingredient of not just Ayurveda but also every important aspect of Indian living. It’s a symbol of love, happiness, celebration, prosperity, and health. In addition to the enviable power it wields in our homes, ghee has a special place in Ayurveda since it is considered to be one of the best fatty nutrients that helps calm a lot of disorders. Pure ghee has many incredible benefits. Our body undergoes complete detoxification with ghee as its primary medication carrier.

Ghee is the purest form of milk since it is clarified butter. Cow’s milk is considered the best source of ghee for human consumption and is ideal for balancing vata and pitta rogas. Of course, the older the ghee, the better it is – given its innumerable medical influences in Ayurveda. As an Ayurveda doctor ghee is one of my favorite ingredients both in my Ayurvedic formulations and the massages. Of course, Chennai has always been in love with the ghee! So let’s look at why Ayurveda also loves ghee so much.

Why’s pure ghee so special?

Ghee is sweet, but its cooling effect and light nature help in cooling the body, at the same time increasing its digestive power. No wonder, ghee has been a popular ingredient in Indian cooking since time immemorial. Ancient Ayurveda texts have also praised ghee as an ingredient that delays aging, probably given the percentage of antioxidants it has. Ghee is safe for almost all ages of people and improves the capability of all the sense organs.

Various applications of ghee

Ghee plays a constructive role in the body, helping in bone formation, which is useful when the body is healing from a fracture. As an extension, ghee also slows down the aging process
It is also of great use in case of gastritis or ulcers – both in the stomach and in the intestinal tract.
Pure ghee is also an excellent lubricant, helping in smoothening the connective tissue of the body
This magic ingredient is an incredible moisturizer and helps enhance the skin’s complexion.
Ghee plays a magical role in healing from burn injuries, skin rashes, and bedsores.
Pure ghee enables intelligence and stimulates thinking.
Ghee works wonders with our voice boxes, making us sound melodious
Complete detoxification with ghee is possible because of its ability to dissolve all the toxins and eliminate them from the body.
Ghee is a great replacement for the regular mouthwashes and gargles since they help retain the strength of gums and teeth

Ghee in common procedures

A critical step of panchakarma is detoxification with ghee, which involves preparing the body for the panchakarma treatment by giving patient ghee to consume. This helps in loosening the toxins which the body easily eliminates during panchakarma.

Netra basti is another important procedure where the treatment involves creating a small well around the eye and pouring warm ghee into it. The eyes become soft after this treatment.

Pure ghee is one of the most popular options for abhyanga, especially in the case of the person opting for a self-massage for the head, torso, limbs, and joints.

Conclusion – Detoxification with ghee – warnings

Ghee causes an imbalance of the kapha; hence Ayurveda does not recommend ghee in case of obesity and high cholesterol. Hence, when used in moderation, ghee can have a wide range of positive effects. Its benefits range from calming the mind to reducing the speed of aging. This makes ghee truly the superstar ingredient of Ayurveda.

Contact me at The Madras Institute of Ayurveda for any questions you have about how you can use ghee to deliver overall health benefits or in case of specific health conditions. You can connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.

Why Is Pizhichil the Most Recommended Ayurveda Treatment for Detoxification and Rejuvenation?

Pizhichil is indeed one of the most royal treatments within Ayurveda, thanks to its incredible recharging power. It’s one of the most popular treatments in my Ayurveda clinic. Although this treatment is known more for its relaxing and rejuvenating power, pizhichil also has many other benefits. A whole-body version of the shirodhara, pizhichil (which literally means squeezing) is called sarvanghdhara (pouring a thin stream of oil or other fluids across the entire oil). The oil used in this procedure is medicated and is poured all over the body in a synchronous format when the oil is lukewarm. Thus the combination of heat, massage, and medicated oils makes this a complete therapy.

Unlike other treatments, pizhichil often requires more than one therapists who would simultaneously massage different parts of the body. This is also not a single-session procedure. It takes anywhere between 7 and 28 days, depending on the body’s condition and the patient’s schedule.

What are the benefits of pizhichil?

Pizhichil is especially beneficial for overcoming Vata rogas. Since it involves massaging the entire body, pizhichil is a great rejuvenator for the nervous system, circulatory system, and muscles.

Detoxification

The procedure results in profuse sweating, which is a great way to eliminate toxins from the body. The result of this detoxification is a soft and glowing skin, a healthy circulatory system, and slowing the aging process.

Neurological and psychological benefits

This procedure helps in overcoming anxiety and depression. It is also helpful in reducing stress and related body stiffness and pain. Pizhichil has proven effects in managing neurological disorders too.

Managing medical conditions

Pizhichil helps control the blood pressure and contributes to treating rheumatic diseases and managing conditions such as arthritis, paralysis

Wellness

The symbiotic effects of massage, heat, and medicated oils result in a complete feeling of wellness, improving mental and physical well being. It also enables quick recovery after your body fights an illness or infection by removing the fatigue and improving the body’s immunity.

The process

Pizhichil is an elaborate process requiring about 3 to 4 therapists, repeat sessions extending from 7 to 28 days, and with almost an hour per session. The patient usually lies down on a specially prepared treatment table. The entire body is covered with a warm medicated oil that is squeezed diligently from an oil-soaked piece of clean cloth. In parallel, more than one therapist massages the oil-soaked body gently. The process uses many liters of oil and this process takes almost an hour. The therapists take care to prevent the patient’s head from sweating. This procedure is repeated for each session, with the composition of the medicated oil changed depending on the patient’s body’s response to the procedure

Pizhichil – the complete rejuvenation package

Before you decide to go in for pizhichil definitely consult with an experienced Ayurveda doctor and ensure that your body is ready to undergo this multi-session procedure. A great option for rejuvenation and relaxation, pizhichil is indeed a “royal” indulgence for your body. The medicinal benefits of the oil that penetrates through every pore of your skin into your body will help in detoxification. The procedure also revives your tired mind and soul. This is a procedure that you can certainly treat your body to on a regular basis.

Contact me at The Madras Institute of Ayurveda for any questions you have about pizhichil and how this procedure can help your specific health condition or support your body in rejuvenation. You can connect with me at http://www.miayurveda.org/ or call me at +91-9444615161.