How to do Panchakarma at home? – Dr. Phanindra VV

People often ask how to do panchakarma at home because people are fascinated by the word panchakarma. Panchakarma includes 5 procedure namely vamana, virechana, nasya, basti and raktamokshana. Since the panchkarma has to be practiced under the guidance of a physician. So as such, by large, it cannot be conducted at home. There are few modifications to the main procedure or the subprocedures of panchkarma which can be practiced at home, but still the benefits of panchakarma can be reaped upon. The main such procedures are abhyangam and pratimarshanasya. Abhyangam means oil application to the body from above downwards in the path of the hair follicles. So if a person takes medicated oil. So if a person takes a medicated oil like gingely oil or coconut oil or castor oil, depending upon the availability of the oil and the nature of the oil which is used in the respected locations. They warm it and they apply it on from the head to the toe in the direction if the hair follicles. The massage has to be carried out for at least to 5 minutes to a particular part, like if they take hands, the massage should be done for atleast 5 minutes to the hands. After that the procedure has to be extended to all the parts of the body. It should start with the head and it should end with the toes. The benefits of abhyangam are not restricted to one part of the body. Both the mind and the body should be benefited. Abhyangam brings in very good relaxation to the body. It improves sleep, it improves digestion, it improves the blood circulation to the skin and so an and so forth. The main use of abhyangam done for a period of time, not restricted to one day or two days. It is a lifelong process, which is to be practiced than a person can note that the ageing process of the body stops to reduce in its speed. For example a person who practices abhyangam by the age of 20 years and practices it continuously, when he reaches the age of 60 years, then his skin texture would still remain that of a 50 year person. So it can reduce the ageing process. The next procedure that we often do that we advise to the patient is pratimoksha nasya, where a medicated oil like anu taila is taken and instilled into the nostrils, 2 to 3 times in a day. This procedure of nasya can ensure the normal functioning of the brain and also it prevents the dust allergies and so on and so forth, it is also beneficial in improving the eye sight giving the strength to the teeth, preventing hair fall, etc.