Deevya Ayurveda & Panchkarma Centre

Neurological disorders may creep in due to many reasons. It may be due to degenerative diseases, accidents, other health conditions, birth defects or genetics. The most common form of disorder occurs due to non-functional brain cells in some parts, and loss of myelin sheath in neurons, which protects the nervesignals in their complete transfer from origin to destination. These losses are irreparable, but further degeneration can be avoided with ayurveda. Panchakarma, the branch of ayurveda, which deals with detoxification of the body and mind, especially helps. Over a period of time, it can bring back the lost sensation in nerves. Yoga, pranayama and ayurvedic treatments lead to recovery and relief to a huge extent.

Important facts about panchakarma

There are 3 important steps in panchakarma, which are followed one after another to get the result. The main objective of panchakarma is to detoxify the body. Virechanam, vamanam, sneha vasti, nasyamand kashaya vasti are the 5 folds in panchakarma.

Poorvakarma or preparing the body, followed by abhyangam or massage, followed by elakizhi or herbal paste massage, and finally podikizhi, or steam bathing makes the body ready for receiving further treatments. Njavara kizhi is the special treatment done in panchakarma where the body is given a rice bolus massage to improve the joint and neuro functions.

What is njavara kizhi?

Njavara is a variety of rice, which is specially used for ayurvedic treatment and massages. In this treatment, the rice is made into a pudding by boiling it with milk. This pudding is then made into boluses. The boluses are filled in muslin cloth, and then using these muslin bolus dabs, the whole body of the patient is massaged. This full-body massage has excellent effects on neurological and joint functions. The deep tissues withconsult an expertin the body are rejuvenated. The treatment is carried on for 45 minutes to 60 minutes by therapists or experts. Another form of the treatment requires the rice to be made into a paste, and then the paste is applied all over the body. But this is more preferred for beautification.

Other effective therapies

Siro vasti, kati vasti, ela kizhi and nasyam are all different forms of panchakarma treatment, which detoxify the body and mind and rejuvenate the body and nerve functions. But these treatments cannot be conducted on the body on your own. You need a masseur who must be a specialist in ayurveda to do this for you. Hence contacting ayurvedic clinics, doctors or experts would be the best to start the treatment. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

 

Obesity has put a massive number of people at a higher risk of life-threatening health issues in the recent years. Statistics point out that it has already affected 25% of the Indian population. It is one of the leading causes of illnesses such as stroke, cardiovascular problems, cancer and hypertension.

Causes and symptoms you must watch out for -
The most common causes of obesity are-

1. Eating high Glycemic Index (measured above 70) foods like refined grains (white rice, white bread) that cause insulin and blood sugar levels to rise up quickly.
2. Leading an inactive, sedentary lifestyle
3. Genetic predisposition and hormonal changes over the years. As you age, your body loses muscle mass and the metabolic rate becomes slower. This makes it easier for you to gain weight.
4. Other medical conditions such as Hypothyroidism, PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), Prader-Willi Syndrome

Symptoms include-

1. Excessive sweating
2. Breathlessness
3. Tiredness and fatigue
4. Pain in the joints

Obesity diagnosis-

1. BMI: People who are obese have a BMI equal to or greater than 30.
2. Screening test: If you have been encountering the symptoms mentioned above, consider undergoing screening tests like ultrasound, CT scan and MRI scan.

How can Ayurveda treat Obesity?
In Ayurveda, all health problems are the result of an imbalance of the basic humors in the body - kapha, vata and pitta. One effective Ayurvedic therapy to cure obesity is the Panchakarma vidhi. Panchakarma uses medicated herbs, natural ingredients like rice, sand, medicated powder on your body to soothe your senses and flush out the toxins from your body.

There are 5 different ways to restore your body’s dosha balance-

1. Vamana- The process of vomiting out the toxins after medication and therapy.
2. Virechana- The process of excreting toxins through bowel movement.
3. Nasya- Essential oils and medicinal herbs used to massage the head region. The toxins are then released from your system through formentation.
4. Basti- Sesame oil and medicinal herbs used to soften and cut the fat tissues. This increases the heat in the fat tissues and triggers metabolism.
5. Raktamoskshana- Purifies the blood stream, thereby filtering out the toxins from your body.

Ayurvedic treatment methods are also accompanied by a balanced lifestyle, healthy diet, exercise and meditation. Those suffering from obesity should go for Panchakarma, as it helps cure the condition from within. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

At any point of time, only 90% of your hair is growing. The remaining 10% is resting and falls off after 2 to 3 months to make space for new hair follicles. Thus, while it is normal to shed a few strands of hair a day is normal, waking up to find multiple strands of hair on your pillow can be a nightmare for anyone.

Hair loss can be of many types and in order to treat it, you must first figure what type of hair loss you suffer from. Some of the main types of hair loss are:

1. Involutional alopecia: This type of hair loss affects people who are middle aged and older. In such cases, more and more hair follicles go into the resting phase after which they fall off. The hair that remains becomes shorter and brittle making it easier to break.

2. Telogen effluvium: Telogen effluvium is a temporary condition that causes changes in the hair follicle’s growth cycle and puts a number of hair follicles into the resting phase simultaneously. This is often experienced after a stressful event like a severe illness, childbirth, stress or sudden weight loss, and can last for anywhere between a few weeks to a few months.

3. Male and female pattern baldness: For males, hair loss at the top of the scalp in an ‘m’ shape which gradually turns into a ‘u’ around the side of the head is a sign of pattern baldness. This condition makes hair follicle thinner, shorter and brittle and is triggered by genetic conditions. Both male and female pattern baldness have very gradual hair loss and so you may not notice significant thinning until quite late.

4. Patchy hair loss: None of the most noticeable symptoms of this type of hair loss is one or two smooth, hairless spots. Apart from the scalp, it can also affect the eyebrows, arms, legs and facial hair. In most cases, this has a sudden onset. However, when hair grows back in one bald spot, it may fall out from another. In some cases, the hair may not fall out but may break, leaving behind patches of extremely short hair.

5. Tinea capitis: This is a contagious fungal infection that affects the scalp of school-going children. It makes hair in certain patches or all over the scalp break off and triggers inflammation in the scalp. Pus-filled sores and a scaly scalp are other symptoms of this condition.

6. Trichotillomania: Hair fall can also be triggered if you twist or pull your own hair. This psychological disorder often affects children and causes hair loss by breakage.

In ayurveda, vata is considered to be extremely important. It regulates the movements of your body and mind. In the body, large intestine is considered to be the main site of vata as well as in the bone tissue. Therefore, medications which are administered through the rectum affect the bone tissue. Vata maintains and regulates our daily activities, nervous system as well as our excretion. An enthusiastic and a lively mind are all manifestations of a balance of vata. 

Subsequently, its imbalance is considered as detrimental to health. Basti therapy is a treatment that manages the pain and treats the diseases arising from this imbalance. In this, a liquid concoction of sesame oil and other herbs are inserted through the rectum, which in turn treats various ailments arising from the imbalance of vata, such as pain in the joints, in the spine and back as well as painful menstruations.

Before basti therapy, abhyangam and sedanam are practiced. Enema can be assumed, but basti has power to detox and nourish as well. Yoga basti for is done for 8 days, karma basti for 1 day and kala basti for 30 days, or according to the health issues and affected system, in order to drain doshas and nourish dhatus.

There are primarily three types of basti therapy:

• Niruha
• Anuvasana
• Uttar basti

All three of them, individually treat various ailments, some of them are:

Stiffness in the back and pain in the spine: in this method, pain in the spine and vertebral column are managed and treated. It involves pouring warm, herbal oil on the spinal cord, which is retained by small wells created from flour or gram paste. This method is particularly beneficial for treating back problems. This method nourishes the liquid in the joints that consequently relieves you of the pain. Bell's palsy: bell's palsy is a disease where the muscles on the face become weak or you suffer from a facial paralysis. Basti therapy has proved to be particularly beneficial in treating it. In this, a medicated oil is placed on the head for a specific period of time which helps in treating bell's palsy as well as any numbness on the face. Painful menstruation: though menstruation is a natural process, most women suffer from extremely painful cramps during this time. Anuvasana therapy is extremely useful in lessening this pain. In this various oils and decoction enema is provided to patients, the consumption of which have resulted in significant improvements. 

Painful menstruation cramps are also treated by uttar basti where medicines are provided through the uterus. This method helps in cleaning the blockages in the uterus as well as providing nourishment to it. 

In males it is very effextive for treating sexual dysfunctions, prostate problems, urine incontinence and other problems.

Ailments that accompany monsoon: though monsoon provides relief from the scorching summer, but at the same time it is accompanied by a host of diseases. With the onset of monsoon and the fall in temperature, there is a tendency for acidity and the vata that was accumulated in summer manifests itself in loss of appetite, indigestion and piles. Basti therapy operates as a corrective for the vata imbalance and treats various digestion related problems. At the same time it also prevents return of the ailments. The oils and decoction used rejuvenates the body and as well as help in regulating the metabolism.

Melasma, commonly known as skin pigmentation, is a skin disorder, which causes brown and blotchy spots on your face. Everybody craves to have spotless and flawless skin. But usually no one does anything about it. Contrary to popular belief, having perfect skin is not really difficult. You need to religiously follow your skincare regime to keep it healthy and flawless. In case you are suffering from melasma or have skin pigmentation,

Here are a few tips which you can follow:

1. Apply raw potato on your face: Take a clean and fresh potato. Cut it into two halves and wet the exposed surface with a little water. Rub this on all the affected regions on the face and wash your face after 10 to 15 minutes with lukewarm water. Potatoes are extremely effective in removing pigmentation as they have an enzyme called catecholase, which can help to lighten darkened areas on the skin.

2. Use apple cider vinegar on your skin: Apple cider vinegar helps to restore the natural color of the skin. It also contains beta-carotene, which helps to treat the damage done to the skin by the atmosphere's free radicals. In fact, one of the famous qualities of apple cider vinegar is to make the skin supple and bright.

3. Apply aloe vera on your skin: Regular usage of aloe vera on the skin is one of the best and most effective remedies for skin pigmentation. Aloe vera can help clean the skin without harming the natural balance of the skin, as it has marvelous cleansing properties. It helps to reduce spots on your face, and also provides protection against the harmful uv rays of the sun.

4. A sandalwood pack can also work wonders: Sandalwood acts, both as a stimulant as well as a blood purifier. These two properties of sandalwood help it to treat skin pigmentation. Make a pack using sandalwood and rosewater and apply it to your face at least twice a day to get rid of the pigmentation. Sandalwood is also one of the major ingredients for a sunscreen as it can protect the skin from the harmful uv rays.

5. Keep an eye on what you eat: Your diet plays a very crucial part when it comes to the wellbeing of your skin. Make sure that you add a lot of green leafy vegetables and foods rich in vitamin a and c to maintain your healthy skin. Drink lots of water and eat a lot of fruits in order to keep your skin hydrated. This will also detoxify your body.

6. Reapply sunscreen every two hours to maintain uv protection: This is a must-have for anyone suffering from skin pigmentation. It works to improve the appearance of your pigmentation while providing you the protection of spf.

Follow the above tips and ensure yourself a spotlessly beautiful skin.