India is the origin of ayurveda, Yoga and panchakarma. Many health-conscious people who have already studied the healing art of ayurveda have come across the term panchakarma at one point or another.
Our current contribution to overcoming the Corona crisis
A brief digression into our medical history:
Hildegard von Bingen enjoyed a good reputation as an emancipated polymath. This good reputation continues to resonate to this day. She brought together the rudimentary knowledge of the physicians of her time with the empirical knowledge of medicinal herbs from folk medicine, thus creating a new understanding and the necessary acceptance for the effectiveness of folk medicine. Her healing methods were comprehensive. She combined the effects of medicinal plants with the benefits of a holistic, conscious diet (her work: Causae et curae) and lifestyle. Already in the 11th century Hildegard von Bingen was aware that prevention is always better than cure.
Prevention is better than cure
Our Ayurveda doctors also feel committed to this holistic principle. The knowledge and experience of Ayurveda/Panchakarma is over 5000 years old. Ayurveda/Panchakarma still has a firm place in the health care system in India today. Panchakarma treatments have proven to be effective for many diseases. But the real value of the therapy lies in the holistic approach of prevention. Because, a disease that can be avoided does not need to be cured!
Together with Ayurveda doctors we have developed a new special program for you
The basis for this special program is the millennium old traditional Panchakarma cure. We are constantly threatened by infectious diseases. But you are not defenceless against them, you can protect yourself with a strong immune system. The focus of the current therapy is therefore on strengthening your immune system. A strong immune system is the best preventive protection against infectious diseases (Covid-19, flu and other infections).
An effective, individual therapy is always the result of a consultation with an experienced Ayurveda doctor. For this reason, we will unfortunately not provide any cure at this site. It would be untrustworthy to make any recommendations for treatment or implementation. The therapy plan of a Panchakarma cure is created for each individual according to his or her needs by a recognized Ayurveda doctor. Please contact us if you would like to learn more about a pancha karma cure.
Be prepared in times of increased risk of infection
Ayurveda has had answers to all kinds of challenges affecting our health for over 5000 years.
We therefore find in this health system also proven and meanwhile also by western medicine as effective, recognized procedures, which reduce stress and increase the immune system.
Here are a few simple preventive tips, against corona, flu and colds:
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- Wash your hands (at least 20 seconds) and face frequently and for a sufficiently long time with a mild soap
- Use disposable towels if possible
- Treat the face with very cold, running water 2-3 times a day (approx. 1 min.). To activate vitamin D, you can also extend the cold water treatment to large muscle groups
- Avoid direct contact with “public” surfaces
- Keep distance to people (restriction of social contacts)
- Sneeze and cough in a handkerchief (or in the crook of your arm if necessary)
- Drink plenty of still water and herbal teas
- Drink spiced green tea (e.g. with turmeric + pepper, ginger, cinnamon, lemon)
- Get many vitamins and minerals from fresh fruit and vegetables, especially all kinds of leafy vegetables
- Talk to friends and family about pleasant things (helps against stress)
- Go out into the fresh air and soak up the sun
- Meditate for at least 10 minutes to prevent stress (let your thoughts wander, breathe consciously)
- Sleep regularly, make sure the environment is free of disturbances (darkened, noiseless, no radio radiation, if possible cool with open window)
If you take these simple things to heart, you will have the best preventive protection against many infectious diseases.
Herbs with known antibacterial or antiviral effects
Cistus, coneflower, capella pelargonium, fennel, thyme, mullein, lemon balm, ginger, garlic, ivy, liquorice, nasturtium, horseradish, sage, hyssop and ribwort
Remember, a good, strong immune system is worth its weight in gold
But what makes the panchakarma cure so special?
At this point we want to explain how panchakarma affects your health and why this cure is the health cure par excellence for many health problems?
We would like to explain to you why panchakarma has the potential for world medicine.
Panchakarma cures detoxify the body and calm the mind
We are constantly exposed to environmental noise, radiation and chemicals, which affect us with varying duration and intensity. Even in everyday situations we suffer from this environmental stress. This strains body and mind and at a certain threshold these factors even have a negative effect on mental and physical vitality and make us ill.
A good and effective counter-strategy is needed to balance the negative influences. The individual cures of panchakarma unfold their effect exactly there. They help to reduce stress, calm the mind, detoxify the body and let us find inner balance.
With the panchakarma cure the quality of life increases
People react quite differently to high stress. However, when the stress reaches the level of overload, this can manifest itself in many diseases of the body and psyche. The triggers are hyperacidity, poisoning, mental exhaustion or a combination of these factors.
Experience has shown that the panchakarma cure can help with many problems. For example: disorders of the digestive system, the cardiovascular system, the skin, pain in the musculoskeletal system or persistent moods, which are generally regarded as a window to our well-being, are considered well treatable. This is where the panchakarma cure comes in. There it is a great help, because it regulates what makes us ill. Even many chronic illnesses can be treated very well with an individually adjusted panchakarma cure. It is the gentle way to improve the quality of life.
For this reason a panchakarma cure is not only limited to sick people. Those who wish to maintain or improve their health are also well advised to use this therapy. panchakarma works against stress-related, premature aging processes and makes you physically and mentally fit.
Panchakarma, the five activities
Panchakarma literally means “five-fold purification or five activities”. There are five different actions (purifications) on which this healing process is based. Each individual action serves the elimination of toxins with the aim of intensively purifying the body and mind and thus relieving the strain on them.
Individually prepared laxatives (virechan), vegetable enemas (basthi), emetics (vaman), nasal rinses (nasya) and/or bloodletting are used. The cleansing takes place via the intestines, mouth, nose and/or skin.
The cleansing is supported by typical massages and steam baths, so that the therapy consists of a targeted sequence of internal and external measures.
The constitution of the patient, the so-called vata, pitta or kapha constitution, the type of illness, as well as the physical and mental strength of the patient determine which therapy the therapist chooses.
The therapy is accompanied by a balanced diet. Here the individually composed nutrition is an important part of the therapy planning. It is worked out according to the constitution of the patient and incorporated into the cure.
Effectiveness of Panchakarma confirmed by study
A good indicator for the acceptance of a therapy is the period over which it is applied. The ayurvedic healing methods have been used for 5000 years. Over this long period a valuable wealth of experience has built up. But is the old knowledge still valid today or is it outdated and should be replaced by modern therapies? This question led to a scientific study.
The scientists put the effectiveness of the virechan treatment, thus the general effectiveness of the ayurvedic laxatives in the year 2002 to the test stand. In the end there was a surprising result. Completely unexpectedly, the virechan treatment could even eliminate fat-soluble environmental toxins such as DDT and PCP, which are fixed in the fatty tissue and are actually no longer excreted. With a single treatment, the toxin depot could be reduced by up to 50% in some cases. A pleasing result when you consider that chronic poisoning often leads to chronic diseases.
The duration of a panchakarma cure
With the panchakarma cure a fundamental conversion of the metabolism and stabilization of the immune system is to be achieved, with the aim that the self-healing powers of the body are activated and thereby body and spirit find back to a healthy equilibrium.
This effect takes time to unfold and varies from patient to patient. If the disease is already chronic and associated with a serious disorder, an 8-week stay should be planned. For mild disorders a 4-week cure would be optimal. Panchakarma is a gentle healing method and therefore a certain therapy duration is required until the effect is noticeably unfolded and lasting. For this reason, at least 3 weeks should be planned for the cure.
Three phases
A panchakarma cure goes through three phases. During the purva karma (I. phase) the body is prepared for the purifications. Once the preparations are completed, the actual purification, the panchakarma (phase II), begins. This is followed by the paschat karma, the so-called reconstruction (III. phase). Since the cure unfolds its effects gently, the patient should have plenty of space, rest and time for himself/herself during all phases to perceive all physical and psychological reactions to the treatment and to devote the necessary attention to the changes.
I. Phase – preparation
The preparatory phase focuses on the Ghee Days. Ghee is clarified butter prepared with special herbs. For several days the patient drinks the liquid herbal ghee in the morning on an empty stomach. At first he/she drinks only a little ghee. Over time, the amount absorbed is increased. The herbal ghee causes waste products and toxins to be eliminated, including those that the body has deposited deep in the tissues.
After their release, special Ayurvedic oil massages are used to mobilize the toxins and transport them to the gastrointestinal tract for excretion via the stool. At the same time, the detoxification of the body is supported by prescribed steam baths, so that some of the harmful substances are disposed of through the skin.
Phase II – cleansing
The therapist makes a diagnosis and determines which procedures to use. The cleanings begin with the first of the five possible draining procedures. Since the body is very stressed by the drainage, a rest day always follows after the drainage in order to give the body the opportunity to recover from the strain. After the rest day a supporting massage follows, before the treatment is continued with further drains, further rest days and massages in the same rhythm.
Phase III – reconstruction
Every component of the treatment is important and the paschat karma (reconstruction) is just as important as the purifications (panchakarma). The intensive cleansings are very strenuous and the patient feels exhausted. In order to refresh the mind, strengthen and harmonize the body, ayurvedic remedies (rasayana) are prescribed in phase III. The remedies help the body to regenerate itself and complement the positive effect of a light activity that is now recommended, e.g. yoga, dance or relaxing walks.
Until now, light food has been administered. The nutrition is changed now completely but slowly. It takes about seven days until the body can digest a “normal” diet again.
Since certain parts of the health problems are often due to unhealthy eating and living habits, this phase should be used for reflection and reshaping bad habits. The regained quality of life can help to consciously turn away from old, perhaps harmful habits. It would be a pity if the success of the cure were to diminish again, because the old habits, which do not correspond to the actual needs of the body, are maintained.
An intensive, comprehensive and lasting cure
A panchakarma cure, which is carried out according to the traditional guidelines, is the best guarantee for a broad, long-lasting positive change.
After the cure, the patient benefits in many ways. For example, the body shows improved resistance to allergens that have led to inflammation, breathing difficulties, digestive disorders, skin rashes or other problems before the cure. This is due to the stabilisation of the immune system and the stimulation of the metabolism. Also an improved cardiovascular system, a healthier skin and a brightening of the mind and generally an improvement of the ability to concentrate is the gift of an intensive panchakarma cure.