How Pollution Hazards Are Treated by Panchakarma?

Pollution is defined as the introduction of harmful constituents into the natural environment that can cause severe changes. These harmful components have poisonous effects on our body and affect the normal lifestyle adversely.

The major kinds of pollution are air, water, noise, light, thermal and radioactive. These different forms of pollution have two sources: the point and non-point sources. Non-point sources are difficult to control whereas the point sources are easy to control, identify as well as monitor.

Pollution affects more than 200 million people all over the world and in these polluted places, babies are born with severe defects and their life expectancy is low.

Children in these areas have lost their IQ points to 30 to 40. Pollution occurs through different sources such as vehicles, industries, overpopulation, agricultural and solid waste, combustion of fossil fuels.

What is Panchakarma and what are its benefits?

Panchakarma literally means “Five Actions” that relies on the five distinctive basic activities that control the body. These five activities are Vomiting, Niruham, Anuvaasan, and Nasayam. These are the pillars on which majority of techniques stand.

It works with the utilization of medicated oils that eliminates the toxins and impurities from the body.

Benefits of Panchakarma:

• Eliminate the toxins
• Boosts the immunity and physical strength
• Reduces weight
• Improves appetite
• Relieves stress
• Relaxes the body and mind

Role of panchakarma in treating pollution hazards:

The concept of Panchakarma in treating pollution hazards is to balance the vitiated doshas with the help of Purvakarma and eradicate these vitiated doshas through the nearest outgoing path of the body.

Vamana Karma:

• Vamana karma is the effective and best therapy for the elimination of vitiated Kapha dosha from the body. It is one of the five pradhana karmas of Panchakarma used in treating kaphaj disorders. Effective vitamin therapy is indicated by 5 to 8 expulsions.
• Patients suffering from Kapha disorders and associated Pitta disorders settled in the place of Kapha such as sinusitis, rhinitis, bronchitis, COPD etc. These diseases are caused by air pollution and have adverse effects on the body. This therapy cures acute as well as chronic skin disorders.
• In this therapy, vomiting continues for a while. It relieves headache, pain in the large intestine, anemia and other non-healing wounds disorders. After this therapy, the person gains strength and nourishment. There is an enhancement in the metabolism and digestion power and it also restores the normal health.

Herbs used in vaman karma- Madanphal, gokshur, neem, gunja etc

Virechana karma:

• Virechana therapy refers to the process of administration of different herbs through the rectum in order to remove vitiated doshas from the lower body parts. It is a detoxification therapy that eliminates the toxins and vitiated Pitta dosha through the rectum because Pitta is situated at the level of the intestine so it is best to expel these doshas from the anal route.
• The intensity of the therapy depends upon the body’s constitution and disease of the patient. In this Ayurvedic therapy, there is an intake purgative which helps to expel out Pitta through lower pathways…
• This therapy is very effective in treating a number of health problems such as skin disorders, gynecological disorders, piles, acidity, ulcers, jaundice etc. It cleanses the body in case of poisoning which can be caused due to adverse effects of pollution. Therapy may take 3 to 7 days. After this treatment, a diet plan is advised to follow for 1 to 7 days.

Herbs used in Trivrita, – danti, vidanga, haritaki etc

 Basti Karma:

• This therapy is different from the regular enema. This is adopted in a wide range of diseases such as constipation. In this procedure, the route of administration is the anus, although the route may be vagina, urethral orifice, and wounds. The frequency of repetition of these enemas depend upon the predominance of doshas.
• This includes evacuation of stool and urine. It increases the appetite and strength of the body. This therapy is predominantly useful in Vata dosha imbalance. Basti is given in two forms: Basti with oil and another is Basti is given with a mixture of herbal decoction, salt, and honey. It is useful in treating several pollution hazards like skin disorders, pain in abdomen and pelvis region, non-healing wounds etc.

Nasya Karma:

• Nasya is an effective Ayurvedic treatment which is helpful in treating pollution-related disorders like migraine, sinusitis, ear, nose and other organs above the neck. This therapy purifies these organs and removes the vitiated doshas through the nose.
• This therapy is given in the form of medicated fumes, oil, powders or juice. This treatment is useful in removing toxins from the neck and head region by administrating medicated oils or fumes through the nasal cavity. It is also given in neurological disorders. This therapy strengthens the chest, neck, shoulders and visual site of a person.

Herbs used in Nasya karma are hingu, vidanga, tulsi, lahsuna etc.

Raktmokshana:

• Raktmoshana is one among the five purification procedures. In this procedure, there is a letting out of the vitiated blood from the body. This involves puncturing- with or without using instruments (leech therapy, or by using cow’s horn or pitcher gourd).
• When blood gets vitiated by doshas due to pollution or other reasons then it causes several diseases. It is useful in treating several pollution hazards such as toxic conditions of blood, abscess, burning sensation in the throat, nose, ears or lips, conjunctivitis etc. But this therapy is contraindicated in anemia, ascites, hemorrhoids, pregnancy etc.

Other procedures:

Shirodhara:

• It is a form of Ayurveda therapy that involves pouring liquid over the forehead. Liquids used in this procedure are milk, buttermilk, oil or coconut water. This procedure is useful in treating various hazards related to pollution are tinnitus, insomnia, graying of hairs etc.
• It is also used in treating mental disorders such as mental stress and anxiety. This therapy gives the cooling effect as similar to that obtained with medication. It works on relaxing the hypothalamus in the brain and normalizes the functions of the hormones that regulate sleep which becomes.

Swedana:

• Swedana is one of the treatment procedures done in Ayurveda for treating various Vata vyadhi disorders or used as a pre-operative procedure for Panchakarma. It is the process of inducing sweat with the help of steam which is generated from several medicated herbal decoctions.
• It stimulates the sweat glands to increase circulation in the body. This procedure is indicated in several pollution-related hazards such as osteoarthritis, low back pain, paralysis, sciatica, chronic constipation etc. This procedure balances the Vata and Kapha doshas in the body.

Abhyanga:

Abhyanga is the most common Ayurvedic procedure that involves massage of the body. This can be done as a part of the steps of Panchakarma therapy, especially in the first stage.

This procedure is followed by a warm bath. It eliminates the impurities from the body, softens the skin, reduces the weight, promotes better sleep, and stimulates the internal organs of the body to function properly.