According to Ayurveda,age old truth of India the



harmony of the body, mind and soul is the complete health. Ayurvedic Panchakarma is a unique approach to remove from the mind the "taste" for drug addiction by focusing on our specific metabolic type (Vata, Pitta or Kapha) & mental dispositions (Sattva, Rajas or Tamas) to treat the deep-seated problems.

Ayurveda gently transmute Rajas & Tamas into Sattva (calm, wisdom) and re-connects us to our Divine Self.

The basic concept of Ayurvedic medicine is that the body is seen as a microcosmic universe in which the five primordial elements (panchamahabhutas) - ether (akasha), air (vayu), fire (agni), water (jala) and earth (prithvi) - combine to form three humours (doshas), known as wind (vata), choler (pitta) and phlegm (kapha). It's believed each dosha has its own qualities and functions in relation to the body.

The balance between these doshas determines individual constitution (prakriti) and predisposition to disease. Constitution is also affected by the strength of a person's 'digestive fire' (agni) and bowel function (kostha).Seven tissues (dhatus) and their waste products (malas) make up the physical body and a network of channels circulate fluids and essences around the body.

Three interdependent universal constituents, the three gunas - purity (sattva), activity (rajas) and solidity (tamas) - also influence health and determine mental qualities.

Disease occurs if lifestyle, mental or external factors cause an imbalance in one or more of these components. Ayurvedic medicine treats the majority of its patients using herbal mixtures, other organic food and substances that have been clinically tested and are now being scientifically validated.

Ayurveda addresses drug addiction also in this way.

Its treatment includes:

a) Palliation - To bring the toxins from improperly digested food or what you go through in life from the deeper tissues back to the blood, stomach, and small or large intestine, according to our type. Snehapana is one among the preoperative procedures of panchakarma and is done in the morning after evacuation of the bowels and urine.

The medicated ghee is administered internally on empty stomach (Internal oleation This also results rebalancing the Mansik (mind related) Gunas to SATVIK controlled situation.

b) Panchakarma proper - When the toxins have been successfully released from the deeper tissues and gathered in GI tract, we proceed onto either vaman, virechan, or bastis.

Internal oleation involves taking medicated oils/ghees morning & evening to mollify the toxins and un-scrape excess V, P or K from the deeper tissues. External oleation involves massage with heavy quantities of warm or hot oils immediately followed by a steam-bath

c) Tonification -Nourishing treatments with nutritive herbal oils & ghee, together with a nutritive and tonifying diet, breathing exercises and yoga postures to stabilize the physical & mental metabolism

d) Herbal remedies such as Bacopa monniera (brahmi), Tinospora cordifolia (guduchi) and Convolvulus pluricaulis (shankhapushpi) treat the addiction and its physical or psychological effects.

Dietary modifications to increase sattvic foods and encourage the formation of the vital fluid ojas are implemented. Yoga asanas have an immediate affect of creating endorphins in the brain that bring a great sense of calm to the individual.

Needless to say Ayurvedic Panchakarma helps a drug addict to recover from it, by cleaning the body's deep tissues of toxins, opening the subtle channels, bringing life-enhancing energy thereby increasing vitality, inner peace, confidence and well-being. An expert ayurveda physician can help to overcome this dreadful condition in a different way.