Day 1: PanchaKarma - Ayurvedic Cleanse

Yesterday begins my 15 day journey through PanchaKarma with Vijaya from http://livingrasa.com/.

The following are some of the benefits of Panchakarma:

1. Cleanses the whole body of toxins and restores balance.
2. Strengthens the immune system, thus improving resistance to illnesses.
3. It reverses the effects of stress and aging in mind and body.
4. It enhances our strength, energy and vitality, as well as mental clarity and alertness.
5. It helps the body to heal itself, thus reducing dependency on herbs and medicines.
6. Helps one to make positive and beneficial lifestyle changes.

I am starting with a change of diet that is based around balancing my main dosha or constitution (which is Pitta) and easing my digestion.

What is Pitta:

Pitta is said to be composed of fire and water; it governs "all heat, metabolism and transformation in the mind and body. It controls how we digest food, how we metabolize our sensory perceptions, and how we discriminate between right and wrong." Pitta must be kept in balance, too. "Too much Pitta can lead to anger, criticism, ulcers, rashes and thinning hair.". A balanced Pitta mind makes one a good leader with a warm personality.

My first day was mostly spent gathering the items I'd be eating for the next week: ghee, mung beans, basmati rice, oatmeal, veggies to steam, coconut water, pomegranate juice, green drink, fennel seeds, cilantro, mint and goji berries. I'm sticking to simple foods, foods that balance my Dosha and the basic "kitcheri" diet of the cleanse (lotsa mung beans and rice).

Also I am drinking a mix of herbs concocted by Vijaya that were put together specifically for my Dosha-imbalances.

In ayurveda there are 3 main doshas (medical humours), which are Vata (resembles the classical element air), Pitta (fire), and Kapha (water).All bodily processes are believed to be governed by a balance of the 3 doshas. Whichever dosha appears to dominate a person's behavior and physique is called his constitution type. Each constitution type has particular strengths and susceptibilities.Often a person is a dual dosha (e.g. Vata/Pitta) or even Tridosha (all three doshas).

One of the ways Pittas experience imbalance is in their mood - feeling grumpy or spent - since Pittas naturally gravitate toward "doing" stuff the breakdown lies in not "being" enough. I started drinking this herbal tea a month ago and have already felt a difference in my state of mind. I had been feeling like I was running on empty. I felt depleted, unappreciated and sometimes depressed. Ever since I started taking the herb tea Vijaya made for me, I have watched a lot of that bitterness fall from my way of being. I've taken more time for myself and have stopped expecting such a high level of performance out of every minute of the day. Just being given permission to calm down - made all the difference in the world...