If our liver could talk, it would probably say “I signed up for detox, not this whole-time junk filter job”. It sounds humorous, but the reality hits hard. It’s a serious warning!!
In our present-day lifestyle, our poor liver needs a bravery award. To meet our drastic needs like midnight cravings, processed foods, weekend binges of drinks and scrolling media and of course the sedentary life, our committed and hard-working liver is on the verge of collapse.
Overview Of Liver Role – Detoxification
Liver is the largest gland in our body weighing 1400-1600gm in males and 1200-1400gm in females, having two anatomical lobes right and left. Multifold functions of liver include manufacture and excretion of bile, several plasma proteins, metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, storage of vitamins (A, D and B12), and most importantly detoxification. Thus, the liver is a silent guardian of our body and keeps our inner systems in balance. In Today’s fast paced world, we are constantly exposed to toxins and added factors like stress, medications, irregular routines. So, the detoxifying role of the liver is challenging.
Introduction To Ayurveda And Panchakarma
Health as per ayurveda is not merely absence of illness, it is a well-balanced state of mind and body as well as balanced state of dosha, dhatu,malas, agni etc. Through therapies like panchakarma, rather than just cleansing the body, ayurveda aims for ultimate health by this time-tested approach.
Panchakarma with the specially designed five procedures facilitates the desired pharmaco- therapeutic effects of medicines and helps our body to rejuvenate rapidly. Ayurveda advises undergoing specific panchakarmas according to season to purify the body, relax the mind, improves the digestion and metabolism. These five purificatory therapies (vamana, virecana, nasya, niruha and anuvasana vasti) help in the elimination of vitiated doshas and other therapeutic benefits like snehana, swedana, brmhana, rukshana, lekhana etc. An effective karma should have the lakshana bahu ati kartavyata yogi, that is capacity of multiple and broad-spectrum action.
Understanding Ayurvedic Perspective Of Liver
The most connectable reference for liver in ayurveda is yakrut (koshtanga). It is derived from “yaha” that is one and “krut” means does. Thus, the word yakrut means an organ that is always active and performs important metabolic actions in body. Vedic literature referred to the liver as Takima or Yakma. Other synonyms in ayurvedic literature are kalakhanda, jyotisthana, yakritkhanda, yakritpinda, raktadhara ,raktasaya etc. Yakrut and pleeha are said to be the sthana of pitta dosha as per acharya Susrutha. Out of five varieties, ranjaka pitta has the role of giving raga to rasa dhatu while transforming to rakta dhatu. Yakrut is the moolasthana of raktavaha srotas. Aligning with modern medicine we can see in foetal life RBC are produced in 3 stages namely mesoblastic, hepatic and myeloid stage. Commencing third month of intrauterine life, it is hepatic stage where RBC are produced in the liver and spleen.
Hepatic Pathology – Ayurvedic View
In ayurveda mostly all the disease pathogenesis is manifested by either vridhi or kshaya of tridoshas, dhatus and malas. Yakrut vikaras are no exception to this principle. While a pitta vridhi can lead to conditions like jaundice (kamala,halimaka ) its kshaya can lead to anaemia(pandu), fatty liver (yakrut mamsa medo dushti). A kapha vridhi can cause hepatomegaly (yakrut vridhi), where as a vata vridhi can lead to liver cirrhosis (yakrut kshaya). Acharya Susrutha named this yakrut vridhi as yakrudallyudara, whereas yakrit kshaya is explained in bhaishajya ratnavali. Thus, the specific nidanas aggravating each dosha play a key role in the development of yakrit vikaras.
Ayurveda Answers…. “Detox With Panchakarma”
In the management of liver disorders panchakarma plays a crucial role. As the main dosha involved is pitta, Virechana karma can be said to be the pillar of detox. It involves the intake of medicines which expel the vitiated doshas along with toxins through lower gastrointestinal tract. Just like virechana, basti karma is also equally important in liver disorders for eliminating vitiated dosas. Commonly yakrut vikaras are treated like udara vyadhi. The order of treatment is in 3 steps, a purvakarma including pachana dipanan snehana and swedana , a pradhaan karma including the main procedure and finally the paschat karma packed with samsarjana karma, rasayana and samana prayoga.
“From Fatty To Fit” – Condition Wise Panchakarma Approach
Fatty liver- through ayurvedic lens fatty liver can be explained as a yakrut vikara having medo dhatu dushti and kapha pitta vitiation, where the liver seems enlarged due to accumulation of fats and toxins. Excessive intake of Madhura,guru, snigdha gunas , sedentary lifestyle causing kapha pitta vitiation as well as medo dushti leads to the formation of ama and subsequently srotorodha. The improper medo dhatu is the unprocessed fat here, which is getting accumulated. The altered lipid metabolism results in increased triglyceride levels.
Clinical observations revealed that virecana karma helps in reducing triglyceride levels, a key marker in altered metabolic functions. The process begins with dipana -pacana using medicines like amapachan vati etc to kindle agni, then followed by snehapana using ghrtas like guggulutiktaka ghrta, mahatiktakaghrta etc as per the condition of vyadhi. This can be administered in gradually increasing doses depending on the patient’s agni bala and koshta. After seeing Samyak snigdha lakshanas, virecana performed using medicines like avipatti churna etc. Post virecana peyadi krama to be advised for restoring agnibala. This well-structured protocol offers a natural dosha specific approach to detoxification.
Raktavaha srotas originates from yakrut and pleeha. Due to this common origin, pathologies affecting these organs show overlapping symptoms and similar treatment approaches. “yakruti pleehavat sarvam tulyathvat bheshajam matham”. While explaining the chikitsa of pleehodara, acharya says treatments like Sneha, sweda ,vireka, niruha and anuvasana vasti and special indication of siravyadha in vama bahu (left arm venesection).
In most of the yakrut vikaras metabolism is impaired due to agni dushti, affecting dhatu parinama and results in srotorodha. This led to accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, clinically correlating with ascites. Ascites is a common complication in almost all liver diseases; it is correlated to jalodara one of the eight types of udara vyadhi. Since the most related dosha in yakrut vikara is pitta dosha, the best shodhana therapy is virechana, ksheerabasti is also preferred, and when there is involvement of vata, kapha and medas vastikarma (niruha , anuvasana )can be done.
For kapha medo hara chikitsa, lekhana vasti is a good choice. Vasti prepared using lekhaneeya gana kwadha (eg usakadi gana) and other ingredients like triphala kasaya, gomutra, saindhava lavana, tila taila etc helps to reduce the excess accumulated fats and toxins. This type of lekhana vasti has proven results in impaired lipid metabolism. Agnikarma is also indicated in the case of vatakapholbana conditions.
Safe Panchakarma With Expert Guidance
Panchakarma is a powerful detoxification and rejuvenation therapy, but it is not a one-size-fits-all therapy. It should be always done under trained and experienced supervision. Serious complication arises if not properly administered. Safety guidelines include an individualized approach based on prakruthi, dosha etc, Therapies should be strictly prohibited to those who are contra – indicated and finally a skilled execution.
Integrating Panchakarma To Today’s Lifestyle
In today’s world as we are more exposed to stress, poor diet and sedentary habits, our body carries toxins. So regular cleansing of the body is needed for detoxification and thereby balancing doshas, improving digestion and metabolism, and making the mind calm.
Just like fashion and fitness, your panchakarma plan should be fit for you. It can be a seasonal detox like doing vaman karma during vasant rtu, vasti during varsha rtu and virecana / raktamoksha during sarat rtu. Or it can be a weekend detox like doing an abhyanga swedana and doing nasya karma or preferring a mild good diet. And not to exclude the digital detox with screen breaks.
Love your overworking liver, let panchakarma do its magic
