Panchakarma at Home: DIY Ayurvedic Detox Plan

What is Ayurvedic Panchakarma?

As mentioned before, panchakarma is a whole-body detoxification process. "Pancha" means five, and "karma" means a procedure or action. So, panchakarma combines five procedures that help detoxify the whole body.

What Are These 5 Procedures?

The 5 procedures of panchakarma therapy are;

• Vamana ( Therapeutic Emesis to cleanse out the upper part of the body )
• Virechana (Therapeutic Purgation to detox the lower part of the body)
• Basti (Therapeutic Enema to cleanse your colons)
• Raktamokshana (Therapeutic Bloodletting to detox your circulatory system)
• Nasya (Therapeutic Nasal Instillation to detox the upper respiratory tract)

These panchakarma detoxification methods in Ayurveda must be carried out strictly under the supervision of an Ayurvedic health expert. To learn more about the therapies, read our blog, "Experience the Whiff of Panchakarma: Ayurvedic Detoxification Made Simple."

However, in the coming sections, we will discuss some techniques for authentic panchakarma detox at home. Regularly detoxifying and cleansing your body system is essential to an Ayurvedic lifestyle. We care for your well-being, even if you are miles away from us.

PS: Not all methods of the traditional panchakarma detoxification process can be carried out at home, as improper methods can lead to complications.

What Is Snehapana?

People who need surgery are not directly taken into the operating room, right? Certain preparatory procedures, like fasting, administration of fluids or medications, or cleaning the area, are essential before the surgery. 

Similarly, in Ayurveda, Snehapana prepares your body for detoxification or Panchakarma treatments. In Ayurvedic language (Sanskrit), ‘sneha’ means fats like oil or ghee, and ‘pana’ means to drink or consume.

Snehapana can be used for both alleviating disease symptoms and as a preparatory procedure for more intense detoxification treatment, like Virechana. The administration of medicated oil or ghee based on your body type and health condition helps soften the tissues and ease the elimination of toxins for a more effective and thorough detoxification.

To calm a disease without eliminating Doshas, a smaller dosage of medicated oil or ghee is administered. However, if Snehapana is done as a preparation for detoxification, a larger quantity of ghee or oil is administered, and the dosage is increased day by day for up to a week till the appearance of sure signs.

How does the doctor know when to stop Snehapana and proceed with detoxification procedures? The signs that indicate proper and effective Snehapana are:

• Unobstructed downward movement of Vata dosha results in smooth bowel movements and gas passage.
• Improved appetite and digestion.
• Smooth stools with the passage of oil or ghee along with it.
• Softness and smoothness of the skin
• Tiredness and laxity of body parts.
• Aversion or dislike towards ghee or oil.

Once these signs are observed, it means you’re ready for detoxification.

What is the Benefit of Regular Ayurvedic Cleanse at Home?

"According to traditional Ayurvedic treatment principles, we recommend that one undergo panchakarma cleanse regularly according to environmental changes," says Dr. Naveen, CMO at Nirva.

Dr Naveen says that with each change of season, our body changes its functioning and tends to clog itself with toxins or impurities. Panchakarma procedures help unclog your system. 

So, this home Ayurvedic body detox will benefit you in several ways and make you feel lighter—inside out! Let's see how this cleanse will benefit you!

• An ayurvedic detox at home will help restore your metabolic fire (AGNI). A healthy Agni helps digest food, eliminate waste, and provide energy. 
• The procedure pushes your body to eliminate Ama (clogged-up body toxins) to strengthen cellular functions.
• Once you complete all five detox procedures, your three doshas (body bioenergy)—Vata, Pitta, and Kapha—will be balanced, supporting good health.
• The dietary restrictions and lifestyle changes you make during the ayurvedic detoxification at home will help you continue your healthy habits. 
• You will experience reduced stress and improved relaxation at the end of the whole therapy. It also reduces stress and improves relaxation & tolerance.
• A home panchakarma cleanse slows the ageing process by removing the built-up toxins in the body, such as chemical products of oxidative cell damage.
• A substantial body immunity fights off chances of ill health. Regular detoxification can strengthen immunity.

These are why we recommend you undergo a panchakarma cleanse at home. 

Note : Ensure that an Ayurvedic expert is always on the other end of the phone while carrying out the cleanse.

How to Do Panchakarma at Home: Virechana Therapy 

Virechana is the most efficient and easy-to-do panchakarma treatment at home. 

First and foremost, avoid this detoxification therapy if you are pregnant, anaemic, or debilitated. Otherwise, it is safe for most healthy people if done with care.

So, we will guide you through one of the 5 detoxification processes that is the best ayurvedic colon cleanse at home: Virechana or Therapeutic Purgation.

1. Getting Ready!

Ready to rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul with a panchakarma cleanse? 

Take a week-long break from your daily routine to maximise this transformative experience. 

Picture yourself in a cosy cabin, surrounded by nature and free from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Sounds impressive, right? That is the exact kind of calmness you need during this ayurveda body detox at home.

So, you must focus on engaging in activities that promote relaxation and inner peace, such as walking in nature, reading light material, and practising gentle yoga and meditation. 

Are you worried that you can't take a whole week off? Fret not! You can still benefit from the cleanse by doing days 1 to 3 during the workweek and days 4 to 8 over a long weekend. 

The first step before performing the panchakarma at home is to determine your Ayurvedic body constitution, which comprises three doshas. 

Typically, one dosha is dominant, another is secondary, and the third is least noticeable. Talk to an ayurvedic expert about which medications will best detox your body constitution.

Know your body constitution in just 5 minutes by taking this Prakriti quiz! 

Are you ready?

2. Strengthening Your Agni 

Experts recommend having an excellent digestive and metabolic fire before starting any panchakarma treatment at home. How can you assess this?

It's effortless. 

• First, ask yourself this question - Do you digest the food you eat very well within 3-4 hours of eating? If yes is the answer, you are good to go!
• Another way to assess your digestive fire is to take a teaspoon of clarified butter early in the morning and check how long it takes you to get hungry. If you feel hungry within one hour or two, then it's time to start the treatment.

However, to be safer, you can have ayurvedic herbs or supplements that improve your digestive fire for 3 days before starting panchakarma detox at home.

Medicines like 'chitrakadi vati' or 'agnitundi vati' help increase your digestive fire.

Connect with our Ayurvedic experts to know the exact dosage for your body type.

It's time to start once you are ready with optimum digestive fire!

3. Day 1-3 of Panchakarma - Accumulating Your Body Toxins

Things to Keep Ready

• Medicated ghee or Organic cow ghee - 4.5 - 5 ounces
• Rock salt/trikatu powder - 1 pinch
• Triphala powder - 1 teaspoon (for tea)
• Light breakfast with easily digestible food

Step-by-Step Instructions

• You must drink 1-2 ounces of warm ghee (clarified butter) every morning from the first to the third day, increasing the quantity by ½ each day. 
• If you're Vata-dominant, add a pinch of rock salt to your ghee, while Kapha-dominant people should add a pinch of trikatu (a medicated powder of three herbal spices: pepper, long grain pepper, and dry ginger). 
• Wait for your hunger to return before you have your breakfast. Remember to follow your dosha-specific diet.
• Before you go to bed, mix 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Triphala powder in a cup with 1/2 cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes, and then drink it. This mild but nourishing laxative will help you feel great.
• On the third day, you will notice that your stools are very soft. You may also notice the presence of ghee in the stools.

As the practice of days 1-3 helps increase your metabolic fire, it is a way of getting an easy ayurvedic liver cleanse at home. Your liver is the first organ that takes care of your metabolism.

4. Day 4-6 of Panchakarma - Melting and Sweating the Toxins off

Things to Keep Ready

• Warm rice with lentils or rice porridge with mild spices.
• Dosha specific tea
• Warm Oil for Massage
• Hot water for bath
• Triphala powder

Step-by-Step Instructions

• To prepare your digestive system for the detox and avoid indigestion or stagnation of toxins, you must eat a light diet on days 4-5. The best option, recommended by experts, is a mixture of rice and lentils flavoured with toasted spices. You can also opt for warm soups for lunch and dinner. But never go for a heavy, processed, or oily meal.
• Remember to prepare the tea specific to your dominant dosha, which steers 1/2 to 1 teaspoon for 5 minutes, then drink. 
• If your dominant dosha is Vata, prepare Vata Tea by mixing equal parts of ground ginger, cumin, and coriander. 
• For Pitta Tea, mix equal parts of ground cumin, coriander, and fennel. 
• Lastly, mix equal parts ground ginger, cinnamon, and a pinch of clove for Kapha Tea. 
• In the morning and evening, practise a 15 to 20-minute self-massage with 8 ounces of warm organic oil (sesame oil for vata, sunflower oil for pitta, and corn oil for kapha). 
• After that, rest for a few minutes to let your skin absorb the oil, and then take a hot shower or bath. Allow yourself to sweat the toxins out.
• Scrub your body with natural soap, but allow some oil to remain on your skin. Before heading to bed, take a dose of Triphala, just like on days 1-3.

5. Day 7 of Panchakarma - Cleansing the Colon

Things to Keep Ready

• Triphala tea
• Trivrit Lehya
• Semisolid rice porridge.

Step-by-Step Instructions

So far, you are doing great!

• Day 7 is the day when you will need that off day. Make sure you are in a place where you have access to a restroom. This day, you need the maximum rest. 
• Additionally, make sure that you keep a jug of warm triphala tea with you.
• Early in the morning, around 7 a.m.- 9 a.m., you must take 1 ounce of Trivrit lehya (a semisolid medication). An Ayurvedic expert recommends using any other medication for the panchakarma cleanse. It is always best to use medication according to your body's constitution.
• Take rest after you have consumed the medication. Make sure that you don't doze off.
• After a few hours, you will feel like passing stools. Attend the urges whenever they come. Keep the count.
• A successful panchakarma detoxification at home will result in at least 7-10 times the passage of stools. After every visit to the loo, sip half a glass of warm Triphala tea.
• Once the feeling of defecation has completely stopped, you may experience hunger. Now, consume a semisolid rice porridge sprinkled with salt and spices.

Note: If you feel weak or dehydrated, immediately contact your healthcare coach.

6. Day 8-12 and Beyond

Congratulations on completing your main panchakarma cleanse at home! 

• From day 8, it's time to transition your diet from rice porridge to a regular diet.
• On Day 8, add steamed vegetables to your porridge and gradually transition to a heartier diet by including non-yeasted bread and more vegetables. Then, return to your doshic diet.

7. After-care: Replenishing and Rejuvenating Your Body

Set aside time to build your strength and make your rejuvenation more effective. Whether it's a weekend, a week, a month, or even longer, use this time as a purposeful period of rest, relaxation, and rebuilding of body, mind, and spirit. During this time, getting plenty of rest, observing celibacy, and practising yoga and meditation are essential.

Dosha Balancing Teas

You can take one of the following balancing drinks in the morning and at night for 30 to 60 days:

• For vata, take 1 teaspoon of ashwagandha in 1 cup of hot milk.
• For pitta, take 1 teaspoon of Shatavari in 1 cup of warm milk
• For kapha, take 1 teaspoon of punarnava in 1 cup of warm milk. 

Additionally, continue taking Triphala for two to three months.

This home panchakarma cleanse will deepen your self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-love. As your body and mind become increasingly purified, your yoga practice and your life will begin to shine. This holistic wellness is what Ayurveda, the science of longevity, is all about.

Safety and Considerations to Keep in Mind During Ayurvedic Detox at Home

The traditional Panchakarma Detox process at home is simple but has side effects if carried out without proper evaluation by an Ayurvedic health expert. The points you need to consider before the detoxification process are;

• Your digestive fire(Agni) must be strong enough to digest the ghee you consume.
• Do not consume cold, frozen or caffeinated drinks during the whole process and afterwards.
• You must avoid consuming alcohol and smoking.
• Your diet must be strictly vegetarian from at least a week before you start the cleanse.
• You must not sleep during the day or skip sleep at night.
• You must keep your mind and body calm.
• You must get your anorectal examination done to check for any conditions that may cause complications when you pass stools repeatedly during the ayurvedic colon cleanse at home.
• It's best to avoid any exercise that makes you tired. Instead, choose gentle stretching or intense workouts.
• Reading a book instead of watching television or using screens works better for your mind.

Sleep Tips for Detox

Panchakarma, the Ayurvedic detoxification procedure, focuses on cleansing the body by eliminating aggravated Doshas out of the body and restoring the balance of all three Doshas, i.e. Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. 
However, if detoxification is not done properly, fails to address the Dosha imbalances, or is done without considering the individual’s body type, it may cause unintended disturbances in sleep. 

If you do not get sufficient sleep during a detox, it may negatively impact the procedure, reduce digestive strength, increase stress levels, slow down healing processes, and affect your overall health. 

“Sleep at the behavioural level is a process of neuronal restitution and detoxification at the cellular level.” - Sleep as Neuronal Detoxification and Restitution, PubMed.

How can you ensure good sleep during detoxification? Here are some tips for good quality sleep during detox:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. Having a sleep schedule not only gives you the proper amount of sleep but also improves sleep quality.
• Read a book, listen to gentle music, or drink a warm glass of milk before going to bed to help you fall asleep faster.
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol close to bedtime. 
• Avoid watching TV or scrolling through your phone while in bed. The blue light emitted by electronic devices can interfere with your sleep by tricking your brain into thinking it’s still daytime. 
• Make sure to exercise during the day. Studies have indicated that moderate-intensity physical activities are particularly effective in enhancing both the duration and quality of sleep. However, steer clear of intense workouts close to bedtime, as they might disrupt your ability to sleep. 
• Limit your daytime naps to not more than 20 minutes during the day.
• Keep your bedroom quiet, calm, and dark. You can add 2 to 3 drops of calming essential oils like lavender, jasmine, or chamomile to a diffuser and place it on your bedside table.
• Practise deep breathing or meditation for a few minutes before bedtime to calm your mind and promote relaxation.

Take a few drops of coconut oil and rub it gently onto your feet. Foot massage can improve blood circulation and reduce stress and tension, thereby improving sleep.

Wrapping it Up!

Regularly carrying out panchakarma detoxification at home is an easy way to keep your system detoxified and healthy. Try different types of panchakarma detoxification, adhering to the traditional principles of Ayurveda and according to your individual needs. Ensure you get advice from an Ayurveda expert on the right medicines and supplements.