Eastern promise
Everybody knows the word “arthritis”and what it means—stiffness, pain and swelling in the joints, reduced range of motion, less flexibility and impaired mobility.
In comparison, rather few people in the West are familiar with the word “panchakarma”—a highly effective cleansing method used for treating both osteoarthritis (the common, “wear and tear”form of arthritis) and rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints) developed by Ayurvedic doctors in India sometime between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago.
Ayurveda is a Sanskrit word that translates to “science of life.” In Ayurveda, health exists when five conditions are met: 1) the digestive fire (agni) is in a balanced condition, 2) the three dosha types (the energies of vata, pitta and kapha, see box, right) are in equilibrium, 3) the three waste products (urine, feces and sweat) are produced and eliminated normally, 4) the body’s tissues are functioning and 5) the mind and senses are working harmoniously together. When the balance of these systems is disturbed, the disease process begins.
Healing in the Ayurvedic system is based upon understanding how the five elements of creation—ether, air, fire, water and earth—work in, around and through us. These five fundamental life elements are understood as being
