Aurveda

BURNED OUT BY THE CHAOTIC lifestyle in Manila, businesswoman Manelle José took a blood test that revealed high levels of cholesterol and uric acid. She then decided to go on a detox program in an ayurveda clinic in New Delhi.A highlight of her program was doing a series of treatments, being awashed in a thick, warm sesame oil-based concoction, infused with medicinal herbs and being mildly pummeled with herbal poultices.When she returned to Manila, her doctor was surprised to see positive results in her blood test.Frenchman Patrick Eyquem also had stress-related health issues. His high antibody (a protein that defends the body) reading posed a threat to his tissues.“When I was checked for the antibodies in the thyroid, the reading should be 1 or below 1. Mine was 19. I went to Delhi and after the first treatment, my antibody (reading) went down to 12. After four sessions, the reading normalized to 1,” he recalls.Eyquem brought his mother to the ayurvedic clinic to undergo the full treatment. When she returned to France, she kept going to the bathroom. “She had retained water and her legs swelled. When you start cleaning your body, toxins are removed. Now everything has normalized. She is 75 and is very healthy.”When José met Eyquem in the same clinic, she invited him to help set up an ayurvedic center in the Philippines. Eyquem learned ayurveda from a guru and ashta vaidyas (literally meaning experts on the eight branches of ayurveda) in Kerala state.Delay agingThe new Arogya Ayurveda Center offers traditional treatments based on the person’s constitution. “It’s just to give the people a taste of it and see how much they can benefit,” maintains Eyquem.Ayurveda (meaning “the knowledge of life” in Sanskrit) is an ancient medical system in which the universe, including the human body, is shaped by the elements of ether, air, fire, water and earth.It is designed to restore health and revitalize the digestive system and likewise create mental well-being.The heart of ayurveda is maintaining the balance in the individual’s constitution. One’s makeup is composed of the three doshas—vata (air), pitta (fire) and kapha (water) which are encoded in every cell.In most people, one dosha predominates, influencing the health, appearance and personality. Imbalances in the doshas result in ailments.To address the health issue, ayurvedic centers provide massage, herbal treatments and dietary advice meant to remove the toxins and strengthen the immune system.Eyquem explains that Arogya specializes in the external treatments, using a wide variety of oils. Based on ancient formulations, the treatments remove impurities and target specific ailments such as arthritis, stress, skin disorders, diabetes, etc.The massages are not manipulations of muscles and tissues but rather gentle rubbing and stroking to facilitate the absorption of oil.The basic treatment, called abhyanga, is an herb-infused hot oil massage simultaneously performed by two therapists. It aims to relax the body, improve circulation, remove tension in the joints.This could be paired with shirodhara, which involves dripping buttermilk or a yogurt decoction onto the forehead for a cooling effect. This treats nervous disorders and insomnia. For tired eyes, a treatment involves placing a gauze with medicated ghee or clarified butter that also prevents cataracts and dryness.Central to ayurveda is the pancha karma, a detoxification which includes oil massages, regulated diet, herbal steam baths and enemas.Eyquem clarifies that Arogya offers a modified version of pancha karma because the real one requires the individual to stay in a controlled environment for weeks, with regulated activity and food intake.“Here, people go home and still go to work. We have experienced in the past two months that there is improvement in rebalancing the body. The toxins which come out are sticky. This means the food was not digested properly. When the channels are blocked, the body doesn’t get proper nourishment,” he says.As the massage releases the toxins from the microscopic energy channels, the flow of energy normalizes. Consequently, the food is better assimilated, thus sustaining the body.“When the oils penetrate the body, the toxins go into the intestinal tract. So we do enemas to get them out,” he says.To delay the aging process, pancha karma should be done twice a year.Quick responseBefore the treatment, the clients undergo a thorough evaluation by answering 50 questions about how the mind works, the person’s lifestyle and body build.A second questionnaire checks the medical history and health disorders. The scores determine which dosha dominates the client.“Vata is air or anything which is dry. It corresponds to the nervous system. An excess of vata is a hyperactive mind and dryness in the body which goes to the joints. There’s a tendency to suffer from arthritis. When it increases, especially in women, there’s osteoporosis. A balanced vata is a joyful, creative and enthusiastic personality. A vata personality should cut down on raw food since it is harder to digest and generates gas in the system. Pitta is fire which is connected to the hormones, endocrine system and digestion, liver and pancreas. Pittas are average build. When pitta is out of order, one gets emotional, can’t stand the heat and ends up with ulcers or heart problems. Kapha is earth and water, connected to the immune system, bones and muscles. A balanced kapha is wise and dynamic. The unbalanced kapha is obese and lethargic,” says Eyquem. For kapha types that need to increase the vata, salads are advised.Eyquem is impressed with Filipinos who quickly respond to the treatment. He cites the example of a client who came with a stiff shoulder caused by taut nerves; in time she could raise her arm.More than stress relief or quick fix, ayurveda will open your mind—and your energy channels to result in a more balanced lifestyle.