Ayurveda and Yoga in Oakland, Berkeley and Bay Area

Ayurvedic fasting for detox and good health

Ayurveda places foremost importance for health on agni — digestion.  Charaka, the great wandering renunciate (sanyasi - monk) Ayurvedic physician from 200 B.C., declares (Ca. Ci XV.3-4): “On it’s proper functioning depend life-span, complexion, strength, health, enthusiasm, corpulence, luster, immunity, energy, heat processes and vital breath.  One dies if this fire is extinguished, lives long free from disorders if it is functioning properly, gets ill if it is deranged, hence, agni is the root cause of all.”  In another article – “Eating Guidelines According to Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine” – we have given suggestions for eating which help promote good digestion.  The subject of this article is fasting – one of those mentioned in the above article.

Colon Balancing

According to Ayurveda proper digestion and absorption of food and water are essential to maintain good health, while improper elimination of toxins (ama) from the body can lead to various health problems. Improper food combining, suppressing natural urges, insufficient water intake, a diet low in fiber, excessive meat consumption and lack of exercise amongst other reasons can lead to constipation and other digestive problems.

Here are some Ayurvedic tips to help with proper elimination and to avoid digestive problems:

About Tri-Phala (3 Fruit Compound) – Rejuvenative for all Bodily Tissues, Anti-Oxidant, Detox

An important herbal compound in the Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia is called Triphala. It is the dried form of three fruits – all indigenous to India. They are: Haritaki in Sanskrit (He Zi in Mandarin) = Chebulic myrobalan in Latin, Amalaki in Sanskrit (An Mwo Le in Mandarin) = Emblica officinalis, and Bhibitaki = Beleric myrobalan. Haritaki has been called the destroyer of disease. Sacred in Tibet and the Himalayas, it is found in the Medicine Master Buddha’s (Namo Bhaisajya Guru) right hand and his alms bowl. It is useful in many disorders, including constipation, headache, dyspepsia (stomach ache), gas, bloating, skin conditions, eczema, cough, bronchitis, hiccough, diabetes, eye rejuvenative (as eye wash), hemorrhoids, worms, edema, yeast infection (douche OK too), hepatitis, enlarged liver, biliousness, splenomegaly, kidney stones, tumors, and ascites. While it is balancing to all three doshas (vata, pitta, and kapha), it is particularly useful in balancing vata. It has an action which promotes the clearing of all channels in the body.