Snehapana is a vital remedy in Ayurveda, which includes the oral consumption of medicated ghee or oil. The Sanskrit time period “Sneha” refers to grease or medicated ghee, and “Pana” means ingestion, therefore the title “Snehapana”. It’s performed as a preparatory course of for Panchakarma.
In Snehapana remedy, a selected amount of medicated ghee or oil is consumed on an empty abdomen within the morning, adopted by a selected weight-reduction plan and life-style routine. This remedy is used for each preventive and healing functions in Ayurveda. It’s believed to assist enhance digestion, enhance immunity, improve pores and skin well being, relieve joint ache, and enhance total well being and well-being.
On this article, we’ll delve deeper into the idea of Snehapana in Ayurveda, its advantages, how it’s carried out, and the precautions that have to be taken whereas present process this remedy. We may also discover the several types of medicated ghee or oil utilized in Snehapana and their therapeutic advantages. So, let’s get began and discover the world of Snehapana in Ayurveda.
Idea of Snehapana in Ayurveda
Ayurveda is a holistic system of practices that emphasizes the significance of stability between the three doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Any imbalance in these doshas can result in numerous well being issues. Snehapana is a remedy that’s utilized in Ayurveda to stability the Vata dosha.
Snehapana is an inside oleation remedy, which includes the consumption of medicated ghee (clarified butter) or oil to lubricate the interior organs and tissues. The idea of inside oleation remedy relies on the precept that oil can penetrate the physique tissues and transport the therapeutic properties of herbs and minerals to the deeper tissues.
In Ayurveda, the elimination of poisons from the physique is achieved by a course of known as Panchakarma, which includes a sequence of therapies that intention to take away toxins and impurities from the physique. Panchakarma contains primarily 5 therapies
- Vamana (emesis remedy)
- Virechana (purgation remedy)
- Basti (enema remedy)
- Nasya (nasal administration of drugs)
- Raktamokshana (bloodletting remedy).
Snehapana in Ayurveda is a preparatory remedy that’s typically carried out earlier than essential Panchakarma remedy to assist loosen toxins and put together the physique for elimination. It notably enhances the therapies of Vamanamm (emesis remedy) and Virechanam (purgation remedy) therapies.
The usage of Snehapana is to organize the physique for the method of expelling toxins. It ensures that the physique’s cells are soaked with sufficient oil to the purpose the place they’re set to evacuate all of it on the earliest alternative. It helps to flush out toxins from the physique by lubricating the digestive tract and rising the effectivity of the elimination course of.
How Snehapana Helps in Balancing the Doshas?
In Ayurveda, the Vata dosha is accountable primarily for motion. It’s related to dryness, coldness, and roughness. When the Vata dosha is imbalanced, it may well result in numerous well being issues reminiscent of constipation, dry pores and skin, joint ache, nervousness, and insomnia. Snehapana is used to stability the Vata dosha by offering lubrication to the physique tissues and calming the nervous system.
Snehapana helps deal with quite a lot of diseases, together with arthritis, urinary points, psoriasis, and gastroenterological illnesses like peptic ulcers, indigestion, bowel points, constipation, and diarrhoea.
Sufferers present process this therapy are given medicinal ghee ready from cow milk (or, in sure instances, medicinal oil), which have to be ingested orally on an empty abdomen. The medicated oil or ghee is repeatedly consumed till it begins to seep out of your pores.
How Snehapana is finished?
Snehapana is a therapeutic process. It includes session with a professional Ayurvedic practitioner who assesses your total well being, determines your Dosha (physique structure), and prescribes the suitable kind and amount of medicated ghee or oil for you.
Right here is the step-by-step process for Snehapana therapy:
- Affected person Evaluation: The therapy is finished underneath the supervision of a skilled and certified Ayurvedic physician/practitioner. The physician observes the overall situation of the affected person, the ailment for which the therapy is getting used, and different components like medical historical past, habits, addictions, and common life-style of the affected person.
- Willpower of Medicinal Ghee/Oil Amount: The physician determines the amount of medicinal ghee/oil to be consumed by the affected person primarily based on the affected person’s situation and the supposed therapeutic final result.
- Preparatory Part: The affected person is requested to take a average quantity of heat, liquid meals in the future earlier than the ghee consumption to organize the physique for the therapy.
- Lukewarm Ghee/Oil Consumption: The medicinal ghee/oil is heated to a lukewarm temperature and given to the affected person on an empty abdomen, often within the morning hours. The affected person is requested to sit down comfortably on a chair whereas consuming the ghee/oil.
- Remark and Monitoring: After the affected person drinks the ghee/oil, the physician displays for indicators of full digestion, which helps decide the time wanted for the ghee/oil to be digested and assimilated into the physique.
- Every day Consumption: The ghee/oil is consumed as soon as day by day by the affected person for the complete course of the therapy, as prescribed by the physician.
- Remedy Cessation: As soon as there are indicators of improved bodily capabilities, the therapy is stopped by the physician.
Usually, Snehapana remedy can final for 3 days to 2 weeks, with the frequency and length of the remedy being decided by the Ayurvedic practitioner primarily based on the distinctive prognosis, physiology and wishes of the person present process the therapy. Throughout this length, the medicinal ghee must be consumed as soon as every day and the amount will likely be determined as per the digestive capacity of the affected person.
To find out how lengthy it’s going to take for the affected person to digest the ghee, the physician will search for signs of full digestion after the affected person has consumed it. The Sneha has been totally digested if there is no such thing as a sneha odour in belching.
The above process is named Achapana or Acchapeya Snehana which comes underneath inside oleation remedy or abhyanthara snehana.
One other type of Snehapana is bahya snehana whereby oleation is carried out by numerous ayurvedic massages reminiscent of Shirodhara, Abhyanga, and many others.
Very often, you may be requested to undergo Swedana which is an ayurvedic detox remedy for encouraging the discharge of sweat. You might be additionally given massages commonly to launch the toxins on the muscle tissues and stimulate the lymphatic system.
Advantages of Snehapana Remedy
Snehapana is sort of well-known remedy in Ayurveda for detoxing on account of its technique of eliminating toxins from the digestive tract, blood cells, and GI tract. By eradicating the toxins, you might be basically organising your physique to get nourished from contemporary blood, stimulating the digestive and elimination course of, and ensuring that your doshas morbidities are minimized.
Owing to the above, listed below are some advantages of present process Snehapana remedy:
- Improves the efficacy of digestion and stimulates the digestive agni.
- Nurture your physique’s tissues.
- Controls metabolism and lessens inside dryness.
- Inside physique cleaning helps to stop persistent ailments.
- Improves well being and enhances immunity.
- Makes the pores and skin comfortable and reduces ageing signs together with wrinkles and lack of pores and skin suppleness.
- Minimizes the stress and nervousness ensuing from a aggressive and fast-paced life.
- Aids in weight reduction by saturating the physique with further fats from the ghee, which prompts them to expel the surplus fats together with any toxins that will have been current.
Varieties of Sneha utilized in Snehapana
Usually, 4 forms of Sneha are utilized in Snehapana remedy: ghee, sesame oil, animal fats, and bone marrow. Out of those, ghee is probably the most preferable as it’s appropriate with all of the doshas, simply digestible, doesn’t trigger a burning sensation, and enhances the opposite substances that you simply eat.
The time of yr {that a} affected person receives therapy impacts which sneha substances they need to eat. Ghee has been steered for the autumn, utilizing oil is favoured within the winter, and utilizing fats and bone marrow has been steered for the spring.
Since bone marrow is the toughest and heaviest substance to digest, chances are you’ll not discover many ayurvedic practitioners utilizing this for snehapanam.
Dosage and frequency
The perfect length for snehapana is 3-7 days, with the amount of ghee proportionately rising every day. Nevertheless, it additionally largely is determined by the bodily response, physiology, and prognosis of the affected person.
The dosage of the sneha can fluctuate from low to most primarily based on the ailment of the affected person or the intention of taking the process.
The utmost Dose is given to those that are used to consuming plenty of sugary meals commonly, can deal with starvation and thirst, and have sound immune programs. The sneha is usually digested inside 24 hours.
Issues like constipation, dysentery, and digestive system irritation may be thought of for optimum dose.
Medium Dose is beneficial for individuals who have medium power, are accustomed to consuming in average portions, and have delicate bowel patterns. The sneha is usually digested inside 12 hours.
A average dose treats circumstances together with gout, obstinate urinary ailments, vesicles, itching, and rashes on the scalp.
Low Dose is beneficial for these with much less power, seniors, children, individuals with weaker constitutions, individuals who can’t deal with starvation, and other people with impaired digestion. The sneha is usually digested inside 6 hours.
Unctuousness in a decrease dosage is suggested in instances of persistent diseases together with fever, diarrhoea, and cough.
One other classification is a really mild dose or a check dose. The Sneha consumed right here may be digested as quickly as 3 hours. That is usually prescribed to check a person’s digestive capability and intestine. Based mostly on this check dose, additional therapy plans and dosage will likely be determined.
Meals to eat throughout Snehapanam
All through all days of Snehapana therapy, you’ll solely be consuming heat meals solely whenever you really feel hungry. There is no such thing as a designated time for supper so should you really feel hungry at midnight, you might be allowed to eat.
Make it possible for no matter you eat is mild reminiscent of rice congee, soup, or porridge. It mustn’t have too many components, not be too oily, and have to be liquified to a sure extent.
Furthermore, you must drink water solely in sips all through the day as a substitute of a full glass. And it must be heat as a substitute of room temperature or chilly.
It’s essential to enquire in regards to the meals you must eat together with your ayurvedic practitioner.
Signs of Snehapanam
Individuals not often expertise any detrimental results from this Snehapana.
Nevertheless, in response to the consumption of ghee, indigestion could come up in some sufferers, which might result in burping, belching, and flatulence as a symptom. Moreover, complications, nausea, and vomiting might happen.
Not often, low vitality and temper swings are seen when receiving the ghee in Snehapana remedy. This happens on account of your physique going by an intensive cleaning course of. By practising solitude, partaking in meditation, getting loads of relaxation, or studying inspiring literature, temper fluctuations may be managed.
Additionally it is regular to expertise the urge to throw up or expertise unfastened stools. A bit of lemon will likely be provided for sucking on this scenario, which can support to reduce the unpleasantness.
Contraindications of Snehapana
Whereas Snehapana is taken into account protected and efficient when carried out underneath the steering of a professional Ayurvedic physician, there are some contraindications to remember. The next circumstances or conditions could stop an individual from present process Snehapana remedy or require particular precautions:
- Being pregnant or breastfeeding: Snehapana just isn’t beneficial for pregnant or breastfeeding ladies.
- Weight problems: Sufferers with extreme weight ought to keep away from Snehapana remedy as it could improve their weight additional.
- Diabetes: Snehapana could trigger a rise in blood sugar ranges, so sufferers with diabetes ought to keep away from this remedy.
- Liver problems: Sufferers with liver problems reminiscent of cirrhosis or hepatitis ought to keep away from Snehapana remedy.
- Cardiovascular problems: Sufferers with coronary heart illness or hypertension ought to endure Snehapana remedy solely underneath shut medical supervision.
- Kidney problems: Sufferers with kidney illness ought to keep away from Snehapana remedy.
- Bronchial asthma: Sufferers with bronchial asthma ought to keep away from Snehapana remedy as it could set off respiratory difficulties.
- Menstruation: Snehapana just isn’t beneficial throughout menstruation as it could trigger discomfort and different issues.
Precautions to take throughout and after the process
The beneath precautions must be strictly adhered to all through the process and even for a couple of days after the completion. That is to make sure that you get the utmost good thing about snehapanam.
- Use solely sizzling or heat water for all functions reminiscent of ingesting, bathing, and even whereas going to alleviate your self in the bathroom.
- Ensure you are curbing the pure urge to urinate and defecate.
- Don’t carry out any strenuous exercise or train.
- Sleeping throughout the day is prohibited.
- Your weight-reduction plan ought to solely embody heat liquid or candy meals. Uncooked vegetables and fruit, bitter meals, quick meals, or any type of stimulant are to be strictly averted.
- Abstain from all sexual actions at some point of the process.
- Ensure you shield your self from chilly, solar, breeze, wind, mud, and smoke. Hold your self coated if you must exit.
- Keep away from partaking in actions that sap your vitality, reminiscent of speaking loudly, swimming, long-distance walks, fights, shedding your mood, worrying excessively, and utilizing digital gadgets like laptops, tablets, and cellphones.
Conclusion
In Ayurveda’s Panchakarma remedy, snehapanam is a vital process. Earlier than starting further Ayurvedic therapies, Snehapanam is run to nourish each bodily element. It’s a methodology of inside oleation with both plain or medicated ghee relying on the affected person’s circumstances.
This process is important as a result of it loosens the toxins and Doshas within the physique, making it simpler for them to be expelled throughout the first stage of therapy. To trace enchancment and modify the therapy technique, frequent follow-up classes with the Ayurvedic practitioner are additionally required.
By flushing out toxins deeply from the physique, it removes the basis reason for many issues and paves the way in which for higher immunity, metabolism, and total higher well being.
