Seasonal Detox

Beauty

Prepare your body for the changing seasons with an ancient Indian cleanse.

By Leesa Chalk Suzman
2/2008

A physical and mental cleansing known as panchakarma is essential to Ayurvedic healing. The goal of this multi-step ritual is to restore balance by ridding your body of excesses—and to reveal clearer, more radiant skin.

Originally practiced by Indian royals thousands of years ago, panchakarma is a days-long cleansing ritual that flushes out any accumulated toxins, or ama. It's usually recommended after periods of stress, or at least three times a year at the change of seasons. "The transition from winter into spring—when your skin is dry and your body is more susceptible to allergies—is an especially good time for panchakarma," says Pratima Raichur, the founding director of Pratima Ayurvedic Skin Care and Spa in New York City.

A typical panchakarma ritual involves ingesting oils, doing mild enemas, and fasting, in addition to yoga and meditation. The pampering part involves oil massages as well as heat and steam wraps and massages. After just a few days, many people notice an improvement in mental and skin clarity. "People glow," says Vishnu Dass, director of the Blue Lotus Ayurveda Center in Asheville, N.C., who has seen severe acne disappear within days.

Panchakarma treatments are offered at Ayurvedic healing centers and spas throughout the country, including The Raj in Fairfield, Iowa, and the Chopra Center for Wellbeing at La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. You can try panchakarma at home with the help of an expert Ayurvedic practitioner or a reputable book.

For more on Ayurvedic beauty, see the March 2008 issue of Natural Health.

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