Ayurvedic Retreat

Kati Vasti Medicated hot herbal oil application –  Kati Vast is an ayurvedic treatment to the lumbar region provided for a certain period of time – Kati Vasti is an important ayurvedic medical treatment useful to remove the pathologies of the back, one of the most common problems that afflict a multitude of people in life. According to Ayurvedic precepts, Kati Vasti is carried out by maintaining warm ayurvedic oils on the back region and on the spine (the areas of life – “kati”), while the patient lies prone on a wooden plane. A specific quantity of hot medicated ayurvedic oil is released and maintained for about half an hour in the lumbosacral area, where a manipulation is subsequently carried out which allows a better absorption of the oil. This treatment promotes the improvement of problems related to sciatica, improves the tone of the back muscles, relieves inflammation and pain.

Rejuvenation is a kind of characteristic care of Ayurvedic medicine, aimed at preserving typical qualities of youth, even in mature and advanced age. Ayurvedic Rejuvenation makes it possible to achieve fortification and lengthening of life even for many years.

The benefits of rejuvenation are related to both the psyche and the physical and improve the strength of tissues and epidermis and refine the senses by giving them the characteristics of younger age. The rejuvenation according to Ayurveda also gives people who undergo treatment more resistance to disease and physical decline.

The basis for rejuvenation therapy is the concept of eliminating impurities and characteristic of Ayurvedic medicine: health and serenity are constantly worn out by the tension and toxicity of everyday life: purification from these toxic elements allows our body – and our psyche – to draw again to the energies and to the well-being characteristic of youth.

Discover more about the Ayurvedic Rejuvenation and other Ayurvedic packages. at Linta’s Ayurveda Resost in Kerala

PRAKRUTHI: basic concepts in Ayurveda. Ayurveda states that man is unique. In this sense, we speak of PRAKRUTHI, which means the nature and identity of man, which does not change over the course of life and is predetermined at the time of conception. PRAKRUTHI, the individuality of the subject, is given by the combination of “Panchamahabhootas” elements that are ether, air, fire, water and earth, which make up the universe and join the soul form all living beings.

In their interaction, the five elements shape the basic forces of life, the force of movement, transformation and cohesion, these three forces are called Dosha, which in humans represent body mood, individual somatic characteristics, physical structure to skin type, type of hair to eyes, nails, type of digestion to sleep quality.

The individuality, or PRAKRUTHI, of the individual is therefore given by the dominance of one or more dosha which arise from the combination of two elements or primary energies. The Dosha are three: VATA (air and ether), PITTA (fire and water) and KAPHA (water and ground).

When the dosha are in balance give shape to the subject’s personality, when one or more dosha are in excess creates unbalance, VIKRITI (impurity), then the onset of the disorder or illness.

Discover authentic Ayurveda treatments in Linta’s Ayurveda Resort.

Pizhichil is a particular kind of ayurvedic massage where the manual is borrowed with an uninterrupted flow of hot oil, generating a particular heat effect on the body.

This massage is well-known as “Maharajas treatment”, due to the frequent practice of the Maharajas of ancient India.

The massage uses a large amount of oil, which, as already mentioned, must be prepared warm. The oil, naturally medicated with herbs, is poured into the body through a thin cotton cloth made of oil and properly handled with one hand, while the other hand produces intense massages.

This ayurvedic therapy is delivered by two physicians according to the classic dictates of traditional ayurvedic medicine. It is applied for periods of time between 7 and 21 days, in sessions lasting up to 90 hours. Pizhichil is well-known as a strongly invigorating therapy useful for strengthening musculature and restoring nervous system-related issues.

In particular, Pizhichil is helpful in treating: Rheumatic diseases such as arthrities, paralysis, sexual issues, nervous disorders, hemiplegia.

Pitta, recommended diet:

In the Pitta diet, you have to avoid the hot summer food. The sweet and bitter taste is good for the emotional sphere as well as the physical sphere. The foods recommended for this diet are:

• Light cereals
• barley, oats, basmati rice, white rice, millet.
• Vegetables and vegetables
• particularly cabbage, artichokes, dandelion, asparagus, cucumber, celery, lettuce, peas, parsley, radicchio, chicory, rocket …
• legumes
• better if salted and except for lentils and beans, more difficult to digest for the Pitta constitution.
• Fruit
• especially coconut, avocado, apple, figs, melon, pears, pineapple, plums, pomegranates, bananas well matured …
• Condiments
• coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil, pancake sugar, unleavened butter.
• Spices
• turmeric, cardamom, fennel, coriander. Moderately black pepper. Not recommended paprika, tabasco and chili pepper.
• Meat and animal derivatives
• milk, cottage cheese, white meat, eggs, rabbit, crustaceans.

In the diet of the Pitta energy configuration, the following foods should be limited:

• Dried fruits
• Hard wheat paste
• Red meat
• Lentils and beans
• Canned foods
• Ketchup
• pickles
• Vinegar
• Chili pepper
• Alcoholic beverages
• Carbonated drinks
• Salted foods or glutamate added
• Especially acidic foods
• Especially spicy foods

To help the gastrointestinal system and to support liver activity, a detox diet is recommended. An Ayurvedic remedy recommended to the pitta dosha energy configuration is the Triphala guggul, a herbal mix and resin that in Ayurveda discipline is taken after the two main meals of the day.

Massage with bags filled with Ayurvedic fresh leaves is called Elakizhi Treatment.

This is a classic treatment in Ayurveda. The patient comes first with the oil and then the hot bags previously wetted in the hot oil are applied.

Up to ten different herbs can be used.

The benefits of this treatment are many:

• Strengthens the muscles
• Removes muscle aches
• It rejuvenates body and mind
• Benefits for diseases such as arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, paralysis and convulsions.
• Removes the pain of sciatica.

Discover other Ayurvedic treatments within Linta’s Golden Beach Ayurvedic Resort. All Ayurvedic treatments at Linta’s Resort are prescribed by a team of Physicians.
After an initial check-up the team will draw up a program tailored to person needs and expectations.

The Panchakarma treatment: Panchakarma is an ancient, Sanskrit word – its meaning is “five treatments”.

Panchakarma (“Pancha” means five and “karma” means treatment) is done to detoxify the body according to Ayurveda. The five procedures are claimed to eliminate the vitiated Doshas from the body.

The therapy is highly customized based on the requirements of the single individual needs. Not all the five parts of the treatments are always indispensable alongside the same treatment.

Pre-treatment in Panchakarma is needed: oiling and heating the individua is used in order to bring the excess dohas in the digestive apparatus, so that they can be eliminated.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, we can organize ayurvedic treatments primarily in two categories.

Shamana Chikitsa (or alleviating therapy) treatments are conceived for lower disequilibrium – oral medicine and less invasive therapies can manage disproportion of elemts. In this healing the renewal of equilibrium is achieved without the need of give up to any element.

Sodhana Chikitsa (or purification therapy) treatments are conceived as the way to achieve purification of toxic bi-products established in the human body from the large set of metabolic processes.

Normally these toxic substances are eliminated naturally, but occasionally some of this residues accumulate in human tissues damaging the balance of basic elements and causing disease. The purification treatments from those residual elements are the basis of Sodhana Chikitsa.

In order to maintain dosha balance a suggested diet guideline can be indicated for Vata mind-body constitution –

• Warm food, moderately heavy textures, added butter and fat
• Salt, sour and sweet tastes; Soothing and satisfying foods, which are suggested for Vata balance issue; warm milk, cream, butter, warm soups, stews, hot cereals and fresh baked breads.
• Since Vata is a cold dry dosha, warm, nourishing foods are good for stabilizing Vata.
• Breakfast is recommended (hot cereals; cream of rice or other breakfast that is warm, milky and sweet).
• Hot or herbal tea with snacks in the late afternoon.
• Beverages with high amount of caffeine are not suggested.
• Warm moist foods (cooked grains and cereals, bowl or hot oatmeal or cup of steaming vegetable soup).
• Salted nuts are suggested, as heavy and oily food in opposition to salty snacks.
• All swett fruits are suggested for Vata. Avoid astringent fruits.
• Warm or hot water must be preferred against against ice drinks.

Inspired to: Essential Ayurveda – Salim Pushpanath – Dee Bee Info Publication

Serenity and beauty are always strictly connected. The daily practice of the following actions will help to live better with yourself and with others as well as to improve beauty and wellbeing.  

Stay healthy

• Hydrate yourself with minimum 1,5 liter of room temperature or warm water each day. Replace or integrate water with herbal tea.
• Walk at least 30 minute each day. No matter if the weather is not perfect or how old are you.
• Eat colorful and freshly prepared food. For each meal not to exceed the amount of food that is contained in your hands joined together
• Do Ayurvedic oil massage, even auto massage, possibly every day.
• Be sure to sleep enough and wake up energetic.
• Take time to devote to your care.
• Spent time into the nature.

Nourishes your mental health

• Perform a spiritual practice at least once a day.
• Keep practicing your mind and try to learn something every day.
• Cultivate a passion or an hobby.
• Laugh as much as possible, and make others laugh.
• Don’t let yourself be overcome by negative thoughts.
• Find someone or something gratefully every day.
• Spend time to look sunrise, sunset, stars and full moon.
• Keep your life very simple and free of unnecessary things.
• Practice mindfulness, a powerful training to discover the beauty in and out of you.

Live in harmony with others

• Do something of useful or helpful for someone.
• Maintain good relationship with your partner, parents, children, friends.
• Learn to live flexible as much as possible. Not always things go as you want. Sometimes it is also nice to let things flow for their course.
• Seek for a support from counselor or confidant.
• Receive blessing and positive though from teachers, elder people or good friends.

Inspired to:  Enchanting Beauty, M. Kshirsagar and M.M. Murphy, New Age Book, 2015.