When your Doshas are in a correct ratio and your Agni (digestion) functions properly, you usually will feel physical and mental fitness. In case they are temporarily distorted, due to extreme weather or eating unhealthy one day for instance, you might experience some vague discomfort and minor complaints. If these circumstances continue and are being ignored, serious situations can occur. You could define disease as an imbalance in your Doshas and Agni at which at one point your tissues, organs or bodily systems get affected too.

Nutritional and lifestyle advices are first of all powerful preventive tools by helping your Doshas and Agni to stay in balance. Besides that, they are mild methods to correct temporary imbalances and solve minor inconveniences. However, in case of diseases we need to take it one step further and insert some additional measures. Once again Ayurveda has a lot to offer in this regard, by means of treatments and herbs that enhance the self-healing capacity of your body.

As mentioned Ayurveda offers a wide range of treatments. Instead of discussing them all separately, I will focus on the 6 types of therapy that are elaborated in classic Ayurvedic literature. As for every Ayurvedic treatment, in fact all nutrition and lifestyle measures too, can be categorized into one or more of these six types. By showing you which effect every therapy creates, and by mentioning which treatments of AyurJoya fall under this therapy, you can easily see what the treatment selected for you will achieve.. and why that is helpful in your situation!

Before we continue, let’s first look back at the previously discussed Gunas. Do you recall every Dosha having its own set of qualities? Likewise Agni and its opposite Ama (toxins) also have their unique combination of properties.

Helpful to keep that in mind, because each of the six therapies also brings about certain qualities and actions in the body. That fact, combined with the knowledge that ‘equals increases equal’ clarifies why nourishing, warming and stabilizing treatments are useful in case of increased Vata, while Kapha benefits from some lightness and stimulation.

In the same way a treatment can enhance your Agni and reduce Ama in the body if you apply a therapy wisely. Isn’t it great that such powerful measures are so simple and logic in essence?

Let’s wrap up this small digression.. about time to discuss the 6 therapies!

Langhana – reducing therapy

Langhana is derived from the Sanskrit word Laghu, meaning lightness. Treatments, nourishment, lifestyle advices and herbs within this category breakdown undue tissues and wastes. They can increase Agni en in general cause lightness in the body. 

It will be no surprise that this therapy can be administered in case of obesity, or toxins in your blood. Lack of appetite, a sign of diminished Agni, also benefits from this therapy. Broadly speaking, it is useful in cases of increased Kapha or Ama. (Read more..)

Brimhana – nourishing therapy

Brimhana, deriving from the word Brihat, big, is everything that makes your body gain volume, weight or strength. It nourishes your tissues.

Therefore appropriate in case you feel fragile or lost too much weight due to hard work, age or illness. Because it counters decline, it is especially beneficial when your constitution is Vata, or when you are experiencing a Vata disorder. Pitta too can benefit from this therapy whenever stress or an intense metabolism caused too much loss of tissues. (Read more..)

Rukshana – drying therapy

Rukshana originates from Ruksha, meaning dry. It is the therapy that increases dryness and roughness in the body. Because of that it removes excessive mucus, fat and moist from the tissues and organs. 

Therefore it is a useful therapy if you are experiencing symptoms like high cholesterol, undue sweating, edema or coughing up mucus. In general very suitable when Kapha is aggravated. (Read more..)

Snehana – oleation therapy

Sneha, or fat, is abundantly used in Ayurveda. It makes the body oily and soft, and is therefore the direct opposite of drying therapy. By improving the glandular and other secretions in the body, Snehana induces mucus and oily lubrication.

Which, opposed to Rukshana therapy, can come in handy when you are experiencing dry cough. Or a rough, dry skin. As only Vata inherently comes with dryness, this therapy is very suited for disorders of this Dosha. Being such a powerful tool against aggravated Vata, makes it an important part of treating neurological disorders, tension and stress. Think of how relaxing an oil massage can be! (Read more..)

Svedana – Sweating therapy

Sveda means sweat. Svedana is the therapy that makes you perspire. It improves your (blood) circulation, warms the body and removes Ama. Causing you to feel less stiff, heavy and cold, cleansing your skin and blood - to name just a few of the advantages it brings. It stimulates and brings movement.

When used correctly, this therapy is beneficial in cases of increased Kapha and Vata. Where there is aggravated Kapha, you can use it as a single therapy, in case of a Vata disorder it is usually combined with Snehana. Due to the sweating you will lose fluids and therefore dehydrate. This is not desirable if you want to balance Vata, and can be prevented by applying oil on the skin beforehand. (Read more..)

Stambhana – astringent or stabilizing therapy

Stambha literally means to stop or to hold. And that is exactly what this therapy does. Not only prevents it that your body loses too much of liquids (like water, urine and blood), it also brings about stability and steadiness.

So besides being a useful tool to stop diarrhea, bleeding or excessive sweating, it can also help in cases of insomnia or restlessness by reducing movement in body and mind. It is particularly a good therapy to employ if Pitta Dosha is the one causing problems. (Read more..)

I would like to single them out here for a second. Herbs. Widely used within Ayurveda. Like the culinary herbs that make your meals taste great as well as preventively keep your body in balance. These herbs too you could classify into the 6 therapies. But there’s more..

Certain herbs have a special action, or in Sankrit, Prabhava. Which causes them to have an affinity with a specific organ, tissue or system. There are herbs that act upon the nerve system, or upon the reproductive organs for instance. Therefore they are an important therapeutic tool. Allowing us to use them medicinally whenever, as is the case in disease, not only your Dosha an Agni are out of balance, but also one or more tissues, organs or bodily systems are affected. In this way they get some extra support in executing their tasks and regaining their original balance.

Together we will explore whether herbs need to be implemented in your individual case, and if so, which ones. To ensure that everything will be done to support your self-healing capacity in the best possible way!