The Panchakarma Programme is both preventative and curative.
As a preventative measure, it is advised for everyone in good physical health between the age of 16 and 70 years old as a periodic measure to detoxify the body from unwanted toxins.
Please contact our doctors to check whether the Panchakarma Programme can help cure your specific ailment or chronic disease
If you’re visiting the ashram as a guest then come by SIH for a free Ayurvedic consultation where you can book your treatment depending on schedule availability over the coming days.
1) Treatment Therapies
• Abhyanga (Full Body Warm Oil Massage)
• Bashpa Sweda (Herbal Steam Bath)
• Sirodhara (Flow of Medicated Oil on Forehead)
• Kizhi (Hot Bundles Body Massage)
• Udwarthanam (Therapeutic Powder Deep Tissue Massage)
• Pichu (Targeted Warm Oil Treatment)
• Pizhichil (Pouring Medicated Oils All Over Body)
• Kati Snan (Medicated Hip Bath)
• Nasya (Medicated Nasal Oils & Powders)
• Basti (Medicated Enema)
• Snehapanam (Oral Intake of Medicated Oil Preparations)
2) Treatment Programmes
• Panchakarma Programme (Full Body Cleanse & Rejuvenation)
• Immunity Boost Programme
• Spine & Neck Care Programme
• Slimming Programme
• De-stressing Programme
The Sivananda Institute for Health (SIH) was established in 1993 as an Ayurvedic centre within the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram to provide health services and conduct Ayurvedic research.
Your daily treatment session ranges between 60 – 120 minutes throughout the course of your treatment. You are also required to meet with your doctor for 10 minutes daily for treatment progress reporting and feedback. Apart from this you are encouraged to join the daily ashram schedule and activities including daily satsangs, yoga classes, karma yoga, philosophy lectures, silent walks and any other activity or spiritual ceremony.
We use a variety of natural herbs and herbal oil mixtures for our therapies in line with Ayurvedic teachings and scriptures, and we freshly prepare all of them locally. The exact herbs and oils used differ from person to person depending on their wellbeing requirements. Ask your doctor to know more about your specific mixtures.
You are served two freshly-prepared Ayurvedic meals a day, one at 10:00am and one at 06:00pm. Some meals are replaced with rice soup on some days depending on your treatment schedule for the day. Please check with the doctors regarding specific dietary requirements or certain fruits, nuts, etc. that can be eaten during your treatment.
1) Physical Health & Relaxation Benefits – General Benefits
• Detoxifies and cleanses the body from Ama (toxic waste) and other toxins
• Removes toxin blockages and clears internal body channels
• Relaxes the body and relieves any tensions or spasms
• Relieves body, joints, and muscular pain, strengthens the body
• Stimulates and rejuvenates body tissues and organs
• Promotes loss of excess weight and fat
• Improves the metabolic fire (Agni) throughout the body
• Helps treat skin diseases like psoriasis and eczema
1a) Physical Health & Relaxation Benefits – Digestive System
− Promotes healthy digestion
− Cleanses gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of toxins
− Relieves constipation
− Promotes healthy excretion
− Removes excess mucus layers from intestines
1b) Physical Health & Relaxation Benefits – Circulatory System
− Improves blood circulation
− Removes toxic blockages in artilleries, veins
− Improves cardiovascular functions
1c) Physical Health & Relaxation Benefits – Muscle System
− Relaxes muscle tensions and spasms
− Relieves muscle pain
− Strengthens body muscles
1d) Physical Health & Relaxation Benefits – Respiratory System
− Promotes blood absorption to oxygen
− Promotes blood and body cells exchange
− Improves breathing
− Removes excess mucus from lungs
1e) Physical Health & Relaxation Benefits – Skeletal System
− Relieves pain
− Strengthens bones
− Lubricates joints
− Repairs cartilages
1f) Physical Health & Relaxation Benefits – Immune System
− Improves immunity
− Helps treat allergy symptoms
− Treats autoimmunity diseases like rheumatism
1g) Physical Health & Relaxation Benefits – Endocrine System
− Stimulate glands activity
− Improve glands secretions
− Reduce adrenaline production
− Improve thyroid gland functions
1h) Physical Health & Relaxation Benefits – Reproductive System
− Help treat male and female infertility
− Help treat women PCOD, regulate estrogen
− Regulate menstruation cycle
− Help increase Libido
2) Mental Benefits
• Treats a variety of mind-related ailments including IBS, hypertension and fibromyalgia
• Treats depression and suicidal tendencies
• Releases tension and anxiety
• Relaxes and de-stresses the mind
• Improves functioning of the mind
• Improves cognitive responsiveness
• Promotes memory retention
• Improves memory and clarity
• Enhances mental concentration
• Promotes healthy sleep cycles
• Induces body relaxation
3) Beauty and Skin Benefits
• Improves skin complexion
• Restores and induce skin lustre
• Reduces acne
• Reduces facial hyperpigmentation
• Nourishes skin cells
• Slows body ageing process
• Reduces facial wrinkles
• Reduces stretch marks
No. Panchakarma is a completely personalized treatment program where the program duration and all the natural herbs, oils, medicines, and therapies used are customized for each guest based on their wellbeing requirements.
No, they are not. Though there are large similarities in the philosophies, health concepts and applications of both medicines, they are considered as two distinct sciences with different origins and development paths.
No, Ayurveda is not a replacement but rather a complement to typical Western medicine. It empowers individuals with the knowledge and tools they need to lead a healthier life in more harmony with nature around them. Unless you have a dedicated Ayurveda doctor prescribing your health habits and medicines, please consult your regular doctor or pharmacist in case of any illness or disease.
Panchakarma has helped many patients cure recent, mild ailments as well as old, chronic diseases.
1) Physical Ailments
• Aging / Geriatric
• Diabetes
• Arthritis and Rheumatism
• Immunological Disorders
• Gastro-Intestinal Disorders
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Respiration, Asthma
• Allergic Disorders
• Skin Disorders (Eczema, Psoriasis)
• Neurodegenerative Conditions
• Bone Degenerative Conditions
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD)
2) Mental Ailments
• Weak Memory and Loss
• Anxiety Neurosis
• Stress Syndromes, Depression
• Sleep Disorders / Insomnia
• Psychosomatic / Psychological
• Alzheimer’s Disease
Absolutely not. All Ayurvedic therapies and medicines contain 100% natural ingredients as they have originated thousands of years ago when chemicals were still unknown to man. Your treatment will include freshly ground herbal powders, oral herbal medicines as well as medicated herbal oils.
No, you cannot. Panchakarma therapies increase heat in the body, and during menstruation body heat is already high. This causes negative effects on the body. Please schedule your treatment outside of your menstruation cycle.
Some skin diseases, menstruation, open wound bleeding, and internal inflammations are all situations where you will not be able to have an oil massage. Check with our doctors on your case before booking your massage.
The Panchakarma Programme involves treatments using lots of natural oils and powders; hence it is recommended that you bring 2 sets of clothing (comfortable pants and t-shirts) for your treatment as they might endure herbal smells or markings. Please refer to the ashram’s ‘rules and guidelines’ and make sure that your clothing is in line with the ashram’s policy.
You can also bring a large, heat-insulating water container to keep warm water with you for drinking throughout the day. Apart from these, kindly check the ashram’s dress code policy and other rules and guidelines.