Ayurvedic Treatment in Kerala: Ayurvedic Treatment for Psoriasis
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Understanding Psoriasis
Going by the number of people who come for psoriasis treatment in Kerala, one could say ayurvedic treatment is most sought by psoriasis patients in comparison to any other group of patients. Very often, before coming for ayurvedic treatment in Kerala, they try everything possible in modern medicine including steroid creams and find that the disease has still spread to almost every part of their body. The main reason why ayurvedic treatment in Kerala for psoriasis has gained such acceptance world over is the excellent results that the patients get with just 21 or 28 days of ayurveda treatment. They experience tremendous relief in most of their symptoms - the scaling and itching go away, their skin comes back to normal appearance and life becomes possible again. With some modifications in diet and lifestyle, most of them are able to sustain the results of the treatment for the long term. Psoriasis is a lifestyle disorder - our food and sleep habits, exercise patterns, stress levels etc have an important role in causing this disease. Ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis in Kerala has been found to be highly effective in controlling and managing the disease and its symptoms as well as in offering patients a high quality of life.
What is the ayurvedic understanding of psoriasis?
Psoriasis is a chronic condition where skin cells multiply extremely fast. This leads to a buildup of skin cells on the surface which appear in the form of exfoliating scales and patches. While modern medicine has a limited understanding of the condition, ayurveda clearly explains that psoriasis is the result of an accumulation of toxins in one's body which disturbs normal physiology and leads to an immunological response that causes rapid production of skin cells. Ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis in Kerala is rooted in this understanding and aims to eliminate the toxins from the body.
When should you consider ayurvedic treatment in Kerala for psoriasis?
If you have a confirmed diagnosis of psoriasis, you must undergo ayurvedic treatment in Kerala as early as you can. Psoriasis is the result of a toxic environment in the body which disturbs normal physiology, so the longer you let it remain, the more the tissues that are affected. Depending on steroids to control symptoms can lead to various health complications in future. Similarly, leaving psoriasis untreated may cause the disease to spread to more parts of the body and affect deeper tissues causing complications like psoriatic arthritis. When taken in time, ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis in Kerala is found to be successful in eliminating toxins from the body, arresting the disease and preventing such complications.
What are the symptoms of psoriasis?
Symptoms usually start as white powdery flakes in the scalp or the joints, especially the elbow or knees. Excessive itching with silvery plaques on the itchy areas is a typical symptom. Very often it is ignored because it is mistaken as dandruff or just dead skin sloughing off due to dryness. Gradually, the condition turns worse and spreads to other parts of the body - the chest, the back, and even the private parts. The itching, pain and the unsightly appearance of the patches can cause a lot of difficulty and mental trauma. In the advanced stages of psoriasis, joints could get inflamed and this is known as psoriatic arthritis. Psoriasis is a disease that causes many restrictions in one’s personal and social life and this could lead to depression. Psoriasis treatment in Kerala considers all this physical, social and psychological impact and helps the patient come back to normal life by addressing the disease in a holistic manner.
How does diet cause psoriasis?
If you have been a psoriasis patient for some time now, you may have noticed that certain foods that you take are increasing your symptoms. Ayurveda believes that incompatible food combinations and wrong food habits can trigger or aggravate psoriasis. Incompatible foods are those which are per se good but have a toxic effect when taken together (for example, the combination of fish with curd or fish with milk, radish with milk, alcohol with raw vegetables etc) or when processed in a certain manner (eg. honey that has been heated, curd that has been heated ) or when taken at certain times (eg. consumption of curd at night, eating while stressed ). Improper food habits are binging, eating again before the previously taken food is fully digested, having junk food and canned drinks etc. These dietary habits disturb digestion and create a toxic environment in the body which causes psoriasis. When you come for ayurvedic treatment in Kerala for psoriasis make sure you discuss your daily diet in detail with your physician and identify what you need to modify.
How does lifestyle lead to psoriasis?
Our lifestyle has a very important role in maintaining the dosha balance in our body. Some habits like working excessively, drinking or diving into cold water when one is exhausted or after exposure to harsh sunlight for a long time, exercising after heavy meals, suppression of natural urges like excretion and flatulence, exposure to cold wind, daytime sleep etc can disturb the dosha balance in our body. Another important aspect is conduct. Ayurveda believes that behavioural misconduct or engaging in unlawful activities can disturb the doshas of the mind, thus leading to psychogenic stress resulting in further disturbances in the bodily doshas. This disturbance in the bodily doshas creates a physiological environment susceptible to psoriasis. One of these doshas - vata dosha - has a moving quality; when it is disturbed, it causes the toxic state formed by improper food habits to spread all over the body causing the symptoms on the skin. Ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis in Kerala is found to be very successful when the necessary lifestyle and conduct modifications are made a part of life.
Ayurvedic Treatment for Psoriasis
What is the first step in the ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis?
When you arrive at your ayurveda hospital in Kerala, the first step in the ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis will be a detailed consultation with your physician. The consultation will have two parts - (a) assessment of your natural constitution / the analysis of your prakruti and (b) assessment of the changes that have happened due to the disease process / understanding the vikruti. This second step includes an assessment of the extent of dosha imbalance and the root cause of the problem. Physician does a thorough examination of clinical signs and may gently investigate the presence of psychological factors. In order to help the physician reach the right conclusion, it is important that you be fully open. The physician will analyse the strength of the disease and the strength of your biofire, based on which the treatment plan will be determined.
What is the approach adopted at a Kerala ayurvedic centre in the treatment for psoriasis?
Psoriasis is caused by the presence of toxins in our body, so the treatment approach adopted in a Kerala ayurvedic centre for psoriasis will aim to eliminate these toxins and cleanse the body. The ayurvedic detoxification treatment or panchakarma treatment for psoriasis can be explained using a simple analogy: in order to uproot a plant with deep roots from dry ground, we would first wet the ground to make the process easier. Similarly, in the ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis, the body is prepared to release the deep seated toxins using a treatment method called snehapana. After this process, the toxins become available for elimination. These toxins are then expelled from the body using various therapeutic procedures.
What are the different stages in the ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis?
Since the most important factor for successful psoriasis treatment is the digestive fire, the first stage in the ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis is rekindling it with medicines. If it is ignited properly, you will experience lightness of the body, proper bowel evacuation and a good appetite.
Once the biofire is rekindled and you are able to digest food well, the second step will be extraction of toxins lodged in the deep tissues of the body. This is done through snehapana (you will be given medicated ghee) and snehana (application of medicated oils on the body). This is the preparatory phase for panchakarma treatments and will usually last 5 to 7 days. It brings toxins from deep tissues into the intestine thus making it available for elimination. By the end of this stage, you will experience less dryness, reduced itching and reduced sloughing off of dead skin.
The next stage is the expulsion of toxins by inducing vomiting or through purgation. This forms the shodhana or the detox part of the treatment, after which your body will feel a lot lighter and the symptoms will start to reduce more visibly. After this stage, there will be no formation of new lesions.
The next step is repair and rejuvenation of the cleansed skin and relaxing the mind. A key treatment procedure in this stage is takradhara (pouring of medicated buttermilk over the body and head). During this time, you will also be given massages with medicated oils to reduce dryness, improve the general health of the skin and also to reduce the existing skin lesions. This stage marks the end of the inpatient treatment.
The last stage of treatment happens after your discharge from the ayurvedic centre in Kerala. You will be given rasayana medicines to rejuvenate tissues and maintain the balance of doshas in the body. This will help your body regain its natural state and also prevent complications of psoriasis.
What are some therapies adopted at Kerala ayurvedic centres in the treatment for psoriasis?
There is no fixed set of therapies used for all psoriasis patients. It is up to your ayurvedic physician to determine the dosha involvement and decide which therapies you need, how many and at what stage. Some external therapies commonly employed in the ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis in Kerala include takradhara, lepam, sarvanga dhara, shirolepam, shirodhara, application of medicated oils etc.
How successful is the psoriasis treatment in Kerala?
Ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis in Kerala is found to be highly successful and perhaps it is the best available treatment available to psoriasis patients today. The quickest and best results are seen in patients whose disease is of recent origin. Most such patients become symptom free in a single course of treatment. In long standing cases, full results may be seen in a few weeks or after a month of starting treatment. In very chronic conditions, complete reversal of the skin to its original appearance may not happen in the first course of treatment and may require one or two more follow up courses of treatment in the subsequent years. Results of the treatment can be sustained with dietary and lifestyle modifications advised by the physician. If you are advised follow-up courses of treatment it is important that you undergo it in order to continue being disease free. Ayurvedic treatment also prevents the disease from progressing to its advanced stages and developing complications such as psoriatic arthritis.
Can ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis offer a permanent cure?
Yes it does, but even the best psoriasis treatment in Kerala comes with certain conditions. As we know that this condition is autoimmune and that lifestyle and dietary habits trigger the disease, the key to permanent cure is the changes made in the lifestyle and dietary habits as per the advice of the doctor. This will ensure that the effect of the treatment is retained.
Diet & Lifestyle Advice
What is the diet advised after ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis?
After your psoriasis treatment in Kerala, you may need to follow some guidelines to avoid aggravating vata dosha and kapha dosha: As far as possible, stick to fresh homemade meals and avoid all kinds of processed, tinned, canned and preservative laden foods as well as food from restaurants. Plan your meals with unprocessed and unfermented whole grains and vegetables (but avoid cauliflower, radish, ladies fingers, cabbage, lettuce and nightshade vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers and brinjals). Reduce white rice and prefer red rice. It is particularly recommended to avoid regular sea salt completely and use rock salt instead (Rock salt may also be known in the market as pink salt or induppu ). You may be advised to reduce non vegetarian food in general and avoid fish ( especially shellfish and large fish ) and eggs. Keep your food low on chillies and pepper. Snack on vegetable salads and fresh fruits but avoid citrus fruits, salted savouries, all kinds of chips, sweets, chocolates and bakery food. Some other food items that have been found to be particularly problematic in psoriasis are curd, jaggery, sesame seeds and black gram (urad dal). Discuss your usual diet with your ayurvedic physician and make modifications that are feasible for your lifestyle and circumstances. Learn more about incompatible food combinations and make an effort to completely eliminate it from your diet.
More dietary tips to make ayurveda treatment for psoriasis successful:
Start your day by having 25 black raisins soaked overnight, along with the water. This helps in keeping the bowel clean.
When you need a drink, choose green tea, tender coconut water, buttermilk or fruit juices (avoid citrus fruits and other sour fruits like grapes and pineapple) and juices of vegetables like carrots, beets and cucumbers. Say no to all sorts of artificial beverages.
You may be used to having milk and milk products but avoid it until your symptoms subside. After you experience a significant improvement, you may use goat milk and have some homemade cottage cheese in moderation.
Spinach and kale have good antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties and help fight psoriasis.
Use coconut oil, sesame oil or olive oil for cooking.
What are the lifestyle modifications recommended in the ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis?
Even the best ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis in Kerala cannot give you full results if you return to the wrong lifestyle. It is most important that you avoid triggers of stress and remain in a calm state of mind. Make pranayama, yoga and meditation a part of your daily life. Go to bed early, avoid late nights and sleep 7 to 8 hours. Avoid sleeping during the day. Refrain from alcohol and smoking totally. Stay away from extreme cold weather. Following these guidelines will help maintain the dosha balance, thus preventing aggravation of symptoms.
Before a shower, apply some coconut oil or olive oil to prevent the skin from drying. Add some Epsom salt into the bath water to reduce itching and avoid using any soap directly on your skin. Instead only apply the lather. You may keep your skin moisturized with coconut oil or olive oil or aloe vera gel (The fresh sap can be collected by peeling off the skin and scooping it from the plant using a spoon or you may use store bought bottled ones).
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What will you need to do post discharge - after you complete your ayurvedic treatment in Kerala?
The period after inpatient ayurvedic treatment in Kerala is a very important time in determining the long-term success of your treatment. Make sure you follow all the advice given by your physician - take your medicines as prescribed and follow dietary as well as lifestyle guidelines especially during the period that you are taking the medicines. During this period, your body is going through rejuvenation and is like a newly planted sapling. Hence it is essential to not indulge in any activities that may disturb the dosha balance or disrupt the biofire since these could cause a relapse of the symptoms.
Summary
Ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis in Kerala is gaining more and more popularity globally day by day. Psoriasis is a very common condition; in fact, the disease is seen worldwide and affects the young as well as the old. Because of its nature of symptoms and the limitations of modern medicine in treating the condition, psoriasis often has a severe negative impact on people's lives. In this context, it is particularly significant to note the excellent results that ayurveda hospitals in Kerala have been able to deliver. Ayurveda understands psoriasis to be a condition that results from the presence of toxins in the body which lead to an immunological response that causes rapid production of skin cells. Ayurveda treatment for psoriasis corrects metabolism, eliminates toxins and cleanses the body. With a course of ayurveda treatment in Kerala that lasts 21 to 28 days, most patients experience short term and long term benefits - they experience significant relief of symptoms and their skin comes back to a normal appearance. They remain symptom free and are able to prevent complications like psoriatic arthritis by adhering to the dietary and lifestyle guidelines prescribed. In some cases, one or two repeat courses of ayurvedic treatment in Kerala after a year or more are found to be necessary for the long-term management of the condition.
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FAQ
After ayurvedic treatment in Kerala, how can I prevent flare-ups of my disease?
The reasons for flare up vary from person to person - for some, stress can be a trigger whereas for someone else, some kinds of food or climate could be the trigger. In general, it is good to refrain from dry foods as well as dry, cold weather. Create a stress free lifestyle and do not get involved in any activity that can cause mental stress. Apply some olive oil or coconut oil before your shower and do not use soap directly on the skin. Avoid cosmetics and instead use aloe vera gel to moisturize your body.
Almost my entire body has psoriasis patches. Can ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis be beneficial in this condition?
Yes, ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis can be beneficial even when your entire body is covered with patches. If your disease is in an advanced condition, treatment may take longer but there will certainly be significant short term and long term benefits. Symptoms can be controlled, further complications can be prevented and recurrence can be reduced.
I have been using steroid creams and allopathic tablets for a few years now. Can I still undergo ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis?
Yes. You may undergo ayurveda treatment for psoriasis even if you have been using allopathic tablets or creams. However you may not be able to stop those medications as soon as you switch to ayurveda treatments. You may need to continue some of the medications even while you undergo ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis but gradually you will be able to taper down the dosage and eventually say goodbye to them.
My symptoms are worse when I am stressed. What can I do to keep my stress levels low?
Stress can be a very strong trigger for worsening of psoriasis symptoms. During your ayurvedic treatment in Kerala, there will be treatments to relax your mind and achieve a calm state. Once you go back home, make sure you keep away from all circumstances and people that could cause stress in you. Practise yoga, pranayama and meditation regularly.
My GP says my arthritis could be related to my psoriasis. Can ayurvedic treatment for psoriasis help at this stage?
Yes, your arthritis condition could be a complication of psoriasis and there could be fatigue and swelling over tendons, fingers and toes. A course of ayurvedic treatment in Kerala can help you even at this stage. If you have psoriatic arthritis your ayurvedic physician will include treatments to address it as well. Results vary depending on the chronicity and severity of the situation.
After my panchakarma treatment in Kerala how long more will I need to continue medicines?
At the time of discharge after your ayurvedic treatment in Kerala, you will be prescribed medicines to be taken at home for a few months, say 3 to 6 months. However the exact period of medicines will vary case to case and depends on chronicity and severity of the condition.