"MY KARMA" - BY ELLE JOURNAL

Four years ago, just after New Year, I decided to try Panchakarma - the ancient Indian method of purification and rejuvenation of body, soul and mind. At that time, I was far from such elevated goals: I just wanted to lose weight. No one believed I could manage it. "Working in January with no days off and moreover eating like an Indian guru?! And some strange oil drinking process in the morning... It's difficult in usual life, but with your life style it's just dangerous!" - my husband persuaded me. But January is the only month of the year without business trips in my work schedule (when we work under the March journal issue and don't go to the trips). And my weight then reached a critical point. As best I could, I explained the situation to my husband, who ironically named panchakarma "hvanchkara" (the pronunciation on the Russian resembles the name of Georgian vine). But in the end he reluctantly agreed to have dinner separately from me.

WHY SHOULD I DO THIS? 

Now I know for sure that panchakarma could change the body significantly. After the first time I lost 8 kg, improved my health and boosted my energy level for months to come, I can't imagine life without this ritual now. And year 2015 was not an exception. On the third of January I gave up drinking champagne and Russian salad eating in favour of oil drinking, rice and vegetables eating. My goal was not being slim (last summer I got rid of ten kilos, and the weight is still not growing), but being healthy and at high energy level. Those who have done panchakarma at least once know that it "recharges the batteries" significantly. But to be completely honest, during the holidays I gained three kilos.

WHAT DOES THE NEW YEAR KARMA MEAN? 

Panchakarma consist of five basic Ayurvedic techniques (Pancha means “five” in Sanskrit and Karma means “action”) that “cleanse” every cell. But which technique is useful for you and in what sequence, is up to the doctor’s professional opinion. All four years my personal panchkarma schedule is prescribed by doctor Mohammed Ali from Kerala Center of Restorative Medicine, Yoga and Ayurveda (Moscow, 3 Michurinsky prospect, phone (495) 646 1331). He checks my pulse, looks into my eyes, rubs my belly, knocks on my bones, etc. And based on the results of the check up he designs special programme. Usually he asks me not to move too much, work less, not to be nervous. And he smiled: "You will do the opposite anyway, aren't you?" Indeed, although Indian doctors recommend to close a bit from worldly life during panchakarma, I manage to combine an energetic rhythm of life with this detoxifying methodology. This is more easy since Kerala experts have developed  panchakarma for city daredevils like me. Instead of the two weeks that it normally takes to clean the body in India, my detox programme has been reduced to four days.

NEW YEAR KARMA FIRST STEP 

I am now in the middle of my journey. Nastya, a nurse, came to my home and gave me warm herbal ghee (called "span") from the third to the ninth of January. This is the part of Panchakarma that scares the neophytes the most. Actually, the oil tastes fine and it's not complicated to drink it. Most sensitive are advised to plug up their nose and swipe a lemon wedge across their lips. The dose of Span  increases every day: it's a main principle of Panchkarma, you have to "oil" your body thoroughly. Span detoxifies the cells, so the first two or three days you don't feel very good (if you want to follow my expirience, plan to start your panchkarma at the weekend). Year after year, however, I find the first phase easier to bear. In the beginning I had headaches, neck and back pain. Then I got depression and wild self-pity. The doctor at the time was very happy about these symptoms: "So it's working! The toxins are coming out," he told me. This year I felt fine. I must not have had time to get completely "contaminated".

NEW YEAR'S KARMA MIDDLE RESULT 

The gained three kilos evaporated, taking with them a fourth one. And that's considering I didn't restrict meals’ sizes as I had all the years before. When you drink oil, you can eat only rice with water at lunch and boiled vegetables in the evening. The first year I was starving, but this time I decided I would eat what was prescribed, but until I feel full stomach. And still I lost weight. Now I am in the middle of the way: I do yoga every morning with Kerala teachers, do oil massage (internal oiling replaced by external oiling), enjoy my energy level boost and mentally prepare myself for the next stage. NEW YEAR'S KARMA 

HOMEWORK 

People often ask if you can do Panchakarma self without the doctor. You can find a lot of advices about it on the Internet. But I have many doubts about its efficiency and benefits. Panchakarma schedule is planned individually. Doctor selects special herbs, based on the condition and needs of your body and health. Simply to melt oil and drink a cup on an empty stomach does not mean that you will clean your body of toxins. Moreover the Eastern medicine is very controversial subject, and you'd better not get involved into Panchakarma process with your own understanding and rules. Otherwise, instead of doing some good, you may do some serious harm.