by Jonathan & Jackie Parker
Isn’t your dream to stay youthful, healthy and full of vigor and vitality your whole life? Don’t you want the buoyancy, energy, and mental capabilities you had in your youth? I do! That’s why I am interested in rejuvenating therapies.
The idea of rejuvenation therapy is unique to the science of Ayurveda. There are 8 branches of Ayurveda and the branch that deals with rejuvenation of the body/mind is called Rasayana (ra-sigh-ana) therapy. “Rasayana” is a Sanskrit word. “Rasa” is translated as juice, and “anaya” is translated as path. So Rasayana literally means “the path of juice” and any substance that helps to bring about the rejuvenation of youthful physical or mental energy is considered a Rasayana.
In Ayurveda aging is seen as a process of drying up. The tissues dry out which results in a slower transportation of nutrients into the cells and a slower release of toxic wastes out of the body. Rasayanas restore body functions taxed by the wear and tear of our daily lives and they bring back the juiciness and glow of youth by replenishing vital fluids, and producing healthy body tissue and then eliminating toxicity.
The most effective time to administer rasayana therapy is after a deep cleanse or Panchakarma. Panchakarma is a process of cleansing the body’s deep tissues of toxins that can accumulate over time due to over-eating, indigestion, polluted air, water, and food laced with man-made chemicals and pesticides. These impurities are stored in the tissues and fat cells, where they can remain forever and wreak havoc unless periodically flushed out.
Panchakarma was originally created for Indian royalty to extend longevity. If you are feeling blocked, experiencing fatigue or heaviness, depression, poor digestion, insomnia, allergies, arthritis, or have a thick coating on your tongue, it’s a pretty good indication you have stored toxins or ama, as it is called in Ayurveda.
It is always more effective for a person who wishes to undergo Rasayana therapy to undergo some sort of detoxification or Panchakarma prior to taking it. A detoxified body and mind is like a clean cloth that is ready to absorb the color in which it has been dipped, unlike a dirty cloth which looks dirty even after coloring it with bright colors.
The rasayana I recommend most often after Panchakarma is Amalaki. Amalaki is a “wonder” rasayana and has earned the name “the great rejuvenator” and “the fruit of immortality” because has so many healing properties. In fact, The Charaka Samhita, the ancient authoritative text of Ayurveda considers Amalaki the most effective rejuvenative food in the plant kingdom.
Although the size of a golf ball, amalaki has up to 20 times more vitamin C than oranges. Amalaki is also frequently recommended as an aphrodisiac, antipyretic, anti-diabetic and cerebral tonic. It nourishes the heart, skin, blood, bones, liver
and has a direct effect on the digestive system and building and strengthening the immune system. It’s loaded with phytochemicals, carotenoids, polyphenols, bioflavonoids, tannins, amino acids and minerals.
If we could take just one supplement for the remainder of our life, it would be Amalaki. Amalaki is available in a variety of ways. Some companies prepare them in
paste form using ghee and honey, others put them into pills and powders, and there are also some liquids on the market. Almost always it is combined with many complimentary herbs which gives a stronger effect than one single herb.
See my free article for more on longevity and vitality.
