Some common ayurvedic therapies

* Oil massage: designed to increase circulation, improve metabolism and detoxify the body, herbal oils are applied in large quantities; beneficial for stress related conditions, insomnia, migraines, arthritis and nervous system disorders.

* Heat treatments: steam, hot baths and compresses are used to induce sweating and eliminate toxins from the body; commonly follows oil massage.

* Panca karma: includes medically induced purgation, blood- letting, laxatives, and nasal cleaning techniques; cleansing therapies used to treat chronic disease and also as a yearly clean out of the system.

* Samsarjana karma: dietary regime in which patient consumes only light easily digestible foods such as boiled rice and vegetable soup for a certain period.

* Samana karma: the use of herbs to balance the body and eliminate toxins.

-- David Kennedy