A Changing Lifestyle and Its Consequences
In the modern world, humanity has undergone a huge change in lifestyle, eating habits, luxuries, and adaptation to environmental factors. In the name of advancement, Mother Nature is forced to
lose its purity and is adulterated with a number of pollutants. Life, knowingly or unknowingly, is made to usher in this polluted atmosphere. Comfortable habits, an unhealthy environment, and
chemically studded eatables create a mess in the body, leading to the accumulation of toxins. All this calls for detoxification, both as a preventive measure and as a cure.
Ayurveda: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Toxins
Ayurveda is the science that offers a cure under two different principles:
1- Shodhana, meaning to expel the causative factor or toxic overload from the body
2-Shamana, meaning to suppress the disease-causing etiological factors.
Shodhana considers detoxification a major instrument to heal the body. A specialized branch of Ayurveda, called Panchakarma, is entirely dedicated to detoxifying the body and restoring the normal balance of the pillars of health, i.e., Dosha, Dhatu, and Mala.
Prana: The Air We Breathe
Breath is regarded as Prana (life) in Ayurveda, and the air we inhale is called Prana Vayu. Today, this air is heavily polluted due to emissions from industries and vehicles, which have become essential to modern living. Furthermore, daily necessities like mosquito repellents fill sleeping rooms with toxic fumes. The body has no choice but to inhale this toxic Prana Vayu day and night. Anything unnatural to the body has a limit to be tolerated.
Chemical Farming and Toxic Food
To meet the food requirements of the growing world population, scientists have devised ways to cultivate more grains using chemical-based fertilizers. However, the irrational use of these fertilizers by illiterate farmers has led to toxic yields in the name of food grains. To protect crops from fungal and pest attacks, a volley of harsh chemical sprays is used—some so potent that even a teaspoon of them can be fatal to humans. The residual effects of these chemicals remain in the final yield, which is then consumed by people, subjecting their bodies to a load of unwanted substances.
Contaminated Earth and Water
The Mother Earth is now heavily polluted with concentrated chemical toxins—whether from industrial waste, experimental waste, human waste, or agricultural waste. Different layers of soil hold high concentrations of waste, and with rainfall, these toxins seep underground, contaminating water bodies. This pollution has resulted in underground water becoming unfit for consumption, with high arsenic concentrations responsible for many incurable ailments crippling mankind.
Mental and Intellectual Toxins
Additionally, the hectic daily routine leaves the mind constantly occupied and restless. The fear of an uncertain future creates mental unease, leading to mental toxins that compromise intellectual ability.
In a nutshell, the body is forced to face various types of pollution, leading to external, internal, mental, intellectual, hormonal, and spiritual toxins, all of which contribute to disease.
The Urgent Need for Detoxification
This calls for detoxification. There are various modes of detoxification, and by adopting its principles, the harmful effects of toxin buildup can be minimized, restoring balance in both body
and mind.