Each Ayurvedic detoxification program is made up of three stages: preparation, cleansing and post-cleansing therapies. The first stage consists of balancing agni, the digestive fire. The actual cleansing therapies will vary from patient to patient depending on his body type. In the Ayurvedic system, you fall into one of three dominant body types known as dosha.

One of the most important Ayurvedic detoxification procedures is massage with warm oil with added herbs. You can do this daily alone. It works to increase circulation which also helps to purify your blood. The Sanskrit term for this type of massage is Abhyanga. It is usually followed by a steam bath and a hot shower.

Warm oil massage and sweat therapies prepare the body to eliminate the toxins (doshas) from their respective zones. This approach is unique in that it insures that the underlying tissues are not damaged by the elimination procedures mentioned above. This attention to the proper preparation of the body prior to the elimination of toxins is unequal in the health care field and is what makes Pancha Karma so unique and effective.