The healing power of blood-sucking leeches
In Ayurveda system of medicine, Raktamokshana Karma (bloodletting) is considered one of the 5 primordial therapies (commonly known as Panchakarma therapies) and an effective blood purification treatment for the management of several important disease conditions.
Raktamokshana derives its name from Rakta meaning 'blood' and Mokshana meaning 'liberation'. This treatment literally 'releases' impure blood from the system.
When excess toxicity of rakta and pitta dosha has occurred so much so that it cannot be cured by herbs or any other procedure, Raktamokshana comes to rescue!
It promotes detoxification, invigorates body fluid and blood, clears wind (vata) / damp (kapha) / heat (pitta) stagnation, relieves pain in old injury sites.
Although it seems to be the most limited of the five major procedures, it provides a rapid and sometimes dramatic reduction of symptoms in certain acute disorders.
It is done using different methods like applying one or a few leeches on a specific part of your body, puncturing any of your veins or making several small punctures on a given part of your body in order to facilitate small quantities of blood to flow out of your body. An alternative method for most of us - delicate westerner patients :) - is hijama or wet cupping.
And a couple of weeks ago, I was feeling abnormally cold to my bones! And found myself under the care of my dear friend, mentor, and skilled homeopath, Syria for a wet cupping treatment hoping to revivify my blood and circulatory system.
In the early 20th century this therapy had a major setback due to the origin and evolution of antibiotics. There was a discontinuity in the flow of knowledge about this therapy. And Bloodletting was considered a primitive mode of treatment.
Today, beyond such purification therapy, you'll see a lot of claims about detox supplements that can supposedly cleanse and purify the blood. The ayurvedic powerhouse for the blood and lymph is Manjistha (Rubia cordifolia). Manjistha has a strong bitter taste (rasa) along with a pungent post-digestive effect (vipaka) which gives it the ability to break down blockages and stagnation within the entire circulation of blood and lymph, as well as break down and burn away natural toxins (ama). Manjistha has stronger pitta and kapha pacifying actions, which can aggravate vata if not used wisely or with other more balancing herbs.
Are you experiencing any blood / lymph toxicity ? Are you curious to experiment with this herb and allow more Ayurvedic insights to unfold into your life ? Contact me !