Navarakkizhi in Kerala Ayurveda

Navarakkizhi

Navarakkizhi, Kerala’s unique contribution to Ayurveda, is a fomentation of the body with blouses of cooked rice. Shastika or navara is a particular kind of rice known for its nutritional value. The rice is first cooked with milk and herbal decoction made of kurumthotti, a herb. Four blouses are made of the cooked rice and are tied up in linen bags. The fomentation begins with the patient sitting straight on the dhroni with legs stretched. The masseurs on either side perform the fomentation process in an identical manner. The movement of the hands during both fomentation and massage should always be downwards. This therapy is done in seven standard positions.

Benefits:

• Strengthens the body
• Rejuvenate the tissues
• Improves muscle tone
• Improves blood supply by cleansing the channels of circulation
• Effective in curing diseases of the nervous system and others such as chronic rheumatism, osteoarthritis, gout, emaciation of muscles, numbness and diseases caused by vitiation of blood
• Makes the body strong and sturdy
• Nourishes the body and increases immunity
• Promotes sharpness of vision and functions of other sense organs
• Slows down aging, premature graying of hair, baldness, appearance of wrinkles over the body and other ailments caused by aging
• Gives softness to the body by improving the health of the skin

This is a strengthening fomentation employed in  all kinds of neurological disorders, rheumatism, arthritis  congenital deformity of the limbs, dislocation of bones and joints etc.