Raktamokshana - Blood Letting Therapy

Process of letting the blood out of the body is named as rakta mokshana. As per Acharya Sushruta blood is the fourth dosha of the body and letting the vitiated blood out is one of the panchakarma. In blood donation the blood is collected, stored and reused for others, where as in this blood letting therapy, blood is just left out to flow and it is not used further. Here the vitiated blood is removed from the body to heal blood related disorders.

Similar to the roots give life to the tree, blood gives life to the human body. We consider blood to be life, and when such blood gets vitiated then diseases related to blood like, skin disorders, pimples, gout, arthritis, and many more seems to occur in the body. So removing the vitiated blood during the diseases or letting it out in an healthy person yearly once can treat or avoid diseases related to blood.

3 ways of blood letting therapy

1. Shastra - Sharp instruments like surgical instruments are used in this type. Prachanna and Siravyadha are the two types of blood letting done in this method

2. Anushastra - non surgical instruments are used here. Alabu and Shrunga are used here to do blood letting therapy

3. Ashastra - Jalouka (Leech) is used here to suck the vitiated blood

Raktamokshana can be done during:

Diseases like inflammation, swelling, hives, urticaria, abscess, skin ailments, fibroid, tumours, eye diseases, ear discharge, herpes, sinusitis, bleeding disorders, liver or spline problems, gout, arthritis and for many this raktamokshana therapy is used.

Time for Raktamokshana:

Pitta is directly linked to Blood, when pitta is vitiated blood also gets vitiated. So correcting pitta becomes easy to correct blood or vice versa. In Autumn (Sharad rutu) season pitta increases in the nature and so in animals and humans. So blood letting is specifically mentioned in autumn season for healthy persons.

Healthy persons in autumn season can either go for blood letting procedure or can donate blood. But for any disease conditioned as mentioned above it can be done anytime depending on the diseases severity. At our Mahanasa Ayurveda clinic, we tell to donate blood as a part of Panchakarma procedure to healthy persons. Also to those persons who have severe bile function related symptoms, persons with BP variations, and those suffering from diseases of liver and spleen and herpes are told to donate complete blood from the time between Dasara to Deepawali every year which is autumn season. This helps in relieving the diseases and taking one towards to healthy condition.

Benefits of Raktamokshana:

1. Letting the blood out of the body will reduces viscosity of the blood, which in turn improves the flow of the blood and this reduces blood clots in turn helps in reducing the risk of heart attacks and paralysis

2. Also helps in reducing bad cholesterol (LDL)

3. Blood letting or donating helps to maintain a healthy fluid balance in the body, thereby reducing blood pressure

4. Excess iron can be reduced by this procedure

5. High iron content increases oxidative stress, so reduce iron levels reduces oxidative stress can reduce the risk of cancer

6. New healthy blood cells are formed after raktamokshana

7. It also helps in weight reduction if good exercise and good foods are taken after the therapy

8. Good for skin and skin ailments like acne, raises, etc.

Here is a drink recipe to increase haemoglobin levels:

Ingredients required :

1. Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

2. Curry leaves - 4 leaves

3. Indian Gooseberry (Amla) - 1 fruit

Method of preparation:

In a glass of hot water soak coriander seeds and curry leaves for 2 hours. Then remove the curry leaves and keep apart, filter the coriander seeds and keep water aside. In a juicer grind amla and soaked curry leaves with coriander seed water. This should be taken at around 12 noon or at 4 pm. This helps in increasing haemoglobin levels in he blood and also helps in relieving hair loss.

Mahanasa Ayurveda