Podikizhi
Podikizhi / Navarakizhi
Pizhichil is the process where cotton cloth pieces are dipped in warm medicated oil and squeezed onto the patient body. This therapy is a beautiful combination of two classical Ayurvedic treatments, Snehana (oleation) and Swedana (sudation). The whole body is bathed in streams of lukewarm medicated oil with simultaneous soft massage. More than three liters of medicated oil is used in this therapy. Pizhichil protects the body from illnesses and builds up immunity for a healthy life. It is very useful for rheumatic diseases, arthritis, paralysis, neurological disorders, blood pressure, and nervous weakness and helps to arrest the aging process.
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Navarakizhi is also known as shashtikashali pinda swedam. Navara in Malayalam stands for the rice (Shashtika Shali in Sanskrit) that grows in 60 days; Kizhi (Pinda in Sanskrit) stands for bolus. Navara is indigenous variety of rice grown in Kerala, having medicinal properties. It is a unique treatment procedure practiced by Kerala Ayurveda physicians (Vaidyas). It is a procedure by which the whole body or any specific part is made to perspire , by the application of certain medicinal drugs with Navara rice puddings externally in the form of boluses tied up in a gada cloth.
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What is Podikizhi ?
Podikizhi is a relaxing and refreshing massage which is good for relieving stiffness and spasms of the muscles. It relieves the joint pain and strengthens the spinal muscles with lubrication of joints. It is one of the best treatments for rheumatic fever and arthritis.
Benefits of Podikizhi
The benefits of Podikizhi are paralysis, muscular pain, arthritis and bursitis. It removes the toxins from the circulatory system which imparts the blood circulation and is also beneficial for inflammations in spinal muscles which are found effective in cervical Spondylitis, frozen shoulder and low back aches.