Ayurveda Daily Journal – Day 8

Feb 10 (Day 8):
GENERAL IMPRESSIONS:
I am nervous…I’ll cop to that right up front. This is the beginning of the phase of the treatment that almost kept me from coming here in the first place. As I describe this part of the treatment process, I urge you again, to remember that people come here from all over the world to do the same basic program I am doing. Ayurveda has existed for over 5,000 years. The simple reason?  It works for many people…enough said.

THE TREATMENT:
I started the “Ghee Phase” of the detox today. This is the beginning of the hardest part of the treatment. Basically, what they are trying to do is 1) lubricate all the organs inside my body and 2) flood them with the medicinal herbs as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Ayurvedic medicine believes that the most efficient way to do that is to use ghee (clarified butter) as a delivery method.  So…

Every morning for the next 3-7 days, I will drink my daily dose of warm, medicated ghee. Today, I only had to drink about an inch of this incredibly bitter oil, but every day the dose will increase, possibly up to a half a glass by the end of the treatment. (I know!) I will continue to do this until I show saturation signs (i.e. nausea and vomiting). Lucky me.

THE DOCTOR:
Doctor Sankar held the cup of medicated ghee and prayed over me while I sat in a chair facing east. (because India considers East to be the most auspicious direction of the compass.) Then that adorable doctor flashed me his best George Clooney-smile and said, “OK…Vodka shot!” I slammed it down, hoping it would taste like grilled lobster when I dip it into clarified butter, but no — instead it was the nastiest stuff you can imagine. The doctor lets most people suck a slice of lemon afterwards to get the taste out of their mouth, but because I have issues with my stomach…no lemon for me.

They delivered a bucket to my room and placed it next to my bed in case I need it later. (That’s never a good sign.)  Now I will rest in my room until late afternoon, drinking hot, ginger water to help digest the ghee.

I will be allowed a bowl of rice gruel whenever I get hungry in the late afternoon (doesn’t that sound delicious?) I’ll also be allowed a normal dinner each evening.  For the first part of the day though, nothing but the medicated ghee. I’m interested to see how this goes. (But man, I’m hoping it’s only three days, not seven. This bucket freaks me out.)

WORDS OF WISDOM:
“The first step of getting what you want is having the courage to get rid of what you don’t.” — Unknown