Laghu Shankhaprakshalana or how to cleanse your gastrointestinal tract

The 21st century men admittedly can not boast of good health. Nearly every person suffers from one or other illness of varied ethiology. There are several key factors to maintain excellent health with personal hygiene (body hygiene) being among them. In general, it comes down to certain daily norms, rules, and habits to keep your body clean, thus enhancing its thrive and resistance to ambient impacts.

We are taught since the early childhood we must clip our fingernails, take a bath, wash our hands and teeth, however, that's all. One of the yoga principles, referred to as "saucha" (purity), has its roots in the rule one must keep the body, the mind and the actions clean to enjoy genuine health and happiness. Saucha treats the body cleanliness issue in more detail and, besides the already known hygiene practices, elaborates on one also being in need of internal hygiene or internal organs cleansing procedures to keep to. We can find these practices in one of the main hatha yoga texts being referred to as "pradipika" (means light), where various body cleansing techniques are described in detail in the satkarma section.

According to Ayurveda and yoga, the lack of equilibrium in doshas - pitta, vatta and kapha namely - results in disorders. The satkarmas aim at balancing both doshas and the two main body energies, namely ida and pingala. This results in a true physical and mental equilibrium.

In this article we will not elaborate on each one of the six satkarmas, though, and will consider a specific practice called Laghu Shankhaprakshalana, that translates as "washing the shell". It is one of the most effective and perhaps the only practice to cleanse the entire intestinal tract, including the small intestine and the large intestine. This practice benefits health in an exceptional way being not limited to the physical body only.

Here are some of them:

• Relieves and affects favorably digestive issues and disorders;
• Promotes the normal functioning of the intestinal tract by stimulating peristalsis;
• Elininates a large percent of the toxic waste products accumulated in the gastro-intestinal tract;
• Promotes the liver function;
• Promotes the pancreas;
• Used also as a kidney cleansing;
• Reduces excess mucus;
• Eliminates some of the pathogenic microflora;
• Moving toward emotional balance;
• Helps eliminate the built-up stress and anxiety;
• Increases energy level;
• Promotes composure and mental alertness;
• Helps balance the body energy flows.

This practice is very appropriate to perform before starting any type of physical cleansing, detoxification or a longer fast. Thus the body detoxification can start directly from the beginning as the stagnant intestinal accumulated masses will be disposed and the subsequent processes will not be impeded.

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