Triphala - guide to wellness

Triphala Rasayana



"Don't have a mother to take care of you? As long as you take Triphala everyday, don't worry, everything will be fine." -- Indian saying


The word Triphala means "three fruits." Triphala is a very famous and traditional herbal combination used extensively by ayurvedic healers.
Triphala is made up of equal parts of Amalaki (Indian Gooseberry or Emblica officinalis), Haritaki (Indian Gallnut or Terminalia chebula), and Bibhitaki (Beleric Myrobalan or Terminalia bellerica).

Although Triphala is most commonly used to cleanse and tone the digestive tract, it is in reality an ayurvedic rasayana--a rejuvenative herbal blend that delivers benefits to the physiology as a whole. Ancient ayurvedic texts state that rasayanas promote overall health and longevity with their simultaneous cleansing and nourishing properties and ojas-enhancing qualities. Ojas is the most refined product of digestion, and according to ayurvedic healers, ojas promotes physical, mental, emotional, sensual and spiritual health.

Some specific benefits of Triphala

• Triphala promotes the health of the digestive tract. It helps cleanse, tone and nourish the digestive system, resulting in more complete and efficient digestion and assimilation of food. As digestion improves, less ama (digestive toxic matter) is created, and this leads to better health and an improved immune system.

• In normal doses, Triphala is mildly laxative in nature, and can be used as an internal cleanser for extended periods of time without fear of the harsh purging wrought by strong eliminative formulas. It is not habit forming. Despite its gentle action, Triphala cleanses deeply when used regularly--it helps purify the blood, muscle and fat tissue.

• Triphala is beneficial for the eyes and the skin. It helps keep the eyes healthy and bright and the skin clear. Triphala gives the skin a natural glow.

• Triphala purifies the urine and helps maintain the health and function of the urinary tract.

• Triphala helps cleanse and strengthen the liver.

• Because it helps cleanse the fat tissue, Triphala helps balance cholesterol levels and helps weight management.

• Triphala has antioxidant properties. Indian Gooseberry, one of its three components, is the most potent natural source of Vitamin C known to humanity.

Get the most from the Triphala you take



Appropriate diet and lifestyle choices can significantly add to the benefits you get from herbal rasayanas, and you may see results quicker as well.

Many of the benefits you see from Triphala come from its cleansing quality. Triphala helps the body get rid of accumulated ama (digestive toxins), and if taken regularly for maintenance, helps prevent ama from building up in the body. Diet and lifestyle choices that minimize ama build-up therefore help Triphala cleanse and nourish the physiology at deeper levels.

Dietary Recommendations

• Eat fresh foods as much as possible--leftovers tax your digestion much more than freshly prepared or freshly cooked foods.

• Eat naturally grown foods, organic when you can get it. Organic and naturally grown foods retain more of nature's goodness in them than foods grown with pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Bonus: naturally grown foods offer more flavor and nutrition!

• Minimize processed and preserved foods--not only are they harder to digest, they are also generally low on nutrients.

• Your digestion is an agni--a fire--that "cooks" foods to make them easy to assimilate. Cooked foods make your digestive system's job easier because some processing has already occurred when the food enters your body.

• Eat a lighter diet when you take Triphala to cleanse the digestive system--avoid deep-fried foods, heavy meats and rich desserts, and eat more of foods like vegetable soups, cooked whole grains and fresh or stewed fruit.

• Minimize nightshades--they tend to clog the shrotas (channels) of the body.

• Include some foods that have cleansing qualities in your daily diet--sweet juicy fruits, freshly squeezed sweet fruit juices and spices such as cumin, for example.

• Drink lots of water--warm water or room temperature water aids digestion, while iced beverages douse the digestive agni and contribute to ama accumulation.

• Drink spiced lassi at lunch--it helps boost digestion without clogging the channels of the body.

• Make milk more digestible by boiling it and then letting it to cool down to comfortably warm or room temperature before you drink it. A pinch of powdered ginger or cardamom can add flavor and enhance digestibility.

• Do not drink milk at mealtimes, and restrict water to a few sips during the meal.

• If your digestive agni is sluggish, pep it up by eating some crushed fresh ginger mixed with a few drops of lemon juice before a meal.

Lifestyle Recommendations

• Practice mindful eating--focus on your meal rather than work or socializing at mealtimes. Chew each morsel well and savor the flavors and textures. If you enjoy what you eat, you digest it better.

• Eat smaller portions, especially early in the morning and in the evenings.

• If you snack, choose fresh, sweet, fully ripe fruit--they are very easily digested, and do not disrupt the rest your digestive system gets between meals.

• Rest for a few minutes, preferably in silence, after your meal is done. This helps kick-start your digestion. Deep breathing and the yoga posture known as vajrasana also help digestion.

• Staying up late can throw digestion out of balance, so try and get to bed by about 10 p.m., especially when taking Triphala to cleanse your system.

• A daily ayurvedic warm oil massage can help your body eliminate toxins.

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