Cleansing

According to Ayurvedic doctors, internal cleansing is an essential step in getting toxins out of the body. Liver and intestinal cleansing periodically is essential. Please do not do a cleanse if you have a weak liver or colon. It is best to consult your physician if you have any health conditions before starting a cleanse.

 

Daily Routine

By Amber Vitse, Ayurvedic Practitioner
(Editor’s Note: If you do not know your constitution, also known as your Dosha, take the test by clicking here).

  • Wake before 7am, sleep before 10pm. If awake between 3 and 6, this is the best time to meditate
  • Use a body brush or loofah to exfoliate your skin
  • Implement Abyangha—self massage with oils. Use a moderate amount of Cooling oil (click here on Abyangha instruction if needed)
  • Step into lukewarm bath or gentle shower. Pat dry with soft towels, apply more oil if weather is especially dry cleanse the mouth and teeth with mild paste, mint helps
  • Engage in team sports to promote cooperation, or hiking to enjoy nature. Avoid saunas, steam rooms, sunbathing, and hot tubs.
  • Dress in colors that mitigate Pitta and promote meditation: blues and greens
  • If it is difficult for you to breakfast early, try starting with a liver flush: juice of one lemon or lime, 1 tbs. Olive Oil, ½ apple or pear, blend and drink.

Taking your herbs

Foods during a cleanse

You can tolerate the most food reduction. Kichadi or Kichari is your best cleansing food while remaining nourished—Blend of white Basmati Rice for Pitta, Mung Bean, and spices—recipe is here. Use a small amount several times a day, heaped with steamed vegetables and the stronger spices.

Fresh apples and pears, kiwi, persimmon, pomegranate—avoid the sweeter fruits. Spring is a good time of year to use “stored fruits” like figs, prunes raisins, or apricots in very small amounts (remember each dried fruit represents a whole raw fruit) cut up to flavor your dishes or as a snack.

lightly steamed or raw: Asparagus, artichokes, bitter melon, bok choy, tatsoi, beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chilies, green and red peppers, green salads-especially mixed field greens and arugula, kale, chard, collards, turnip and beet greens, mustard greens, raw onions, radishes, spinach, sprouts. In Spring, go for as much raw as possible: asparagus, green salads-especially mixed field greens- new spring greens like dandelion, arugula, kale, chard, collards, turnip and beet greens, mustard greens, green onions, spinach, and sprouts.

For the astringent taste, use whole grain buckwheat, white or brown basmati, or roasted quinoa or amaranth.

If you must have animal flesh, try freshwater fish and game meats like venison, pheasant, or rabbit.

Dairy is usually contraindicated during a cleanse. A bit of ghee for cooking and goats milk in moderation if you are accustomed to it can help with carrying the herbs into the tissues.

Also astringent, all legumes or beans are good for you right now except for tofu, chickpeas, and hummus of chickpeas.

Ghee is the optimum for oleation of tissues for cleansing. But, Kapha does not need much right now.

Stick with seeds: pumpkin, flax, and sunflower. If they are a main source of protein for you, sprout them first by soaking overnight in water then laying out to sprout 1-2 days.

Only use raw honey, and only when preparing goat’s milk or tea to take with the herbs.

Room temperature water, herbal teas of the especially spicy kind.