In Vata winter our systems are drier as we are exposed to cold, windy weather outside and dry, heated air inside. Also, by nature, our agni/hunger is stronger in the winter because that is the Ayurveda season to build and nourish. We need to fuel the increased demands for nourishment and we want to eat more to stay warm.
This explains our stronger appetite; however, we may not take time for more food preparation, variety, and substance to nurture ourselves in the building season. We might still be eating our same meals and amounts as other times of the year. Hmmm... then, about 11am or say 3pm we may feel ravenous and grab the quickest sugar treat we can find.
As we go through Vata season, these sugary treats and quick processed food choices accumulate as ama that gets stuck in the dry recesses of our bodies. Not good.
Just like maple tree sap naturally runs in the spring, so does our sap in the form of mucus. When our Spring moisture comes, our dried toxins are dislodged and begin to move. We want to make sure we are moving them OUT of the body so they don't sluggishly resettle somewhere such as in our throat or sinuses. This is the root cause of colds, allergies, and other spring issues; ama resettles into vulnerable areas which can play host to viruses and bacteria.
We all can and should do something to detox this time of the year if we want to benefit our health. This is the time to burn with clean fire. We do this by clearing ama and stoking our agni. In this issue are some suggestions to support you from a few simple strategies to an advanced cleanse. Anything you do for conscious cleansing will reward you.
I am doing my cleanse the first week in March--feels like the Spring sap run is early this year. I encourage you to give it a try at some level.
Live with radiant intention and be well. Rhonda [some text in this issue from previous Radiant Life Ayurveda newsletters on Spring Cleanse] |
Simple Detox
Ayurveds believe that detoxification is a daily experience. Three of the easiest ways to detox is to:
- Sip hot spice water every 30 minutes throughout the day- recipe below.
- Scrape your tongue first thing each morning with the round part of a spoon or a tongue scraper, and
- allow 3-6 hours between meals (no snacking) so that complete digestion can occur. You may need to eat more volume of food at each meal in the winter to hold off hunger cravings between meals.
Hot water felt on the side of the tongue signals the body to digest. If you have eaten recently, the hot water will stimulate that digestive process. If it has been an hour or more since you have eaten, your body goes into the fat reserves and pulls from there to digest stored fat. Most of our toxins are stored in fat.
The hot water alone has benefit, but when you add the digestive spices of fennel, cumin, and coriander, you have magnified the effect. Drinking hot spice water daily is a detox and a weight loss good habit.
Hot Spice Water
1/2 tsp organic fennel seeds
1/4 tsp organic cumin seeds
1/4 tsp organic coriander seeds
Organic seeds available
here
Add to a quart of water in a thermos and sip throughout the day. You may add more hot water throughout the day; just start with fresh seeds the next day.
Note: Only drink about 1/2 cup total of room temperature or hot water with a meal (never iced, that inhibits digestion) and refrain from drinking liquids for 30 minutes before and after a meal. You want a little bit of liquid to process what you are eating but you don't want to slosh down half chewed food morsels.
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Middle Detox
Want to go a little further with detoxing this spring? In addition to drinking Hot Spice Water and not snacking, you can try a 1- 3 Day Detox Food Plan .
 The Detox mono-diet gives your digestive system a chance to rest as you eat a smaller amount of easily digestible meals. I suggest that you set your sights on a reasonable goal, if this is your first detox, so that you will have a good experience. Start with just one day perhaps. In future years you may want to add days or try the advanced cleanse with ghee (noted below).
 The food plan consists of rice porridge for breakfast, kitchari for lunch, and mung bean soup for supper. Basmati rice is easy to  digest and nourishing; mung beans are a super detoxer---pulls th
At night time drink triphala tea (1/2 tsp of powder in a cup of boiled water) or take 1-2 triphala tablets. Triphala helps to move loosened toxins out through bowel movements.
It's helpful to do some gentle yoga, take a leisure walk, soak in a warm bath and/or meditate on cleanse days. Your body will be moving physical and emotional toxins out of your body so be gentle with the process.
Visit Banyan Botanicals for free cleanse materials and for a free cleanse e-book and for organic cleanse kits.
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Advanced Detox
If you have a fairly clean eating lifestyle and experience with doing cleanses, you might want to try an advanced cleanse.
An advanced Ayurveda cleanse involves a prep time, cleanse process, and post cleanse rejuvenation. You will
 drink melted
ghee each morning for 4 mornings during the cleanse followed by drinking prune juice to release the loosened toxins through the stool.
If you want to try this advanced cleanse, you can find guidance
here. I would only suggest doing this if you have tried more gentle cleanses in the past. This should not be your first experience. You may contact me for an appointment to provide support.
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Classes
Classes will resume in the fall. Enjoy your Spring and Summer. Nature will provide you with many new learnings. Look around, take it in. See how life and nature works. This is Ayurveda.
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R
honda Egidio Ph.D., R.A.P., [Registered Ayurveda Professional] provides Ayurvedic assessments of primary health
, diet, sleep, and lifestyle concerns and offers Ayurvedic
recommendations. It's a wise idea to obtain a baseline assessment to help you customize Ayurveda knowledge to your particular needs.
Check out
assessment and session options.
Dr. Rhonda Egidio, 269-345-2991
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Ayurveda information shared here is for general educational purposes and is not intended to substitute for medical or psychological advice. Please consult with a qualified medical professional in these matters.
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Mother Nature
"When I thrive...you thrive. When I falter...you falter."
Julia Roberts speaks as Nature---with breath-taking photos.
"I am prepared to evolve, are you?"
Here
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Coupon
Since October I have been getting a weekly box of cleaned and prepped organic food and recipes from Green Chef. Takes about 30 minutes to prepare.
I have been delighted by the freshness and taste...and no shopping or waste. If this strategy for fresh appeals to you, you can click
here to receive 4 free meals from a 6 meal plan.
There are a few meal services out there all about the same price --- organic is a big benefit.
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Quotables
"An Ayurvedic cleanse is designed to instill the foundation of good health. It works in a subtle and deep way to prepare you for the upcoming season and beyond.
A cleanse is as much about nourishing the tissues and satisfying the mind as it is about releasing toxins (
ama) from the body and also undigested thoughts from the mind."
Glynnis Osher and Madhuri Phillips
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Ayurveda Recipes
During your detox week, eat light and liquidy foods--try some of the soups at these sites. After--during the rejuvenation period --go for more substance, variety and ghee in your diet.
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Lemon Spice Detox and Weight Loss Tea
Ingredients
:
1/16 tsp cayenne pepper
1 C water
1/4 lemon
1 tsp honey
1/8 tsp apple cider vinegar
Preparation
Place ingredients in boiled water and stir. Drink in the morning upon waking 1/2 hour before meals or sip slowly after meals
Notes: use Braggs apple cider vinegar with the mother in it.
Lemon, honey, vinegar and cayenne form a classic vivacious Ayurvdic blend to boost fat digestion and metabolism. A stonrg sour taste encourages the free flow of bile form your liver and gall bladder to your gut.
Only add honey when cool enough to drink.
Recipe courtesy or Joyful Belly: www.joyfulbelly.com
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Effect of Snacking
If we are
always snacking and feeding our body, we will constantly be burning up the new foods we take in, but there will be no need to burn stored fat which is a container for much of the ama we
host.
Unless you are hypoglycemic or have other conditions that could be exacerbated, try the non-snacking approach for regular detox. It is really good to be hungry at meal time. If we are salivating with anticipation, the digestive j
ui
ces are ready to do their job.
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