Written by Chelsea Denien
Springtime is just around the corner making it the perfect time to cleanse the body!
In today’s day and age, there are so many options for cleansing the body. From juice fasts to detox diets, where do you begin? Ayurveda offers gentle and nourishing options for cleansing that support the body rather than depleting it.
Ayurveda believes that the transition between two seasons is the best time for a cleanse. During this time your body can easily flush out the excess of accumulated toxins from the season before. But a cleanse can be done anytime we’re experiencing any of the following:
Fatigue
Irritability
Stiffness or aching in the body
Undesired weight gain or inability to lose excess weight
Cravings, especially for sugar or processed carbohydrates
Skin problems, such as dry skin, rash, or acne
Cleanse comes in many varieties, from eating foods and herbs that boost our digestive abilities to a full week-long relaxation process. It is important that you discuss with your Ayurvedic Profesional about what type of cleansing will best support you right now.
There are five main types of cleanses in Ayurvedic medicine but were going to look at the two best forms of cleansing for this season.
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The Mono-diet
A mono diet is when we give the digestive system a break by taking in the same food over a period of 3 to 7 days. This simple cleanse is a great way to reset sluggish digestion, jump-start weight loss, gently removes build-up in the intestines, and reduce cravings from sugar or carbohydrates. During a mono-diet, you can maintain your day-to-day life with ease but it is recommended to enjoy some rest and relaxation.
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Panchakarma
If you’re looking for a deeper cleanse panchakarma may be exactly what you need. This 5-day retreat-like cleanse is designed to heavily remove toxins from the body. During Pancha Karma or PK for short, you will enjoy a 5-day mono-diet accompanied by herbal supplements and daily treatments like massage and steam baths. During PK it’s recommended to take a break from daily responsibilities and enjoy as much downtime as possible.
Whether you’re doing a simple day fast or enjoying 5 days of pampering with PK, there are 3 stages to each cleanse that take place.
Stage 1: The Pre Cleanse
During this time you are preparing your body for the cleanse by transitioning to a vegetarian-based diet, increasing your water intake, reducing caffeine, and beginning suggested herbal supplements or teas.
Stage 2: The Cleanse
This is the bulk of the cleanse. This time period is between 1 to 7 days depending on the type of cleansing you’re doing and your current state of health.
Stage 3: Easing back into daily life
Whether you do a 1 day cleanse or 5 days cleanse, it’s important to take a few days to slowly ease back into daily life and eating. During this time we also want to focus on rejuvenation and replenishing the body.
Cleansing is such a simple and beautiful way that we can offer much-needed support to our bodies. These small breaks from our normal stressful routines promote longevity and increase our overall well-being.
If you’re interested in doing an Ayurvedic cleanse we would love to schedule you with one of our Ayurvedic professionals for a complimentary consultation to discuss what kind of cleansing would best support your needs.
