Seasonal Cleanse

Ayurveda dictates living in the rhythm of nature. When the doshas are present in appropriate quantities, they support the health and integrity of the body; when they are out of balance, they can cause illness and disease. Eating seasonally and adjusting lifestyle per the season is optimal, as doing so reduces doshic or "mind-body" types imbalances.

During the junctions of the seasons is a very good time to consider cleansing, or removing toxic buildup, in the body and mind.

Spring Cleanse: Just as we do spring cleaning around the house, Spring is a wonderful time to perform a spring cleaning for our bodies. In the winter, people tend to cocoon in their homes, exercise less, and eat heavier, richer foods with sweeter and saltier tastes. That is our body’s natural inclination to address the cooler, drier qualities of the season. As a result, digestive impurities often accumulate. As winter turns to spring, those impurities "melt," much like winter's ice and snow melt, and as they attempt to move through the body, its channels can get clogged. We may notice that we feel lethargic, listless, and less than motivated to welcome the more active spring season ahead.

Fall Cleanse: As summer comes to an end, our bodies often have excess Pitta (fire energy); and at the same time, we are accumulating Vata (ether and air energy). Thus, at the junction of summer and fall, Ayurveda advises that we perform a cleanse to prepare our bodies and minds for optimal health during the autumn and winter seasons to come. Through the cleansing process, we detoxify the body and organ systems and also remove excess Pitta in preparation for the rise in Vata energy. The drier, lighter, cooler, harsher qualities of fall and winter necessitate warm, cooked, grounding foods that are sweeter and heavier in quality in order for us to facilitate the balancing of our entire organism. We also adjust our activities and rituals to accommodate the rhythms of nature and their effect on our environment. In essence, by tuning in to the transition of seasons and how it plays out within our own individual being we are able to bolster our strength and optimize our immunity and energy stores to see us through the coming months.

Benefits of an Ayurvedic Cleanse

Restore a sense of calm to the mind and the nervous system.
Foster both clarity and groundedness in the mental, spiritual, and emotional spheres.
Nurture an improved sense of energy, vitality, and enthusiasm for life.
Support the maintenance of a healthy body weight.
Restore and maintain balanced sleep cycles.
Promote regular and balanced elimination.
Recover each individual’s natural state of balance.
Prepare the tissues for deep nourishment and rejuvenation.
Promote optimal health.

What To Expect

An Ayurvedic seasonal cleanse helps us gently eliminate the toxins (called ama) by resetting and optimizing the digestive fire (agni) and prepares us for introducing the correct natural foods of the spring season. After a proper cleanse you will feel lighter, more energetic, and more vibrant. You may find you have dropped a few pounds, as well.

The good news is that an Ayurvedic cleanse does not call for deprivation and starvation! During the preparatory phase we will begin with full meals consisting of light, flavorful, seasonally appropriate foods and warm drinks. As we move into the active phase of cleansing, we will enjoy Ayurveda’s natural cleansing food, kitchari, which is delicious and easy to prepare, satisfying and filling. After the active phase is the reintroduction phase, which is a gradual addition of seasonal foods which are supportive of our cleansing efforts.

Once the cleansing period is over, maintenance of correct dietary and lifestyle choices will augment its benefits. Some Ayurvedic herbs which are specific to you and your predominant constitution can also assist in maintaining a healthy digestive fire and keep ama to a minimum.

Seasonal Cleanse