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 nurturance and we want to eat more to stay warm. This explains our appetite being stronger, however we may not plan for more food preparation time, more variety, and more 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... 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 ours. 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. I have also provided links to products that you can use for your cleanse. In the spirit of full disclosure, I get a small remuneration when you purchase by clicking through on these links. Anything you do for conscious cleansing will reward you.
Live with radiant intention and be well. Rhonda |
Simple Detox
Ayurveda believes 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, 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 ate 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
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.
|
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 Diet .
 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. You will learn how to prepare the foods and you can achieve one day. In future years you may want to add days or try the advanced cleanse with ghee (noted below).
 The diet plan consists of rice porridge for breakfast, kitchari for lunch and mung bean soup for supper. Basmati rice is easy to  digest while being nourishing and mung beans are a super detoxer---pulls the toxins right out. Go here for the recipes.
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.
|
|
Advanced Detox
If you have a fairly clean eating lifestyle and experience with doing cleanses, you might want to try an advanced cleanse. It is recommended that this be done with the guidance of an Ayurveda practitioner. I am offering a Guided Spring  Cleanse workshop the end of March that will help you to understand the importance of doing a cleanse in terms of what happens in your body and support for conducting a cleanse of your chosen level simple to advanced. In the workshop we will make the recommended food items for the cleanse including spice churnas that you can take home. If you are serious about doing a cleanse of some level this spring you may benefit from the knowledge and support of a guided cleanse with support of a group. 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, I suggest that you sign up for the workshop or refer to this guidebook
|
|
Classes
Rhonda Egidio, Ph.D., R.A.P. [Registered Ayurveda Practitioner] feels great passion for sharing the wisd  om of Ayurveda and the simple yet effective practices that can make important upgrades to our digestion and overall radiant health.
Detox for Radiant Health with Ayurveda
There is no more important time to detox than the transition from Winter to Spring. In the dry Vata Winter season we accumulate toxins. When the Spring moisture comes, the 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.
March 25 + April 1; 6:00-8:00pm Kalamazoo
Ayurveda Radiant Skin and Natural Dental Care
Learn about Ayurveda skin and dental care and make cleansing and moisturizing products from foods and spices found in nature. You will make Ayurveda cleanser/toner and moisturizers for your skin type and dental powders that you will use in the workshop with samples to take home. Recipes will be provided so you can make formulas on your own.
April 8, 2015; 6:00-8:30pm Kalamazoo
|
Rhonda Egidio Ph.D., R.A.P, [Registered Ayurveda Professional] provides Ayurvedic assessments of primary health concerns, diet, sleep and lifestyle and offers Ayurvedic recommendations. It's a good idea to get a baseline assessment to help you to apply Ayurveda knowledge in a customized way to your particular needs. Check out assessment and session options.
Rhonda Egidio, 269-345-2991
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Classes
|
Spring Cleanse
3/25 + 4/1
Radiant Skin and Natural Dental Care 4/8
|
Ring of Fire  Amazing a capella cover by Home Free of the classic Johnny Cash song Ring of Fire. Only voices, a little percussion, and the sound of fire crackling!!!!
|
|
Why Cleanse with Ghee
Ghee is a carrier of nutrients and lubricates the intestinal tract and all tissues. The primary fatty acid in butter is called butyric acid (or butyrate) is a short chain fatty acid and is also found naturally in the intestinal tract along the gut wall.
Ghee is a concentrated form of butyric acid (even more than butter). The cells of the colon use butyric acid as the preferred source of energy securing gut wall integrity and health.
Ghee is loaded with full spectrum of short, medium, and long chain fatty acids. Omega 3 and 9 fatty acids, Vitamins A-D-E and K + other beneficial elements and minerals.
|
|
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
|
Emotional Cleanse
"Repetitive emotions are stored in our bodies as 'molecules of emotion,' carried by small proteins called peptides." John Douillard
The peptides then attach to receptors in the gut, brain, spine, and respiratory tract and block the flow in energy and physical substances in these areas.
The result is that old, pent-up emotions become a primary threat to our well-being by blocking flow of our energy pathways which blocks the flow of resources to our energy-body-system.
John Douillard has a wonderfully informative and interesting article and video on this topic. He discusses current research as it connects to the long- standing knowledge of Ayurveda on this topic.
|
|
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.
|
|
|
