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.
Live with radiant intention and be well. Rhonda |
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,
- 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
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 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.
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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
Rhonda Egidio, Ph.D., R.A.P. [Registered Ayurveda Practitioner] feels great passion for sharing the wisdom of Ayurveda and the simple yet effective practices that can make important upgrades to our digestion and overall radiant health.
Strengthen Your Immune System with Probiotics for a Healthy Spring
March 16 and 23, 2016
Prevent cold and flu viruses from catching you by using natural, Ayurvedic remedies from your kitchen cupboard and  self-care practices to feel your best.
You will learn how your immune system works and how to strengthen it with probiotics and herbal/spice combinations. We will make some probiotic-rich fermented foods in the kitchen for you to take home!
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Rhonda 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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So Funny!!!  If you haven't seen the Ellen and Adele prank at Jamba Juice yet -- it's a great laugh. Here
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Get Your Free Guides from Banyan Botanicals
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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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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 halt the flow of resources to our energy-body-system.
John Douillard has a wonderfully informative and interesting article and video on this topic that weaves current research with long- standing knowledge of Ayurveda.
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