Spring cleanse, benefits and protocol

Benefits of an Ayurvedic Spring Cleanse

• Supports the elimination of toxins from the body

• Increases energy and vitality

• Supports healthy weight management

• Relaxes the nervous system and calms the mind

• Helps reestablish one's natural state of balance

• Promotes optimal health and well-being

Contraindications

Pregnancy or Breast-feeding is not the time for cleansing, the body needs to be building not cleansing.

Anyone on a medication that is prescribed by body weight should speak to their doctor before starting a cleanse.

Ideally do not do a cleanse during menstruation

Spice blend for Kapha season

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons each: fennel seeds*, coriander seeds*

1 teaspoon each: cumin seeds*, turmeric powder, ground ginger, ground cinnamon,

ground clove

. teaspoon each: ground cardamom, fenugreek seeds*, black peppercorns*

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients using a coffee grinder, spice mill or mortar and pestle

until mixed well. Store in a jar or other tightly-sealed container. Sprinkle a few

pinches on anything you wish.

* To substitute ground spices, use 1. t. for all the seeds; 1. t. for pepper

Liquorice powder candy canes liquorice topping. Bonbon macaroon chupa chups marshmallow icing cheesecake shortbread shortbread.

Cotton candy toffee pudding pastry sweet shortbread lemon drops. Chocolate icing marshmallow jelly chupa chups jelly beans cupcake gummies pie. Donut apple pie gummi bears jelly-o sweet topping marzipan.

Kitchari recipe

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons ghee (or coconut oil)

1 teaspoons each: cumin seeds and black/brown mustard seeds

1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

. cup mung beans, soaked* and drained

. cup white basmati rice

4–6 cups water (use less for drier kitchari; more for soupier kitchari)

1-inch piece of kombu seaweed – optional but highly recommended

. teaspoon turmeric powder

1 pinch hing (asafetida) – optional

1 teaspoon salt

Up to 2 cups chopped veggies – optional (see Roadmap document)

Preparation:

Heat ghee in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add cumin seeds, black mustard

seeds, and ginger, and sauté for a couple minutes, until mustard seeds begin to pop.

Stir often to keep ginger from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Stir in the rice and

drained mung beans, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add water and raise heat to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat back to medium low,

and stir in kombu, turmeric, hing and salt. Cover and cook 25-35 minutes, until rice and

mung beans are soft. Stir occasionally as needed to prevent sticking.

If using fresh veggies, add the heartier veggies (like cauliflower) at the same time as the

kombu and spices. Add lighter veggies (like greens) in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

* If using whole mung beans, soak at least 6-8 hours (overnight is best); for split mung

beans, 2-3 hours minimum. Split beans are recommended for cleansing.

Instant Pot variation: Set pot to Sauté mode for 3 mins and complete the step of

toasting spices in ghee. Add remaining ingredients and cook on High Pressure for 10

minutes; let steam release naturally.

How to cleanse

1. Preparation

Three Days Prior to the Cleanse (longer, if possible)

For a few days leading up to your cleanse, focus on cleaning up your diet and habits to prepare the body for an effective cleanse.

You will want to eliminate (or at least dramatically reduce) your use of coffee, caffeine, tobacco products, alcohol, and any recreational drugs. At the same time, reduce your intake of fast foods, processed foods, meat, refined sugars, and sweets.

During this time, eat as many simple, whole foods as possible (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds).

2. Active Cleansing

Core Seven Days of the Cleanse

This is the heart of the cleanse. During this time, you will eat a very simplified mono-diet of kitchari (basmati rice cooked with split mung beans). This diet is substantive enough that you can maintain your essential responsibilities, and it simultaneously resets the digestive system, supports the elimination of toxins, and balances vata, pitta, and kapha.

During this seven-day period, other cleansing practices such as abhyanga (Ayurvedic oil massage), gentle exercise, and detoxifying herbs can enhance the efficacy of the cleanse.

Further instructions detailing this phase of the cleanse are below.

3. Reintroduction

Three Days Following the Cleanse (longer, if possible)

Even after you complete the seventh day of the cleanse, your body will still be processing the toxins that may have been stirred into circulation.

Also, your digestive system will have become accustomed to a very clean diet and will be somewhat sensitive to overly stimulating or processed foods. Therefore, a slow transition back to a more diverse diet and back into your normal routine is critically important.

This three-day period is a chance to buffer your system and to rekindle your agni (digestive fire) so that it can handle more complex foods. Again, eat primarily simple, whole foods, diversifying your menu very gradually.

If possible, take this time to test the waters with foods that are potentially aggravating like dairy, wheat, and soy—ideally, reintroducing these foods one at a time and giving yourself up to 24 hours to observe how your body responds.

4. Rejuvenation

Up to Three Months Following the Completion of the Cleanse

This is the final step in any Ayurvedic cleanse. Now that you’ve cleared your body of accumulated toxins and imbalances, your tissues are primed to receive very deep nourishment. Rejuvenating foods and practices are usually sweet and comforting, and most people find this phase of the cleanse quite enjoyable.

If you’d like to know more about rejuvenation, check out our resource on spring rejuvenation.

Please Note: This timeframe is ideal, but if you don’t have two weeks to give to a cleanse, you can shorten the phases in proportion to one another. For example, you might do 1–2 days of preparation, 3–4 days of cleansing, 1–2 days of reintroduction, and 1–2 months of rejuvenation.