What is Ayurvedic cleansing?
It is a herbal cleansing that involves a thirty day detoxification. It should ideally be done every time the season changes to rid the body of toxins and keep yourself healthy. It is a very safe method and helps achieve better physical, psychological and spiritual health. It helps keep disorders and infection away, keeps your energy levels up and prevents the building up of toxins within the body.
How do you go about with Ayurvedic cleansing?
It is a very simple process, unlike many diet and fasts that are difficult and elaborate. There are some changes you might need to make in diet and lifestyle but none of it is drastic or difficult to follow.
Phase I: Preparation phase
- The very first thing that you need to do is stop consumption of alcohol, tea. coffee, other beverages containing caffeine, sweets, junk foods and foods grown using synthetic chemicals.
- Your diet should predominantly contain only whole grains and vegetables. This helps make the body more alkaline which helps in detoxification.
- Practice deep breathing by observing your breath and how it travels. Spend more time in natural environments and start working on clearing the mind of unnecessary thoughts.
- You could prepare a simple stew for yourself with rice, grains, fresh vegetables and a small spoon of clarified butter. This is healthy and nutritious.
Phase II: Cleansing phase
This phase consists of five steps, namely, laxatives, enemas, vomiting, nasal cleansing and letting of blood. The last one is sometimes omitt4ed by some if they are not comfortable with the idea.
- Nasal cleansing or Nasya: There are some herbs that are administered through the nasal passages. This helps in clearing the nasal passages, sinuses, throat and head of blockages due to toxins.
- Vomiting or Vaman: If there is any congestion, vomiting is induced through drinking warm salt water or other means to open up the lungs and avoid bronchitis, asthma and other related disorders.
- Laxatives or Virechan: If there is excessive secretion of bile, it gets collected in the body and causes gallstones, skin disorders and digestive problems. It can be taken care of by purgation.
- Enemas or Basti: In this, herbal mixtures are applied directly in the rectum where they go up till the colon and relieve a wide range of problems and disorders in various parts of the body.
- Letting of blood or Raktamoksha: Sometimes, toxins present in the blood can cause numerous skin infections. This is taken care of by many blood purifying herbs and herbal tonics.
Along with this, you will have to consume only a herbal drink with Ayurvedic herbs like cumin, coriander and black pepper boiled in water. This can be prepared and kept and had as much as wanted throughout the day.
Phase III: Rejuvenation phase
In this phase, you have to gradually get back to the diet followed in phase I, slowly increasing the amount of solid food consumed.
This cleansing has been found beneficial by many and is very popular. It is safe and can be done by almost anyone without a problem. It helps lead a fuller, healthier life.
