Spring Cleaning
Your Body
by Rama Kant
Mishra, Maharishi Ayurveda
It happens every spring. You fling open
the windows, shed your winter coat, and suddenly get the urge
to clean your house. But do you ever think about "spring
cleaning" the toxins from your body?
Detoxifying in spring is an important
part of the ayurvedic seasonal routine, called ritucharya.
Spring is the Kapha season, because the wet and cool weather
reflects the moist, cool, heavy qualities of Kapha dosha that
predominate during this time of the year (March-June).
Biologically, nature supports cleansing
of the body in spring. In winter the digestive fire is high,
and people eat more sweet and heavy food. Most of the time
they aren't able to assimilate these hard-to-digest foods, so
Ama (the sticky, toxic product of indigestion) starts
accumulating.
When the warm weather melts the snow in
spring, it has a similar effect on the body. In spring the Ama
melts and the volume of Ama becomes so great that the shrotas,
the microcirculatory channels of the body, become clogged.
Some Symptoms of Excess Toxins in the Body
If you don't assist these toxins in
moving out of the body, you can become prone to flu, colds and
cough, or allergies. Or you might feel unusually fatigued,
sluggish or drowsy after lunch, or lose your appetite.
Sharp headaches, dizziness, mild tremors
in the limbs, and unexplained muscle aches, especially in the
calf, can also be symptoms. Your tongue may be coated, and
your throat may be sore.
The skin can be less radiant, heavier,
more oily. You may also find that you break out more often,
are more prone to sunburn, and have dry patches on your skin.
Yet, Spring is the best season for
detoxification, because nature is already trying to clear out
the toxins. It's the time to help the body to efficiently
detoxify the channels and the dhatus [body tissues].
Helping Your Body Detoxify
How do you help the body with its own
spring cleaning? While most detox herbal products purify the
colon and the digestive tract, it is helpful to choose a
holistic formula that does more, such as cleansing the liver
and blood, purifying the sweat glands and the organs of
elimination, preventing buildup of toxins in the fat and
muscle tissues, and paving the way for more energy, health and
vitality.
A Kapha pacifying diet and lifestyle is
best. If you avoid eating heavy, cold, hard-to-digest foods,
and avoid or reduce the sweet, sour, and salty tastes, your
digestive system will be more efficient in burning away the
accumulated Ama.
Sweet juicy fruits can help cleanse the
body, although they should be eaten before sunset, as they
have a Kapha-increasing effect after the sun goes down. And
you can add spices to your food -- such as coriander, cumin,
turmeric, and fennel -- to help stimulate the digestion and
detoxify the skin. (See Ghee recipe below for how to prepare).
In spring you can sip hot (if you are a
Pitta body type or have a Pitta imbalance then drink warm)
water to help melt the Ama (digestive impurities) that have
accumulated. Daily exercise, and avoiding day sleep will also
help.
So this spring, why not think about what
you can do to help your body do its own housecleaning?
Ghee -- Spice Recipe
The Ghee-spice recipe given below is a
synergistic combination that is a simple, yet effective way to
stimulate the digestion and help the body detoxify:
2 tsps. Ghee (Clarified Butter)
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. fennel
Heat the Ghee in a small pan. Add the spices and stir to mix
well, so that the aromas are released. Remove from heat before
the spices burn. Use to top seasoned cooked vegetables.
Turmeric contains the flavanoid curcumin,
which is known to have anti-inflammatory properties. This
wonder spice helps detoxify the liver, balance cholesterol
levels, fight allergies, stimulate digestion, boost immunity
and enhance the complexion. Cumin and coriander contain oils
that are effective in helping to detoxify the liver and aid
digestion.
Note - Information in this
article is given solely for the purpose of providing education
about Ayurveda and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or
mitigate any disease. If you have a medical condition, please
consult a physician.
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