Nine Day Spring Cleanse
It’s not too late for a Spring Cleanse! In the Sierra Nevada, the weather is still on the cool side even in April and May. The snow may be melting, but the air is cool enough that everything is waking up slowly. This is a great time to ease into a gentle cleanse to give your body extra support as it shifts with the seasons.
According to Ayurveda, our bodies become sluggish over winter from the cold, dry nature of the season, coupled with the need to eat heavier foods. During this time, our bodies accumulate heavy qualities that can dampen digestion, block channels, and result in weight gain. The purpose of a Spring Cleanse is to help our bodies clear these heavy qualities during the transition from Winter to Summer.
Cleanses take many forms, and some last for weeks, but even a gentle 9-day Spring Cleanse will help reset the digestive system and cleanse the body of accumulated toxins. This simple cleanse does not call for fasting but instead advocates simple foods or a mono-diet (consuming one type of food) to provide the nutrition your body needs.
Before you start:
Choose a time that will work for you, preferably when you can maintain the dietary changes without interfering with special occasions or travel.
Prepare in advance by gradually reducing processed foods, caffeine, alcohol, simple carbohydrates like bread and sugar, and heavy meats. This can be done over a few days or weeks, eliminating excesses in anticipation of the cleansing period.
Gentle 9-Day Spring Cleanse
Days 1-3: Digestive reset to clear stagnation and awaken the digestive fire. The Digestive Phase focuses on simplifying the diet and adding spices and herbs that will enhance digestive processes. This period prepares the digestive system to efficiently digest and absorb food throughout the cleanse and afterward. During this phase, it is recommended to begin a mono-diet using kitchari (mung beans, basmati rice, and spices).
Days 4-6: Oleation to lubricate tissues and release toxins. The Oleation Phase focuses on releasing toxins from the tissues so they can be eliminated by the digestive system. According to Ayurveda, toxins become lodged deep within tissues. When ghee is taken internally, it acts like a gentle solvent, releasing and mobilizing toxins toward the digestive system. Applying oil externally facilitates the flow of lymph, nourishes skin and muscles, and moves toxins into the circulation to be eliminated.
Days 7-9: Elimination and Recovery to support elimination and re-awaken digestion. After toxins are pulled toward the digestive system during the Oleation phase, herbs are used to stimulate the release of the toxins from the body through elimination. During this phase, the diet remains simple, and foods are introduced slowly. While exercise is encouraged during the first two phases of the cleanse, this phase is meant for rest and reflection.
If you are interested in a more detailed version of this simple 9-day cleanse, you can download the information free from our online store, which also has cleanse-related products for sale. This includes tongue scrapers, herbal capsules for each phase, kitchari kits, ghee, abhyanga oil, and teas to support throughout the cleanse.
To avoid overstocking items, we are taking orders for the cleanse items, which will be available for pick-up starting Thursday, May 1. Items will be available through May 17th. As always, don’t hesitate to send us your questions at info@mountainherbalapothecary.com.