Its that time of year again when all the birdies and bugs start hatching. As a Master Herbalist it is imperative to embrace “seasonal cleansing” and this time of year its Spring Cleansing ~ time to rid the nest (body) of babies. Not a pleasant subject for some, but oh, so needed! Did you know the human body carries a trillion bugs. How else would we be able to ward off the bad guys? Keeping our gut in balance of GOOD and BAD bacteria is keep to a healthy colon.
Parasite Cleanse is normal for this time of year, however, you must consult your Naturopath or healthcare provider before embarking on that journal to avoid a healing crisis and crash from die off.
Our MEMBERS ONLY pages have more information on this subject along with recipes and protocol suggestions.
As we transition into springtime in the Northern Hemisphere (and autumn in the southern half of the planet), it is an ideal time to sit back and reflect on what may be out of balance in our lives, then take steps to restore our equilibrium. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as well as traditional Herbalists recommend a seasonal cleansing, purification, and renewal process in which we eliminate whatever physical and emotional toxicities we have accumulated, allowing our mind-body to return to a natural state of balance and health. After we’ve released the stored toxins that prevent the free flow of energy and information throughout our entire physiology, we can engage in practices of rejuvenation that nurture our vitality and wellbeing.
1. Healing Breath
Deep breathing is a well-known practice that is profoundly relaxing and cleansing. There are many different techniques but the methods we use here at the center are found at this link: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART00521/three-breathing-exercises.html
I suggest that you practice these techniques which restore balance to the body and mind as oxygen is filling your veins, your colon will move!
2. Release with Mind-Body Exercise
Various forms of mind-body exercise mobilize and move stored toxins out of the physical and emotional body and towards our channels of elimination. When performed deliberately and mindfully, pilates and other stretching modalities are deeply cleansing and rejuvenating practices.
3. Indulge in Daily Sauna Therapy
Externally heating the body increases the circulation to our tissues, mobilizes toxins, and dilates our channels of circulation to facilitate movement of toxicity away from the tissues so that they can more easily be eliminated.
We prefer an infrared sauna – see our services page for more info.
Sit quietly and imagine the stored toxicity being mobilized and eliminated. Drink plenty of water before and after the sauna.
4. Enjoy Nutrient-Rich, Fresh Foods
Hippocrates and others have taught us to use food as our medicine. Choose plant-based, organic foods of all colors and prepare them in a healthy way. The natural rejuvenative phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables neutralize toxicity and restore our tissues and energies to balance.
Ideally, the food you ingest during your cleanse should be light to strengthen your digestive fire, or agni. Try steamed vegetables, rice and dahl, and whole grains. Avoid processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and dairy and animal products. Eat slowly and mindfully, paying attention to and appreciating the nourishment the food is giving you.
To facilitate digestion and elimination, make this recipe for sesame bliss balls, containing ghee (clarified butter), sesame seeds, raisins, and herbs with detoxifying and cleansing properties.
Recipe for Sesame Bliss Balls
1 cup toasted sesame seeds
½ cup golden raisins or regular raisins (unsulphered)
2 teaspoons ground ginger powder
2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
2½ tablespoons ghee or organic sunflower oil or flax oil
Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix together until well incorporated. Roll into 1-inch balls. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated.
5. Treat Yourself to a Healing Massage
Your cleanse will ideally include Ayurvedic massage using large amounts of warm herbalized oils. Ayurvedic massage is designed to free up our channels of energy and circulation, and mobilize toxicity stored deep within our tissues. Massage and hands-on healing techniques energize and rejuvenate us, and have been shown to increase our mood and sense of wellbeing while decreasing stress. If you don’t have access to authentic Ayurvedic massage therapy, you will still benefit from relaxation or other types of massage – whatever feels right to you.
6. Try Detoxifying and Rejuvenating Herbs
Herbalists recommend the use of specific herbs that can cleanse the organs and rejuvenate the tissues. Some of the recommended herbs include triphala, ashwagandha, guggulu, brahmi, ginger, PRL turmeric, and neem, among others. These herbs help by enhancing our bodies’ own detoxification pathways. They have also been shown to contain helpful natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, as well as several anti-cancer chemicals. At an energetic level, they help to balance our doshas as well.
The appropriate doses of certain herbs may vary, depending on a person’s balance and other medical issues. Check with your health care provider or practitioner as recommendations will depend on your individual mind-body type, medical conditions, and other medications you may be taking.
7. Good sleep allows the body to “reset”
Get plenty of sleep each night and take a nap if you feel the need. A lot of our body’s healing takes place when we sleep. Ideally, we should be in bed by 10−10:30 p.m. in order to maximize our natural detoxification process. Melatonin, our natural sleep hormone, is an important anti-oxidant, and studies are showing that it has beneficial effects on other hormones in our bodies as well as on the immune system.
Bright lights in the evening suppress our natural melatonin levels and make it more difficult for us to sleep; in addition to interfering with the beneficial effects that melatonin has on our physiology at night. It is best to avoid bright lighting and stimulation in the evening. Evaluate your bedroom. Remove TV and electronics and invest in “dark out” window treatments. Then, prepare yourself for sleep such as drinking chamomile or valerian tea, and use essential oils with lavender or sandalwood.
8. Connect to Nature
Spending time in nature is deeply restorative. Take time during your week to nourish each of your senses with nature’s beauty and healing power. Gaze up into the space of the night sky, feel the wind on your face and the warmth of the sun; listen to ocean waves or a bubbling brook (if you don’t live near water, there are wonderful nature recordings that you can use). Walk barefoot on the earth.
9. Keep a Journal
Writing is an extremely useful tool for self-reflection and emotional detoxification. Take time each evening to write about what you have been feeling both physically and emotionally. Note what you are grateful for, and then try to identify things in your life that you would like to eliminate. Write about how it will feel when these things have been eliminated.
By engaging in regular programs of purification and rejuvenation, you will allow yourself to eliminate any stored toxicity and strengthen and revitalize your mind-body. In this process, you will connect to your wholeness and allow your true and beautiful nature to emerge.
*Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, fitness, or other health program.