Ayurvedic Cleanse

Ayurvedic Cleansing

Ayurvedic cleansing was originally created for the Indian royal family. Its purpose is to prolong life by removing physical impurities from the body, while also clearing your mind of negative thoughts and energy. Ayurvedic cleanses are now becoming more and more popular in the West.

This cleanse is beneficial for everyone, but it is especially important as you get older and your body becomes less able to flush out toxins by itself. Its a good cleanse to do once a year to really flush the toxins out of your body.

Ayurvedic Cleansing Technique

An Ayurvedic Cleanse typically has three phases and lasts several weeks. Most of this time is low-intensity preparation though, so its a cleanse that can easily fit in with your normal lifestyle.

Purva Karma (the Preparation Phase)
Purva Karma is the first stage in the Ayurvedic cleansing process, which prepares your mind and body for the release of toxins and negative energy. It involves changes in both your diet and your routine, because an Ayurvedic cleanse is designed to improve both your physical and mental health.

Three weeks before the cleanse, you should eliminate all stimulants (e.g. coffee), sweets and dairy products from your diet. Then, a week before you start the cleanse, you should cut your diet down to predominantly whole grains and vegetables. An excellent preparation recipe is Khichadi, basically brown rice, beans, onions and vegetables mixed into a stew with ginger and garlic.

Preparation of your mind comes next. Try to eliminate some of your daily routine and leave time in your day for meditation, private time and walks in the park. Practice deep breathing in relaxing locations, this will clean your body of negative emotion and destructive energy.

Pancha Karma (the Cleansing Phase)
The cleansing phase of the Ayurvedic diet is comprised of three practices - cleansing, enemas and laxatives. The last two are pretty obvious, you can buy enema kits and laxatives at your local pharmacy, or go for a colonic at a nearby clinic. The cleansing is quite specific though, and there is a special recipe that you should use.

Try this herbal drink to aid your Ayurvedic fast. Boil and simmer in a pan for 5 minutes, then let it cool for 15 minutes more.

6 cups of water
3 teaspoons of cumin
3 teaspoons of coriander powder
6 cardamom pods
3 teaspoons crushed fennel seeds
2 pinched black pepper
2 slices fresh ginger

You can do this cleanse for several days, but remember to take some vitamin and mineral supplements to maintain the correct levels in your body. It is also important to continue the meditation and deep breathing techniques that you started in the preparation phase.

The Rejuvenation Phase
The last step in the Ayurvedic cleanse is rejuvenation, lasting about a week. This is where you end the fast and return to the simple diet that you followed during the preparation phase. Try to focus on eating whole grains and vegetables, washed down with plenty of water.

It is very important to continue your meditation throughout this phase. Your body has now been cleansed, and it is during this time that your mind will start to be healed too. It is often a very emotional time for cleansers, and it is a good idea to take some time off work, or try to do it over a weekend.