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Cleansing for the Season with Ayurvedic Detoxification and Rejuvenation

By Gia von Karl, CAS, RH (AHG)

In Sanskrit Pancha means “five” and Karma means “action” and Pancha Karma is a very powerful cleansing therapy, which is introduced by Ayurveda. Certainly diet, lifestyle and herbal supplements play key roles in creating and maintaining health, but Pancha Karma is all-important because it brings the body and mind back to a state of harmony and maximizes the body’s ability to heal itself. Pancha Karma is a process not a procedure and this process consists of removing toxic accumulation in the body and then rebuilding the body’s immunity.

According to both the Ayurvedic and Chinese systems of healing it is recommended to undergo Pancha Karma at the seasonal changes to both keep the metabolism strong and keep toxins from accumulating in the Mind/Body. Eating with the seasons to maintain good health consists of a reducing low-fat diet in the spring, an energizing high-carb diet in the summer and a warming high-protein diet in the fall and winter. Generally, spring is a great time to do a cleanse since it’s wake up time! We are renewing ourselves from a long winter and all is restored with life at the beginning of Spring. This is a greening season and a great time for planting. Kapha dosha is a combination of earth and water and has the qualities of coolness, dampness and heaviness and exhibits a downward, slow and contracting action. It accumulates in nature and within us during winter to a point of excess or aggravation in the spring.

Nature’s birthing season – Spring, gives us the natural antidote for excessive Kapha and the ideal spring diet is warming, drying and light, with an upward and outward action. However, if we continue our spring diet too long, we can become too warm, too dry, and too light causing us to become scatter-brained. This is a good time to do a cleanse, because according to Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, the organs for the spring season are the liver and gallbladder, which carry out the essential body functions, particularly digestion and the processing of many substances we take into our bodies. There should be emphasis on keeping the intestines moving daily to clear toxins. The spring diet typically consists of lots of greens, which absorb the energy from the sun and water from the earth and make sugar, starch and protein. Protein intake should be moderate at about 10 to 20 percent of the diet along with adequate calcium and phosphorous. As well ensure the vitamins B, C, E and A are available from the diet with make sure you drink plenty of spring water. As your diet becomes lighter, you should strive to add more raw foods like greens, sprouts, salads, fruits, nuts and seeds and some grains but fewer heavy foods like meat, dairy. Avoid fried foods, chemical foods alcohol and other drugs. Spring is also an excellent time to clean out those closets and create new spaces, as this is a time for creativity and enthusiasm. This is truly a time for getting rid of the old and beginning anew.

Summer is nature’s season of growth and maturation. We take part in many outdoor activities and get lots of solar energy. Fruits and flowers are all around us and growing to their full capacity.

After Kapha dosha comes Pitta dosha and the ideal summer diet is one that is cooling, moistening, nourishing and refreshing and has a balanced action. Summer foods consist of mature leafy greens, and fruits and naturally complex carbohydrates. According to taste, summer foods should emphasize these naturally sweet foods, with the addition of bitter (cooling and clearing) and astringent (balancing and toning) foods. Summer is usually hot and we are more active so we need a diet to help keep us cool and light. A diet of primarily raw fruits and vegetables, organically grown will help keep you lighter, aid in weight loss and keep your energy strong. Cold-pressed olive oil and organic ghee (clarified butter) are the best oils for regular summer use. Sunflower oil can be used if one has no inflammatory disorders. For essential fatty acids, borage oil and evening primrose oils are specific for Pitta.

After Pitta dosha comes Vata dosha, which is a combination of air and ether. Vata has the qualities of coldness, dryness and lightness. At the end of summer, it is time to transition back to a richer, more warming, oily and heavy diet for winter. But even before the dead of winter, it’s important to emphasize autumn - the season of gathering nature’s products before we rest for winter. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains are all abundant at this time and it is a preparation time for the season of rest. It is good to begin with a week’s cleansing diet of fruit and vegetable juices but in general the autumn diet is based on the building principle from late summer. For omnivores, this includes more meats and dairy products, while vegetarians will eat lots of grains and nuts, beans, seeds, as well as more dairy and eggs if lacto vegetarian. This is the time to enjoy the late summer harvest of apples and pears, perfect cleansing and clearing foods to end the season. Normally you would eat less and less fruit now and turn to vegetables and grains as the season changes to winter. Great herbs to eat at this time are garlic, which facilitates cleansing and has been used for centuries by many cultures. Used in a regular diet, it may be helpful in the prevention of colds, flu’s and other infections. Parsley will help with the strong breath odor and has added diuretic action. Other useful herbs are burdock, licorice root, wild cherry bark, slippery elm, mullein, horehound, as well as cascara sagrada to ensure regular elimination via the bowels.

As we progress to winter, nature now wants to quiet down and withdraw and rest. The climate of fog, rain and chill signals that we need to stay active to keep the body warm and circulating, but additionally a time to get more rest, and good nutrition. Ayurveda considers Winter a Kapha time with the combinations of earth and water starting to take root. Chinese medicine considers this a Yin (water) time of the year and associates it with the organs of kidneys and bladder – the storehouse of emotion. If these are not functioning optimally, the whole system is stressed. The kidneys are perceived as the “seat of the will”, which generates ambition or a desire to do something in one’s life and a lack of willpower can reflect a water imbalance. During winter the diet needs to be adjusted to produce more body heat since the weather is colder. This does not imply to increase your food intake as you may have to deal with some unwanted weight as a result, but instead a diet that is mainly carbohydrate and protein will give you more body heat. It is advised to do some light physical exercise so the system does not become sluggish. This is a great time for vegetable soups; miso and vegetable roots are especially nutritious for wintertime. These would include carrots, onions, garlic, potatoes and turnips. Cooked whole grains are also great for winter since these complex carbohydrates burn as fuel and are good for elimination. Beans, brown rice, wheat, oats, millet and lentils are excellent choices for complex carbohydrates. Marshmallow root and flaxseed are great for this season, as they will alleviate irritations and inflammations in the kidney and bladder. You may need a little extra kick of heat from cayenne pepper and ginger, as these will promote good blood circulation. Essentially the winter diet should consist of warming and substantial foods like more whole grains, less fruit, lots of steamed or baked vegetables and more dairy and flesh foods.

Of course there is no substitute for getting enough rest and above all else staying warm while we await springtime. Additionally, yoga is a wonderful exercise that generates health and flexibility and can be practiced all year around. In Ayurveda we must not only consider what we eat but how we eat and some eating guidelines are as follows:

Quality of Food – should be fresh or freshly cooked and contain Prana, the life force. This would include foods like organic fruits and vegetables. There is of course no substitute for growing your own food.

Preparation of Food – should be properly cooked neither overcooked nor undercooked. Overcooked food will be depleted and undercooked food can cause malabsorption. Some foods like fruit are better eaten raw and fresh. Microwave cooking damages the life force in food. It is also important to spice the food properly making sure not to overdo.

Combination of Food – Food should not be taken in difficult combinations especially if there is digestive difficulty. This would include: a) mixing fruits with other foods especially proteins, b) mixing more than one protein at a meal. Dairy should be eaten with grains, greens or less starchy vegetables, c) Avoid sugary desserts after other foods and do not drink a large glass of water directly after a meal, as this will impair digestion.

Right Attitude – Food should be eaten while quiet, calm and a good frame of mind, not when you are upset or irritated. Also, eating should not be rushed or done in a noisy environment as all these factors affect digestion. Having a thankful attitude is helpful as it is a connection with the life force.

Right Time to Eat – It is best to eat during daylight hours with the biggest meal to be eaten during noon since this meal will be digested before dusk and the digestive fire is more active in the middle of the day. It is important to note that desserts by their heavy and sweet nature tend to suppress digestion so these are better eaten 1-2 hours before a meal or by themselves. Salads and raw foods should not be eaten at the beginning of a meal, as they will weaken the appetite and digestive fire.

There are three fundamental components to the process of Pancha Karma and these are:

1. Purva karma – preparatory techniques
2. Pradhan karma – the main technique for elimination
3. Praschat karma – follow up techniques for rejuvenation

Because Pancha karma is a rigorous therapy that should be administered by a trained Ayurvedic practitioner, I will discuss aspects of Purva Karma, which can be safely applied as a great change of the season cleanse. Purva Karma’s purpose is to bring excess toxic accumulation and Doshas back to their site of origin in the digestive tract so that they can be removed by the procedures of Pancha Karma. Many methods of Pancha Karma can be applied in milder forms as a part of self-care. There are three main procedures of Purva Karma and these are:

1. Light diet
2. Oleation (oil therapy)
3. Fomentation – elimination through sweating

Essentially, one would follow a light diet and apply oils like sesame, olive, coconut or various medicated sesame oils to the body to help liquefy toxins so they can be eliminated more easily. Oils can be infused with herbs or essential oils. External application of oils bypasses the digestive tract in case they are too difficult to digest internally. Oil should be rubbed into the body in a rigorous manner to aid in absorption and stay on the body at least 30 minutes before taking a shower. Oils can be reapplied if one wishes. Ideally, it is best to oil the body and then sit in a steam room, hot tub or sauna. This will increase body temperature, which opens the channels of the body and allows excess doshas, ama (waste) and dhatus to travel back to the digestive tract to be eliminated. Care should be taken not to over sweat and if one starts to feel dizzy or overheated. Be sure to drink plenty of water. Traditionally, herbalized steam therapy is performed to stimulate the sweat glands and the lymphatic system to increase the elimination of toxins and strengthen the immune system. Herbalized Steam Treatment uses a special heat chamber that allows the head to remain cool, this herbalized steam bath opens up the body's channels (organ meridians) allowing loosened impurities to move into the digestive tract in readiness for their removal by internal cleansing procedures such as virechana (herbal purgation) and basti (enema).

The food regimen should be followed for 7-10 minimum days but can be followed for up to one month or more. During this time it is strongly advise to eliminate alcohol, nicotine, meats and dairy with the exception of ghee or clarified butter. Kitcheree, a specially prepared food is ideal for helping to regenerate the body. It is a super meal for people who want to cut down on meat without reducing protein source. Kitcheree is also an excellent food for the elderly and sick. Tonic herbs like garlic, ashwaganda, bala and ginseng would be optimal along with spices like ginger, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin and coriander to help digest with the digestive process. These herbs can be taken as dipanas or digestives before a meal. Drinking plenty of pure, fresh water is essential as is making sure there is at least one bowel movement per day.

It is important to be in a peaceful environment at this time according to Ayurveda. Many forms of mental stimulation should be avoided, particularly mass media influences, loud music, computers and newspapers and magazines. Worry and anxiety should also be avoided. The objective is to get rid of the old and invite the new, or allowing oneself to be reborn. Taking walks into nature is especially helpful at this time. By adapting a regimen of good nutrition, exercise, meditation and herbs we can adapt to the changing seasons in a very balanced way, keeping the life force flowing and enjoy abundant health!

Detox Diet – 7-10 days

Guidelines:

Eat organic foods whenever possible
Drink filtered water 8-10 glasses per day
Practice food combining
Include fruits and vegetables in season, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds
Cook in iron, stainless steel, glass or porcelain cookware
Avoid meat, dairy, refined foods, canned foods, sugar, excessive salt, saturated fats (except ghee), coffee, alcohol and nicotine.

Upon rising: Two glasses of water, one with ½ lemon squeezed in it.

Breakfast: One piece of fresh fruit at room temperature, such as apple, pear, banana or citrus food. Chew well mixing with saliva.

Fifteen or thirty minutes later: One bowl of cooked whole grains, specifically millet, brown rice, basmati rice, amaranth, quinoa, or buckwheat. Kitcharee can be substituted.

For flavoring, use 2 T of fruit juice for sweetness, or ghee with a little salt or Braggs.

Lunch: (noon-1pm) One to two medium bowls of steamed vegetables, use variety including roots, stems and greens. For example, potatoes or yams, green beans, broccoli, or cauliflower, carrots or beets, asparagus, kale, chard and cabbage. Kitcharee can be substituted, chew food well.

Dinner: (5-6 pm) Same as lunch.

Special Drinks: (11 am – 3 pm) One to two cups of veggie water saved from steamed vegetables or potato peel broth. Add a little sea salt or kelp and drink slowly, mixing each mouthful with saliva.

*Do not take any additional vitamins at this time until the detox is completed.

Before going to bed: No additional foods after dinner. Drink only water and herbal teas such as peppermint, chamomile, pau d’ arco or blends.

Colon Cleansing: Is most important in detoxing, these include a good herbal colon blend, or fiber, psyllium seed husk alone or mixed with other agents such as aloe vera powder, betonite clay and acidophilus culture. Enemas using water, herbs or diluted coffee for additional liver cleansing can also be used. Keep the bowels moving.

Liver cleansing: The liver is our most important detoxification and needs to be cleansed along with the colon. A good liver cleansing formula is recommended. Good liver herbs are; dandelion, burdock, Echinacea, yellow dock, licorice, sarsaparilla, Oregon grape root, parsley leaf, goldenseal root, ginger and red clover.

Regimen: Exercise regularly to promote sweating and improvement in metabolism, yoga is also good. Dry skin brushing before bathing is recommended. Bathe regularly and also make use of saunas and sweats. Follow up with a self-massage with a natural body oil. Practice relaxation techniques and don’t forget to rest.

A Recipe for Kicharee

Ingredients:

Qty	Type	Item
1	cup	Split Mung dal (yellow)
2	cups	White Basmati rice
1	inch	Fresh ginger root
1	small	handful of cilantro leaves
2	TBS.	clarified butter
1/2	tsp.	Turmeric
1/2	tsp.	Coriander powder
1/2	tsp.	Cumin powder
1/2	tsp.	Whole cumin seeds
1/2	tsp.	Mustard seeds
2	cloves	Garlic (optional)
1/2	tsp.	Salt (rock salt is best)
1	pinch	Hing (also called Asafoetida)
5-7	cups	Water

*Note: Can use Bragg’s Amino Acid for extra flavor after cooking is completed.
Also can be used as a replacement for salt. Using Ghee is best but can be substituted with a good vegetable oil. You can purchase ghee and dal in major health food stores or at your local Indian grocery store.

Directions: Wash dal and rice together until water runs clear. Heat a large cast iron or stainless steel pot on medium heat then add ghee (clarified butter), next mustard seeds, tumeric, hing, whole cumin seeds, cumin powder, and coriander powder. Stir all together for a few minutes. Then add rice, dal and stir again. Now add the water, salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Next turn heat down to low, cover, and continue cooking until both dal and rice becomes soft and well-done. Half way through you can add chopped vegetables such as carrots, beets, cauliflower, squashes, zucchini, spinach, kale, burdock, collards, dandelion greens or broccoli. The consistency should be slightly watery so add water if necessary. The cilantro leaves can be added before serving.

Benefits: Tridosha balancing, and useful for detoxifying, very easy to digest.
Make sure to drink plenty of water to avoid constipation.