Spring detox

[Guest guest]

March has already arrived. The part of this month falls in

rutu " Shishir " and remaining part in rutu " Vasant " . Thus this month

has rutusandhi, the joining point of two rutus or seasons. Vasant

rutu (spring) starts on March 4th as per lunar calendar.

 

Due to global warming, however, seasons are changing without much

notice to mankind. Sudden increase of temperature, need to open

windows and increase fan or A/C settings signals change of season.

Vaidyas have alert senses to detect change in seasons and warn

people to change the lifestyle. The reason is, Vaidyas do not see

Christian calendar, they observe nature. Author saw a Varun tree

full of flowers almost a week back. Author suspects xenoharmones are

acting on trees also. And why not? They too are part of our world!

 

In every spring, earth sheds her winter coat of ice in northern

lattitudes. This molten ice water meets sea. Since we are a part of

this environmental plan, we too should think about " spring cleaning "

the toxins from our body. Detoxifying in spring is an important part

of this ayurvedic lifestyle. Spring is the Kapha dosha enhancing

season, the weather reflects the moist, cool, heavy qualities of

Kapha dosha which dominate during this time of the year (March-

June). The accumulated excess Kapha leaves the body during these

months. Secondly, the creator designed this season for peak

fertility, and naturally creation is easy in Kapha dominant

environment.

 

Biologically too, nature supports cleansing of the body in spring.

In winter the digestive agni 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, causing accumulation of ama, the sticky, toxic

product of indigestion.

 

Warm weather of March to June melts the snow in spring, it has a

similar effect on the body. In spring the ama melts and due to its

large volume, the channels of the body, become clogged. Now people

staying in tropics or near equator do not see snow, but its effect

they experience. When there is a snow fall in Kashmir, we get a cold

wave in Mumbai, a harbour city.

 

Symptoms of Excess Ama

 

If ama does not move out of the body, one can experience either of

following:

1. flu

2. colds and cough,

3. allergies, low fever.

4. fatigued, sluggish or drowsy after lunch,

5. loss of appetite, flatulance,

6. Sharp headaches, dizziness,

7. Mild tremors in the limbs,

8. Unexplained muscle aches, arms,thighs, calf, etc, not

responding to pain killers.

9. Coating on tongue, sore throat.

10. less radiant, heavier, more oily skin.

11. Prone to sunburn, dry patches on skin.

12. exacerbation of eczema, psoriasis, blemishes

13. Swellings become more, no action of allopathy medicines

 

 

Spring is the best season for detoxification, because nature is

already trying to clear out the toxins. The way trees shed old

yellowish leaves in preparation of new leaves, it's the time to help

the body to efficiently detoxify the channels and the dhatus. Most

Panchkarma procedures purify the colon and the digestive tract, but

that is not enough. Cleansing the liver and blood, purifying the

sweat glands and the organs of elimination, preventing buildup of

ama 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 eating heavy, cold,

hard-to-digest foods is avoided, the sweet, sour, and salty tastes

are reduced, digestive system will be more efficient in burning away

the accumulated Ama. On this ground soy items are to be avoided.

Sweet juicy fruits can help cleanse the body, but they should be

eaten before sunset, as they have a Kapha-increasing effect after

the sunset. Citrus fruits, apple (stewed in water for few minutes if

digesting raw is difficult) are also available plenty. Spices that

can be added to food -- such as coriander, cumin, turmeric, and

fennel -- help stimulate the digestion and detoxify the skin. Hot

water will help melt the Ama that has accumulated (if your a Pitta

body type or have a Pitta imbalance then drink warm). Daily

exercise, and avoiding day sleep will also help. You can take steam

bath, if

available nearby. Importance of these purification procedures, has

been brought out in Messagge 4931 by where Parkinson disease

cure was tried:

 

ayurveda/message/4931

 

Panchakarma includes a full program of ayurvedic massage, steam

baths and intestinal cleansing treatments, to rid your body of ama

accumulated during the previous season. Panchakarma also strengthens

agni, or digestive fire, so more ama won't be accumulated.

 

" can't we do it at home, or with some herbals mixtures/decoctions?

Already some enema packs are available, wherein you just insert a

cream/wick/suppository and next morning you have clean bowels " ask

the housewives. This happens because of allopathic mind set, an

enama is given whenever hard constipation exists. Basti for colon

cleanse as a notion, will take at least a decade to sink in mind. If

one can't visit ayurvedist for internal cleansing, he can still

follow an ayurvedic regimen at home to cleanse the body of ama

during the transition between the seasons. Speed of ama elimination

will be slower (almost 2 months may be needed, with attendant cough,

cold, low fever too) without intestinal/lever/Gall Bladder cleanses,

but this will be better option for weak elderly patients:

 

1. Eat warm, light, nourishing foods such as soups, or light meals

of mildly spiced vegetables with grains. Eating a lighter diet for a

few weeks while the weather is changing will help burn away ama

rather than accumulate it. Also be careful to get proper rest, drink

plenty of warm fluids, and take daily walks or do other exercise

that is suitable for your body type. Most ideal exercise for general

health is walking. It gives all round movement to all muscles. and

safe exercise too, even for heart patients.

 

2. Less hungry feeling at mealtimes and feeling of heavy and

dullness in two hours immediately after a meal, are indications that

your digestive fire is burning low. If you get cravings for sweet,

this is not only a sign of ama accumulation but also Kapha

accumulaton in which fungus/yeast infection is happily growing.

Itching of skin will reveal this. Diabetics to note especially. To

enhance agni, there is nothing in ayurveda better than buttermilk.

Indians give a sauting to even buttermilk. Food cooked with immune-

enhancing spices such as cumin, fennel, coriander, turmeric, ajwain,

asfoetida, mustard, turmeric, ginger and black pepper is also an

important way

to enhance agni and reduce ama. Spices, if available fresh and in

green form are to be given preference. Eating ajwain, black salt,

asfoetida, fennel seeds and dhal made from coriander seeds is also

advised for better digestion. Finally, it's important to always

avoid the factors that cause ama to accumulate, in any season.

 

Stay away from leftovers, processed foods, ice-cold foods and

drinks, and heavy foods such as fried foods. Vegetables from the

nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and sweet peppers)

should also be avoided, as these create ama. As an exception, if

potato has to be

used, use it with skin, and in juice form for alkalizing.

 

3. For those who can carry out the detoxification procedure under

supervision of an ayurvedist or naturopath, author has stored it in

folder `articles' under the file name `Eight Day Detox Programme'. If you are

member at ayurveda list, you can access the file by visiting

 

http://health.ayurvedaarticles/Dr.%20BhateFi\

les/

 

Any doubts can be asked on/off-list. But if you can not take the

Basti and Basti+enema+probiotics at a nearby ayurvedic clinic, just follow

all the food recommendations, and just take about 5 gm. Trifla

powder with water before bedtime, instead of Milk+Ginger+Castor oil

decoction on all seven days. You may notice that all 'fats' are

avoided.

 

The procedure stored in group file is a general. One can take

additional massages/steam sauna/Vaman/Nasya/Karna-puran when doing

detoxification under supervision. For every

individual, the dosages can be made specific and fruit choices can be

altered in that case. We do more harm by taking even natural foods

for which we are less suited.

 

Detoxification is a must, if embarking on a 'weight-loss' program.

The advantage of detoxification routine in case of PCOS were

amazing! Ideal time for starting weight-loss program of about a 8

month duration is NOW!