We hope that you’re Thanksgiving is full of good friends, family and wonderful food. Remember, to nourish yourself with yummy vegies and fruits as well as the other goodies of the day! It’s a great time to give thanks for the rain, earth, wind and sun that created our food, and everyone who works to bring it to our tables.
We’re grateful for you in our lives!
Please feel free to add your thoughts, experiences and yummy recipes to the blog as we clean out, lighten up and strengthen!
We often hear about cleansing these days. How do we know if our body’s natural ability to cleanse has overcome by our diet and lifestyle habits?
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
There are thousands of cleansing products that boast weight loss and detoxification but many are based on severe caloric restrictions and one or two food sources. While eating minimal calories will result in weight loss, these “detox diets” can have some seriously unpleasant side effects both during and after. As a result, many of us associate the word “cleanse” with deprivation, limiting and liquid diets that don’t satisfy.
Ayurveda, the ancient medical science of healing, encourages a seasonal cleansing of the body. these cleanses are designed to use whole, nourishing unprocessed foods that are in rhythm with the seasons to gently free the body of toxins that have been stored and create barriers for our bodies to function in a healthy, balanced way.
Stress, environmental pollutants, preservatives and the depletion of our soils contribute to overwhelming our bodies natural ability to detox. Over time, these factors undermine our immunity and decrease our body’s natural ability to be healthy, balanced and vibrant. The constant exposure these stressors inhibits the body’s cleansing mechanisms. weakens our digestive system and is a significant factor in chronic disease and premature aging.
An ayurvedic cleanse gives the major systems of the body time to rest and reset. The seasonal cleanse uses a variety of tools including food, herbs, pranayama (breathing practices) and asana (movement) to create conditions for healing the digestive system and detoxifying the lymph in a complete and holistic way. This gentle system of purification, creates conditions in the body that release toxins trapped in the mucous and supports the liver in it’s work of neutralizing and preparing toxins to be eliminated through sweat, feces and urine.
The stress of our modern lives is processed in and through our intestinal tract. This is a major factor in the ever increasing number of digestive difficulties, food allergies and mental toxins that trigger repetitive patterns of behavior that fail to serve us. Using the tools of Ayurveda, we nourish the body and rid the system of any unneeded build up of impurities.
Each season brings slightly different cleansing tools and should be modified slightly for our own individual constitution or dosha. Each spring, summer and fall, Karen leads a group cleanse based on the elements for the seasons. The fall cleanse begins soon! Are you ready?
This has some really interesting info about the effects of sports drinks on our body, check it out!
Coconut water is a great drink for this time of year. Please don’t let the suggestions overwhelm you. Take your time easing into new habits and ways of caring for yourself. If we view this as a sacred time of care and nurturing we’ll enjoy every morsel of food, every drop of oil, every taste of water and every lovely breath!
The most important things to remember: drink lots of water, don’t snack (apples if you feel your blood sugar is crashing), chew slowly and mindfully, take the warm digest or cold digest 15-30 minutes before meals. Triphala is a wonderful herb combination to take at night with warm water. This facilitates elimination and healing.
Please post thoughts, recipes or questions whenever they come up!!!
Check back here to get tips for this season’s at-home cleanse as the week progresses. Don’t worry, the actual cleanse starts two days after our first workshop, so you’ll have to time to go grocery shopping and prep foods.
But you can start getting ready now- be sure you’re getting hydrated! The rule of thumb is to drink half of your optimum body weight in ounces of water every day. So if you’re optimum weight is 120lbs, drink 60oz of water (this doesn’t include water lost during heavy exercise). Drinking plenty of water will start your lymphatic flush so that your body has a little head start once you start the actual cleanse.
You can also start turning off the computer or TV at least an hour before bedtime. If you usually go to bed much later than 10pm, start moving that time back by 15min increments until we start the cleanse.
If you haven’t signed up for the cleanse yet, check it out HERE
We’re at it again! Keeping those bodies healthy and happy (with the side bonus of making them swimsuit ready) with a cleanse that’s just right for summer. Keep an eye on our site for the full story or you can contact Karen now for details at (303) 733-7423.
In the meantime, we’ve got an upcoming workshop on stress relief that promises to make even the most tightly wound soul find that much needed aaaahhhhhh.
Eating right for the season is not only environmentally friendly, it’s better for your body.
Spring is a great time to burn off that extra winter weight. Enjoy spicy, warming foods and ease up on the dairy (or eliminate it altogether).
Spring is wet and heavy so balance by eating food that will energize and balance. Berries, avocados, dried fruits and sipping warm water can all balance the seasonal influences. Increased mucous is also common in the spring, so be sure to use your neti pot!!
Welcome to the the Spring Cleanse!
Consider this community and support page yours to share questions, experiences, thoughts and discoveries.
Getting ready for the cleanse this April, it’s a good idea to remember to hydrate well, start eating lots of fresh foods and cut down on caffeine.
