Ayurvedic Detox Program

Ayurveda typically suggests a weekly fast, which helps in detoxification of your body on a regular basis. A more prolonged fast of 3, 5, 7 or 9 days is suggested at the turn of every season. A typical fast includes either complete avoidance of any type of food for the whole day or eating limited quantities of easily digestible, cleansing foods.

This is a life style program that should be incorporated as a part of your diet plan. It could be done either once a week on a particular day set aside or for a few days, as mentioned above, at the change of seasons. One can also combine both the programs by following it weekly and seasonally.

Initially it might be difficult to go without food for the whole day. In such cases one should limit their intake to either fruits or milk or simple but nutritious carbohydrates like potatoes or sweet potatoes. While all spices including garlic should be avoided, ginger is considered to aid in the cleansing process and thus could be eaten.

Following are some simple recipes that could be prepared during a detox program.

Stir Fried Potatoes with Peanuts and Fresh Coriander
Ingredients:
Boiled diced Potatoes – 4
Ground roasted ground peanuts – 3 tspns
Clarified Butter/ Butter – 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
Chopped Green Chilly - 1
Grated Ginger – ½ tsp
Salt and Sugar to taste
Chopped Coriander Leaves – ½ cup
Lime juice – 1 Lime
Method :
• In a pan heat clarified butter
• Add cumin seeds, chopped chilly and ginger
• Add potatoes, ground peanuts, salt and sugar
• Stir fry for 5 minutes till all the potatoes are covered with the ground peanuts
• Add coriander leaves and lime juice as garnish

Sweet Potato Pancakes
Ingredients :
Grated Sweet Potatoes – 2
Clarified Butter/ Butter – 4 tspns
Icing Sugar – 8 tspns
Method :
• Divide the grated potatoes in 4 portions
• In a skillet add ½ tsp of clarified butter
• Spread one portion in an even layer
• Cover the skillet and let it bake for 3-4 minutes on a low flame
• Remove the cover and bake on the other side for 3-4 minutes
• Garnish with 2 tspns of icing sugar

Yoga for Detoxification

Detoxification is a comparatively new term in the west and has gained more popularity in the last 5-7 years. However detox has been mentioned in the ancient health scriptures of Yoga and Ayurveda that are more than 10,000 years old

The word Yoga is derived from the root word Yuj, which means union. Thus practice of Yoga leads to the union of humans to the divine. Yoga is a practical path to self-realization, a means to attain enlightenment by purifying the entire being. Here the word “purifying” is important as it signifies a mind and body that is free of accumulated toxins – mental and physical. Thus detoxification is one of the basic underlying philosophies of Yoga.

Modern science now knows that 3 bodily systems play a major role in any type of detox – The circulatory, the digestive and the lymphatic. Yoga, through its various sets of asanas has proven to improve, regulate and maintain the optimum functioning of all these 3 systems.

Apart from the 3 systems mentioned above, Yoga also talks about the respiratory system and the Endocrine System. The respiratory system is tackled with the help of Pranayam or the breathing exercises. It helps in removing toxins and carbon dioxide accumulated in various parts of the body due to faulty breathing and life style practices. These exercises also help in proper functioning of the lymph nodes, which further help in purifying the blood.

The Endocrine System, which is responsible for production of all essential hormones, is handled in Yoga through Mantra Chanting and Meditation. Mantras provide specific vibrations to these glands. The mantras try to resonate these vibrations to the vibrations of the universe thereby making the glands function in unison with energies of the universe. This helps in the optimum functioning of the endocrine glands.

Thus incorporating Yoga in a detox program gives it a holistic approach as yoga detoxifies all the systems of your body. A typical routine should start with asanas, proceed to pranayam, followed by meditation and end with shavasan. Sometimes lack of energy could be a deterring factor in performing all the prescribed asanas during a detox program. In this case one can either resort to sun-salutations or perform asanas, which are less tiring. However pranayam and mantra chanting with meditation should not be avoided, as Yoga is the only system, which incorporates detoxification of the respiratory and the endocrine system along with the other biological systems.

Having said this, incorporating a proper diet regimen is inevitable in any detox program. Here is a link that talks about an Ayurvedic detox diet along with a few simple recipes.
Ayurvedic Detox Program

Introduction to The Chakra System

Chakras are energy vortexes described in detail in the Ayurvedic System. These are subtle energy centers, located at different places within the body. Though ayurveda has described many different chakras, there are 7 important ones, which run from the base of the spinal cord to the top of the crown. They are:

Muladhara: Base or Root Chakra (last bone in spinal cord *coccyx*

Swadhishthan: Sacral Chakra (ovaries/prostate)

Manipura: Solar Plexus Chakra (navel area)

Anahata: Heart Chakra (heart area)

Vishuddha: Throat Chakra (throat and neck area)

Ajna: Brow or Third Eye Chakra (pineal gland or third eye)

Sahasrara: Crown Chakra (Top of the head; 'Soft spot' of a newborn)

Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning a wheel. These centers are thought to be spinning wheels of activity that receives, assimilates and expresses life force energy (prana) Each of the chakras is associated with a particular element, color frequency, gemstone and mantra (sound frequencies). Blocked energy in our Chakras can often lead to illness. Removing blockages and achieving balance within these energy centers has been central to ayur-yog healing therapies.

The colours of each chakra are especially symbolic to their function in the body. When we visualize the colour of each chakra we aid in nourishing and balancing the energy that resides there.

Muladhara is symbolized by a red colour of earthly power; Swadhishtan is orange, depicting creativity and exploration; Manipura is symbolized with a yellow colour, like the sun shining light on our individual path, giving us focus and direction; Anahata is associated with a green colour, a representation of new growth, hope, love and higher awareness; Vishuddha chakra is blue- connected to expression, communication and the power to manifest; Ajna chakra is indigo- associated with intuition, clear-sight and integrity, and lastly, Sahasrara chakra is violet in colour and represents spiritual union, connection to the higher-self, and consciousness of divinity.

By learning to tune into the energy of the chakras, one can begin to embrace the fullness of who you truly are.

In the coming months we would be learning more about each of the 7 chakras – their location, functions, characteristics, associated elements and ways of removing blockages.