How to spring clean your body
- joannawebber9
- Apr 4
- 10 min read
Updated: Apr 10
Spring is also a time for fasting, and many religions still practice fasting rituals in the spring. In nature, spring is the time of famine, when winter stores have been depleted and we wait and pray for an early spring harvest. During this time, foods are naturally lower in fat and calories. Eating a naturally lighter diet forces the body to burn its own stored fat as a primary source of fuel. Around Autumn is also a time of change as we transition into winter. Our bodies are having to adapt at these times as seasonal changes in temperature affect our body’s metabolic rate.
The most effective cleansing therapy in Ayurveda is panchakarma. This deep clearing process is conducted as a residential retreat and takes 4 to 6 weeks to complete. However, this 10-day cleansing programme can be an effective alternative. You will be eating one type of simple, easily digestible food such as green juices, vegetable soups or mung dal soup with plenty of fluids. These foods are light to digest but reducing (langhana) in action.
If done gently, fasting balances doshas (vata, pitta, kapha), rectifies agni (digestive fire), clears metabolic pathways and strengthens organs and tissues. It helps remove mucus, undigested matter and toxic accumulations, increases circulation and reduces water retention and excess weight. Thus it improves the overall functioning of the body, increases immunity, provides strength and vital energy and also develops the ‘inner healer’.
Who is this cleanse for and who is it not safe for?
This 10-day programme is designed to give you a mini ‘home’ cleanse for when panchakarma is not possible. It is divided into four phases, all of which are cleansing, yet the emphasis differs slightly in each. This programme is not advised for children, pregnant or nursing mothers, during menstruation, in those with an illness or taking strong medication.
Preparation phase (one week ideally):
The first step is to eliminate sugars, additives, refined carbohydrates, gluten, meat, dairy, processed foods, caffeine and alcohol which can create āma. Do this gradually. You will feel cravings during the first few days and caffeine withdrawal headaches can be severe. Ayurveda advises never to put the body through big changes too quickly but to very gradually reduce toxins (caffeine, drugs, alcohol, tobacco etc).
Avoid potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, aubergine (members of the nightshade family which are less beneficial for the body and also harder to digest).
Eat simple, whole foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, herbs and spices, nuts and seeds) to set the stage for the actual ‘fast’, though for some a shift to just eating these foods may be a suitable ‘fast’.
To help the body digest use ghee, fresh ginger, cumin, fennel seeds, coriander, turmeric, garlic, black pepper and cinnamon- basically all ‘warming’ spices will act like a medicine to break the heavy, cold, sticky āma and boost the digestive fire.
Drink lots of warm water throughout the day, starting with a big mug just after you wake up, along with herbal teas.
Take a herbal remedy to help digest āma before each meal, such as trikatu and to clear the bowel, such as triphala (e.g. ½ teaspoon at bedtime) but please see a health practitioner to check this is right for you.
Get plenty of rest, with yoga, meditation or other mind/ both integration techniques to help detox the mind as well as the body (remembering both are linked). Negative thought patterns, stress and emotions can all lead to the build-up of āma, as well as eating a poor diet, as they affect how the body digests food.
You can tell that āma is already being digested in this preparation phase as at the end of the week, you will feel lighter, your mind and senses more alert and active.
Active 'fasting phase' with mung bean soup (1-7 days or up to 10 days)
After a week of eating lightly, you are ready for a deeper fast with a ‘mono-fast’ of eating one type of simple, easily digestible food such as green juices (good for pitta dosha types), vegetable soups or mung bean soup with plenty of fluids. These foods are light to digest but reducing (langhana) in action. It's vital to use fresh, organic and nutritious food full of prana (life-force) so the toxicity the body is having to deal with is reduced.
Why mung beans?
Mung beans are sweet and astringent, cooling, light, and dry in quality. They are an excellent reducing (langhana) food and also strengthen the eyes, tonify the heart, drain dampness and clear toxic heat from the body. Research supports that they are one of the healthiest sources of plant protein there is:
"Mung beans have biological activities including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, lipid metabolism accommodation, antihypertensive and antitumor effects" [1] (Chung et al, 2011).
I recommend using the mung bean soup recipe below for your ‘monofast’ phase as it is highly nutritious and naturally acts as a langhana treatment to the body. It stimulates digestive fire and clears āma from the liver, gall bladder and vascular system. Mung beans are available from health food shops, Indian grocers and sometimes supermarkets. Try and get organic if you can and buy in bulk to reduce costs (though you will save money on this diet, as well as time normally spend preparing food).
Whatever you choose to eat during the active phase, prepare all your food for the day first thing in the morning and avoid leftovers from the previous day. Try not to use a microwave.
Allow at least 3 hours between meals, aiming for 3-4 small meals per day although 2 may be enough for some, including kapha types.
Eat enough to feel satisfied but do not overeat. Try not to eat after 7 p.m.
Drink at least 8–10 cups of room temperature, warm or hot fluids each day to ensure hydration. Most fluids should be taken between meals to avoid diminishing agni.
As āma is being digested and excreted as waste products and dosha may be moving around the body, you may experience tiredness, headaches, rashes, belly noises, loose stool/constipation, odorous sweat/urine and stool, muscle ache and a foggy head. It’s key to rest and stay hydrated.
This process can also stir up unresolved emotions, which need to be witnessed, honoured and released. Having support of family or friends, as well as from a health practitioner, can be key for this.
Mung Soup Recipe (5 generous portions)- my preferred cleaning food
Green mung beans are less gas-producing than other beans, help remove toxins from the body (incl. heavy metals) and stimulate the digestive fire. Mung beans are available in Indian food stores, some supermarkets and health food shops.
Ingredients:
Wash the mung beans thoroughly and then soak them over night (or for at least 4 hours) before cooking.
Heat ghee, coconut or sesame oil (heat-stable) and add turmeric powder and asafoetida (reduces the gas-forming properties of beans).
Sauté for a few seconds, then add the soaked beans and fresh water. For 1 part soaked mung you need about 4 parts of water. Leave to bubble for 30-40 minutes and add more water if necessary. Continue to cook until all the beans are soft and broken up. If you use a pressure cooker, the soup needs cooking for only 8 minutes once the vessel has come to pressure. You can then turn off the heat and leave the pot to cool for a further 10 minutes before opening it.
Once the beans are cooked, heat some ghee or sesame oil in a frying pan, add the chopped onion and sauté lightly until soft. Then add the garlic and sautee.
Then add finely chopped root ginger and 1 tsp. cumin and coriander seeds plus any other herbs or spices you like, such as cardamom, black pepper, black cumin, a mild curry powder (no chillies!), and briefly sauté. You can experiment with different flavours each time you make your soup to maintain a sense of variety.
Add the sautéed spices plus some rock salt to the mung and continue to simmer for a further 2 minutes. Adding these spices at the end of the cooking process helps retain more of their flavour and therapeutic value. Also, adding salt in the beginning makes beans tougher and take longer to cook; therefore always add salt at the end.
Serve the soup hot with finely chopped coriander leaves or other fresh herbs you like, as well as a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice. If you prefer a fine creamy consistency, simply blend the soup
You can also add 1 tsp. of ghee or 1 tsp. of an omega 3/6/9 oil. Omega oils should be added to food after it has cooled down a bit, as these oils are not heat stable and thus also not suitable for cooking.
If you feel like a little variety, you can also add green leafy vegetables, pumpkin or courgettes to the mung soup, or make a completely vegetable soup. If you are feeling weak or very hungry you can eat a little brown or white rice at lunch time.
For the active cleansing phase eat this mung soup and green vegetables – nothing else. You can eat whenever you are hungry and as many times per day as you need to, but avoid over-eating at mealtimes. Be sure that you only eat when you have genuine hunger and when the previous meal is completely digested. In order to check: drink hot water and allow yourself to burp. If the taste or smell of your last meal comes up, the digestive process has not yet been completed – wait before eating again!
Optional : A Simple Fasting Tea to accompany your active cleanse phase
Throughout the 10-day programme, the following fasting tea made from culinary spices can be drunk during the day. It keeps the body strong, prevents dosha disturbances, rectifies agni and also helps digest and eliminate toxins. In addition, you can drink hot water, ginger water, fennel tea or any other herbal teas you like. Listen to your body and drink according to its needs. To make the fasting tea, use the following ingredients:
· 1 litre water
· 1 tsp. cumin seeds
· 1 tsp. coriander seeds
· 1 tsp. fennel seeds
· 1 tsp. fresh root ginger juice
· 3 cardamom (discard the pods and grind the seeds)
Mix everything and gently heat in a pan. Remove from the heat just before it boils and leave to steep for a further 10 minutes. Filter and drink or keep warm in a flask to consume throughout the day.
Lifestyle tips to support your active cleanse phase
It’s vital to ensure your energy is devoted to this langhana (lightening, cleansing) process. Surround yourself with things that you find uplifting and nourishing, and minimise screens, stress and exposure to busy environments.
Slow, gentle exercise (ideally in nature) supports this process but more than that can be counterproductive. Walking, tai chi, qigong, or gentle yoga are ideal. Sleep is a great time to do āma pachana (especially during the pitta time of night) so be sure to get plenty of it throughout the ‘fast’.
Give yourself a daily self-massage during the ‘fast’ with 100ml of warm organic oil such as sesame or more cooling coconut oil. Leave on your body for 15 minutes, then wash off in a hot bath or shower (or enjoy a steam or sauna). This lubricates from the outside and allows the body to sweat, opening up the channels and further helping the dosha to make their way to the digestive tract.
Optional is dry skin brushing before to enhance the langhana effect and lymphatic cleansing (for pitta or kapha dominance only). Or try raw silk gloves (garshana).
Take hot Epsom Salt bath: add 2 handfulls of Epsom Salt to your bath and soak for 20 minutes.
Use a neti pot and tongue scraper daily
You may also want to try a castor oil pack over the liver area to support cleansing (more on this in a future post!)
To calm the mind and promote sound sleep, use a little ghee to gently massage your temples and soles of your feet before going to bed. Try to sleep at regular times and for a regular length.
Some people experience constipation during the programme. If this occurs, take 1-2 tsp. of triphala powder/ 2 -4 capsules at night before bed with warm water. Once you have daily bowel movements again, reduce the dosage gradually and then stop.
Please see an earlier blog for Spring health tips that really work
Reintroduction phase: 3-7 days
After the active fasting phase, your body is still processing toxins and the digestive system has got used to a very easy to digest diet. It’s key to take time to go back to normal as digestion needs time to gain strength.
Keep the diet light and nourishing, gradually reintroducing diverse whole foods over a period equalling the time you spent actively ‘fasting’.
Avoid heavy foods (meat, fish, eggs, sugar, bananas, wheat). This can be the most challenging phase as eating a mono-diet is often easier than starting to reintroduce only certain foods.
Be aware that mentally, you will also feel a little 'out of it’ for a few days. Gradually readjust to normal life rather than rushing back into things. Even after this phase, it may take more time before you feel the benefits of a fast.
Rejuvenation POST CLEANSE
One difference between Ayurveda's approach and other cleanses is the focus on rejuvenation post cleansing (rasayana). This is the time to offer deep nourishment to the tissues as the body is a little vulnerable after fasting.
"A person undergoing rejuvenation therapy attains longevity, memory, intellect, freedom from diseases, youth, excellence of lustre, complexion and voice, excellent potentiality of the body and the sense-organs, respect and brilliance" [2]
Rasayana literally means ‘the path of juice’ is generally translated as rejuvenation or the promotion of longevity. When we use the word longevity in the West, we generally mean extending life, growing old gracefully, and staying healthy. We often measure longevity in terms of years lived - 80, 90, or 100 years. When we use the word longevity in Ayurveda, we hold a larger vision—life extension is merely a side benefit of the greater goal of fully ENJOYING life. Rather than simply adding a few good years, the Ayurvedic way of life aims to support full human potential and to enable a life lived with intention, purpose, and joy. Interestingly, rasayana therapy is only effective if our behaviour is equally uplifting, our lifestyle is in harmony with nature, and the food and air we take in is full of prana (life force). Rasayana also increases ojas (the essence of all bodily tissues). It can be thought of as the nectar at the end of production of all the other tissues (plasma, blood, muscle, fat, bone, bone marrow/nervous tissue, reproductive tissues).
Its best to work with an Ayurvedic practitioner to support this phase with herbs that are right for you, including adaptogens such as ashwagandha, shatavari and tulsi. Get in touch to book a face to face or on-line consultation to support your cleanse...
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References:
[1] Chung, I.M., Yeo, M.A., Kim, S.J. and Moon, H.I., 2011. Protective effects of organic solvent fractions from the seeds of Vigna radiata L. wilczek against antioxidant mechanisms. Human & experimental toxicology, 30(8), pp.904-909.
[2] Charaka Samhita Chikitsa Sthana 1/7-8
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