🌼🍂I've got good news, you don't need to spend heaps of money on fancy detoxes and cleanses, nor spend your precious time preparing fancy meals and juices.

Through then lens of ayurveda a cleanse should be simple, nourishing and supportive. Aiding the body to naturally rid ama (toxins) following a simple protocol of food and lifestyle practices for a minimum of 3 days.

The best times to cleanse are at the change of the seasons, Autumn and Spring - if possible after the full moon and before the new moon when your body is in natural flow.

There are hundreds of benefits to regular cleansing but my top 3 are feeling amazing, increased energy and clarity of mind and body plus glowing skin! Then there's reduced inflammation, better sleep, reduce tummy bloating and so much more.

How do you know if you need a cleanse?
👉🏼Feeling sluggish and tired
👉🏼Brain fog and difficulty making decisions or finding the creative juices
👉🏼Skin is lack lustre or irritated
👉🏼Tummy issues, like bloating, wind cramps, particularly after meals
👉🏼Poop isn't regular (constipation) or too regular or soft or stinky
👉🏼Tongue has a white or brownish coating on it - it should be a pale pink in colour
👉🏼You're experiencing inflammation
👉🏼Or you've been over indulging and just feel like you need a bit of a reset to break some undesirable habits.

So what does an ayurvedic cleanse look like?

We start with getting into sync with the rhythms of nature by heading to bed early, during a cleanse I aim to be in bed at 8:30-9pm then rising just before the sun, which will be different depending on the time of year and where you live. Before I go to bed in the evening I prepare for success in the morning, I make my ushapan (dawn) water in my thermos, this is simply boiling water. lemon juice and slices of ginger, I make sure my yoga gear, mediation space and dinacharya area is set up.

Then I follow a beautiful daily rhythm for up to 5 days:

• Rise just before sunrise
• Tongue Scrape and brush teeth
• Turn on essential oil diffusers with immune supportive oils like On Guard
• Sip 600ml of Dawn water
• Gentle yoga flow
• Japa Mediation
• Dry body brush with grapefuit essential oil
• Abhyanga Massage
• Shower
• Then let's keep it real... get everyone in the house off to school and work!
• I eat a small serve of kitchari for breakfast before 9am and a bigger serve at lunchtime which is when the sun is highest, so about 12pm. Kitchari is like a chicken soup, it's a whole protein, easy to digest and leaves you feeling satisfied.
• Lightly steamed green veggies for dinner with a little bit of ghee and sea salt. Note; the idea here is that we want to give our digestive system a rest and to ignite it's fire (agni) so a light dinner at 5-6pm is optimal.
• After dinner walk or ocean swim

Other points:

• Rest and nap if needed in the afternoon or a Yoga Nidra mediation is divine.
• Foot soaks and baths with essential oils are sublime
• Read that book you've been wanting to read for ages
• Only sip water in between meals, never with your meal or with ice and don't gulp. This puts out your digestive fire
• Herbal teas like tulsi tea, fennel or peppermint to aide digestion and detoxification
• If you're struggling with cravings try this warm drink.
• Detoxing from caffeine (like me!) and are experiencing headaches? Peppermint rolled on the temples is life!
• Journal how you're feeling, take notice of what your body is telling you.

I've done many cleanses over the years and I find that this one works so well for thise of us running busy households, working and living life to it's fullest. Taking a few days out to slow down a little will have incredible benefits for your body, mind and soul.

I work 1:1 with clients to support them on their path to inner healing where we tailor a cleanse for their specific needs, as well as running a group cleanse twice a year. I'd love to support you too.

Note: Please consult your healthcare provider before you embark on any new wellness programs.