Recently, the word “detox” is increasingly found in completely different areas of human life from the industry of procedures to the field of healthy eating.
Ayurvedic medicine pays considerable attention to cleansing the body of toxins and not only in the form of special medical complexes such as the Panchakarma course but also in daily practice.
In Ayurveda, this concept is also known –
Ayurveda looks at this problem deeper than modern dietetics and more closely than medicine. The concept of Ayurveda does not consider cleansing as part of therapy in treatment programs carried out in Ayurvedic centers but will touch only on the useful preventive aspect available in everyday life.
Where do toxins come from?
Generally, the questions arrive where do toxins come from, so before dealing with the elimination of toxins, it is worth understanding how they are formed in the body. The well-known “cleanse” is not only about cleaning but find where they litter, which very accurately reflects the attitude of Ayurveda to this issue.
To solve the problem of getting rid of toxins, Ayurveda offers two approaches:
- The first is to reduce the formation of toxins(ama) due to special nutrition and an increase in the digestive fire (Agni).
- The second is to directly eliminate toxins.
According to Ayurveda, ama (toxins) is a cold, sticky substance that is formed from undigested food, when eating incompatible foods and when digestion is poor. Ama is also formed when we eat cold food, stale food, or drink cold drinks.
Here you can find an explanation for such well-known rules as “do not eat after 18.00” – digestion that naturally fades away by night is not able to digest a dense late supper, which not so much nourishes the body, on the other hand, ama does not create sensual satisfaction.
Therefore, one of the secrets of cleansing in Ayurveda is not in the cleansing itself, but in increasing the strength of the digestive fire (Agni). Strong Agni and following biological rhythms are the first antidotes to toxin buildup.
Agni is stimulated by the consumption of pungent herbs and spices. Ginger tea and spice mixes are great for this task. You can buy one of the remedies, such as chyawanprash, or make one yourself.
Recipe
- 1/2 cup fennel seeds
- 1/4 cup dried coriander seeds
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon of ajwain seeds
- 2 pinches of salt (preferably black salt)
- 1 tablespoon hot water
Dissolve the salt in a tablespoon of water. Pour the fennel into a preheated skillet pan and fry lightly, stirring continuously, until slightly it comes to brownish, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt water and dry until aromatic. Then pour into a dish.
Now fry the remaining seeds, but each type separately, and add to the fennel dish. Mix everything thoroughly. Store this mixture in a sealed container. Consume a teaspoon after lunch and dinner to improve digestion and fresh breath.
How to get rid of toxins?
The toxins AMA can be decreased by fasts or fasting days, and mono-diets. You can help your body get rid of toxins by simply skipping food for 1 or 2 days. However, even 24-hour fasting is often difficult for people of the Vata and Pitta constitutions. In this case, you can fast on boiled rice or coconut water.
Such a stage can be extended up to 3-5 days. Rice, in this case, pre-soaking, must be boiled very well. A curative diet in Ayurveda is kichari or khichdi – a dish made from rice basmati and mung bean (a type of legume), such a diet is the basis of a mono-diet that accompanies Ayurveda – a long-term healing Ayurvedic complex for cleansing the body.
Herbs and Ayurvedic formulations are other important steps in cleansing. For detoxification purposes, herbs with a pungent and bitter taste are used. The bitter taste stimulates the catabolic process in the tissues, allowing for the separation of toxins, and the pungent taste, having the qualities of fire, increasing metabolism, burns ama.
You should also be aware that sweet, sour, and salty tastes increase ama, so if your detox program is based on a cleansing formula, try to keep sugary, sour, and salty foods to a minimum – you will greatly enhance the effect.
Here are three Ayurvedic remedies for gentle cleansing of the body:
- Triphala Choorna
- Aloe vera juice
- Shodhana – Ayurvedic capsules
Detoxification can be done in several stages. Deep cleansing of the body is best done in an Ayurvedic center or under the supervision of a specialist. You can afford to use gentle methods for regular use at home without changing your daily routine.
It is believed that the best time to start a detox cycle is in the late spring or summer, while autumn and winter are ideal for gaining weight lost during detoxification. So be healthy and use natural ways.