Just like Ayurveda recommends a personalized diet, so too should be a detox—one that is guided and targets our specific imbalances.
By Irene Legaspi
We live in a fast paced and demanding world that can be very depleting. There are many factors that can contribute to this. Which is why it is so important now more than ever before to give back to ourselves in a way that nourishes the mind and body. Do you ever feel like you wake up refreshed, ready to take on a new day, only to have all of your energy sucked out of you as the day progresses leaving you feeling depleted? Have you ever gone on vacation and let all your healthy habits go out the window, overindulge, only to return feeling gross, heavy and exhausted? Are you currently experiencing digestive issues such as constipation, bloating or gas?
An Ayurvedic kitchari cleanse can help to reset digestive issues, energy and appetite leaving you feeling light in the body, calm in the mind and nourished in a gentle but powerful way. Kitchari also known as a mono-diet is a blend of moong beans, basmati rice and digestive spices. This combination creates a light easy to digest, nourishing and simply cooked vegetarian meal. Along with the CCF digestive tea and herbal Triphala. You can decide between doing a 3, 5, or 7 day cleanse. I recommend starting with a 3 day if this is your first time. During the cleanse no caffeine, no sugar, no alcohol, nothing cold or raw, and no processed foods should be consumed. Drink approximately 6-8 glasses of warm water each day, stop taking all other supplements and herbs, and avoid strenuous physical activity. Light yoga, breathing exercises and meditation is recommended. Your meal times for breakfast should be between 6am-9am, lunch from 11am-2pm and dinner between 5-7pm. Not only are you still giving your body what it needs during this time you are also allowing the bodies natural detoxification to happen without anything getting in the way. After the cleanse slowly incorporate other foods and supplements making sure that your meals are still light, organic and freshly cooked along with the same recommended meal times. The best thing about this cleanse is that it can be done any time of the year.
Also, please note when not to cleanse (something most detox providers don't tell you):
Do not cleanse if you are experiencing:
Inflammatory intestinal/bowel disease
Exhaustion or weakness
A stressful schedule
Clogged and inflamed channels
Excess heat in the liver and/or blood (cleanse makes them hotter)
Winter or summer seasons
Serious illness, taking medications, etc.
A lack of preparation for your body
Your menstrual period
How to prepare for a detox:
Understand the different types of toxins and their sources.
As much as possible, eliminate external sources of pollution.
Make sure your physical and vibrational channels are open.
As a pre-cleanse, choose foods which balance you and that you can digest well; avoid foods that clog your channels or disrupt your body’s natural intelligence.
Make sure you are in a good health condition.
Carefully select a cleansing protocol (ideally under the guidance of an Ayurvedic practitioner).
Do the cleanse!
Follow up with proper nutritional and lifestyle practices that support rejuvenation.
Kitchari Recipe
Serves: 4Soak: 30 to 60 minutesPrep: 10 minutesCook: ~40 minutes GF, DF
Ingredients
1⁄2cup yellow split mung dal
1⁄2cup white basmati or baby basmati rice
2 tablespoons cultured ghee or olive oil
1⁄2teaspoon ground turmeric
6 fresh curry leaves or 2 dried cassia leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 small green Thai chile, seeded and minced (optional)
1 teaspoon ground fennel
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
2 cups diced vegetables: carrots, zucchini, green beans, broccoli, daikon radish, asparagus, etc.
2 handfuls chopped spinach, kale, chard, or arugula
Garnishes
1 tablespoon olive oil or cultured ghee
A few cracks of coarse black pepper
Fresh cilantro leaves or chopped fresh basil leaves
A slice of lime per person
For Fiery Digestion: (too much acidity, heartburn, or heat in the body) Replace the ghee with coconut oil. Reduce the fresh ginger to 1 teaspoon and omit the green Thai chile. Add 1 teaspoon ground coriander in Step 2.
For Earthy Digestion: (feeling sluggish, slow metabolism) Reduce the cooking ghee to 1 teaspoon and the garnishing olive oil 1 teaspoon. Add 1 more green Thai chile. Substitute ¼ cup more quinoa for the basmati rice.
Directions
1. Rinse the mung dal and soak them in water for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain well. Wash and drain the rice. (You could do this step in advance and refrigerate the ingredients for next-day cooking.)
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the ghee in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over low heat. Add the turmeric and toast for 10 seconds, then add the curry leaves, ginger, and chile and continue to toast until they crisp up, about 30 seconds. Add the lentils and rice and stir frequently until the moisture in the lentils and grains dries up, about 5 minutes. Add the ground fennel, salt, vegetables, and 4 cups of water. (Add quick-cooking vegetables such as zucchini or asparagus 20 minutes into the cooking.) Bring to a full boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, until the lentils begin to dissolve, the rice is soft, and the vegetables are cooked. If the khichari dries out too much and begins to stick to the bottom of the pot, add more hot water; you’re looking for a creamy, moist consistency.
3. Turn off the heat and fold in the leafy greens, olive oil, and black pepper.
4. Garnish each bowl with fresh cilantro or basil leaves. Serve hot with a slice of lime on the side.
CCF Digestive Tea Recipe
Ingredients
¼ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp of coriander seeds
Directions
Boil one litre of water and put all the ingredients in the water & boil for 5 minutes.
Filter the water and keep it in a thermos flask. Throw away the ingredients.
Drink this water warm, throughout the day, for purifying, detoxifying and cleansing of the digestive system.
