A 10-Day Seasonal Āyurvedic Online Cleanse
By now you have likely heard that good health, in both the body and mind, begins in the gut. And certain foods can lead to digestive issues, inflammation, and cancer. Foods like trans-fats and sugar are on the top of that list.
My personal weakness is sugar. I can go months without being overcome by this addiction then there is a new chocolate shop with too many truffles to try or the carrot cake from a favorite restaurant and it’s straight downhill from there. Then there is the sugar high that is followed all too soon by a crash of energy and literally feeling completely hung over the next day.
Over the last two decades I have found benefit in the Āyurvedic approach of using food as medicine and gentle cleansing to help restore my digestion and get back on track to healthy habits. The change of season is a perfect time to make a commitment to health, self-care, and feeling well.
Does a reset towards health and good habits sound like something you need too?
THE CLEANSE
Āyurveda originated in India more than 5,000 years ago and is considered the oldest continuously practiced health-care system in the world. Āyur means “life” and veda means “science” or “knowledge”, so it can be understood as a science of life. Āyurveda uses food as medicine, herbs, lifestyle routines, bodywork therapies, and gentle seasonal cleansing to nourish the tissues, remove stagnation, and increase health.
Āyurvedic cleanses have been used in India for many centuries to restore balance in the body and mind. It’s a way to improve your digestion and boost your immunity. When we don’t properly digest our foods, thoughts, or experiences—when we have poor digestion all around—it can lead to anxiety, foggy thinking, and lack of energy.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Āyurvedic cleansing is more about nourishment than deprivation. The cleanse is detoxifying and rebalancing physically as well as emotionally and spiritually.
You’ll get:
- a series of orientation videos guiding you through each step of the cleanse program
- a virtual Spring Wellness workshop to help you understand spring and its impact on the Kapha dosha along with seasonal rituals and routines (April 4rd at 6pm)
- live information sessions and Q&A group video calls to answer any questions you may have and to ensure you get the support you need along the way (April 8, 11 & 17 at 6pm)
- a NEW in depth cleanse handbook and recipe manual inspired by Andrea’s recent trip to India. The handbook offers step-by-step guidance and the recipe manual is filled with nourishing plant-based seasonal recipes that can be enjoyed long after the cleanse.
- guided yoga, pranayama and meditation videos for each day of the cleanse and beyond aimed at supporting you through the season
- all videos are recorded so you can watch at your leisure
- daily emails to support and inspire you through the process
- tips for setting up your kitchen, seasonal food lists, shopping lists, meal plans, detox boosting recommendations, self-care rituals, and daily routine charts
- mindfulness practices to help you slow down and align with your intentions
- step-by-step instructions on how to ease off the cleanse
- access to a private Facebook cleanse group
- unlimited email support
You’ll finish:
- knowing how to use to food as medicine through Āyurvedic principles
- having reset your digestive system and improved digestive health
- with a better relationship with food and new cooking skills
- with more energy and a metabolism that’s been reset
- with a boost to your immune system, setting you up for the season to come
- having given up unhealthy cravings
- with healthier lifestyle routines and ideas as to how to navigate modern life in a way that feels more balancing, sustaining, and meaningful
- knowing how to adapt your yoga, pranayama and meditation practices to the season
- more attuned with the seasons
THE DETAILS
You will receive the information and guidance you need to partake in a whole-food, plant-based seasonal cleanse from the comfort of your own home. There is no fasting or expensive treatments, supplements, or shakes. You will be eating three nourishing meals a day.
Schedule
Although there are set dates for the cleanse, it’s designed for you to adjust the dates to work best for you. Here’s what the schedule looks like:
PRE-CLEANSE: PREPARE
Review the cleanse manual. Purchase supplies and prepare your kitchen. Set your intentions.
MAIN CLEANSE
- Phase 1 Simplify (days 1-4): Enjoy three seasonally aligned plant-based meals per day. Incorporate daily self-care practices and relax into your routine.
- Phase 2 Purify (days 5-7): Enjoy three meals per day of Ayurveda’s purifying and healing kitchari. If needed, you can shorten this phase to 1 day or lengthen it to 5 days.
- Phase 3 Restore (days 8-10): Is for restoring and returning to the seasonally aligned meals of the first phase.
POST-CLEANSE: REINTEGRATE
Begin reintegrating a balanced diet step-by-step as you return to your daily activities with increased vitality.
One week prior to the start of the cleanse you’ll get access to a learning platform where you will access all the materials you need to have a successful cleanse.
Other Things to Expect
The first four days of the cleanse are about eliminating and avoiding hard to digest foods—including caffeine, alcohol, sugar, raw foods, and flesh foods— and upgrading to more health-giving foods, like maple syrup instead of white sugar. You’ll also set intentions, and learn Āyurvedic self-care rituals, as well as how to set up a sacred kitchen.
During phase two, the main cleanse, you’ll eat purifying meals with seasonal vegetables and continue with your Āyurvedic self-care rituals. Reducing sensory stimulus and slowing down so you can proceed with a lot of intentionality is recommended.
Finally, during phase three you’ll follow a step-by-step protocol for introducing foods back into your diet. You’ll have worked hard to reduce and eliminate certain foods, which you may decide not to reintroduce.
Please note, many people feel that they cannot give up coffee. You’ll still benefit from the cleanse without giving it up, but it’s recommended that you try. To wean yourself, you may consider reducing your coffee by one tablespoon a day or shifting to green tea before the start of the cleanse.
Please also note that there are times when a cleanse is not suitable. If you have an acute illness (flu, cancer, etc.) it will be too taxing for your system. If you’re pregnant or nursing you won’t want toxins excreted via your breast milk. If you have questions about whether this cleanse is appropriate for you, email me and consult with your primary care provider.
Do you need help cooking?
If you don’t have time to shop for the ingredients or cook during the cleanse (and you live in Madison), the Cleanse & Restore meal plan will be perfect for you! Holistic nutritionist and personal chef, Lauren Montelbano of the Vibrant Veg, will cook your phase 1 & 3 lunch and dinners for you which includes 14 meals. (You will be cooking each morning’s breakfast as well as the main kitchari purifying dish during phase 2). The 14 meals with onsite pick up is $275, add $25 for delivery. Email Lauren at thevibrantveg@gmail.com to set up your cleanse meal plan prior to April 3rd.
Please Note
There are times in which is best not to partake in a cleanse such as during pregnancy, nursing, heavy menstruation, acute sickness, or illness (flu, cancer, etc.). If you have questions about whether this cleanse is appropriate for you, consult with your primary care provider, and email me.
Prior to the cleanse start date, I recommend ordering split yellow mung beans and white rice for kitchari from your natural foods store, Indian grocery, or Amazon.
REGISTRATION
The spring seasonal shift can leave one feeling a little out of balance physically, mentally, and spiritually. Allow your body to reset abd restore, while encouraging your innate capacity for detoxification and healing.
Cleanse with the community for the set dates or adjust the dates of the cleanse to be most convenient for you. Anyone in any time zone anywhere can register for this cleanse.
You will have access to the materials for sixty days. When you sign up be sure to subscribe to emails so that you receive the Cleanse & Reset materials and daily program emails. Given the digital nature of this course, refunds are not available once you have accessed the course.
Repeat participants receive a discount to support making this program accessible season after season. If you do not recall our code, you can email me.