Ayurveda recommends a program of internal cleansing at every change of seasons to clear the channels of the body of toxins that may have built up over the previous season. The cusp between winter and spring is the ideal time to do an at-home internal cleansing program, to allow your body to release the toxins that may have built up over the long cold winter.
Here are some of the ways you could detox according to Ayurveda:
ABYANGA
There is no greater expression of self-love than lovingly anointing ourselves from head to toe with warm oil- this practice is called Abyanga. A daily Abyanga practice restores the balance of the doshas and enhances well-being and longevity.
Here are the top benefits of Abyanga:
- Imparts a firmness to the limbs
- Softens and smoothens skin; wrinkles are reduced and disappear.
- Moves the lymph, aiding in detoxification
- Nourishes the entire body and decreases the effects of aging
- Imparts muscle tone and vigor to the dhatus (tissues) of the body
How to massage and oils used >>
YOGA
Yoga is considered as one of the best ways to detoxify the body as it helps remove lactic acid, carbon dioxide and lymphatic fluids from the body. Yoga not only helps with detoxification but also maintains your body shape and prevents future ailments.
Here are the best poses in yoga for detoxification:
- Trikonsana (triangle pose): Stretches and opens the hips, groins, hamstrings, and calves; shoulders, chest, and spine, Increases mental and physical equilibrium, improves digestion and detoxifies body.
- Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend): Stretches lower back, hamstrings and hip. Massages and tones the abdominal and pelvic organs and helps flush out toxins!
- Ustrasana (camel pose): Helps overcome menstrual discomfort, Improves digestion, detoxifies body, Improves flexibility of the spine and also improves posture.
- Kapal bhati pranayama (skull shining breathing technique): Effective in reducing weight by increasing the metabolic rate, Energizes the nervous system and rejuvenates brain cells, Improves digestive tract functioning, absorption and assimilation of nutrients and helps with detoxification.
AYURVEDA DETOX DRINK
Drink 1 cup of hot water with a fresh squeeze of lemon, which helps the body rid itself of excess mucus. Rehydrating also helps with your morning bowel movement.
Ayurvedic Detox Tea
Ingredients:
- 4-5 cups of water
- 1-2 Tablespoons thinly sliced ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1-2 bags (or Tablespoon) green tea, mint tea, ginger tea
Directions:
Boil 4–5 cups of water in the morning. Add the above ingredients to boiling water and let it steep for 5-10 mins. Strain out the seeds and pour the liquid into a thermos. Sip the liquid throughout the day. Start fresh with a new batch of tea each morning. Use 1/4 tsp for two weeks and then increase the quantity of seeds to 1/2 tsp.
OIL PULLING
Oil pulling, also called oil swishing, is an ancient Ayurvedic folk remedy that involves swishing oil around in your mouth to draw toxins from the body.
Long-term oil pulling has also been linked to – healthier hair, clearer skin, whiter teeth, elimination of parasites, improved body odour and the easing of joint pains. It is, in short, a full-body cleanse! Here’s how to do oil pulling >>
DRY BRUSH
The Ayurvedic practice of dry brushing removes dead skin and is believed to stimulate circulation and the lymphatic system, which is important for cleansing and strengthening the immune system. Brush toward the heart to go with the body’s natural direction of lymph flow.