Even though it feels a little like summer here in Tucson, it is Spring and it is time to Cleanse. I decided that I want to use this blog to share with everyone the effects of a cleanse. I am participating in Lalita’s Ayurvedic Spring Cleanse, led by Maria KaliMa, www.functionalyogatherapy.com. This cleanse is not a fast, it is an opportunity to reset the digestive system, clean the clutter out of the lymphatic system, to invite a sense of spaciousness, and to increase health and well being. This is my third time cleansing with Maria. Ayurvedic cleansing leads to lymphatic clearing, better organ function, release of stress and clarity.
Why cleanse?
After winter, there is a buildup of junk and toxins in the system. There are still eight meals in your digestive system (yuck)! Even when we eat healthy, exercise, drink plenty of water, there is still a buildup in the system. It often comes from not eating seasonally. In this country we have the ability to eat whatever we want, whenever we want. Maybe those cherries are frozen, but they are not in season. We also eat things that do not support the body’s digestion, like ice cream – which is cold, sugary and made from milk. Cold dampens the digestive fire, sugar serves no metabolic function in the body, and milk is produced to help calves gain700+ pounds.
So where does all this buildup go in the body? All over. It shows up as a swelling in the midsection of the abdomen. The gut associated lymph tissue (GALT), which surrounds the intestines, can swell up to an inch. According to Ayurveda (Medicine from India), stress and undigested emotions collect in the lymph tissue.
Maria lists some symptoms of lymphatic congestion:
- Body swelling
- Achey joints
- Skin rashes and itchyness
- Allergies (yes, that is right, if the body is in a state of balance, you will not have allergies)
- Frequent colds
- Fluctuating energy
- Belly fat, bloating and gas
- Headaches
- Cellulite
- Decreased immunity
Follow me on this 2 week journey through my cleanse and as I open up to new opportunities of health and healing.
“It is not what you eat, it is what you digest.”
