Wendy RosenfeldtDetoxifying in spring is an important part of the Maharishi Ayurvedic seasonal routine. We often get the urge to clean the house and get rid of unwanted junk in the spring but it is also a good time to clean out toxins and impurities from our body. Spring is Kapha season which brings an increase in the moist, cool, heavy, sweet qualities of Kapha. We experience this increase of sweetness and heaviness in the smell of blossoms and wattles, while Kapha’s governing principle of growth and structure expresses itself in the new plant and animal life.
Spring can also give rise to a sleepy feeling if there is accumulated ama (impurities) or excess Kapha in the physiology. Just as the spring sunshine melts the snow, the warmer weather can cause the ama in the physiology to liquefy. If the micro channels in the body are blocked with impurities it can cause fatigue, sluggishness and excess mucous and can also makes us more prone to coughs, cold, allergies and congestion. Offsetting Kapha’s heaviness with a good diet and daily routine and purifying the physiology will allow us to enjoy the rejuvenating qualities of spring without the sluggishness.
Kapha is balanced by early rising, regular exercise and a diet of predominantly bitter, astringent and pungent tastes. Getting up before the heaviness of Kapha time (6am -10am) helps to properly open the channels in the body and therefore improves circulation and vitality. The longer you sleep in past 6am the more groggy and sluggish you feel in mind and body. Spring is a great time to start an exercise program as the weather starts to warm up. A brisk walk each morning helps to clear the mental cobwebs and energise the body for the day.
Kapha is balanced by food that is predominantly dry and light. It is best to reduce cheese, yogurt, butter and cold milk at this time of the year. Wholegrains such as barley, quineo and amaranth are suitable for Kapha. Vegetables with bitter, astringent tastes such as spinach, bok choy, salad greens and broccoli and heating spices such as ginger, fenugreek, cloves and black pepper are great for reducing excess Kapha. Drinking warm, boiled water is helpful for eliminating the sticky, sluggish qualities of Kapha.
Maharishi Ayurvedic herbal preparations that assist with removing toxins from the body do more than just detox the colon and digestive tract. The herbal preparations are designed to purify the liver, the blood, the sweat glands, digestive system and organs of elimination. They are created in a way that they don’t create any imbalance in the body in the process of detoxification.
Having a physiological clean out will make you feel lighter both mentally and physically and ready to appreciate the joys of spring.
Wendy Rosenfeldt
Wendy.rosenfeldt@tm.org.au
www.ayurveda.org.au
Lucy Becks
Vivienne Spanopoulos
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