A Simplified Ayurveda Fall Cleanse
Happy Fall. I overheard someone in my workout class say “yeah, I’ve been sick. It’s that time of year.”
Ayurveda recognizes this. The transition seasons (spring and fall) are known for their vulnerability to illness, and it is one of the reasons it’s a good time to do a cleanse. I want to recognize that this word is SUPER loaded in our culture, overused in diet culture and in another idea that is loaded, “purification.” I can’t unpack all that here, but I think y’all know.
I wrote about this in the spring, and based on another (different) conversation I had with a group of ladies I love, I thought it time to give you the rundown again. Today will be a longer than usual newsletter, but hopefully, a helpful one as you make your way into the fall season.
Why cleanse?
An Ayurvedic cleanse can be transformative. It can help:
Shed accumulated energy from one season (in this case summer, or pitta season) and reset for the next season
Reset/rebuild digestive fire (“agni”)
Remove toxins (“ama”)
Support the immune system
Release emotions stored in the body that are ready to go
The goals are NOT to starve or lose weight. In fact, on an Ayurvedic cleanse, you’re not supposed to be hungry. It’s a chance to give the digestion and body a rest from clearing items that may be difficult to remove, such as alcohol, meat, dairy, wheat, sugar, and processed foods. It’s also meant to be a window of reflection and rest. It is intended to be a practice of self-love, and should not be approached from the standpoint of deprivation.
On a typical Ayurveda cleanse, you eat only a dish made up of mung beans, rice and vegetables called kitchari for every meal for a few days or longer. But you can do something like this for yourself without going down a classic Ayurveda rabbit hole.
A simple way to do this (simple, not easy) is to first set aside a few days dedicated to a cleanse in October or early November (I suggest starting with 4-7 days), and especially clearing out the first two days so that you have nothing on your to-do list. Then follow these general guidelines during that time:
Make sure all your food is COOKED (key; do not eat raw during this time)
Eat 80% vegetables
Basmati rice or quinoa as a side grain; oatmeal okay for breakfast
Eat mung beans (they have a special scraping quality to the intestines), half a cup with meals
Spice your food: cumin, coriander, fennel, fresh ginger are all great digestive spices
Add good fats like ghee, avocado or olive oil to meals
No sugar, dairy, wheat or meat, though bone broth is okay
No alcohol
No fruit except lemon or lime, or low-glycemic fruit sparingly by itself
Three meals a day with no snacks if possible
No strenuous exercise (gentle walks, gentle yoga are great)
Many also say no caffeine. My feeling on this is that if you drink coffee daily, you would want to wean off about a month ahead so as not to cause withdrawal, though some people seem to do fine with abrupt stops. If you do keep the coffee, add a little coconut oil and cardamom to it. You can read about my recent breakup with coffee (and why!) here.
If you choose to take this break for yourself, make sure to leave space for a lot of self-care, like baths, self-massage, journaling, and restorative yoga. And notice what comes up! For me, I always have CRAVINGS even though I’m not hungry!
And if you’re like HELL NO, cool— but can you ask yourself WHY?
There are absolutely good reasons not to engage in this practice, including illness, debilitation, pregnancy/breastfeeding, or recovery from an eating disorder. Just notice what comes up.
Either way, you’re in charge, and you know what is best for you.