Spring Cleaning

The other day I poured my morning cup of chai tea with almond milk into my mug and took a big warm gulp. Aaaacccchhhhh! It had a strong soap resdue that I had forgotten to rinse out the night before. This is NOT an example of spring cleaning.

Just as our homes, gutters and closets need a good cleaning, so do our bodies. You can help your body's natural renewal process with a spring cleanse. Apply it for a week and you will help your body heal and balance itself. You will feel lighter, clearer, more energetic, and clean from the inside out. According to eastern health practices, a spring cleanse gives the body a chance to rest and reset the digestive system and behavioral pattern. 

Ayerveda is health and wellness sister science to yoga that developed in India. In the change of seasons, we naturally change our patterns of behavior, drinking hot soups in the summer and fruit smoothies in the summer. Ritucharya is the practice of intentional changes to eating and behavior in response to a change in seasons. Moving from winter into Spring, we will need to eat lighter foods, including lots of fruit and veggies. Here is the skinny, which just might help you get into your skinny jeans.

For a week impliment as much of the following as you can:
Reduce/ Avoid
DONT'S
Sugar
Cafeeine
Alcohol
Refined grains
anything processed
Don't eat anything past 7:00 pm

DO/ Impliment
Daily sesame oil massage of the body and feet
Drink plenty of liquids
During the day only eat smoothies with fresh fruits, and nuts, dates
for evening meal make a light meal of cooked vegetables with spices like curry ginger and turmeric and brown rice
Eat simply and eat small 1/2 cup portions with plenty of water. (Eat as little as possible and more often- just enough to keep you functioning)
Be intentional, journal, meditate, be quiet, be artistic- and follow these suggestions as much as you can for a week.

Green Goddess Smoothie:
1/2 avocado
1 banana
1 kiwi
1T matcha green tea  powder
1T ground flax seed
Blend with enough water or 100% fruit juice like apple or white grape to make it smooth and drinkable

Kitchari
1/2 onion chopped and sauteed in butter or olive oil
add 1/2 C rice or ( I use soaked brown rice) and 1/2 cup yellow dal and stir
add 1T ground ginger or 1tsp powdered ginger, and cumin, coriander, turmeric or add 1 T curry spice
Stir continuously until spices are fragrant, then add:
2 cups chopped veggies of your choice- add to the onion  and saute 3-5 minutes
1 cup broth add this to the sated veggies and put lid onn and turn on low 15-20 minutes.
Enjoy by eating slowly with intention.