There are a number of tell tale signs to look for if you need an Ayurvedic Cleanse.  The most important consideration is whether the systems in our body that remove wastes (stool, urine, and sweat) are working effectively. Most important is the colon, as this is where so much of what we digest is processed, and the potential for ama, the Ayurvedic term for toxic impurities, building up is tremendous.

The most simple way to begin evaluating your colon health is to notice the quality of your bowel movements.  Do you benefit from regular, daily bowel movements?  Do you have to strain to pass the stool? Does your stool or flatulence have a foul odor?  While all ongoing problems should be evaluated by your health care provider, many unhealthy bowel habits demonstrate, from an Ayurvedic perspective, that ama has built up in the colon.

 There are other critical indicators that ama has accumulated.  Foul odors, including body odor and smelly urine can be a sign. If you feel tired or sluggish, even after plenty of  sleep, this migh well be due to a build up of ama.  An  unfocused, foggy  feeling in your head may indicate ama.  Often your muscles and joints may feel tired and notfunctioning to their full ability.

Many of us simpl habituate to the ama, and accept it is “just one of those things”.  The problem is that the continual build-up of ama leads to blocking of the channels of the body, eventually causing poor health from an Ayurvedic perspective.  Imagine a stagnant body of water, like a pond.  You start to see algaie forming, beleiving this is part of the natural cycle in the life of the pond.  But as the water stays stilll, and the ecosystem becomes imbalanced, the algae begins to overgrow, and even chokes out other pond life.  Worse yet, the stagnant water turns into an incubator for bacteria and parasites, and a breeding ground for mosquitos that might carry dangerous diseases.

Unlike a pond, rivers flow and constantly flush away any signs of stagnation. So we want our bodies to be like that flowing river, and maintain a healthy flow of blood, lymph, air and food through the digestive tract. Waste should leave the body regularly and efficiently.  An Ayurvedic cleanse or detox is needed when there is little free flow whatever the reason.It gives your body an opportunity to take a rest, stop facing an onslaught of new toxins, deal with the toxins that have accumulated, and rid the body of them.

The best known type of Ayurvedic Cleanse is Panchakarma.  A complete Panchakarma treatment must only be undertaken under the supervision of an experienced Ayurvedic practitioner.  In this treatement, we prepare our bodies for cleansing by changing over to a simple, whole foods diet, as well as getting a massage with oil and mild sweating therapies.  It is important to take time out from our normal  hectic daily schedules at work and at home,  and this allows our bodies to avoid so much stress and receive the the time and space to undertake an effective cleansing process.  Then, based on the individual’s constitution and imbalances, a regimen is created involving one or more of five processes: herbal enemas, emesis, purgation, blood-letting, and herbal nasal remedies.  Herbal remedies simultaneously facilitate the body through the whole process.  In addition, there are many other therapies that can be done in conjunction with these. The ultimate goal is to remove harmful toxins from the body, re-balance the doshas, and strengthen our digestive fire.  Afterwards we receive rejuvenative measures to rebuild our tissues.

Ayurvedic cleasnes should be regualr as they are preventative.  One effective idea is to undertake cleanses during the transition of the seasons. This can help to re-balance any doshas that may have become exaggerated during the previous season, and to also prepare for the forthcoming changes in nature.  Ayurveda also receommends cleansing before attempting pregnancy, as this allows the body’s tissues to gain more clarity and vitality.  There are even complex cleansing rituals, lasting several months in isolation, done to regain youthful eneergy, focus and clarity for our body and mind.

 If you would like to experience the benefits of an Ayurvedic cleanse a good start is to undergo a whole-food based cleanse at home.  You may try two of the simplest whole foods to digest in Ayurveda. These are Basmati rice and split yellow mung dal (lentils), and they can be cooked with vegetables and helpful spices such as turmeric, mustard seed, and cumin seed, and topped with the nourishing goodness of ghee (clarified butter).  Eating this grounding food (called kitchadi) and sipping lots of warm water  throughout the day, in conjunction with taking an herbal remedy such as Triphala (which helps to ensure the wastes are removed from the system), can form the basis of a very straightforward and effective home cleanse.

 There are many excellent Ayurvedic practitioners in every country who can provide a consultation and help guide you through processes from a home food cleanse to a full Panchakarma. So why not take the first step today and give your body the rest and balance it craves.