How hungry are you? Carman Murray has been feeling hungry, but she doesn’t think food can solve it. Like many people who detox, she has awakened desire, a hunger for more in her life. She is ready for her next identity evolution.

On a Coaching Gym with Cate, Carman discusses her desire to expand her business and hire more people. The result was an illuminating conversation about strategic thinking in business, hiring the right people, and even how urine therapy can help upcycle your energy vibration.

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• How to fully nurture yourself
• How to connect to your deepest desire
• How to delegate strategically

Links Mentioned in Episode:

• More about the Find the Money Course
• Watch the Free Masterclass
• Learn more about Urine Therapy
• More about Pareto’s principle

Show Highlights:

• The impact of detoxing on desire
• Urine therapy and deep nutrition
• Delegating tasks in order to achieve peak performance

Timestamps:

• 0:46 Upcycling your own energy vibration
• 4:12 Hiring and growing your business efficiently 
• 8:52 Applying Pareto’s 80/20 rule

Guest Bio:

Carman has many roles: entrepreneur, yoga teacher, healer, teacher, mom, rancher, wife, leader, woman. Her why in life is to model for her children that each one of us has the choice to shine our gifts to the world. Her what is working with others and inspiring them to move away from overwhelm, anxiety and stress and move toward ease, thrive, and building a supportive network of people around them – their tribe. She runs her own business where she leads workshops, retreats, yoga classes, dynamic groups and courses.

An Ancient Oil Made Modern

Castor Oil’s hand-shaped leaves and reputation for healing have given this ancient oil the nickname “Palm of Christ.” Cultures all over the world have used the oil- derived from the seed of the plant- for everything from skincare in the cosmetic industry to digestive care as a laxative. Edgar Cayce popularized the use of castor oil in the 1940’s and 50’s, especially in the form of castor oil packs. Today, many healthcare practitioners are rediscovering the benefits of using real, therapeutic quality castor oil in ayurveda practice and for holistic medicine. It is truly one of the earth’s most versatile healing gifts – both inexpensive and easy to use.

How it Works

Through the lens of Ayurveda and pharmacology, castor oil has a variety of ways that it helps heal. The chemical compounds in castor oil and its Ayurvedic qualities give it the following properties and effects:

Botanical Name: Ricinus Communis

Sanskrit Name: Eranda Tailam

Part Used: Seed

Rasa: Sweet, Pungent, Astringent

Virya: Cooling (externally), Heating (internally)

Vipaka: Sweet

Consistency: Thick, Sticky, Gooey

Color: Clear or amber

Key Actions of Castor Oil

Purgative, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious, anti-rheumatic, laxative, immune stimulant, insecticidal, anti-viral, labor-inducing, anti-allergic, anti-parisitic, rejuvenative, anti-aging, germicidal, disinfectant, and analgesic are the remedial attributes of pure castor oil.

Pharmacological and Medicinal Use of Castor Oil

•      Cleanses the Colon
•      Removes Stagnation and Blockages in the GI tract
•      Stimulates Lymphatic Circulation
•      Relieves Constipation
•      Breaks up Scar Tissue
•      Reduces Inflammation in the Joints
•      Relieves Pain and Inflammation in the Muscles
•      Helps Grow Eyelashes
•      Moisturizes and Thickens Hair
•      Helps with Menstrual Cramps
•      Reduces Bloating & Stomach Cramps
•      Helps with Dry Itchy Eyes
•      Topical Treatment for Skin Infections/ Sunburn
•      Natural Beauty Remedies
•       Promotes Restful Sleep

The Top 5 Ways To Use Castor Oil for Home Care

Now that your curiosity is peaked- here are some of the ways I recommend castor oil be used at home.

1.  Home Detoxification to Decrease Ama

Castor oil is often an essential part of an Ayurvedic home cleanse due to its incomparable purgative properties. This powerful laxative is used specifically to cleanse out the colon, and to flush out excess toxins and Pitta (heat) from the body. It is recommended to use only under the guidance of a knowledgeable health practitioner.

2.  Skin Care

Castor oil has been used widely in the treatment of many skin disorders including psoriasis, eczema, severely dry skin, ulcers, bug bites, unwanted sun spots, sunburns and wrinkles. Combining castor oil with neem oil is effective for dandruff and dry itchy scalp. Mixing it with coconut or jojoba oil or your favorite mask is a perfect way to apply to skin.

3.  Joint Pain

Castor oil – a powerful anti-inflammatory agent which can be taken internally or applied externally, also has a strong affinity for the joints. Ricinoleic acid, which is defined as the main fatty acid found in castor oil, has anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show that when castor oil is applied externally to joints, inflammation and pain can be reduced.

4. Eyebrow, Eyelashes and Hair Thickener

For long beautiful lashes, thick eyebrows and luscious thick hair, apply a little castor oil to your eyebrows, lashes and hair. The proteins and fatty acids in castor oil nourish the hair follicles and promote hair growth. Use 100% organic cold pressed ‘hexane-free’ sterile castor oil as it works best for all your beauty treatments.

5. Care of PMS, Stomach Cramps and Bloating

Castor oil can be massaged on the body externally to help ease PMS related pain. Depending on the severity of the pain and discomfort, the most effective results can be achieved by using a castor oil pack. See the “How To” section to learn how to make your own castor oil pack.

Castor Oil- “How To’s”

How to Make a Castor Oil Pack

• Apply an ample quantity of Castor oil to the affected area of your body.
• Cover with a flannel cloth,
• Apply mild heat using a hot water bottle or heating pad for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Curious about the details?  Check out this video link for a more detailed explanation.

How to Make Castor Oil Cookies for Constipation and Regularity

¼  cup organic castor oil

½ cup raw coconut palm sugar

½ cup water

½ tsp salt

1 tsp.baking soda

1 tsp. freshly grated ginger

2 cups organic wheat or any flour of choice

Mix all ingredients well to make a dough. Spoon onto a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes.

Eat 2-3 cookies after dinner to help regulate bowels and help with constipation.

Safe for kids too!

Recipe by Dr. Manisha Kshirsagar.

Castor Oil Cautions

• Castor oil is relatively safe, but it can cause side effects in some people.  Consult your medical practitioner first before deciding whether to use this oil.
• Do not use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Avoid use if you have hypersensitivity, GI obstruction or perforation, severe impaction, symptoms of appendicitis abdominal surgery, ulcerative colitis and rectal fissures.
• Only use 100% organic, cold pressed, hexane free castor oil from a reputable source- do not harvest yourself due to its extremely high allergenic qualities.

Reference:  

The Oil That Heals: A Physician’s Successes With Castor Oil Treatments

The intelligence of our life force detoxes the body.

Each organism’s body has an innate intelligence. This intelligence enables health. When this innate intelligence is impeded by fullskip exam diet or lifestyle the organism’s health suffers. (By diet and lifestyle I include overeating, eating processed foods, stress, pharmaceutical drug toxicity, recreational drug toxicity, etc.)

During a detox, we ingest foods to make it easier for the body to move the accumulated waste or toxins out. We facilitate this already natural process and inner intelligence. Interestingly, water fasting is also very effective for highly conscious individuals with greater mental strength.

However, for us mere mortals, we eat while we cleanse. Therefore, what we eat while we cleanse is of utmost importance. We want to facilitate the body and create a calm ease in the mind during our detox.

Top 5 foods for detox

These 5 groups of foods encompass the 6 tastes of Ayurveda. The six tastes account for the 20 gunas, or attributes of matter. Using the 6 tastes during cleansing decreases cravings and increases satisfaction. The six tastes have therapeutic effects on the tissues of the body, enabling nourishment of tissue fullskip and release of ama (toxic waste). Here are the Top 5 foods for detox:

• Dark Leafy Greens (kale, collards, nettles, dandelion greens, turnip greens, etc) have a bitter and astringent taste which stimulates the action of scraping and squeezing, respectively. Used to scrape excess waste and toxins on a cellular level, greens create lightness with their high nutrient portfolio. Greens are rich in chlorophyll which oxygenates and alkalizes your blood. Celery is an additional green that consumes calories with digestion and has a salty taste to add moisture during detox. Greens detox your lymph, blood and fat cells.
• Lemons & limes have sour taste which gently stimulates digestion. Lemons stimulate the release of enzymes and helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that can be easily excreted from the body. Drinking lemon water, which is alkaline-forming, first thing in the morning balance your appetite and transform the acidity in your blood. Lemons and limes are foods that detox your liver.
• Sprouts! are baby plants. With bounding new born energy, sprouts have exponentially more nutrients than the adult plant they become. Sprouts are in the sweet taste phase of the plant, (even if it’s a pungent sprout like daikon radish). This sweet taste helps build muscle tissue and maintain high energy levels during detoxing. Sprouts give you energy during detox and repair tissue.
• Spices (turmeric, ginger, cayenne, cinnamon, fennel) improve circulation, aid detoxification, and stimulate the digestion of toxins both in the digestive tract and on a cellular level. Spices detox your lymph, blood, kidneys and bowels.
• Sweet Juicy Fruits are sweet taste and help those with sweet cravings cleanse with ease. Fruits are high in fiber, and some, like apples, are high in pectin, which serves an intestinal broom to clear out the toxins. Juicy fruits contain the purest, most absorbable form of water for our cells, giving your body energy to detox in pace with modern life.

Wild leafy greens like thistle, dandelion, lambs quarter and nettle will detox the body much faster than leafy greens from the store. More on this in another post.

Next live Yogidetox course with Cate starts on October 10!

Rosie and  Annette first bonded over midlife reinvention. Rosie left her career in law and moved to Bali. Annette left her nursing career and moved with her husband to California just a couple of years ago.

As it turned out both had studied both yoga and the process of detoxification for a number of years prior to ending up in the Yoga Health Coaching tribe and for both their ideas about the process of detoxification have shifted and evolved.They discuss the absolute necessity to tailor make a detox to address individual needs and goals.

Rosie talks about her time at the Hippocrates Health Institute and her training as a raw food chef. Annette talks about her experimentation with raw food and how her ideas about detoxification have shifted as she completely immersed herself in the study of Ayurveda.

Both are about to embark on a sessional detox. Rosie is a mentor in Cate Stillman’s seasonal Ayurvedic detox and Annette is also running a seasonal detox.

What you’ll get out of tuning in:

• How to work out what you really need from a Detox
• What makes a really good detox
• How to tackle Vata imbalance on a detox
• How to create really great detox recipes

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Banyan Botanicals
• NHR
• Annette’s Website
• Rosie’s Website
• YogiDetox Fall

Show Highlights:

• 2:10 — Midlife reinvention
• 4:30 — Anti-inflammatory diet elements
• 7:34 — Styles of detox
• 13:30 — Suggestions for Vata imbalance and smoothies
• 17:00 — What’s in great detox
• 19:00 — How to create recipes

Favorite Quotes:

• It’s almost as if it’s scarier not to do it.” – Annette Shellenbarger
• “Disease…begins in our mind.” – Annette Shellenbarger
• “With time as I head into my menopausal years my digestion has changed.” – Annette Shellenbarger
• “There is no 100% right way.” – Rosie Tait
• “For me now it’s about how I am eating.” – Annette Shellenbarger
• “Then there is the peace and you are not caught up in the madness of this world.” – Rosie Tait

Guest Bio:

Annette Shellenbarger is a Registered Nurse, Ayurvedic Health Counselor, Registered Yoga Teacher, and Certified Yoga Health Coach. As a Registered Nurse, she worked in a kidney transplant unit, pulmonary care unit, oncology, trauma and surgery units, and Public Health.

She is also certified in nutrition through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and is currently a student at California College of Ayurveda. Her life’s desire is to help people change the way they live in order to change the way they feel and age, and is especially passionate about helping people prevent and reverse chronic disease. Annette’s Facebook & Website.

For me, the things that can throw me off balance are fresh-baked cookies, a glass of wine, or late night dinner to celebrate with a friend. Most of these small indulgences are no big deal when they are occasional, let’s say – once per month. It is when we begin to use the wine or cookie as an escape, having it weekly or even daily, that it can develop into a new bad habit which can be hard to shake.

How Indulgences Becomes Sticky Goo

When our habits don’t support our true nature and go against the rhythms that support our being, we accumulate Ama. Ama is the sticky, gooey sludge that is leftover from anything undigested – be it too much food or too much sun. You might equate Ama to the concept of metabolic waste in modern science. Ama takes hold in our fatty tissue and our joint spaces, which is why you may find yourself with an extra 10 lbs after a sluggish winter, or with painful joints after an overactive summer.

What do you do when you notice your over-indulgences emerging too often? What do you do when you realize those ama-building bad habits are beginning to produce the symptoms of disease?

Try Seasonal Cleanses

Try seasonal cleanses! Seasonal cleansing is an old tried-and-true practice in Ayurveda. From an ancient tradition to a popular modern day practice, Ayurveda recommends cleansing protocols on a biannual basis to clear the body’s channels, strengthen digestion, clear Ama and break negative habits and their effect on the body. When we cleanse, we tap into our true and natural rhythms.

Align with Ayurvedic Rhythms

When we think of the word “rhythm” in the Ayurvedic and yogic sense, we are thinking of the natural cycles that are present in nature and how our daily habits either support those natural rhythms or go against them. Think of seasonal rhythms, such as winter snow that blankets the environment and lends its inherent qualities (cold, insular, quiet) to the hibernation of plants and animals. During this seasonal rhythm we, too, are meant to retreat, sleep longer, and nourish our body with warm food. Daily rhythms in nature can be observed by watching the sun rise and set. When the noonday sun rises highest in the sky, it aligns with our body’s bile production, which also reaches its peak at noon. When we protest these rhythms by keeping too busy in winter, or by eating our largest meal when the moon is up instead of the sun, we create dis-ease.

In reality, our body desires to keep us aligned with nature, in sync with both daily and seasonal rhythm, and in pure health. Seasonal cleanses gives you the opportunity to slow down enough to sense your own pace, your own rhythm. It gives your body and your digestion the space to rest, where it is able to resolve the residual effects of those negative habits by processing the Ama collected from your fat, your joints, and your mind.

Cleansing is the ultimate renewal. Just as you feel the urge to “spring clean” your home or to rake the decaying leaves of fall, you may feel an urge to clean your internal space. While any cleanse protocol requires some discipline, the qualities of spring and fall naturally support what is required of the body during a cleanse.

The Vata Season

Think of nature in autumn. The leaves begin to change color, dry out and fall away. The breeze becomes friendly. There is an ethereal state to autumn mornings and evenings, as crisp, cool air takes the place of summer humidity. The food we find in season during this time, squash, apples, and root vegetables, have a naturally sweet taste. Fall is Vata season in Ayurveda, a naturally light and dry time of year. Tapping into the impulse to lighten the body, one may follow any number of dietary cleanses, paying special attention to fresh juices, the abundance of weeds available in fall for salads, and the various root vegetables for balancing the constipating effects of Vata on the body. Following the same impulse, one may want to release and cancel all activities that aren’t absolutely necessary. When there’s less to do, the fall seasonal cleanses time will be sweet, sweet with rhythm, relaxation and release. In this way we support the needs of the body to slow down, not only for this season but for the duration of our fall cleansing cycle.

The Kapha Season

In the Spring, we find nature supports us in choosing different cleansing foods and activities. The spring is Kapha season in Ayurveda, a time known for its damp and cohesive nature. The wonderful effect of this time is that young, new plants provide themselves for our nourishment. Greens and sprouts are abundant, which dry any accumulation of mucus in our body. Weeds, too, are sprouting with young, succulent leaves. Those new to using weeds in their diet may find the natural sweetness of weeds at this stage to be an enjoyable addition to their dietary repertoire. Cleansing in the Spring eliminates many seasonal allergies, especially if we eat locally and seasonally.

The earthen, physical nature of Kapha time allows us to tolerate more vigorous exercise, burning through the accumulation of cold from the winter. We may choose cleansing protocols that are high in warming spices, greens and pungent foods. We may choose exercise that allows us to sweat, or take dry sauna baths to further balance the moist, phlegm producing nature of excessive Kapha in our system.

Listen to Your Body

What exactly are we supposed to do to cleanse? Allow me to dispel the myth that seasonal cleanses has to be hard on the body, or needs to include fasting of any type, or that it must involve complete austerity. I like to think of my seasonal detoxification (or cleansing) cycles as lovely opportunities to re-connect. We are so frequently swept up in life we forget to truly listen to our body. We begin to use the brain to make executive decision about everything. “What will I do today? What pace will I force my body to keep because of work, family, or other external commitments? What food will I put in to solve my feelings of boredom, sadness, anxiety, or joy? What music, tv, and electronic stimulation do I choose even when I’m tired?” You see, it is SO simple to develop bad habits when we are using the brain to override the needs of the body. Detoxing allows us to listen to what our body needs.

As seasons change and we feel the natural urges to lighten up, clean up and try new things, it is completely natural to also lighten up, clean up and try new things in the the body. When we do so, we fine tune the body’s listening skills. We have the chance to renew the natural intelligence and rhythm of the body and give it a chance to speak, to override the loud voice of the mind, to break bad habits and, most importantly, to heal.

Designed for You and Only You. You can design your cleanse to go as deep or as subtle as you like. The main goal of a cleanse should be to attune the body’s rhythm to that of nature, to create space for healing and to fine tune your ability to listen to your internal voice.

My top five tips for an Ayurvedic seasonal cleanses

1. Take a break from electronics. Turn down external noise by setting a defined time to go screen free. During this time you should use devices sparingly. You may find it helpful to set 15 minute periods when you can check and respond to only the most imperative communication, but otherwise let it go. Give friends and family a heads up that you will be social media free during this cycle and limit computer use to only what is necessary in your business day. Free your mind from these Vata-stimulating distractions and use the time to tap into nature, connect with family, or sit in silence.
2. Let go of excess social engagements. It is important to get quiet during cleanse, and it’s hard to do that when you are focused on meeting the needs of others or when you are stuck in loud or over-stimulating social settings. You may look ahead at your calendar and block a period of time in which you will say “no” to outside engagements. While the slower rhythm can, at first, seem unnerving, your body will soon learn to relish these seasonal periods of freedom and the quiet break to go internal.
3. Make nourishing practices like self-massage and mineral baths a priority. You may feel anxious about what to do with the new found space and time. Let your mind know that the body is in charge with practices that send the clear signal “Don’t worry, ‘mind,’ I’ve got this!” Dry brushing, silk glove, or oil self massage puts your hands in touch with your tissues. As you cleanse you will get the sense of how your tissue is changing, and perhaps more importantly, what your tissue needs. For example, if you notice your skin drying you may want to add oil to your massage or diet. And if you notice your fatty tissue dissipating, it may give you incentive to continue forward in your cleanse cycle and stay engaged with your body. Mineral baths can follow self massage as a way to let go at the end of the day and quiet the mind for deep, restful sleep, further attuning you to natural daily rhythms of wake and rest. Both practices can be part of a lovely, self-nourishing and relaxing bedtime routine.
4. Create a plan and ask for specific support. Meal plan! Include the what, how and when of the meals you will eat on your cleanse. The planning will ease your stress around the process of cleansing and stave off cravings. It is also very helpful to tell your friends and family what you will be doing and how that will affect your availability to their needs. Set expectations and give specific ways in which friends and family can help you to be successful with your cleansing process. You may wish to follow a book, a doctor’s advice, or join a detox support group. All of these things will help ensure the success of your cleanse.
5. Be easy on yourself. Even the best laid plans sometimes must change. Being an experienced seasonal detoxer, there have been times when I have planned a deep cleanse only to encounter illness or an emergency that required me to take a lighter approach. Or the opposite – when I plan to take only an electronic device detox, but end up following my body’s desire into a deep juice cleanse. All is good and all is well. Just use the opportunity to explore, be curious, slow down, and be at ease with what arises. That is what seasonal cleanses is all about.

What you’ll get out of tuning in

• How to inspire others via your own transformation
• How to finally lose weight and keep it off for good with new habits
• How to detox safely and naturally with a group and a leader

Top 5 YHC Podcasts in the first quarter

This is our 25th YHC Podcast episode and we want to celebrate with Top 5 YHC Podcast episodes in our first quarter of publishing:

1. Learn to Time Bend with Dana Skoglund + Annie Barrett, By Annie Barrett
2. The Habits for Hope in Healing with Annette Shellenbarger, By Cate Stillman
3. From Fibromyalgia + Chronic Fatigue to Yoga Health Coaching with Lynn Taylor, By Cate Stillman
4. YHC Personal Evolution Paths with Grace Edison + Dr. Michele Colon, By Grace Edison
5. Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Disease: Healing with Yoga Health Coaching, By Cate Stillman

Links Mentioned in Episode:

• Catch the last Yogidetox offer 3 for 1 
• Yoga Health Coaching
• Diabetic Recipes and Juicing Recipes for Diabetics
• A Simple Ayurvedic Juice Cleanse
• Kitchari Recipe
• Diabetes & Your Feet
• YogiDetox Fall

Show Highlights:

• 0:30 — Dr. Michele explains how she lost 30 pounds in a year at the age of 48 by doing a seasonal detox
• 2:20 — Dr. Michele explains what the Yogidetox is and why she think it works
• 3:35 — Dr. Michele discusses her results with the detox
• 6:15 — Dr. Michele explains why it works best in a group setting
• 7:30 — Dr. Michele explains why it’s important for you to get clear on your why
• 10:30 — Dr. Michele discusses what she eats during the Yogidetox
• 12:15 —  Dr. Michele reminds us that we need to set aside a little bit of time to have a successful detox

Favorite Quotes:

• “Sometimes it just has to be a firm ‘no’.”
• “I’ve kept all of the weight off.”
• “When you change your habits, you incorporate them into your daily life.”
• “Get really clear on your vision.”
• “It doesn’t have to be an all-liquid diet.”
• “People don’t want to waste their money on expensive supplements and powders.”
• “Getting older doesn’t mean you have to gain weight.”

I bring my spring yoga wear forward and contemplate whether I could begin my ritual. With courage, I step forward, one leg at a time, gradually pulling my pants up toward my waist.  As this international unit of measure never lies, I accept the results.  The next phase of my ritual is to seriously reflect on my internal house cleaning.  Cleanse or detox?  It can be confusing.

Seasons are marked by junctures which are moments of opportunity for wellness evolution. Seasonal cleansing or biannual detox extends your life by taking out your inner trash.

Cate Stillman, author of Body Thrive.  

To Cleanse or Detox?  What is the difference?

While the terms are often used interchangeably, some authors distinguish between cleanse and detox.  A cleanse is a simplified diet.  You may begin by eating more fruits and vegetables, changing  habits of when, where and what you eat, and cutting back on winter foods that offer sweet and salty tastes.  The intention of a detox is focused and aimed at your digestive system (liver, kidney and gall bladder) to change the metabolic process inside your body to remove toxins through elimination.

Serious cleansing or detoxing is not for the faint of heart.  It takes preparation and offers self-reflection as to your current body’s status.  It is important to be clear as to what you are trying to accomplish. Both a cleanse and a detox will help eliminate excess waist/waste (pardon the pun 🙂 )  But are your more concerned about weight or the side effects of excess ama?  Ama is  undigested food or emotions; the  junk in your trunk.  It can manifest as bloating, gas, skin irritations,  decreased energy level, moodiness, constipation, and joint stiffness.  Both a cleanse and detox will hunt down alma.

I decided to go for the gold, detox.  My first attempt at detoxing lasted about 6 hours before my rebellious sugar fairy broke her chains and announced her presence. Once I gave in (she is really temperamental) I had a choice to make: quit or modify.  I decided to modify my diet and expectations. I focused on eating more fruits and vegetables, cut back on caffeine, sugar and alcohol, for the remainder of the course. This put me in the cleanse category. A good first step for me.

My second attempt  was aimed at detoxing: eliminating the big three:  sugar, caffeine and alcohol. I lasted 3 days (hurrah!). This was a great accomplishment! I had identified my kryptonite from trial one and put strategies (meal planning, food/drink substitutions) in place. I woke up feeling more alert, no bloating, less joint stiffness and actually noted no 3:00 pm food cravings at work! Proof that I had decreased the amount of ama in my body. I felt glorious, however , sharing my experience with others may not have been the way to go.  As I sought out kindred spirits by way of  co-workers, swim buddies, or folks in the vegetable aisle, the majority responded with “Why would anybody want to do that?”

Hence the argument for support. Authors agree that if you are a newbie at this, please seek a guide.  A guided cleanse or detox will offer support as to targeting your goals, identify the needs of your kitchen, clarity on foods, fruits and vegetables your body needs, knowing what to expect from your body, how to communicate with your family, and how to ease in and out. Guides come in many forms, you may work with a healthcare professional, health coach, or enroll in an established detox program.

As to which is better, cleanse or detox, I think that is an individual call.  For me, starting with a cleanse provided the opportunity to reflect and gradually ease into a more comprehensive detox.   With a detoxing, I have been the most successful when enrolling in an established program, like Yogahealer, which offers education and guided support. I work full time and I have learned how to adapt my kitchen, shop, pre-plan meals and communicate with others in my household as to what my intentions are during this time. I understand what is realistic with my work and life schedule.  I am happy to say that for the last two years my unit of measure has kept me healthy, aware of my internal health and in my yoga pants!

When I started to practice yoga, things changed as I began to take a different approach to my regular diet. My ego declared that I ate well enough throughout the year. My ego told me I didn’t need to buy into this idea of detoxing anymore. CLEANSE, DETOX-the words were loaded for me at that time. I had memories of expensive, heavily supplemented, socially isolating experiences that in the end, yielded, little long term benefit. I was done with DETOX!

Follow the Laws of Nature

All that changed again when I began to study Ayurveda. The concept of human beings FOLLOWING THE LAWS OF NATURE was planted as a seed in my fertile and inquiring mind. Now I began to observe nature more closely, observe myself and observe myself –in nature. I began to see the world through a different lens. I began to explore Nature (with a capital N) as a dynamic energy that moves in cycles and rhythms.

Cleanse Between Seasons

I also learned that the transitions between the seasons were significant. At these seasonal junctures, Nature takes a turn and the Vata dosha increases just as the season changes.  Vata dosha consists of the elements of ether and air, the elements from which all else emerges, it’s these elements that create possibility.  At each ‘change’ of season, the Vata energy increases the FIELD OF POSSIBILITY. At this time we can expand beyond the confines of the understood and documented parts of our lives. During the change of season, we can tap into greater potential than other times during the year. For this reason cleansing between the seasons is the best time to cleanse.

The Change of Season Happens Inside Me

I always loved the image of ice peaks on mountain tops melting in late winter. As the snow melts, it sends flushes of cleansing water into rivers and streams that then join the oceans in spring. I learned through Ayurveda that this global/seasonal cycle also took place INSIDE ME. This idea  expanded my horizons further. The concept of supporting the body through the seasonal transition began to make so much sense to me. Just like the mountain tops, I too would have water moving downstream. I realized that I had choices in my seasonal flow…

1. I could assist ‘the flow’ to have an easeful journey to the oceans.
2. I could mindlessly ignore ‘the flow’ and experience the consequences.
3. Or I could actively disrupt or go against ‘the flow’ with poor life choices.

This was an important realization to me. I discovered that how I acted during these seasonal transitions was entirely within my own control. I felt empowered.

I Found a New Way to Cleanse with Ayurveda

I began to experience a different kind of cleansing as a part of my Ayurvedic studies. I tried gentle monthly cleanses. Then every 3 months, I tried seasonal cleanse routines with other Ayurveda students. As students, we would experiment  – eating only warm foods only for a period of time, contrasting that with a diet that included some processed foods, performing regular purges to eliminate toxins from the bowel. Sometimes we would eat no meat for a while. I enjoyed sharing these experiences with my fellow Ayurveda classmates- noticing common responses to the effects of certain diet and lifestyle choices on our bodies, minds and relationships.

As my studies progressed, I learned about an in depth cleansing routine described as Panchakarma. This form of Ayurvedic detox was a series of treatments carried out by trained practitioners in a clinical setting. The choice of treatments for Panchakarma and length of time of the cleanse would be part of a specific prescription for the individual. The aim of Panchakarma was to gently mobilize and release toxins from the body and mind. As a student, I got to experience Panchakarma along with my classmates. I enjoyed the passive nature of  Panchakarma – I just lay there while the cleansing happened to me, I wasn’t an active participant and I didn’t need to do anything.

When my studies ended, away from the support of my fellow students, I struggled to maintain enthusiasm and regularity with my simple seasonal routines and home cleanses. My ego didn’t want to bother with simple seasonal routines. My ego once again decreed that annual Panchakarma in a clinic environment was enough cleansing – I didn’t need to bother with those seasonal at home cleanses which would be boring and isolating. So for a few years I relied on annual Panchakarma treatments to take care of detoxing for me.

Then I began Yoga Health Coaching. I started to learn about a new model for helping people to experience positive change in their well being. In this model, I would be working with groups instead of individuals. I learned how much more successful the group cleanse experience could be for the client and coach alike.  Armed with this new information, I invited some of my clients to participate in a group cleanse experience. It was fun, it was supportive, it was motivating, we kept each other accountable, we made each other laugh, we shared our successes. We expanded each other’s ideas of what a cleanse could look like.

Get Rid of the Rules and Get with a Group Cleanse

I reflected on how isolated I felt following strict detox protocols. I remembered how much more enjoyable and effective leading a group cleanse experience was for me. Now the final piece of the puzzle was in place – I didn’t have to follow strict rules, I didn’t have to deprive myself and I didn’t have to go it alone or hand over my responsibility for cleanses to a Panchakarma technician. Instead I could come together with other people committed to taking a regular review of their well being and dedicating some time to redressing the balance in their lives. Now I had stimulation and encouragement. Assigning time for a regular cleanse in my annual calendar became as routine as adding the school holiday dates.

As the years pass I see commitment to regular cleansing yielding 3 great benefits:

1. EFFICIENCY from repeated practice, in both preparation and execution of a cleanse. We spend less time and effort in food preparation and more on doing the things that will support us on deeper levels. Time in nature, constructive movement, less time on electronic devices and plenty of contemplation.
2. EXPLORATION with the boundaries of what a cleanse can look like. A big factor of my March 2017 cleanse was saying “No” to any demands on my time. I enjoyed some afternoon naps and was in bed by 9pm for 2 weeks. Supplements were not a part of my cleanse this time.
3. PLAN for future cleanses. Cleanses create momentum and forward thinking- In September 2017- I may include some ‘space’ cleansing as we prepare to move house. I can now plan in advance what my future cleanses will look like – based on life events. Or I can plan  to experiment with something new that I may have heard of, such as Intermittent Fasting or Coffee Enemas.

I encourage you to take a leap of faith and join a group cleanse. Here are 3 tips for finding one that will suit you:

1. Be VERY clear about WHY YOU WANT TO CLEANSE – If your main aim is to lose weight, then you will want to choose a cleanse that promises to deliver that result. Think about your ‘why’ as this will also carry you through when you feel uninspired.
2. FIND YOUR GROUP- Go to your local gym, health food shop or yoga studio and ASK if anyone offers group cleanses in your area. If no one does, find an online cleansing group that you resonate with. 
3. BOOK YOUR CLEANSE at least 3 months in advance. Join an online or in person detox program early, so you can have it on the horizon. The intention to cleanse can influence your health decisions before the detoxing begins. And with more advance planning, you can clear your calendar with greater ease.

And finally, BE OPEN to your own inner guidance during the cleanse. Ease into the SPACE created by reducing decisions around food and meals to explore where your SOUL wants to GUIDE you next in your life. With regularity, these transitions become a return to neutral, a time in our busy lives to evaluate where we have come from, where we want to go and how best to get there.

How have cleanses impacted your life? Are you a regular cleanser? What types of things does your cleanse include? Please post your comments below, I would love to hear from you.

Join Cate and Grace as they talk about taking out the trash…

When Cate asks to see your tongue you know the game is up. “The tongue doesn’t lie.” We may think and appear to be doing all right on the outside but the tongue tells the real story.

We make assumptions to what our constitution is based on how we feel but really it’s the ama that’s talking. “The first step to finding balance is to take out the trash.”

Ama is the trash that builds up within us. It’s the undigested stuff. It could be emotional or physical – pay attention as you listen to where these different forms of ama manifest in the body.

Our doshic constitution is our innate nature. It describes how we are made up so we can better understand our natural tendencies to be able to use our gifts to their highest potential.

The Video Highlights…

Your tongue doesn’t lie

• Listen to what your tongue has to say on your constitution.
• Clean yourself and live with your dosha.
• Be open to life-notice your inner reality.

Get the ama out and restore balance

• See your dosha behind your ama.
• Clear the ama out of your body, your mind and physiology.
• Follow a six month cleaning process and then see what’s left.
• Feel your vibration and embrace your constitution.

“Your constitution is your gift”

• Know who you really are in this lifetime.
• Enhance your knowledge on the doshas and the constitutions.
• Remove your ama, evolve and embrace your strength.
• Balance your emotions, thoughts and food.

Then come the kids…

Add on another layer of trying to figure out your kids and their imbalances. A big aha moment for parents. “Rarely does a child have ama that the parents don’t have” Ouch that one hurts!  Work on your junk before tackling anyone else!

Help your children thrive

• Realize the power of good eating and sleeping habits.
• Work on your own constitution as a parent and remove your ama.
• Make the difference and impact your relationships.
• Work on your child’s ancestral ama.

Evolving and entering flow is a process but it starts with clearing away the ama.

Comment below on what aha’s you reached during this conversation. What trash do you need to work on?

“Agni is the main source of life and if you worship agni, you will be blessed with perfect health.” – Dr. Vasant Lad

I have struggled to digest and release emotions and conflicts my whole life. Variable mental and emotional agni caused a buildup of ama and anxiety.  I ate to numb my feelings instead of working things out. Emotional eating weakened my digestive agni. A healthy relationship and friendship with mental and digestive agni is my growing edge.

Before Ayurveda I did not understand how to seasonally adjust to support my agni. Stuffed full was it for me. Hunger was something I only thought of when “Save the Children” commercials came on TV. I used to overfill my life with experience, food toxins, medicines and stuff to numb emotions.

Smothered Agni Slows Digestion and Builds Ama

Overwhelmed, I lost the capacity to be present and experience. Too much of everything is just numbing and blocks awareness.  It dampens our digestive fire and increases ama. Ama blocks prana and burns through resiliency.  I ignored the opportunity to get in touch with and listen to my agni and ignored the resulting symptoms. Things got worse. I had to befriend agni and rebuild my digestive wellness.

Fan the Fire

What does befriend agni mean?  With Ayurveda I understand it means to choose and meter inputs, mental challenges and food based on prakruti and ability to digest healthily.  Pay attention to seasonal effects. In spring eat less, decrease dairy and grains, and eat more greens.  Add foods that are growing and living like sprouts and microgreens. Live life at the level that optimizes and grows your true nature.  Stay out of overwhelm and carve out ease.

I want more experiences, great memories, growth and less ama. Ayurveda has taught me the relationship between agni and ama. Click this link to check in with your agni and ama.

Stoke Digestive Fire

Sama Agni is not my forte. (Strong Even Digestion) I struggle to build and maintain digestive fire. Listening to my body and understanding my feelings are developing  skills for me. Spring is a great trigger for me to refocus on breathwork and to change over to lighter eating.

• Redefine satisfied.  No food coma or discomfort at all. On a scale of 1 being starving and 10 stuffed I aim for 5 to 7.

• Find a way to feel deeper hunger once in awhile and befriend it. Historically it was normal to feel hunger and be hungry. Every so often my body needs to burn accumulated fat, not just carbohydrates. For me this means fast or juice fast one day a month or so.

• Lighten up on the starches and add growing green stuff to your plate.

• Eat living foods. 70 to 80% of your immune system lives in your gut. These guys take a beating and need active support. Probiotic organisms in your gut biome are the front line agni decision makers. They decide what is transformed and what is streamed to waste. Add back the probiotics in fermented foods to replenish these fire keepers on an ongoing basis. A healthy biome also helps balance my hormones and my mental outlook.

• Release anxiety and any regret for  actions and feelings throughout the day. I journal to help me with this. I ask myself did I respond in wisdom or in ego?  Was what I said true, accurate, said at the right time, and with the right intention?  Add some alternate nostril breathing post journalling to flush any residual mental ama.

• Get out in nature and tap into the power of plants to help me detox and heal.

Eat Seasonally to Support Agni

For the spring Kapha season this means lighten up your food and get moving. The quantity and quality of food and all your inputs, need to be in right relationship with your digestive fire to fully engage with your life and live at your highest vibration.

Check out foods to help flow with Kapha season here

Unload Ama

Ayurveda describes several types of specific agni at work in my brain, senses, muscles and digestive tract. Are you listening to your agni and giving it what it needs throughout your body?

• Meditate to clear out the mental and emotional trash. If you are not processing daily conflict and stress it builds mental ama.

• Cleanse each Spring by simplifying diet and life, for a week or two. If you need help to do this find a really good group cleanse or detox program and join.

• Sleep on a regular schedule. Sleep is an important time when ama is processed for elimination.

• Eat whole organic natural foods; eliminate pesticides and food additives that are chemically based. Check EWG’s 2023 “Clean 15” list here to help with your choices.

• Reduce or Eliminate Toxins. Cut down or out recreational drugs, like tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol. All these things put stress on your liver and are amagenic, or ama building in the body.

• Keep your vibration high by eliminating violent and dark TV, reading or music.

• Clean up.  Throw out old junk and clear out clutter in your life.

• Reach out to friends to work through conflicts and stress as it comes up. Stay connected and don’t let anger or frustration build up.

Support Detox Pathways

Your body sequesters toxins with help from your small intestines and  liver, so they won’t hurt you then moves them out through your exhalation, your sweat, urine and feces. You can help your body do this more efficiently.

• Sweat. Sweating through the skin is often a completely underutilized detox pathway. Get moving every day as your muscle movement pumps moves toxins out of your lymphatic system.

• Breathe with awareness.  They don’t say take a deep cleansing breath for nothing you know. Every exhale releases ama we don’t want or need.

• Drink clean water. Sip it regularly over the course of your day. Water is the medium for communication and transportation in the body.  Water saturates and flushes tissues and releases toxins for disposal out through the kidneys.

• Add Antioxidants. The key antioxidants; Vitamin C,  E, Co Q 10 and Glutathione give your body a detox boost. A plant rich diet full of color gives all the nutrients you need to stoke your fire.

Agni Can Be A Lifelong Friend

With a little support your agni can be sturdy and resilient. Balance the qualities of spring; cold, wet, and heavy to burn strong and bright. Healthy Agni, means you can eat and assimilate a wider variety of information and foods. You’ll be able to thrive in a wider set of circumstances. Strong Agni is my partner in a rich vibrant experience of life full of growth and learning.

This spring befriend your digestive fire.

Let’s share self care practices to burn steady and bright! Add what you do to build and balance your digestive fire in the comments below.