With the way the state of our lives and our environment is in today, we need to make detoxification a part of our lives. Stressed and hectic lives where everything seems to be going so fast, and an environment polluted and dirty signal us to take active steps to keep ourselves clean from the cellular level all the way to the energetic level. Where do all these toxins come from? Answer: Our modern diet and lifestyle where we tend to take too much in (due to greed or availability), denurated food, refined, processed fast foods. Plus the high exposure to chemicals from cigarette smoking to air pollution, additives to food, pesticides. Add to these the images from the TV of a world that shows humanity filled with anger, hatred and fear.
Our cleansing and detoxification process can be done at least every quarter. And if that is tough on our schedules, then at least once a year! In ancient times, people would detoxify, fast and cleanse the body after the full moon as the energies of cleansing were best during this time. Ayurvedic principles follow that detoxification be done quarterly, while some other groups follow the solstices and equinox periods as the best times to clean up. During the last 15 to 20 years, we have dumped these toxins into the environment, which are all now backfiring on us and literally killing humanity.
One can run off to do a retreat, literally stepping back from everyday life’s stress by putting one’s self in a space that is healing. So Amen to all the prayer and retreat spaces, spas, nature treks and secluded solitary spaces next to nature that allows us to cleanse our inner world and spirits. Amen to all the organic, vegetarian, unprocessed, healthy food we can get our hands on. Amen also for the positive life-giving people we can surround ourselves with. We can detox on a physical, an emotional or a mental level so that we create alchemy in ourselves to be lighter, more joyful, more peaceful and healthy.
What are the signs to show we need to detox? On the physical level, the body speaks to us: acne on back and faces means the lymphatic system is blocked. Lack of energy, sluggishness, tiredness and fatigue is ever present; food, chemical cravings and addictions; headaches and migraines with nausea means gall bladder and liver functions are not optimized; digestive complaints like bloating and fullness; constipation; fluid retention and sinuses; excessive body fat; stiff sore muscles, joints and pains; poor concentration and memory; puffy eyes or fluid retention on the legs shows toxicity in the liver. Too much sugars, breads, alcohol create yeast and fungus that may show as a white coating on the tongue. Too much meat in the system cause bacteria in the intestines. The list can go on.
There are the fasting rituals that today have proven to be quick cleaner-uppers. One-day-no-meat, all veggies and fruits diets are perfect and rejuvenating. I personally have my pet faves for detox rituals. One is the juice cleanse where I only take healthy organic juices. I used to make my own juices but very recently found out a much easier and convenient way to do a day (or three-day) detox through the JUJU (“Just Juice”) Cleanse. I highly recommend it. The organic juices were sent to me in a JUJU Cleanse Kit that is as hip as it is healthy. A whole day’s worth of freshly pressed, nutrient and amino-acid rich drinks were dropped to my place a day before the actual juice-fast day. I just needed to plan my day a little more carefully as I carried this kit around, making sure I would find a fridge in the office or wherever, even if the kit had a cold pack. There were six big (!) bottles to drink all day starting at 7:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. within approximately 2.5 hours intervals. The reason I also trust this juice fast is that the people behind the brand are Kate and Dave Azanza.
Kate is the daughter of Eckard and Perla Rempe who started The Farm in San Benito. Having met and known the parents’ hard-core philosophy on health and healing, I was secure that their juices were really top-of-the-line nutritious delights. The combination of juices is created with medical approval, and with an eye to titillating the palate, combining fruits and veggies, even spices like cayenne pepper (great for digestion) into catchy juice names such as Green Bomb, Alkazest, Red Giant (beets galore), Spicy Limonada, Ginger-Lemon. There’s a Tier One and a Tier Two grouping of juices with specific powerful cleansing punches, and a three-day detox plan. Even if the headaches came (my caffeine withdrawal symptoms) I would just breath deeply and drank up for the good it did my digestive system.
Therapies and treatments are also good detox processes. Go for a massage! Any massage is good. The better ones are the homeopathic or lymphatic drainage massages. Or massages that have specific essential oils mixed with the carrier oil. But the best prime ones are those that go beyond the musculature and touch the level of the cells and the organs. I choose and highly recommend the Ayurvedic massages and the Panchakarma treatment. Panchakarma’s process, theory and philosophies are deeply rooted in the ancient Ayurvedic texts. In a nutshell: these are five different procedures that purify the body in a variety of treatments that make use of medicinal oils and natural herbs. Diet is incorporated to balance the specific constituency of the person. It helps stop deeply rooted chronic diseases, and also stops any diseases from arising since herbal medicinal oils go deep into the organs and cells, and cleans up obstructions in the miniscule channels and ducts of the body. There is only one place in the whole country where the traditional Ayurvedic treatments are given and this is in Arogya Ayurvedic Center. There is something magical about these treatments and massages as one leaves the place literally filled with light, joy, balance and deep serenity.
Sweat is also one of the easiest detox processes you can do daily. Just build up a really killer sweat through any sports or exercise regime at least three times a week. It’s important to move the body just so we can move energy and remove toxins through our sweat. Detoxing is now not just a choice today as it needs to become an intrinsic part of our lives.
(For more info, visit www.jujucleanse.com. You may also call 0917-5763012 or 809-2634 or Arogya Ayurvedic Center at 403-4048. For best results, consult your doctor.)