7 Spring Detox Tips

According to Ayurveda, a Spring Detox is the perfect time of year for cleansing. Once it gets a little warmer, the human organism is wired to shed off extra winter pounds that kept us warm during the winter and flush out toxins that were accumulated from heavy cold weather foods.

Drink warm water with lemon
Start your morning with a glass of hot water and the juice of half a lemon. This will cleanse your digestive tract and release unwanted toxins. The sour taste will enkindle the digestive fire or Agni setting you up for good digestion and metabolism first thing in the morning.

Use herbs and spices to improve digestion and metabolism
Drink warm herbal teas throughout the day. Cinnamon, ginger, fennel and mint are good options. You should also cook your food with liberal doses of herbs and spices. Use culinary herbs such as basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano and spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mint, sage and parsley in generous amounts.

Dry brush your skin
Dry skin brushing has long been a part of Ayurveda’s cleansing philosophies. Your skin is an organ of elimination, just like your kidneys, liver and colon. Dry skin brushing helps keep the pores clear and the skin active to assist the body in this cleansing process. It also helps to increase blood circulation. Dry brushing exfoliates the skins outer layer and stimulates the sweat and oil glands, providing more moisture for the skin.

Massage
An Ayurvedic massage using warm dosha-specific oil is a great way to help improve circulation, activate the lymphatic system and aid in the detoxification process. (Recommended treatments are Udvartana, Abhyanga and Ayush Massage).

Include regular saunas and steams
To increase the detoxifying effect try sauna, steam room, hot baths and cardio-induced sweating. Most gyms have sauna and steam rooms that you can use after a workout. If you don’t have access to one, take a hot bath with epsom salts ginger powder and baking soda every night before going to sleep. Run, do yoga, jump, dance, whatever gets your heart pumping!

Be gentle on yourself
Learn to listen to your body and its needs. If your body is crying out for rest, let it rest. However, if it is crying out for a slab of chocolate cake, resist (try a piece of fruit or tea with a little honey instead!).

And finally……
Just breath
In an always ‘in a rush stressed out society’ our breath tends to be rushed as well. Our lungs rarely get a chance to open up and fill up with fresh air or to completely cleanse from all the stale gases. It takes an effort to let the breath be full and complete. Take a few minutes in the morning to just breathe deeply. Two-to-one breathing; a practice of exhaling twice as long as every inhalation, is a great technique for cleansing the lungs and calming the nervous system.

Instead of adopting all 7 of these practices at once, you can incorporate one per week. If you take the time to turn each action into a habit, it will be easier to stick with your detox routine throughout the entire year.