Spring is a time of renewal and rejuvenation, and Ayurveda recommends a seasonal cleansing treatment known as Panchakarma, which uses massage treatments and herbs to gently cleanse every cell and strengthen the immune system. The Chopra Center offers a week of Panchakarma at the Perfect Health program. We also suggest a gentle detoxification you can do at home:
1. For five days, follow a simple diet of foods that are easy to digest, including whole fresh fruits, steamed vegetables, and lentil soup. Eliminate all refined sugar, refined carbohydrates (such as white rice and white bread), processed foods, and dairy and animal products. Eat only small amounts of whole-grain carbohydrates. You may also want to include fresh fruit juices in the morning, mixed fruit and vegetable juices during the day, and vegetable juices in the evening.
2. Eat sesame seeds and golden raisins to lubricate your digestive tract. Prepare a one-to-one mixture of ⅛ cup sesame seeds and ⅛ cup golden raisins. Take a teaspoon of the mixture one hour before each meal, or two hours after each meal. You can substitute ½ teaspoon of sesame oil with 3 to 4 raisins if you have trouble digesting seeds.
3. While detoxifying, it is critical to stay hydrated in order to flush toxins and waste out of your system. Drink a minimum of eight glasses of water each day, as well plenty of gingerroot tea – at least one liter per day. Gingerroot has powerful cleansing properties and helps boost the digestive system. To make the tea, add one teaspoon of freshly grated gingerroot per pint of hot water. Sip the tea throughout the day.
4. On the fourth evening, perform an oil massage or self-abhy (click here for instructions) and soak in a hot bath. The massage is deeply relaxing and helps mobilize stored toxins in the body. The steam and heat of the bath encourages the release of the toxins through your skin.
5. After your self-abhy and bath and just before going to bed, take a teaspoon of yogurt with a dose of standardized senna extract, such as Senokot. Most people will get a good elimination with four tablets before bedtime. You can expect a few loose bowel movements within the next six to eight hours.
6. Always end your cleanse with a gentle transition by gradually reintroducing more complex foods into your diet.
If you would like to cleanse and heal at the Chopra Center, please call us to learn more about our Perfect Health program, offered every week at our beautiful center in Carlsbad, California.
1. For five days, follow a simple diet of foods that are easy to digest, including whole fresh fruits, steamed vegetables, and lentil soup. Eliminate all refined sugar, refined carbohydrates (such as white rice and white bread), processed foods, and dairy and animal products. Eat only small amounts of whole-grain carbohydrates. You may also want to include fresh fruit juices in the morning, mixed fruit and vegetable juices during the day, and vegetable juices in the evening.