Winter Reset: Detox Practices to Energize You.
I decided to write light content for this week. I have discovered the power of the seasonal cleansing and renewal process this year and wanted to share some of the findings based on natural techniques and eastern philosophies.
We are almost reaching the end of February, which is an ideal time to reflect on what may be out of balance in our lives, and take steps to restore.
In that way, we eliminate physical and emotional toxicities we have been accumulating, allowing our mind-body to return to a natural state of balance and health.
Most people think of detox as a superficial process. You can walk around in this state of lower-level toxicity for years, reaching for cold medicines, headache remedies, or allergy medications.
Eating, exercising and living in harmony with your mind, body, and energy is essential for nurturing vitality.
Practice Meditation and Deep Breathing
Meditation and deep breathing restore our mind-body balance. In many Eastern healing traditions, these essential self-awareness practices are the foundation of connecting with our spiritual essence, which is the source of all healing. Science is now confirming the health benefits of these practices as well.
A simple practice used for thousands of years is observing the breath.
Deep breathing is a yogic practice that is profoundly relaxing and cleansing. There are many different techniques. Ancient yogic techniques restore balance to the body and mind and keep you grounded through cleansing.
Alternatively, you can do slow, rhythmic breathing by slowing your inhalations and exhalations to about 5 seconds each and breathing with this rhythm for 5–10 minutes twice daily.
Release with Mind-Body
Various forms of mind-body exercise mobilize and move stored toxins out of the physical and emotional body and towards our channels of elimination. When performed deliberately and mindfully, yoga is a deeply cleansing and rejuvenating practice helping us experience the unity of our body, mind, and spirit.
I recommend mindful running and cycling. This movement can be practised for 30 minutes daily, preferably in the morning and/or early evening.
If you have the chance to combine it with hikes, it will reinforce your mind and body as you are adding a vital piece to your background — Nature.
Heat and Cold the Body Gently
Externally heating the body increases the circulation to our tissues, mobilizes toxins, and dilates our channels of circulation to facilitate the movement of toxicity away from the tissues so it can more easily be eliminated.
To heat the body, you can run a hot bath or shower to create a sauna effect. If you have access to an infrared sauna, this can also gently heat the body. Listen to your body to guide you in the proper amount of time to warm the body. Because there are different mind-body types, some may feel ready to step out of the sauna or shower after 5 to 10 minutes, while others can remain for 15 to 20 minutes.
After, placing a cool, moist cloth on your head reduces the chance of lightheadedness and allows the head to stay cool while the body heats up. Experiment a little to see what serves you best, and heat the body daily.
A quick cold rinse after breaking out the sweat allows you to feel the tonus flowing in your body.
Drink plenty of water before and after the sauna.
Enjoy Nutrient-Rich and Fresh Foods
We should use food as our medicine. Choose organic foods, add plant-based organic of all colours, and healthily prepare them. The natural rejuvenating phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables neutralize toxicity and restore our tissues and energies to balance.
Avoid processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and dairy as best as possible. During your cleanse days, besides the ones I’ve mentioned, try to avoid animal products. Eat slowly and mindfully, paying attention to and appreciating the nourishment the food is giving you.
Treat Yourself to a Healing Massage
Your cleanse will ideally include an Ayurvedic massage using warm herbalized oils. Ayurvedic massage is designed to free up our energy and circulation channels and mobilize toxicity stored deep within our tissues. The hands-on healing techniques energize and rejuvenate us and have been shown to increase our mood and sense of well-being while decreasing stress. If you don’t have access to authentic Ayurvedic massage therapy, you will still benefit from relaxation or other types of classic massage — whatever feels right to you.
Try Detoxifying and Rejuvenating Herbs
As this list demonstrates, when combined, these herbs synergize to support our innate detoxification pathways in multiple ways at all levels of the process.
These epigenetic effects can ‘turn down’ the expression of genes related to inflammation, and they can ‘turn up’ genes related to detoxification.
Here are just a few herbs supporting our natural detoxification processes:
- Rhubarb root — Vitamin C, resveratrol, chromone glycosides, polyphenols including gallic acid
- Aloe vera — Vitamin C, folic acid, copper, magnesium, zinc, saponins, and fatty acids.
- Turmeric — magnesium, tannins, polyphenols, including curcuminoids
- Psyllium Husk — fiber and polyphenols such as lignin
- Flax Seed — copper, phenols, flavonoids, fatty acids, Vitamin C, B1, B2, and B6.
These herbs help by enhancing our bodies’ detoxification pathways. They have also been shown to contain helpful natural antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and several anti-cancer chemicals.
The appropriate doses of certain herbs may vary, depending on a person’s balance and other medical issues. Check with your healthcare provider or practitioner, as recommendations will depend on your mind-body type, medical conditions, and other medications you may be taking.
Get Plenty of Rest
Our mind-body has an incredible system of detoxification and self-healing. We can enhance our innate healing ability by removing ourselves from some of the daily stressors and distractions in life for a short while. Each day, take some time to sit and rest in a peaceful environment. Consider disconnecting from watching the news or spending unnecessary time on the computer or phone.
Try to get plenty of sleep each night. A lot of our body’s healing takes place when we sleep. Melatonin, our natural sleep hormone, is an important antioxidant, and studies show it has beneficial effects on other hormones in our bodies and the immune system.
Connect to Nature
Spending time in nature is deeply restorative. Take time during your week to nourish your senses with nature’s beauty and healing power. Gaze up into the night sky space, and feel the wind on your face and the winter Sun on some days.
Keep a Journal
Writing is a handy tool for self-reflection and emotional detoxification. Take time each day to write about what you have been feeling physically and emotionally. Note what you are grateful for, and then identify things you would like to eliminate and how in your life.
Also, identify what you would like to nurture or create more.
Take this week to develop your routine on seasonal cleanse and feel more energised.
