My Favorite Fall Cleanse
According to Chinese medicine, there are two times of year that are most supported by doing a simple dietary cleanse or reset; spring and fall. Spring is the time of the liver, associated with detox, and fall is the time of the colon, associated with removing the impure and releasing. Plus, in fall, it’s common to get sick, or feel more seasonal depression, which a cleanse can help to preemptively ward off.
Here is a powerful, gentle fall cleanse that I use and love.
Part 1: 3-4 days of kitchari (Plan to eat this for all of your meals for 3 or 4 days)
Kitchari is a spice filled, nourishing Indian dish that helps heal and rest your digestive system with easy to digest, anti-inflammatory, immune boosting properties.
For simplicity, you can buy the spice mix here. It has a recipe on the back. All you need are mung beans, white basmati rice, and ghee.
Or, if you already have Indian spices, here is another kitchari recipe option.
You can make enough for the whole cleanse and freeze it in batches, for simplicity.
On the side, sautee or roast veggies of your choice (sweet potato, squash, onion, broccoli, potatoes and peas are all great, but feel free to get creative) and add when you’re ready to eat. Lime, cilantro, saurkraut and avocados are delicious additions too.
Part 2: 5-7 day whole foods diet
Eat only whole foods for 5-7 days. remove processed foods of all kind. Consider giving coffee a break too, to give your nervous system a break. You can sub with green tea, matcha, cacao etc. or if you’re feeling ambitious, go with no caffeine. Avoid raw food and mainly stick with cooked, which is generally a best practice in fall and winter. It is so much easier on your digestion and lowers anxiety levels.
Take a daily weather report
Each morning, take a few minutes to reflect on your emotional state, and what comes up as you cleanse. Also note cravings. Cleansing tends to not only bring physical toxins to the surface, but also emotional energetic material as well. Give yourself permission to just be with whatever arises as gently and open heartedly as possible.
A note on cravings
Having cravings is normal during a cleanse. If you’r craving sugar, coffee, bread, etc. it typically points to some level of addiction, and after a few days of getting these ingredients out of your system, typically becomes easier. Let yourself feel the craving and breath through it, rather than giving up on the cleanse and acting on the impulse.
Detox symptoms (not an exhaustive list but some common examples)
Detox means the cleanse is working! Your digestive system is not being overrun, so it’s using that extra digestive power to detox old toxins that have been stored in the tissues. Don’t give up, it will pass and then you will feel so much better in the long run! Remember these symptoms are temporary.
Headaches
Fatigue
Anxiety
Irritability (This happens to me day 2!)
Body pain.
Tremors
Changes in appetite
Nausea
Digestive upset