I have recently come across and article by Karyn Chabot who is a licensed massage therapist and certified as a AyurYoga Therapist. Here are some suggestions which might be of interest of you feel you need to detox.
Liver and gallbladder season is upon us.
If you follow Ayurveda, this is when the elements of water and earth (kapha) are elevated in nature and within our physiology. Did you know knee problems are a symptom of liver trouble, and excessive flatulence and burping are signs of a troubled gallbladder?
It’s time to unclog the liver, which is the major filter of the body. The function of the liver, among many things, is to dump bile into the gallbladder. The gallbladder, in turn, dumps into the digestive track. (This is a very simplified version of the sequence.) If your colon is clogged, the liver and gallbladder have no place to release, so they hold onto toxins and become even more clogged.
Recommendations include:
• Eat light; eat less.
• Avoid greasy, heavy foods like cheese, dairy, eggs and dark meats.
• Avoid wheat and most white carbohydrates.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, high-fructose corn syrup, white sugar, cooked honey and frozen or left over foods. Instead, eat legumes like mung beans (soak them overnight to avoid gas), steamed greens and other kapha-pacifying vegetables, whole grains, wild fish like salmon and eat your biggest meal at lunch. Try eating only fruit for breakfast.
• Increase exercise. Sweat more.
• Challenge yourself. Get fresh air and sunshine. Do something new. Laugh, sing and dance more.
This is kapha season, so avoid foods which have the following attributes - oily, heavy, cold, wet and soft. Cheese is a an example of this for it exhibits all these properties. It’s oily and tends to stick, so it has static properties. It’s heavy, compared to lettuce. When heated, it melts slowly. It’s usually served cold. It has moisture, especially Brie cheese, and it’s soft generally. The softer the cheese, the more kapha it contains, which means the more earth and water will accumulate on your body as a result of eating it.
Popcorn, without butter and salt, has attributes that are extremely opposite of kapha.
Don’t go crazy on popcorn if you are trying to lose weight though. Everything should be done in moderation. Too much popcorn can throw your vata out of balance, then vata can push kapha and cause weight gain. Radiant health revolves around being aware of your body and the nature around you, as well as having discernment and discipline to make the right choices for your unique physiology.
Cleansing your colon is an excellent way to help make space in your body, so your liver and gallbladder can release and detoxify. This may not be your cup of tea, but why not try a small warm water enema once a week for one month first thing in the morning before food. Add a tablespoon of sesame or sunflower oil to the warm water; don’t do it after a meal because it will disturb digestion.
If you are interested in Ayurveda, then you must also take into account what elements are out of balance within your own body, as well as how the seasons are affecting you. Follow this link to find a list of vata, pitta and kapha foods: www.sacredstonehealing.com/files/food_guidelines.pdf
Liver and gallbladder season is upon us.If you follow Ayurveda, this is when the elements of water and earth (kapha) are elevated in nature and within our physiology. Did you know knee problems are a symptom of liver trouble, and excessive flatulence and burping are signs of a troubled gallbladder?
It’s time to unclog the liver, which is the major filter of the body. The function of the liver, among many things, is to dump bile into the gallbladder. The gallbladder, in turn, dumps into the digestive track. (This is a very simplified version of the sequence.) If your colon is clogged, the liver and gallbladder have no place to release, so they hold onto toxins and become even more clogged.
Recommendations include:
• Eat light; eat less.• Avoid greasy, heavy foods like cheese, dairy, eggs and dark meats.
• Avoid wheat and most white carbohydrates.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, high-fructose corn syrup, white sugar, cooked honey and frozen or left over foods. Instead, eat legumes like mung beans (soak them overnight to avoid gas), steamed greens and other kapha-pacifying vegetables, whole grains, wild fish like salmon and eat your biggest meal at lunch. Try eating only fruit for breakfast.
• Increase exercise. Sweat more.
• Challenge yourself. Get fresh air and sunshine. Do something new. Laugh, sing and dance more.
This is kapha season, so avoid foods which have the following attributes - oily, heavy, cold, wet and soft. Cheese is a an example of this for it exhibits all these properties. It’s oily and tends to stick, so it has static properties. It’s heavy, compared to lettuce. When heated, it melts slowly. It’s usually served cold. It has moisture, especially Brie cheese, and it’s soft generally. The softer the cheese, the more kapha it contains, which means the more earth and water will accumulate on your body as a result of eating it.
Popcorn, without butter and salt, has attributes that are extremely opposite of kapha.
Don’t go crazy on popcorn if you are trying to lose weight though. Everything should be done in moderation. Too much popcorn can throw your vata out of balance, then vata can push kapha and cause weight gain. Radiant health revolves around being aware of your body and the nature around you, as well as having discernment and discipline to make the right choices for your unique physiology.Cleansing your colon is an excellent way to help make space in your body, so your liver and gallbladder can release and detoxify. This may not be your cup of tea, but why not try a small warm water enema once a week for one month first thing in the morning before food. Add a tablespoon of sesame or sunflower oil to the warm water; don’t do it after a meal because it will disturb digestion.
If you are interested in Ayurveda, then you must also take into account what elements are out of balance within your own body, as well as how the seasons are affecting you. Follow this link to find a list of vata, pitta and kapha foods: www.sacredstonehealing.com/files/food_guidelines.pdf
