Detoxify and Revitalize

From an Ayurvedic perspective, we can strengthen our agni ("internal fire,energy, vitality") in three simple ways:
-a weekly Yoga practice,
-healthy dietary changes, and
-detoxifying herbs.

Lets start with Yoga. Ideally you should move your body every day. As a Yogini and Ayurvedic practitioner I recommend a twice-weekly Yoga practice and a five to six time a week personal/at home practice. This routine should strengthen your solar plexus and digestive fire - such as in agni sura (abdominal squeeze and lift), twisting poses, forward and backward bends, leg lifts and abdominal crunches. (The at home practice can be Sun Salutations for 10-15 minutes aday.)

However, this does not mean your Yoga practice should just be another thing you have do in your day. Yoga is about moving with breath (vinyasa), being in the present moment and letting go. It is supposed to prepare us for our inner work - its not just another form of exercise.

I suggest taking the Sunrise Yoga class at Hamsa Yogashala. It begins at 7amand lasts for an hour. There is no better way to start the day than by doingYoga to calm and center. It literally sets the tone of your day.

If your looking for something easy, then the 9-10am Gentle Yoga classes areexcellent. Or if you schedule needs a later class, than the 6:30-8pm session isan excellent place to start. Whatever your choice, there are 20 classes to choose from at Hamsa Yogashala, so simply find one that works for you.

Next, making healthy dietary changes, such as eating nourishing foods, like whole grains, fruits, beans and steamed or cooked vegetables (raw are more difficult to digest), prepared with small amounts of healthy oils such as olive or ghee (clarified butter).

To stoke your digestive fire, sip ginger tea with your meals and spice your food with pungent herbs like ginger, garlic, cinnamon, clove, basil, oregano pepperand chilies.

The goal is to eat in a way that makes you feel good, so that, when you eat, you notice how your food has affected you. For example, after eating, ask yourself:
-"Do I feel satisfied and energized?",
-"Do I feel tired?",
-"Do I feel sluggish?", or
-"Have my thoughts become scattered?"
In all, dont eat in such a way that you feel:
-"::sigh:: Im exhausted! I need a nap!"

Remember, agni is 'fire', and when you put too much wood on a fire, it will smolder and maybe even go out. Likewise, too much food - or the wrong kinds - can smother your digestive fire. Glutinous grains (like corn and wheat), meat, dairy products and oily food requre a strong digestive fire. They can be nourishing but if your agni is weak, they creat ama (which is'heavy', 'thick' and 'sticky'.

Ami accumulates in the weak areas of the body, which are different in every individual, so that for some, ama may collect in their knee joints (causing stiffness), or for some it may block the blood vessels around the heart (causing heart disease). In short, wherever ama is, disease and sickness soon follow.

To prevent this, reduce (or completely avoid) wheat and dairy products for two or three weeks, avoid oily or deep-fried foods and eat lighter grains like quinoa and millet instead. Then, watch for a week or two to see how you feel. Many of my Yoga students relate that they feel 'lighter', 'clearer' and 'more energized'. They is because they have unburdened their agni so that it can burn more brightly.

Finally, detoxifying herbs. The best approach is to cleanse the bowels regularly. When you eat a lot of poor quality food, the ama can stick to the side of your colon, which impedes the absorption of nutrients as well as the removal of waste. This can lead to auto-intoxication, which means that the toxins stick in the colon and begin to leach back into your system.

This can cause some uncomfortable side effects like headaches, fatigue, skin eruptions (acne, hives, rashes), ulcers and the like.

To ensure that your bowels move on a daily basis, add more fiber and water to your diet. I recommend the herb psyllium, which is a soluble fiber that acts like a scouring sponge - loosening and absorbing the ama stuck to the bowel walls - and sending it along its way. Which is out of your body.

If you choose to try psyllium: In the morning, a scant teaspoon (even if the directions on the package recommend more) mixed with two cups of pure water, and drank immediately, is all you need. Then, continue to drink pure water - at least 8oz every hour - to keep the fiber moving, or else it will dry out and cause constipation (if your prone to it).

NOTE: If you take vitamins or supplements, do not take any if you try psyllium. Remember, they will be flushed out with everything else.

By cleansing your system - with Yoga, healthy dietary changes and detoxifying herbs - you remove ama and boost your metabolism, which strengthens your agni so that we feel more alert, energized and full of life.

Om Peace!
Yogini Valarie Devi