Ayurveda: effective detox tips

Why actually detox?

Detox is about the conscious elimination of accumulated toxins from the body. Followers of regular detox and fasting assume that an unhealthy diet with foods full of sugar, salt and artificial additives can accumulate a number of harmful substances in the body that can make you ill in the long run. Detox is then understood as a reset, as a kind of restart for the body’s own metabolism. The focus is on defecation, juice, tea and water curesset; Massages and spas can also be part of a detox. Once the metabolism has been completely cleaned, health-promoting foods can be gradually consumed again. However, detoxification is a strenuous undertaking for our bodies, and every person reacts differently to detox. Ayurveda, which is based on holistic knowledge of the body, provides appropriate solutions for how detoxification cures can be individually tailored to the needs of one’s own metabolism.

What does Ayurveda mean?

Ayurveda is a holistic alternative healing system from South Asia. Especially in India it has a very long tradition. Ayurvedic principles and healing methods are used there to prevent or treat diseases. The cornerstones of Ayurvedic life science are nutrition, yoga practice and herbal medicine.

Ayurveda experts have known for a long time how important nutrition is for our health. Dana Schwandt and Stephanie Schnicke report in their detox guide:

According to Ayurveda, the metabolism can be brought back into balance with health and digestive foods and diets. In order to drain accumulated slag from the body, however, a new start in the form of detoxification is required. This detoxification takes place over several days and can be completely individually designed according to the body’s needs and detox goals with Ayurvedic principles and foods.

This is how Ayurveda helps with detox

1. Individual detoxification

An important principle from Ayurveda is individuality. Our metabolic types differ from person to person, we are constituted differently in terms of health. Accordingly, detoxification must be tailored precisely to the needs of our individual metabolic type. To find out which type of detox works best for you, you should look at the three different types of digestion in Ayurveda. Indian healing practice knows the sensitive, the hot, and the sluggish types of digestion. Sensitive types tend to have irregular digestion, hot types know diarrhea, heartburn and irritation well, while sluggish types digest slowly, rarely empty and are often listless. Those who know their Ayurvedic metabolism and digestion types can set up a perfectly coordinated detox cure.

2. Gentle detox with Kitchari

There are countless detox cures and ways to reboot your own metabolism. Strict fasting is probably the most well-known method, but is rarely used in Ayurveda. The Indian healing system focuses much more on gentle detoxification. The classic is a mono detox with Kitchari. For several days in a row, only kitchari is eaten: a rice dish with vegetables and legumes. Your body can then replenish important nutrients and essential minerals, while waste, toxins and pollutants that have built up in the system are flushed out.

3. Detox with rice water and ginger water

Detox cures are also known from Ayurveda, in which you only consume liquids for several days in a row in order to eliminate body toxins. The Ayurvedic perennial favorites rice water and ginger water are particularly important in this type of detox. Rich in nutrients and with particularly cleansing effects, the waters support a liquid-based detox for sluggish and hot digestive types. Liquid detox cures according to Ayurveda principles should always contain rich vegetable and fruit juices.