Ayurveda 12-Day Cleanse
Welcome to the Cleanse Portal and congratulations on your commitment to self-healing! In this location you'll find everything you need to have a successful cleanse. Recipes, checklists, shopping lists, outlines and more can be accessed from this location. You'll also find links to products, research, and how-to guides to support you on your journey. This is a self-paced 'study guide' that will allow you to take a deep dive into the benefits and purpose of the various phases of the cleanse, while also providing tools on how to achieve the best results.
During the cleanse, you will also have access to exclusive content like guided meditations, breathwork practices, yoga videos and downloadable documents all accessible from this main page. Be sure to bookmark it and save it as a favorite.
Getting started...
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Reserve your spot.
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Determine which 12 consecutive days you will cleanse during the cleanse window (Sept 22 - Oct 31).
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Set up your 3 private 30-min consultations. (Day 3, 8 & 11)
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Explore this page for more details.
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Upon full payment, login to the Cleanse Portal.
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Review the documentation and web content.
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Select 8 cleanse-friendly dinner recipes.
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Download the shopping list & add dinner ingredients.
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Go shopping.
About the Cleanse
What to Expect...
The 12-Day Cleanse is broken down into 3 phases: Pre-Cleanse (4 days); Main Cleanse (4 days) and Post-Cleanse (4 days). Each phase builds on the previous and creates the perfect environment for detoxification. Once you have finished all 3 phases of the cleanse, you can begin to re-introduce your normal diet. However, we recommend you start with the foods you suspect are problematic. This is an excellent time to determine if you have any food sensitivities or allergies.
Key Points and Considerations:
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Select 12 consecutive days during the cleanse window and communicate them to your guide. (Autumn 2024 = September 22 - October 31)
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If you would like to cleanse at the same time as me, I will be cleansing October 5 - 17
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This is not a starvation or liquid diet cleanse. You will eat 3 meals during a specified timeframe, daily.
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Take time to prepare and ensure you have a plan before you begin.
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Perfection is NOT the goal. Be kind to yourself and honor what you are able to accomplish.
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We encourage fasting from 7 p.m. to 10 a.m. daily, but this will vary based on your dosha and health goals discussed during your initial consultation.
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There are foods we eliminate during different phases of the cleanse. A complete list per phase is provided.
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Purgation is an integral part of the cleanse and occurs on the night of day 8 or morning of day 9. We recommend you clear your calendar for the morning of day 9 just in case.
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You will need to get to bed by 10 p.m. daily.
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It's advisable to slow down during these 12-days and reduce stress, travel, entertaining, and high-intensity activities as much as possible.
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Consult your medical practitioner about your specific health concerns before starting the cleanse.
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Ideally you will refrain from taking any prescriptions, vitamins and supplements for the duration of the cleanse. Please work with your healthcare provider to determine what is appropriate for your circumstances.
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Movement and breathwork are critical components to the cleanse. Be sure you plan to complete these practices daily.
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Ghee pulling (drinking small amounts of melted ghee) occurs on days 5-8 and is the only source of fat during the Main Cleanse.
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Keeping a regular schedule and routine is very helpful to keep the body out of fight/flight/freeze.
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You want to promote and maintain a warm body temperature during the cleanse. Infrared sauna, steam rooms, warm baths, heating pads, etc are supportive of cleansing. In contrast, cold showers, ice baths and cold plunges are not recommended.
Cleanse Resources
Why We Cleanse
Ayurveda recommends the 12-Day Cleanse twice annually at the major junctions between seasons - the Spring and Fall equinoxes. These are the most challenging times of the year when the weather is transitioning and we are moving into a new dosha-governed season. Pitta season is late spring (early May) to the Fall equinox. Vata season is from the Fall Equinox to Winter Solstice. And the Kapha season is from the Winter Solstice to the Spring Equinox. It is during these transitions when the body is most susceptible to an over accumulation of the previous season's dosha. The twice annual cleanses help to rebalance the energy while preparing the body for the upcoming season's temperature, weather and predominant element. (You can learn more about the doshas, seasons, and elements in the Ayurveda Knowledgebase.)
The timing of the cleanses is very important. For example, the transition from winter to spring is a time when the body has excess Kapha usually in the form of fat, mucus, phelgm and congestion. The body has been in a slow, energy conservation mode for several months. If the excess fat is not forced to 'shed', the body will adapt and continue to store fat which dramatically restricts the movement of lymph, blood and nutrients around the body. The fat layer is where all excess calories, undigested food particles, chemicals, toxins, glucose, unmetabolized hormones and more are collected for use in emergencies like famine or to insulate from the bitter cold. As the temperatures rise and the weather changes, the body realizes it doesn't need to hold on to the reserves and so it attempts to release the excess all at once causing hay fever, allergies, sinus issues, blood pressure and blood sugar challenges, stagnation and more. A cleanse prepares the body to open the channels and to metabolize the fat slowly allowing for the gentle purgation of the toxins without compromising the immune, cardiovascular or respiratory systems.
Highlights & Benefits:
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Detoxifies the liver and purifies the blood
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Opens the lymph channels and capillaries to release toxic sludge and encourage lymph (waste) drainage
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Detoxifies the deep layers of the adipose tissue (fat layer) to remove heavy metals, toxins, unmetabolized hormones, chemicals and more
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Encourages bile production and improves gallbladder function
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Improves the uptake of vitamins and minerals
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Returns the blood to an alkaline pH of ~7.4
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Lowers heart rate, blood pressure, stress and often cholesterol
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Resets the endocrine system - the master controller of hormones, neurotransmitters and other biochemicals
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Starves the 'bad bacteria and parasites' in the GI and introduces the appropriate microbes for the upcoming season so the 'good bacteria' can proliferate
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Repairs the tissues and lining of the gut, GI and colon to reduce 'leaky gut' syndrome
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Reduces inflammation and acidity in the body
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Improves sleep, mood, digestion and emotional regulation
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Creates a dedicated time to tune in to how you feel
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Helps with insulin regulation and resets blood sugar
Supportive Practices & Content
An Elimination Diet: What's the Purpose?
The goal of any cleanse is to give the liver, kidneys and GI a rest and to detox the organs. To accomplish this, we must reduce any substances that can cause inflammation which includes certain types of foods, chemicals, and beverages. (For the complete list of foods and substances we eliminate, please refer to the Document Library.) It's not unusual for people to have an unknown mild intolerance, sensitivity or allergy to a particular food that becomes very apparent after the cleanse. The foods and substances on the list are the most common offenders that cause issues for liver and gut, but many also are contributors to endocrine disruption as well.
Below is a simplified explanation of why we eliminate the particular food and what we aim to achieve in doing so.
Nightshades
Decrease inflammation & acidity
Nightshades contain alkaloids that have been linked to increased inflammation and lectin that can be challenging to digest if not soaked & cooked.
Caffeine
Reset cortisol & improve sleep
Caffeine increases the production of adrenal hormones including cortisol and blocks adenosine receptors signaling the body's need for sleep. It is also a diuretic which means it increases the need to urinate often depleting the body of minerals needed to reduce acidity and raise blood pH. Lastly, some people have been relying on coffee in particular to stimulate a bowel movement.
Refined Sugar
Reset insulin & reduce acidity
Refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup and sugar alcohols have been linked to increased insulin production as the body tries to regulate blood sugar. Regular sugar consumption can lead to insulin resistance, a condition in which the body becomes desensitized to the balancing effect of insulin and no longer responds. Additionally, sugar is highly acidic and requires minerals to neutralize which depletes the calcium from the thyroid, bones, teeth and hair.
Nuts
Reset lectin & reduce oxalates
Most nuts contain phyto acid lectin, a protein that sticks to the gut lining and has been shown to increase insulin resistance. They also have been shown to decrease the absorption of minerals if not soaked.
Dairy Products
Reduce mucus & reset growth hormones
Dairy is often a major contributor to mucus and phlegm buildup which slows down metabolism. It also contains aflatoxin which impairs liver and immune system function. Additionally, cows are often given bovine growth hormones to prolong & increase milk production which has been linked to various types of cancer and accelerated human growth & maturity.
Fish & Seafood
Reduce heavy metal & parasite exposure
Certain types of fish have been found to contain trace amounts of cadmium, mercury, zinc and lead which can be problematic for humans. The cleanse is designed to help the body release and remove heavy metals from the fat, so introducing some from seafood consumption would be counterproductive. Additionally, seafood has been linked to parasites when undercooked or consumed raw.
Alcohol
Reset estrogen
Alcohol increases estrogen production, increases inflammation and interrupts sleep. It is also a highly addictive neurotoxin associated with cognitive decline and liver toxicity.
Wheat
Reset thyroid & insulin
Many people have a gluten sensitivity they aren't aware of which causes indigestion, inflammation and brain fog. It is also linked to insulin resistance and much of American wheat has been treated with glyphosate, a known carcinogen. Additionally, there is a strong link between gluten and autoimmune thyroid disease.
Meat
Reset estrogen & reduce acidity
Most meat contains hormones, antibiotics and a variety of chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system and change the gut microbiome. It also increases acidity.
Fruit
Reset leptin
Leptin is the hormone that signals the body is satiated, or full. It regulates hunger and helps the body maintain a balance between hunger and energy usage thereby promoting the optimal weight. Leptin resistance is directly linked to obesity. Fruit has been shown to increase leptin sensitivity thereby increasing the risk of future resistance.