Here is a very nurturing 1 day cleanse you can do at home. The foods are easy to digest and nourishing while also being gently detoxifying. For more support, do this with a friend or partner! Or join my fall cleanse.
A cleanse day is a day of rest and letting go for your body and your heart-mind. It’s a simple protocol to gently reset your digestion and calm your system overall. Pick a day to do this when your schedule is free. If you have young children, arrange for someone else to care for them for some part of the day. For extra care, schedule a massage. While I am offering this to you as a one-day cleanse, it is a protocol you can follow for up to 7 days (always check with your health-care provider if you have any pre-existing conditions, or concerns). If you are interested in doing the longer version, this is a protocol you can follow while continuing your normal activities, but I would suggest beginning this during a time when work is not super crazy, and perhaps having day one on a Friday to give yourself the weekend to relax (The first few days are the best to really “lay low” while your mind adjusts to what’s happening. While this is very good for the body, letting go of our comfort foods and addictions is challenging for the mind. I find it gets much easier after the first few days).
1 Day Self-Cleanse
Here is what you will need to gather for your cleanse (use organic ingredients whenever possible) – for exact amounts see the recipes below:
split or whole mung beans (split are preferable)
basmati rice
quinoa
organic vegetables (leafy greens and root vegetables are especially good)
ghee (can buy pre-made or make your own with 1 lb unsalted butter—see recipe below)
turmeric
coriander powder
cumin seeds
black mustard seeds
fennel seeds
Raw organic Coconut Oil (for body massage)
Triphala powder or capsules
Tongue Scraper ( can use a metal tablespoon)
Optional Ingredients/Practices:
Lofah sponge for dry skin brushing
Epsom salts for a bath
Schedule a Massage
Where to find your supplies:
You can find these foods, oil, triphala and tongue scraper at your local COOP or order all online at www.banyanbotanicals.com (Banyan has the split mung beans, which are easier to digest).
Epsom salts and Dry Brush at any drugstore.
Order or Gather all of your ingredients in time for you to begin. The night before, soak the beans and rice or quinoa separately. Then drain and rinse well before cooking.
The morning of your cleanse, when you awaken:
Brush your teeth and scrape your tongue from back to front 7 times. Rinse in between scraping (and no, brushing your tongue with your toothbrush won’t accomplish the same thing–if you don’t want to invest in a tongue scraper, you can use a metal tablespoon).
Drink 8 – 16 oz of room temperature to hot water
Rinse your eyes with cool water 3 – 7 times
Eliminate
30 – 60 minutes Mind/Body Practice: 10 minutes gentle alternate nostril breathing; 10 – 20 minutes meditation/sit quietly; 10 – 30 minutes gentle asana/walk
Apply coconut oil to your skin and shower and dress (alternately apply a little oil to your skin after showering)
Now you are ready for Breakfast (rice or quinoa porridge or kitchari).
After breakfast relax for a while and then prepare your day’s worth of kitchari. For the rest of the day, do relaxing activities: light reading, lounging, pleasant walking, receive a massage, Sit outdoors under a tree in the fresh air. Minimize time in front of the TV or computer. Instead, make art, write in your journal, sit or lie quietly, walk in the fresh air, take a steam sauna, visit with a friend, take an epsom salt bath.
Sip room temp to hot water between meals. You can also sip on some herbal tea with a little raw honey if you like it sweet. Otherwise don’t snack between meals.
Have lunch between 12 and 1pm (kitchari–your biggest meal of the day)
Late Afternoon Mind/Body Practice: gentle asana (yin, restorative), meditation
Eat dinner by 6:30pm (you guessed it—more kitchari)
1/2 hour before bed take 1/2 – 1 t. triphala powder in warm water, or two capsules.
Go to bed by 10pm
If you are used to drinking caffeine every day, and haven’t weaned it out of your diet during the pre-cleanse, you can add 2 oz of that in the morning to relax your nervous system. I sometimes will have a cup of green tea.
Recipes
Rice or Quinoa Porridge 1 cup basmati rice or quinoa 1⁄2 tablespoon ghee, coconut, or sesame oil (coconut or ghee is best for pitta) 1 pinch of cumin seeds 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt 2 cups of hot water (1 1/2 cups for quinoa)
Wash rice/quinoa thoroughly. Heat the ghee or oil over medium heat and sauté the cumin seeds for a few moments until the aroma starts to come out. Add the rice and mix well. Add the salt and hot water. Bring all this to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Turn down the heat to very low and cover. For stickier rice leave the lid ajar, for drier rice keep the lid on tight. Cook until the rice/quinoa is tender— about 15-20 minutes.
Kitchari (you will see this word spelled in many different ways; i.e.,kitchadi, kitcheree, kitchari) 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 cup white basmati rice (rinsed) 1 cup split yellow mung beans or whole mung beans (soaked overnight, drained and rinsed) 6 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1 -2 cups seasonal veggies 1 cup greens (collards, kale, chard) 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro lemon or lime wedges
Gather and measure all your ingredients and have them ready to use. Melt ghee or warm up oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the mustard, cumin seeds and turmeric. When the seeds start to pop, quickly (we don’t want the herbs to burn) add the rice and beans. Stir for about 1-2 minutes or until the rice just starts to smell toasted. Add all the water at once. Add the veggies (not the greens) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the chopped greens and cook an additional 15 minutes. Add the salt and serve warm with chopped cilantro, pinch of salt or Braggs Amino Acids, a lemon/lime wedge and a little ghee.
Ghee
1 pound unsalted butter
Preparation Put the butter in a heavy, medium-sized pan. Turn the heat on to medium until the butter melts. Turn down the heat until the butter just boils and continue to cook at this heat. Do not cover the pot. The butter will foam and sputter while it cooks. Whitish curds will begin to form on the bottom of the pot. The butter will begin to smell like popcorn after a while and turn a lovely golden color. Keep a close watch on the ghee, as it can easily burn. After a while it will become a clear, golden color. You will have to take a clean, dry spoon to move away some of the foam on top in order to see if the ghee is clear all the way through to the bottom. When it is clear and has stopped sputtering and making noise, then it needs to be taken off the heat. Let it cool until just warm. Pour it through a fine sieve or layers of cheesecloth into a clean, dry glass container with a tight lid. Discard the curds at the bottom of the saucepan. The ghee is burned if it has a nutty smell and is slightly brown.
1 pound of butter takes about 15 minutes of cooking time. The more butter you are using, the more time it will take.
Ghee can be kept on the kitchen shelf, covered. It does not need refrigeration. The medicinal properties are said to improve with age. Don’t ladle out the ghee with a wet spoon or allow any water to get into the container, as this will create conditions for bacteria to grow and spoil the ghee.
OK, sweet friends, I wish you well in your cleanse! Please reach out if you have any questions. You can schedule a free 20-minute strategy session with me by phone for more support. I would love to talk with you.
Love,
Shannon
P.S. If you’d like to join my fall cleanse, we’re beginning on September 23rd. Find out all about it here.