One Day DIY Reset
- Living Into Balance
- Mar 26
- 4 min read
Spring has sprung and our bodymind is making its transition from the cold wet to the warm wet. We're adapting to more light and more water as the snows melt.
Your body might be feeling a little heavy or sluggish now. This is a call to eat a little less, and to eat a diet that's easier to digest, like simple soups.
The cold temperatures suggest that soups and stews are better choices than raw food and salads right now. We'll be able to add more raw in as temperatures rise mid Spring.
Now is a good time to pay attention to your appetite, and notice when you feel hungry in the morning, and what you feel hungry for. Get into rhythm with easy to digest meals at regular times. Close the kitchen after supper, and give your body a fast through the evening and night to support digestive function and repair.
It's also a good time to check in with your stress management. How is Life feeling at this time? Do you have enough support? What can you do to bring in more (check in with a friend; make an appointment with your therapist; go to a favorite dance class; visit a special place in Nature regularly, pray, volunteer, journal).
I'm supporting my community in a digestive reset in April, to help the bodymind's transition and to support robust digestion as we move into Spring.
This is certainly something you can do for yourself at home, and to help with that, what follows is a simple protocol you can use for a DIY home reset. For more support, do this with a friend or partner! Or join my spring Reset
A one day Reset is perfect for anytime you're wanting to reestablish equilibrium in your bodymind, not just at the change of seasons. For example, after travel, over-indulgence, or anytime you're feeling a little off-rhythm.
The Spring and Fall transitions, when the temperatures are more moderate, are the best times to undertake a longer period of mild purification and nourishment--to release the excess of the previous season and nourish your good routines for strong health moving forward (and to prevent some of the seasonal maladies that arise when digestion is sluggish like colds and allergies).
Pick a day to Reset when your schedule is on the lighter side. 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.
This one day protocol can be extended for up to 3 days if you have the time and space for it.
1 Day Digestive Reset
Here's what you'll need to gather for your Reset (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 (bitter greens, daikon radish, beets, celery and carrots are especially good)
ghee (can buy pre-made or make your own with 1 lb unsalted butter—see recipe below)
turmeric
cumin seeds
black mustard seeds
fennel seeds
Organic Body Oil (sesame or almond are good choices now)
Triphala powder or capsules
Tongue Scraper ( can use a metal tablespoon)
Optional Ingredients/Practices:
Loofah sponge for dry skin brushing
Epsom salts for a bath
Schedule a Massage
Time in a sauna or steam
Neti pot and non-iodized salt for nasal irrigation
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.
The night before your reset day, soak the beans and rice or quinoa. In the morning, drain and rinse well before cooking.
What you'll be eating
2 - 3 meals of kitchari eaten at regular times with your largest meal mid day. An additional serving if you're still hungry.
Kitchari recipe
Morning Routine during Reset
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).
Rinse your eyes with cool water 3 – 7 times
Drink 8 – 16 oz of room temperature to hot water
Eliminate when called.
Start kitchari cooking in your crock pot, insta pot, or stove top.
12 - 24 minutes Mind/Body Practice:
3 rounds gentle alternate nostril breathing + 6 - 12 minutes meditation/sit or lie with present moment awareness (no sleeping).
Walk outdoors (cover head, neck and feet).
Apply oil to your body, then sauna or steam or hot shower/bath (alternately apply a little oil to your skin while it is still moist after showering)
Eat breakfast.
If you're used to drinking caffeine every day, and haven’t weaned it out of your diet during the you can add 2 oz of that in the morning to relax your nervous system. I sometimes will have a cup of green tea.
For the rest of the day, do relaxing activities: light reading, lounging, pleasant walking, receive a massage.
Weather permitting, sit outdoors in the fresh air. Minimize time in front of the TV or computer.
Sip hot water or hot ginger root or mint tea throughout the day.
If you feel like it, enjoy a Late Afternoon Mind/Body Practice: gentle asana (yin, restorative), meditation, yoga nidrã
Evening Routine
Eat dinner by 6:00pm (no later than 7pm) and fast for the rest of the evening/overnight.
Consider a hot epsom salt bath before bed.
1/2 hour before bed take 1/2 – 1 t. triphala powder in warm water, or two capsules.
Go to bed by 10pm
OK, sweet friends, I am wishing you well as we move into the light of Spring.
If you have questions about this DIY Reset, feel free to be in touch. If you know someone who is looking for this kind of information, please pass this along. Thank you so much!
Love,
Shannon
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