Got Ama (toxins)?
You may be wondering what the heck is Ama? Well you know when you are feeling heavy, experience low energy, have mental fog, chronic headaches, poor digestion, uncontrolled cravings and your immune system seems to be on the fritz? If you experience one or many of these symptoms then you Got Ama.
According to Ayurveda Ama is toxic sludge that accumulates in our digestive track. It consists of undigested food and emotions that accumulate when we are making poor food choices, stressed-out, quit exercising and forget to drink water. Ama also accumulates due to natural seasonal energies. I know it sounds gross and it kinda is. Don’t worry you are not alone. We all experience varying levels of Ama, especially this time of year. Over the Winter the heavy Kapha (earth and water) energy builds in our system and can create Ama. The good news is as Spring approaches the energy is perfect to cleanse Ama out of our bodies.
The changing of the clocks is the first signal that Spring is on the way. With the longer days comes a desire to open the windows, get outside, breath fresh air and renew ourselves. But this can be difficult if we are weighted down by the heavy energy that has accumulated during the Winter months. During seasonal transitions we celebrate the wondrous changes in nature. In the Spring the happy songs of the birds and the arrival of our favorite flowers bring us simple joys.
According to Ayurveda, the transition between seasons is an important time for removing Ama. The transition from winter to spring gives us this opportunity to rejuvenate and revitalize from the inside out. Just as we spring clean our homes, we also need to spring clean our body, especially our digestive system. Ayurveda cleansing allows us to harness the “new growth” energy of Spring to remove accumulated Ama (toxins) from the physical, metal and emotional bodies and restore health to our whole being. Through proper cleansing we experience increased energy, eliminate cravings and feel lighter in body, mind and Spirit.
Simple at Home Cleanse
Eat Clean. Spend 1 – 3 days eating fresh, organic whole foods. Eliminate all animal products, processed foods, sugar, gluten, caffeine and alcohol. Eat plenty of leafy greens (need ideas download my Eat Green ebook), drink plenty of water, green smoothies, fresh juices and warm ginger tea. Load up on fresh fruits and veggies, whole (non-gluten grains) and lentils.
Take a Media Cleanse. If stress and overwhelm are part or your accumulated toxins give yourself a break from TV, texting, emails and social media. Consider observing a media free cleanse from 7 pm – 7 am.
Rest Well. Honor your bodies need to rest and recovery. With the TV turned off take an evening bath, sip herbal tea, read some light material and have yourself in bed by 10 pm and rise by 6 am.
Taking a few days to simplify your diet and lifestyle will recharge your digestive fire, leave you feeling energized and lighter in body and spirit.
Enjoy,
Kate
If you are interested in diving deeper into Spring cleansing check out the links below.
Laughing Buddha Yoga Studio Spring Cleanse – For local yogis and anyone looking to learn the basics of at home cleansing. We will do a little yoga, talk cleansing and make and enjoy green smoothies. For more information click here.
Clean and Clear Special – I have 6 spots left in my personal cleansing package at the special Spring rate of $125. For more click here.
Yogidetox with Cate Stillman– For yogis looking to go deeper into Ayurveda cleansing check out Cate Stillman’s Yogidetox. It’s fantastic and deep!