Prior to the pandemic, a friend confessed that she was headed to India to do a juice cleanse. She had a wedding in the family to attend, so staying at a naturopathic center for three weeks prior and doing a juice fast would help her lose weight. She informed me that several of her friends from the Middle East as well as Far East Asia make annual trips to these cleanse centers in India that advertise Lose 30 pounds in 3 weeks for both health and vanity reasons. “It’s like an Ayurvedic cleanse, you know, drinking fruit-veggie juices,” my friend added.
Juicing with raw veggies for 30 days isn’t Ayurvedic. Very often, people confuse naturopathic or other treatments for Ayurveda. This 5,000-year-old ancient wisdom from India—Ayurveda—teaches us that each person is unique and so are their requirements. It’s common sense that their path of restoring health should also be customized.
My friend mentioned above and her girlfriends, women in their 40s, all have hypothyroidism. See, Ayurveda will treat the same disease differently in each one of them. But they went to a center that put them on the same diet no matter their age, strength of the body, or health history. The weight loss is temporary from the lowered caloric intake, daily yoga practice, and no access to junk food. But 2 weeks of returning to their daily life, and the pounds creep back up.
A friend’s mother, who practices naturopathy, drinks several glasses of tomato juice every day. She is morbidly overweight, and the inflammation in her knees limits her mobility. She also suffers from hyperacidity and retains water easily. Now the extra salt in the juice multiple times a day is making her sicker. But in naturopathy, her doctor prescribed the treatment based on her disease. I cringe, but she gulps her tomato juice relentlessly.
Why the digestive fire matters in cleansing
Did you know that weak agni or digestive fire is the root cause of ama or toxins? You can drink the healthiest juice and eat the freshest foods, but if your agni is not working at par or impaired, your digestion gets compromised. Undigested food will turn to ama. Most cleanses do not correct or repair the agni of the individual, which is a vital first step of Ayurvedic detoxification.
Why cleansing is important in Ayurveda
Basically, spring is a great time to detoxify the body. Sure, juicing can be one way of doing so. But Ayurveda will remind you that detox juices and cleanses should be done according to your doshas or constitution, so there are no harmful effects on your body. And they should be done under the supervision of an experienced Ayurvedic practitioner or doctor.
Also, Ayurveda generally advises against mixing fruits and vegetables. Veggies need to be cooked or the digestive fire can get overwhelmed with time. Sure, in the short run over summer, Pitta and Kaphas will be able to tolerate juicing but not vatas. We will get to doshas and juicing in a minute.
The perils of mindless cleansing
A friend of mine, a high vata individual, drinks 4-5 single serve bottles of green juice every day (a blend of half a dozen green veggies and fruits). Now, Ayurveda would say a big NO to juice cleanse for this person. Juice cleanse increases the light, dry, rough, mobile and cold qualities of vata dosha. Ayurveda teaches us that like increases like. This friend can’t sit still, embrace quietude, or sleep well. All three signs point towards an imbalance in vata dosha. He has also developed dry skin and constipation … further proof that his vata is depleted and needs to be brought back to balance. Vatas don’t do well with raw foods.
What about water-fasting?
We know that it’s a NO for vata individuals. Now take the example of a person who is primarily Kapha Dosha or dealing with Kapha imbalance—late winter to early spring is considered Kapha season. Or think of a person who has ama. The imbalance could show up as weight gain, low agni, or congestion, or bloating or water retention, or low motivation and the need to “cling” to everything. Ayurveda might recommend a short water-fast for these individuals. But it’s not anything erratic. There is a smooth transition in and out of it the fast or cleanse.
I know of a Pitta person who fainted during a one-day water fast and got hurt. Ayurveda reminds us that water fasts can aggravate this dosha. But if you do a one-day mono fruit juice cleanse as a Pitta individual—sweet pomegranate works—it can be helpful. Overall, Ayurveda does not recommend cleansing for people who are depleted, elderly, sick, injured or suffering from trauma.
Ayurveda’s recommended cleanse
My teachers and doctors have always reiterated to avoid green juices. Some people feel thrilled that as soon as they drink the green fruit-veggie juice, there is a bowel movement. I can see why someone would assume that’s a cleanse. But Ayurveda will tell you that’s a sign of the juice irritating your gut and not being absorbed by the body. Over time, it can create a health issue.
In Ayurvedic medicine and philosophy of healing, mono-diet Kitchari cleanse is revered. It can last from 3-10 days and some people might take Triphala powder or tablets or drink Senna Tea or other Ayurvedic herbs to complement the process of detox … based on what they need after the Ayurvedic practitioner has done the assessment. Know that turmeric, fresh ginger, cilantro leaves, cumin seeds … they all detoxify the body.
Key benefits of a Kitchari cleanse:
- The recipe can be modified to fit all doshic balances and imbalances. For example, decrease the quantity of rice for a Kapha individual and add more warm spices. For a Pitta person, you can garnish kitchari with freshly grated coconut to lower heat.
- Kitchari cleanse isn’t about depravation—you get to eat as many times as you are hungry.
- Though seasonal transitions (spring and fall) are the best time to do the cleanse, kitchari cleanse can be performed any time of year. I do it after the holidays and even when I feel my agni needs a reset.
- There are planned phases, and the detox has a flow to it: prepare, cleanse, and rejuvenate.
Ayurveda is a living science that honors your age, your doshas, your geographic location, your agnibala (strength of digestive fire), your metabolism, your vikruti (doshic imbalances), your physical needs, and much more before recommending the best cleanse for you. That’s why it’s important to not follow cleanse trends or pop Ayurvedic herbs before talking to an Ayurvedic practitioner first.
“Because we cannot scrub our inner body we need to learn a few skills to help cleanse our tissues, organs, and mind. This is the art of Ayurveda.” ~ Sebastian Pole
Disclaimer: The content is purely informative and educational in nature and should not be construed as medical advice. The information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease. Please use the content only in consultation with an appropriate certified medical or healthcare professional.
