While the Western world has often taken a cynical view towards detoxification as a method of healing the body, an ancient medicinal art from India called Ayurveda has been prescribing detoxification and internal cleansing for thousands of years. They especially recommend it during the spring time, so your body can take part in the rebirth of nature.
Ayurveda believes in maintaining balance within the body. To achieve balance, one should not create a new imbalance in order to fix it. Therefore, internal cleansing should be quick so that impurities embedded in the tissues can be released without compromising or disturbing the quality and the functions of other organs and tissues in other parts of the body. Internal cleansing can be achieved alone or with a supervisor to guide you as you go through the fast. Performing a self-detox is not highly recommended, because the nature of the toxins in your body may be harder to release than you can imagine. Once the toxins manifest themselves in the form of fevers and body pain, you may need additional support to get through the cleansing process.
Ayurveda believes in three kinds of toxins that the act the body's defense systems. The first is the toxin of incomplete indigestion. This is usually caused by eating foods that are not in sync with your body type, or by eating too little or too much, or by going to sleep with a full stomach. Incomplete indigestion also results from eating processed foods, fermented dishes, or leftover meals from the day before. They believe that the root cause is a weak or irregular digestive fire. If this toxin is allowed to continually build up, it will disrupt the flow of nutrients to the body, as well as impede the natural bowel movements. However, the digestive system can burn off this toxin with the aid of herbal supplements and by drinking a lot of water.
The second kind of toxin is a more reactive form of indigestion that is more dangerous and needs to be dealt with differently than the first toxin. This is the toxin they ascribe as the source of artherosclerosis and strokes. The last type of toxin is the kind that comes from the environment, such as heavy metals, pollution, synthetics and preservatives. They ascribe this as the root cause of painful diseases such as multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia.
The aim of Ayurvedic medicine is to correct the imbalance in the body. It uses the body's own natural systems (liver, kidneys, sweat glands, lungs, etc.) to flesh out these toxins. Their methods are never forceful or painful, but are simply supportive of our own organs. The danger in focusing on only one organ for cleansing such as the colon is the imbalance it brings to the rest of the organs. Some of the treatments recommended for detox are drinking herbal teas made of fennel and coriander seed. These herbs lubricate and flushes out the toxins found in the bowels and urinary system. They are even more powerful when supported by a prescribed Ayurvedic diet rich in vegetables and organic foods.
The process follows three distinct stages: the preparation of the body, at the actual cleansing and the follow-up therapies after the detox. And because the Ayurvedic approach is holistic, Ayurvedic detoxification continues to work even after the detox is done.
