Your At-Home Winter Retreat

Image via Wikipedia

During cold weather we crave more foods and tend to get less exercise and sunlight. That increases weight, lethargy, moodiness, and toxins. During early winter months, deep cleansing prepares the way for rejuvenation treatments by increasing our absorption of dietary nutrients and seasonal health tonics. It is very beneficial to our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing to regularly cleanse impurities to boost vitality, optimism, and immunity to illness.

Before cold weather sets in, deep cleanse (panchakarma) with Part One. It takes four days but can be modified to suit your time and energy needs. Most people, including very busy and active or weak, elderly, and sick people, can follow it. The aim is not to achieve a healing crisis but gentle cleansing. If you are pregnant, consult your health specialist. Part One can be modified and done one day a week for healthy weight loss and prevention/treatment of many illnesses such as heart failure, hypertension, gout, fibroids, or asthma. Cleansing herbs such as Trifala can be used daily. Panchakarma cannot be done during menstruation: The best time for women to start it is right after a menstruation, since the body already went through a natural cleansing.

Part Two stresses vitality-building herbs that ease tensions and increase fertility, emotional balance, and immune strength. Late winter is a good time to nourish the blood, bone marrow, nervous system, and sexual vitality with herbs such as Shilajit, ashwagandha, shatavari, and Saraswati churna. The benefits will show with radiant skin and strong hair and nails. Winter is the best season for taking Rasayanas (tonic herbs.)

Image via Wikipedia

Turmeric Powder is anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and helps prevent cancer and arthritic pain. Add 1/4 tsp. to tea or yogurt daily.

An Ayurvedic Winter Retreat: Part One

Day One

Upon rising, drink hot water adding 1 drop of Australian tea tree oil to a cup. It is antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal. It refreshes the senses and kills yeast. Take 3 capsules of Trifala Guggul for internal cleansing.

Before breakfast walk outside, breathe slowly and deeply for 15 minutes; stretch, if possible do a salute to the sun

At least one hour before or after eating: Inhale steam: 8 oz of water adding 5 drops essential oil of eucalyptus to help loosen and eliminate phlegm.

During the day, eat lightly: Bitter, steamed greens such as drumsticks, spinach, amaranth, bitter gourd, green banana, fenugreek leaves (methi). Mint leaves provide fiber and nutrition. Add digestive spices like black pepper, cumin, coriander, ginger, asafoetida and mustard seeds to help elimination of abdominal bloating.

After dinner, take 3 capsules of Trifala Guggul

Have a warm cup of milk adding ¼ tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp. of ghee.

For people who do not tolerate dairy products, add 1 tsp. amla powder to an 8oz. glass of water.

Days Two and Three

Continue as for Day One. Add another cup of milk, turmeric and ghee or amla water during the afternoon or evening. Allow time for its laxative action to take effect.

Add self massage using one of the following oils:

·      An Anti-stress oil that contains sesame oil and ashwagansha: For slender, nervous, people over age 40 who have aches, arthritis, chills, weakness, and/or depression. Massage lightly from head to feet, allow 15 minutes to relax then take a relaxing warm bath.

·      A cooling oil that contains olive oil and oregano: For people with hypertension, anger/frustration fits, anxiety, fevers, thinning hair, inflamed skin rashes, hemorrhoids, or inflammatory arthritis. Massage shoulders, back, legs and feet. Allow 15 minutes then take a tepid shower to remove the oil.

·      A stimulating oil that contains corn oil and rosemary: For overweight people with edema (water retention). Massage shoulders, stomach, legs and feet for 5 minutes then take a shower alternating warm and cool water.

Day Four

Continue with tea and herbs as before. Rest in bed. Do no work. Add laxative foods such as black grapes, black cherries, dried apricots or prunes. Drink one of the following purgative drinks and allow time for it to work.

·      1 glass of unfiltered apple juice adding 1 tsp olive oil

·      1 quart of warm water adding 1/8 tsp Epsom salts (magnesium salts)

·      1 glass of water adding 1 tsp tamarind paste

If possible, continue with Part One until you feel purified, not weak. Allow yourself quiet time to benefit from cleansing body, mind and spirit.

An Ayurvedic Winter Retreat Part Two

Part Two builds immunity by taking advantage of colder weather and shorter days: Get more rest, tone digestion and vitality, and eat well. Foods that nourish and balance the body in winter have sweet, sour and salty tastes. It’s best to eat less draining astringent, bitter and pungent foods in winter. Warm, home-cooked, nourishing vegetable soups and stews, nuts and seeds, oils and sweet fruits are ideal. Avoid junk foods, deep-fried foods or any oil heated to smoking. Use ghee or olive oil. Avoid cold or ice-cold foods that douse digestive fire and decrease immunity. Add 1 tsp amla powder to a glass of water after dinner to tone digestion and eliminate impurities.

Working at night, eating at irregular times, and exposing yourself to stress, fatigue, too much talking, and sleeping during the day harm digestion and body rhythms and compromise the immune system. At least two hours after dinner, before 10PM, apply for 15 minutes Himalaya Anti-stress massage oil, containing ashwagandha, bala, and guduchi for backache, fatigue, insomnia and anxiety. Take a warm bath and go to bed with a good book or movie. To improve memory and rejuvenate the nervous system, take an herbal powder named for the Hindu goddess of wisdom Saraswati. Add ¼ tsp of Saraswati churna, a combination of ginger, pepper, pippli, and calamus root, to a cup of water or warm milk. Drink this in the evening and you will awaken refreshed. During winter when nature is at rest, give yourself nourishment and sleep.

Warming Diet

Increase fresh and dried sweet fruits and cooked green, yellow and orange vegetables; nuts and seeds; grains like quinoa and amaranth adding nuts, spices, Tibetan goji berries, and oil; soups and digestive spices like black pepper, cumin, turmeric, asafoetida, garlic, onion, mustard; Trifala, and a calming tea such as Vata tea made by GoodCare. Fruits rich in Vitamin C like amla, ripe orange, lemon, and tangerine help reduce toxins.

Prevent Illness and Depression Daily

·      Gargle with a warm decoction of Trifala with (optional) a pinch of salt to prevent throat infections.

·      Wear warm clothes made of natural fibers. Don’t forget your scarf.

·      Keep bowels clean; evacuate at least once daily

·      Do at least 60 minutes of physical exercise to support heart circulation

·      Apply oil to feet and hands then dip them in warm salt water for 10 minutes to reduce numbness.

·      Inhale steam adding essential oils eucalyptus, tulsi (holy basil), lemon grass, or mint to prevent nasal congestion.

·      Drink at least 2 liters of fresh warm water to prevent dehydration and flush toxins.

·      Apply pure essential lavender oil to a damp paper towel to cleanse face, underarms and chest to prevent depression.

·      Thyme essential oil is antiviral and antibacterial. Use a few drops in an oil diffuser or add it to milk then to your bath. Note: Do not use thyme oil if you are pregnant or have high blood pressure.

·      For aching, creaky joints take Yograj Guggul pills by Baidyanath.

Letha Hadady is the author of Asian Health Secret: The Complete Guide to Asian Herbal Medicine and natural health columnist for New Living magazine in New York and Heal India magazine in India. Her website is www.asianhealthsecrets.com