I'm off to Madrid in two days and I'm going to enjoy my vacation thoroughly: art, music, people watching, architecture, history, and, of course, food. To prepare for my indulgences I'm currently on a five-day Ayurvedic cleanse. Yoga is one small part of a whole system called Ayurveda, a powerful health system that originated in India 3000 years ago.According to Ayurveda, most health problems originate with poor digestion and lymphatic drainage. What does that mean? It basically means we get sick when our body's natural cleansing systems aren't doing a good job.One of my teachers at Kripalu, Dr. Douillard, says processed food, toxic chemicals in our environment, and eating in the wrong way and at the wrong times of day clog our system and our bodies can't do what they would naturally do. Tell-tale signs that you are not digesting well are weight gain, bloating, gas, constipation, loose stool, fatigue or slight nausea after meals, and getting sick frequently. If you have any of these symptoms, you should make a conscious effort to cleanse your body seasonally.I learned a lot about the lymphatic system, digestion, and cleansing in my studies on Ayurveda during my 300-Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. One big surprise for me was to learn that how you eat is even more important than what and when you eat!Our bodies can't digest food if we are not in a parasympathetic nervous state. That means we should be very relaxed, seated, and chewing well. If we are driving, watching an action movie, working at our computer and eating a quick lunch between tasks, engaging in an intense conversation, or scolding our kids, we aren't digesting well.Digestion is strongest between 10am and 2pm during the day and 10pm and 2am at night. Our largest meals should be eaten between 10am and 2pm, when digestion is strong. Our body naturally cleanses between 10pm and 2am when we are sleeping, so eating late in the day is not suggested. In fact, it is best not to eat much after 2pm in the afternoon. Perhaps a light salad or cup of soup.While cleansing, I start my day with four teaspoons of melted ghee (clarified butter) around 9:30am. I eat a bowl of Kitchari (mung beans and rice), some greens, and a bit of fresh fruit three times daily at the prescribed hours of 10am (medium size bowl), 1pm (large bowl), and 5pm (very small bowl). At each meal, I take capsules full of turmeric, black pepper, fennel, cumin, coriander, cardamom, and ginger, all which aid digestion and lymphatic drainage. Use a lot of these in your diet! Fresh is best, if you can. I sip warm water during the entire day and drink my body's weight in fluid ounces daily. I eat my Kitchari sitting down with no distractions.Specific yoga poses aid in digestion, lymphatic flow, cleansing, and elimination. Twists of all sorts, squats, and forward folds are the most useful.[nemus_slider id="49830"]

NOTE: All yoga practice should be done on an empty stomach before a meal. The best time to do yoga is before 10am.

After a good cleanse, our digestive system resets itself. Cravings lessen if not disappear. We naturally eat less and healthier food even after cleansing. I feel light and ready to take flight. Off to Madrid! 

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