Preparing for Spring Renewal

During the renewal program you’ll adopt a whole-food vegetarian diet, practice yoga, and make lifestyle changes that will help you eliminate metabolic and psychological wastes, establish yourself in a healthy daily rhythm, and “jump-start” your process of self-healing and determination. While these changes are not difficult, they may require some temporary adjustments in your life.

To make the transition easier, the team at Doctor Blossom recommends the following:

Reduce your caffeine intake. In the weeks and days before you begin, cut back on the caffeine. If you drink two or more cups of coffee every day, for example, ease back to just one, and then switch to half-caf, then decaf, mate, or black tea. If you are a light coffee drinker, switch to green tea and then to herbal teas. The goal is to only drink the herbal tea during the cleanse and we recommend our digestive tea in particular.

Tell your family and friends. During the cleanse week, you’ll eat specific meals; make time each day for asana, meditation, and other practices; and generally slow things down. Let the people in your life know about your plans beforehand so they can support you. Who knows? You may even convince a buddy or two to join you.

Cut your schedule back. A major reason to do a renewal program is to reduce the amount of stress in your life. So, before the big day, look at your schedule and see where you can make some space. Cut out all non-essential commitments, which may mean saying “no” to some activities. Remember, you only have to shift things for a week but by doing so you’ll be getting the most out of your cleanse.

Stock your kitchen and get cookin’. Make sure you have everything you need to prepare the kitchari, potassium broth, and chutney in advance. You might even try making one batch of kitchari and chutney before the cleanse starts so that you’re ready when the time comes. To make things easy for you, we’ve prepared a shopping list so you know exactly what to buy and how much.

Adjust your sleep schedule. During the cleanse, try to get to sleep by 10 p.m. and wake up between 6 and 6:30 a.m. This schedule supports optimal liver function, provides ample rest, and will give you enough time to do some yoga and meditation before you start your day.

Set your intentions. This is a great opportunity to reflect on your life and how an ayurvedic cleanse might support you in realizing your goals and aspirations. Take time to define and refine your intentions for doing the cleanse. They will catalyze powerful energies of resolve and commitment within you.