As the last of the warm days pass us by, the need to cozy up and get earthy seems natural, and our body is ready to cleanse and release. It is the perfect time to lean into some self-care with detoxifying in mind. Why many may think of juice cleansing and crisp salads, this season of detox is focused on deeply nourishing and releasing of things that no longer serve you - inflammation that may be stored up in your body from the hot summer, too many cold margs at the pool, and general adrenal fatigue.

In Ayurvedic medicine this season is a time for body and diet cleansing. Kitchari is an easy to digest porridge eaten for all meals. It gives your digestive system a time to rest and release the toxins built up in our system. It also acts as a hard reset for those of us who have fallen off the whole foods lifestyle from time to time. As someone with gut sensitivities, I find five to seven days of kitchari to be nourishing and rebalancing in every way. During the reset, the practice of Abhyanga helps activate externally what is happening internally.

In an Abhyanga herbal oil massage, a healer blends oils and herbs for your specific needs and uses massage and penetrating heat to release built-up toxins. Adding this practice to your routine will truly give you a full body detox from the inside out.

In the honor of detoxing the body and rooting down for the cooler months, time journaling and letting go are key. There are so many tools to help guide a brain reboot practice.

speaking into voice memos with a 5 minute timer
guided journals with question prompts
morning pages
gratitude writing

Find what works for you for the season that you are in, and say yes to these seasons of life change. What may have been emotionally releasing for you last year might just not cut it now. There are times we need a little guidance to keep from distraction and that is okay, as long as the things weighing on our head and heart get out.

Let’s start from the top: FULL BODY DETOX

Head: A purifying hair and scalp treatment relieves the dryness, exfoliates, and regenerates the skin. A rice wax is a natural, delicate, scrub that cleanses as well as stimulates the microcirculation in the scalp. Such deeply nourishing treatments generally happen in a spa setting, but there are great at home options as well. Try the G.Tox Himalayan Salt Scalp Scrub from Goop.

Mouth: Oil pulling…we talk about digestion starting in the mouth a lot around here. Tongue scraping and oil pulling daily are fast and easy beginnings for full release and digestion.

Gut: A morning jump start with warm lemon water is another routine that has stood the test of time, and this past year I put this into practice. Let me tell you, a few things happened: one, my need to start pounding the morning coffee subsided, and two, my insides were gently warmed up for the day, making digestion smooth and easy. It was like a deep breath for your insides.

Body: Full skin masking with Spirulite Active Charbon pulls impurities, excess sebum, and toxins from the surface of the skin. It is a great option for the shower lovers out there. Body detoxing is enhanced by dry brushing practices when the lymphatic system allows.

Home: Creating seasonal home energy cleansing rituals is crucial to maintaining balance. Taking time to verbally and physically move the air creates calm, peace, gratitude, energy, and contentment. Small acts such as speaking affirmations into the entrances of your space, to aligning your furniture in the art of feng shui, to lighting incense copal, sage, or pal santos to energies can restore your home’s atmosphere. Home release and reset will help create a sanctuary in these eventful seasons upon us. Our space is a respite, no matter how big or small.

Heart: While I wish there was an easily made potion for emotional detoxing, there isn’t. But along with cleansing our body and home, we can’t ignore the balance of our heart and soul. The tools of writing, therapy, reading, meditating and moving all help keep the flow going. During this time of detox, bring intentionality into truly letting go the thoughts that no longer serve you. Unnecessary dialogues that are on loop - write them down, burn them, flush them, let them go. Our book this issue is fitting: Letting Go: the Pathway to Surrender. Learning to read the internal cues we can trust, we can release needless mental chatter.