Intestinal cleansing in Ayurveda

Our intestines work hard every day, so a healthy intestinal flora is essential for the entire organism. To ensure that harmful bacteria and the like can be completely eliminated, an occasional cleansing of the intestines is highly recommended. You can find out why such a bowel detox is important and how you can carry out an Ayurvedic bowel cleanse at home here.

Why is a colon cleanse useful?

A full 80 percent of the immune system is controlled by our intestines. Conversely, this means that if the intestine is not doing well, this will sooner or later manifest itself in a physical reaction. Possible reactions are:

• Headache
• Fatigue and poor sleep
• Digestive problems
• Stomach inflammations
• Skin blemishes or diseases
• Cardiovascular problems

Even anxiety and depression can be caused by intestinal problems. The cause of these problems lies primarily in the inner wall of the large intestine. Bacteria or metabolic residues, also known as ama in Ayurveda, can become lodged in its coils and bulges. The more of these "blockages" accumulate, the more difficult it becomes for the intestines to keep your body healthy.

But even if you are not experiencing any acute health complaints, an intestinal detox is certainly not pointless. This is because intestinal cleansing and colon rehabilitation allows the intestinal wall to regenerate. You will see: Once the intestinal cleansing is complete, you will feel much lighter and have more energy again. No wonder - after all, Agni, your digestive fire, can now do its work undisturbed again!

At this point, it is important to differentiate between the terms bowel cleansing and colon cleansing. A colon cleanse is a rather short-term process that you can carry out at home with just a few products. The aim is to detoxify the large intestine, as the small intestine can cleanse itself comparatively quickly.

With intestinal cleansing, on the other hand, you apply several different measures in combination and undergo a course of treatment that can last several weeks or even months. This may be necessary if the intestines are particularly weakened and the symptoms are clearly noticeable. However, we want to assume here that you simply want to do something good for your digestive organs and therefore carry out a bowel cleanse.

Instructions: Ayurvedic colon cleansing at home

There are various ways in which Ayurveda can help to cleanse the intestines. One of these is the classic Ayurvedic fasting cure. This involves avoiding solid food as much as possible so that the intestines have to do as little work as possible and can regenerate better.

The second option is an active colon cleansing treatment, called Shankprakshalana in Ayurveda. Ideally, you will have the guidance of an Ayurveda expert, but you can of course also do this on your own at home.

Intestinal detoxification: the cure with yoga and massages

Essentially, the Ayurvedic detoxification cure consists of two elements: Yoga and water with Epsom salt. You alternate between drinking a glass of salty water and doing a series of yoga exercises to stimulate digestion.

 

This works with all asanas in which you twist your core.

An example is the following exercise:

- Sit cross-legged with your back upright.
- Place your hands loosely on your knees and come into the pose.
- Now place the fingertips of your left hand on the floor slightly behind your body and place your right hand on your left knee.
- Now turn to the left so that you can look back over your left shoulder.
- Stay in this position for a short time and repeat the movement on the other side.

If you always alternate between drinking some of the Epsom salt water and doing the asanas, the salty liquid can pass completely through the intestines. Always go to the toilet after an exercise cycle and repeat these processes as often as you feel comfortable.

You can also stimulate the digestive tract by massaging the abdominal area. This tactic works best if you do it in the morning and evening for about 10 minutes. Lie on your back and bend your knees slightly so that your stomach can be completely relaxed. Now you can massage around your belly button with the fingers of one hand, applying gentle clockwise pressure.

Cleanse the bowel through the right diet

Apart from the active exercises that you can do to detoxify your colon, your diet also plays a major role in cleansing your colon. Make sure you eat as alkaline as possible and eat lots of vegetables and pulses. Alkalizing foods are for example

• Apples
• Pears
• Rocket
• Endive lettuce
• Broccoli
• Almonds
• Mushrooms
• Vegetable juices
• Green tea
• Amalaki

In general, bitter substances are a smart choice for colon cleansing. You can therefore combine bitter vegetables in particular to your heart's content! Also take the spice Triphala every evening by dissolving 1 teaspoon of the powder in a cup of warm water and drinking the mixture slowly before going to bed. Triphala has the effect of eliminating toxins from the gastrointestinal tract, thereby helping you to cleanse your bowels.

In the morning, you can drink a glass of warm water with a little lemon juice, honey and ginger as soon as you get up. The combination of these ingredients stimulates the metabolism. By the way: your bowels will also be happy in the long term if you get into the habit of doing this ritual every day!

Psyllium husks and Epsom salts as laxatives

They are the undisputed front-runners when it comes to colon cleansing: psyllium husks and Epsom salts may not be to everyone's taste, but they are very effective in cleansing the intestines.

Bowel cleansing with psyllium

 

Ground psyllium husks contain many substances that aid digestion. When ingested with water, they swell in the intestine and soften deposits on the intestinal wall. They also have the effect of increasing the volume of chewed food. This stimulates intestinal activity and the deposits can be excreted more quickly.
You should consume a maximum of 40g of psyllium per day. It is best to drink the mixture one hour before or two hours after a meal.
Simply pour water over a small amount of the psyllium husk powder and drink the glass as quickly as possible.
Even though Ayurveda generally advocates eating and drinking consciously and slowly, psyllium swells very quickly and is difficult to drink.

Intestinal cleansing with Epsom salts or Glauber's salt

Epsom salt binds water in the intestine, so that the stool becomes softer and the volume of the intestinal contents increases. In this case, too, the activity of the intestines is stimulated; the effect sets in after about 1-3 hours.

There is no universal amount of how much Epsom salt you should take - just try it out to see if you need 1 tablespoon or a little more. Dissolve the Epsom salt in a glass of warm water and drink the mixture. Immediately afterwards, it is best to drink plenty of still water or unsweetened herbal tea, as the salt removes water from your body.

Colon cleansing with Glauber's salt works in a similar way to Epsom salt. Up to four teaspoons of the magnesium sulphate can be dissolved in lukewarm water. Once everything has dissolved, the mixture can be drunk slowly and in sips.

Bowel cleansing with healing clay and castor oil

Cleansing the intestines with the help of mineral-rich healing clay is a process that also comes from Ayurveda. Three times a day, 1 teaspoon of healing clay can be dissolved in lukewarm water and drunk throughout the day. Castor oil is also known in this country for its laxative effect. You should make sure that you do not take more than two tablespoons.

Side effects: First worsening possible?

A colon cleanse of any kind always means a certain change for your body. This can lead to so-called detoxification crises. The emphasis is on can - it can also happen that you don't notice any major side effects. Possible side effects are basically

• Headaches and lack of energy
• Skin impurities
• Constipation
• Bad breath
• increased perspiration

However, it is virtually impossible to predict certain side effects for a detoxification pathway. After all, everyone has different physical conditions. As with Ayurveda in general, the same applies to colon cleansing: Your body reacts in its own unique way, precisely because it is a unique system.

What is important when cleansing the bowel?

First things first: it's best to take plenty of time for a colon cleanse. Firstly, it can take hours or days for the activity in the bowel to become noticeable and secondly, you may have less energy during this phase and need more rest breaks.

It is also important that you drink plenty of fluids so that the deposits in the bowel are flushed out and you retain enough fluid in your body at the same time. Ideally, you should drink 2-3 liters of warm water per day or more if you are doing a colon cleansing with Epsom salts, for example.

The third major factor is diet. Light food is the most easily digestible and therefore particularly suitable for colon cleansing. It puts the least strain on the intestines. Forms of exercise such as asanas from hatha yoga or abdominal massages can also help.

Ideally, an intestinal detox is part of a holistic lifestyle. This means that you focus both your diet and exercise on what is good for your body and mind. It also means continuing to pay attention to these two aspects after the cleansing cure, for example by regularly taking a fasting day. As you can see, a colon cleanse doesn't have to be complicated and yet it can achieve a lot!

Daily planning for a colon cleanse in Ayurveda

The colon cleansing should be carried out on a day when you can take time for yourself and are not exposed to any additional stress. You should refrain from eating a heavy meal the day before and only eat soup from the afternoon onwards.

Important: You should avoid any kind of stress between the individual program points! We wish you every success with the colon cleansing program.

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