Bodhimed

I've decided to embark on a 4 week mega-cleanse.  It's so hot out anyway that I don't feel like cooking much at all. Even though Ayurveda doesn't advocate a totally raw diet, especially not for us Vata types, I've decided that in the heat of summer it might fly.

I've chosen the Ejuva cleanse because it is composed of some powerful Ayurvedic herbs and essential oils. I am an awful hungry person. I hate to be hungry. On the Ejuva cleanse, I can still eat, but it has to be raw and vegan. I can do that!  The testimonials I've heard from my friends about what they have seen purged out of their intestines convinced me to try it. I was really in the mood for a cleanse, and since I don't have the time or funds to do the full Pancha Karma, this seemed perfect. Pancha Karma refers to the traditional Ayurvedic cleansing and rejuvenation program. Ideally I would go down to Albuquerque to The Ayurvedic Institute to do Pancha Karma there. But with little kids, that's not an option these days.

So - day 1 is going well. Spent some serious cash at Whole Foods stocking up on raw nuts and fruit and veggies. Got home and started soaking the nuts to dissolve the enzyme inhibitors present in the skins, and had some ground pecans on an apple for breakfast. Green tea is ok on this program, but oh, how I missed my chai.  I made a puree of carrots and soaked macadamia nuts as a soup for dinner, along with a waldorf salad of apples, walnuts and celery. I was surprised that I wasn't hungry at all during the day.  I definitely noticed an increase in elimination even on the first day with the program's herbs.

When it comes to health and healing, I choose to put myself in situations that push the limits of the rational mind.  Growth comes from taking ourselves to the edge of our comfort zone, both mentally and physically.  Since I alway get sick when I go to India and Nepal, I'm given a great chance to be the patient and see what works.   So when I heard some other travelers talking about going to see the Tibetan sucking lady, I didn't hesitate to tag along.

My Ayurveda teacher, Dr. Vasant Lad, once remarked that here in the US, we make sure our cars are well lubricated, but we don't do that for our own bodies. Especially here in New Mexico, it is so important to keep our internal functions well-oiled. With all the allergy suffering here, the best thing one can do is to apply oil to the sinuses.

People are getting hip to the neti pot, and that definitely is a good thing, but some type of medicated oil or ghee is the best for soothing inflammation and clearing mucus. I recommend Super Nasya oil, which is a combination of lotus, basil, eucalyptus, sesame, rose, olive and sandalwood oil. It makes everything smell great, and it works amazingly for allergies and congestion.