5 Ways to Detox without a Cleanse

Can’t commit to a home cleanse or Panchkarma in a clinic? Don’t feel deprived! Here are 5 remedies for daily detoxing.

1. Start the day with warm water, lemon or lime, and raw honey. The warm water helps improve agni and gets the lymphatic system working, the citrus aids in healthy digestion, and the honey adds that extra scraping of ama off the gastrointestinal tract. Then sip hot water (no honey) throughout the day every 30 minutes.

2. Eat at least one serving of food per day that supports liver function: beets, turmeric, burdock root, or avocado. Beets are high in plant-flavonoids, which gives a boost to liver function. Turmeric helps us digest fat and stimulates the production of bile. Burdock root aids in supporting the healing process of the liver and helps protect it from further damage. Avocado produces glutathione, an antioxidant which helps the liver to filter.

3. Eat a mono-diet of kitchari. Three meals of kitchari, no snacking, no vices. Add all of the liver bolstering foods from above, for extra support. Keep hydrated with warm water and herbal teas. Lunch is the largest meal, dinner is lighter and earlier. Eat your meals slowly, with awareness and away from any technology.

4. Detox your environment. According to Vastu Shastra (a traditional Hindu system of architecture, similar to Fung Shui), decluttering your home will make your body feel light and pure, allowing prana to flow more optimally. Start with one area: your refrigerator, closet, kitchen drawer, or entrance way. Pay close attention to the northeast corner and the Brahmasthan (the center of your home), making sure they are clear of clutter and any heavy objects. Light some incense—honoring your home will motivate and inspire you.

5. Drum roll please…take Triphala, of course! Or Triphala Guggulu for that extra cleansing effect. Triphala helps support optimal digestion and absorption and assists in natural internal cleansing. This sacred formula, like no other, has the ability to both tonify your system as well as assist in elimination…gentle, yet profound.

Photos courtesy of Claire Ragozzino.