Yoga for Detox

     We all know that spring is a time of new beginnings.  Nature is reawakening, plants and regrowing, and animals are giving birth.  It is also a time of detoxing; getting rid of all the excess our bodies naturally stored over the winter.

     More often than not, many people believe that detoxing/cleansing is a weight loss tool.  While this can be the case for some people, it is not necessarily the ultimate goal.  Cleansing is a time to purge toxins from the blood stream, allowing fresh new blood and nutrients to enter the body and flood it with good energy and life.  Having just gone through a cleanse myself, I have received the beautiful benefits of a cleanse, have felt the effects of the detoxing process, felt the vibrant energy from being clean, and have even gone back full circle to feel "clogged" again.  Through this clogged feeling, I have been able to understand why it happened...I ate clogging food...

When I was eating the life-promoting and vibrant raw vegan diet, I felt so energetic and alive!  As soon as the cleanse was over and I had pancakes (although they were vegan) for the first time in 21 days, I immediately felt gross.  The pancakes tasted amazing and I felt happy enjoying every morsel, but the aftermath was astonishing!  I felt tired!  I never had one time after eating a raw vegan meal in which I felt tired.  Every meal/snack gave me energy and life, which is why I am going to begin transforming my lifestyle into a raw vegan one.  Vegan is one thing, but raw is beautiful!

While I am in the process of making this transition (as with all transitions, you must do it slowly so that it is a lifestyle change and not just a fad that will not last), I will also be doing more detoxifying yoga.  The beautiful thing about yoga is that is cleanses the blood by allowing circulation through gentle  movements that stimulate energy and life.  All twists and inversions (those happen to be two of my favorite things in yoga) are detoxifying.  Inversions send blood flowing in the opposite direction, allowing your heart to relax a bit and more blood flows to your brain and thyroid (helping with hormone and metabolism regulation).  Twists, on the other hand, squeeze the inner organs and massage the intestines which facilitates digestion and cleansing of the digestive system.

Luana ola!