Spring cleaning for the body-What did I learn during the fast |Azure Ananda

Spring cleaning for
the body -
what did I learn during the fast

By Hanne

In the last post, I talked about Ayurvedic Kitchari cleansing, how to do it, and why one should be done. In this post, I’ll dive into my own experiences with Kitchari fast and give my tips on how to go through it, and in the end, you’ll also be able to take advantage of a discount code to make your purchase of Kitchari needs more convenient. But, how was my spring cleaning, and what did I learn during the fast? How I spent the days during the fast, and what are the major takeaways for the future.

Spring cleaning for the body -
what did I learn during the fast

Preparing for fasting is as important as fasting itself. Therefore, it is a good idea to go through the process of fasting before you even start. I recommend that you think about the best-suited time for the fast when you have the opportunity to rest. It is good to lighten the diet before fasting and think carefully about how long you want to proceed with the cleansing.

Preparing for fasting begins 2-3 days earlier with a lighter diet. First, omit red meat and alcohol, and reduce the amount of coffee if you consume a lot of coffee during the day. Two days before the fasting, omit white meat from your diet and further reduce the amount of coffee. One day before the start, it is good to leave out the dairy products and eggs. These measures prepare the body and make the fasting experience more comfortable.

I prepared for fasting for one day because I don’t eat meat, and I only drink a cup of coffee a day. I was preparing myself for the tiredness to come, and that’s why I had a conversation with myself in advance that if it feels like I should just rest during the fasting days, then that’s ok. I had also decided to take a break from social media. I think it is worthwhile to make all these things clear to yourself in advance, as the fasting time can deviate a lot from the normal rhythm of the day.

Feeling so tired

Day 1

I started the day with my usual morning routines, e.g., scraping the tongue. It removes impurities and bacteria that accumulate on the surface of the tongue. In fact, the contaminants accumulating on the tongue’s surface were a sign to me of spring and that it was the right time for cleansing. Although nothing had changed in my diet or in my life, the impurities on the tongue’s surface were a sign that spring was here; cleanse your body.

My first meal of the first day was a fasting breakfast, and in addition, I made CCF tea. After breakfast, I meditate and write gratitude journal like every morning.

Only a couple of hours after waking up, I realized what an invigorating effect one cup of coffee truly has. My day just didn’t start at all. I fell asleep sitting on a couch already before lunchtime. I was prepared for this, but still, it was a bit of a surprise. In the afternoon, I also got a headache in addition to fatigue. That was also something that I expected to happen. I ate my Kitchari lunch at about 1 pm, drank Detox tea, and was chilling.

Before dinner, I ate one kiwi and had my Kitchari dinner at about 6 pm, and drank CCF tea. Later in the evening, I drank one more cup of detox tea. I also did a short yin yoga practice that relieved the headache; in addition to this, rubbing peppermint essential oil on the temples helped with the acute pain. I feel like many things culminated on the first day. The fatigue I experienced because of the absence of coffee, the start of the cleansing reaction caused by fasting, and a harsher-than-usual winter, the vortices from which I really stopped to rest only now.

Allowing myself to rest

Day 2

The second day of the fast was already easier. I ate the fast breakfast and drank detox tea at breakfast. The other meals I ate were similar to the first day. I allowed myself to take it easy all day. The headache was gone, but I still felt fatigued. My body clearly needed to stop and rest, so I wasn’t even forcing myself on a walk, even if it had been good. Instead, I read and relaxed.

Day 3

The idea of eating a fasting breakfast was impossible, and I couldn’t even think of eating it. So my option was either Kitchari or oatmeal. I chose Kitchari. I added some extra salt to it because my body seemed to need it. I found myself thinking and longing for everyday life and the typical food I usually eat. It is funny, since I love Kitchari, and I typically eat Kitchari every week, it felt like the quota for this batch was starting to fill up.

The third day was Monday, and I had to work on the computer; I wrote blog posts and created some ads. For lunch, I exceptionally ate only two kiwis; the thought of Kitchari was disgusting. Kitchari tasted delicious again at dinner, but I needed to add some extra salt again.

How to end the fast

It is good to end the fasting in the same way you have started it. I actually drank coffee the day after fasting and immediately noticed that it was a too drastic return to normal. Having learned from this, I recommend returning coffee to your diet only on a second day after the fast. Except for drinking coffee, I felt good. The yoga practice in the morning felt wonderfully light, and I also felt a lightness in my mind. The thoughts that had prevailed in my mind before fasting were something I could no longer catch. My mind was quieter; it was empty.

This is what I learned during the fast

So what I learned and will take with me to the future? The effect of coffee on my body and mind was paramount throughout my fasting. I’ve always thought that coffee is something I don’t give up on. I love its taste, and I love the peaceful moment in the morning when I enjoy a cup of coffee. However, something surfaced in me during the fast, and I am determined that I don’t want to strain and confuse my body with coffee.

The first thing I did, was buying decaffeinated coffee. I’m not ready to give up coffee altogether, at least not yet, but I’m going in the direction I want to go right now with decaffeinated coffee. I haven’t left out regular coffee altogether yet, but I’ll make the transition in stages. So I mix less than half of my coffee with regular and just over half with decaffeinated coffee.

It is inaccurate if you get the idea from the earlier text that Kitchari is terrible food, and it is hard to get it even down. As I mentioned, I eat Kitchari every week, and the second takeaway from the fast is that I’m going to have Kitchari (fast) day once a week. It gives the body a lighter day, like a mini-cleansing, an opportunity to reset.

In general, I find Kitchari fast, a gentle way of cleansing. I would not like to fast on water fast, for example. It may suit someone, but it doesn’t fit my body type. Also, when I recall women’s hormonal functions, I don’t feel like fasting would be appropriate. I emphasize that this is just my opinion. Despite the relatively tricky days of fasting, the experience was positive again, perhaps primarily because of my own insights. Maybe those insights were the main thing this time around.

PS. If you live in Finland then this is for you. If you will try Kitchari fast or otherwise just prepare Kitchari, then Mung dhal, spices, and ghee you can buy from the Pur-kauppa. There you will also find a tongue scraper. Now you get a 10% discount on the entire selection of the Pur-kauppa (excluding Esse) with the code azureananda.

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Hi, I'm Hanne

I am a yoga instructor and personal trainer dedicated to holistic wellbeing and natural living. On my blog, I share insights and practical tips to help you find balance and harmony in your life.