Happy New Year! It’s resolution time. The last hoorah of the season has passed, and you’re probably feeling the toll of holiday indulgences on your wellbeing. Excessive sugar consumption. Too much alcohol. Too many salty, processed foods. Ugh.
A hard core cleanse seems in order right about now, doesn’t it? What about using extra bitter herbs to detoxify? And exercise? Bring it on—hard and heavy! This kind of conventional thinking suggests that the more severe your January 1st transition, the better off you will be.
Unfortunately, your #1 New Year’s Resolution should be:
I will NOT Cleanse in January!
There are plenty of reasons to NOT cleanse or engage in anything extreme in January. Sad, but true. Ayurveda is very clear on this subject. A radical detox in January is just not a good idea. It is not even safe, much less healthy. Yet, a wonderful thing about Ayurveda is that it can help you understand how to avoid severe measures while still bringing healthy alignment into your wellbeing.
We are in the middle of winter. From an Ayurvedic perspective, this is Vata season. Vata is the energy of depletion. Its qualities are dominant this time of year—cold, dry, erratic and rough. Just look outside! Ayurveda recognizes that “like energy increases like energy.” So, increasing the amount of harshness or depletion in your routine or diet typically intensifies negative outcomes.
What balances out (or minimizes) the impact of nature’s depleting energy are things that bring warmth, unctuousness, routine and love into your life. There’s nothing savory or comforting about a restrictive cleanse or harsh herbs. While detoxifying at the appropriate time is certainly a good idea (and promoted in Ayurveda during seasonal transitions), the consequences of doing it in January certainly outweigh any benefits.
Ayurvedic practitioners understand this well. Clients appear in their offices several months into the New Year. After rigorously cleansing in January, imbalances associated with depletion are creating havoc in their lives. Nervous system issues, shingles, high anxiety, sciatica, etc. have all been noted. It is never surprising.
This might leave you wondering, how do you get back on track after a prolonged holiday season? It takes patience, awareness and commitment to do it the healthy way. Here are a few ideas that have been proven to work:
Take a few days to re-establish an eating routine.
Let go of the snacking habit you might have adopted during the holidays. A good way to transition back into eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same time each day is to become ultra-aware of hunger pangs. Hunger is nature’s way of having your body tell you it is time to eat. They should come every 4 to 6 hours. Spend a few days listening to your body and it will help you stop unconscious eating habits.
Go vegetarian for a week.
Animal protein can certainly weight you down and clog your system. To clean it out, eat more simple foods. Leverage a wholesome diet. Warm winter squashes or roasted root vegetables with whole grains and healthy oils are satisfying, filling and extremely healthy. This combo is ideal during the winter months. You can still buy many of these vegetable at your local farmer’s market where they are stored appropriately to last throughout the winter. Yum!
Focus on homemade soups or stews for a month.
These one-dish meals have a grounding effect on your nervous system. They are meant to be consumed slowly and mindfully. (It’s hard to eat soup on the go!) Take the upcoming weekend to poke around online for some inspiration. You’ll find that zillions of fun recipes are at your fingertips. Plus, fixing more nutritious meals at home is a great New Year’s resolution on its own.
Sip warm water throughout the day.
This is one of our favorites! For the next three to five days, keep a mug of warm water at your side. Take a sip every 10 minutes or so throughout the day. It helps to gently flush your system, while keeping you hydrated and healthy during the cold and flu season.
Set a hard-and-fast (early) bedtime.
You’ve probably been operating in overdrive and on minimal sleep these last few weeks. It’s time to re-establish an early-to-bed routine. Nothing is more rejuvenating than consistently getting the right amount of quality sleep each night. Put it to the test!
It can be hard to accept that January is the time of year that your body needs nourishment—not deprivation. Let Ayurveda help you bring about alignment in a safe and healthy manner. It can work wonders. These simple, common sense steps will have you feeling “back to normal” in a very short time. They are also healthy lifetime habits. Add them to your daily routine now and the desire to cleanse in January will be a distant memory by this time next year.
How do you get back on track in January without rushing to do a cleanse? Please take a minute to share your wholesome and healthy tips.
