Spring is here and the concept of spring cleaning is in the air. This means cleaning out our homes, our cars, and of course our bodies and minds. Spring really is the perfect time of year for cleansing, but have you ever wondered why that may be? It definitely feels right instinctually, but according to Ayurveda, spring is one of the very best times for a cleanse and for many specific, intelligent reasons. In fact, spring and fall are listed as the only seasons a major cleanse should even be performed.
Although it is said to be the perfect time for a cleanse, please keep in mind that a cleanse is not always appropriate for everyone. If you have a strong Vata imbalance or are too busy to take some down time (which is 100% necessary during a cleanse), then you may want to hold off on a major cleanse until a better time is available. However, if you feel a bit heavy and would like a fresh start as we melt away the cold, here are some reasons why NOW may be the right time!
6 Reasons to Perform a Springtime Cleanse
1. Spring is a time of transition.
In Ayurveda, spring and fall are known as “transitional seasons”, making them the ideal months to perform a cleanse and start anew. On a microcosmic level, a time of transition is considered a very special time for making positive changes in your life. Therefore, cleansing out our bodies and de-cluttering our minds is an essential way to blossom into a new time of year.
2. Spring provides the perfect weather for a cleanse.
Although our climates vary from place to place, typically spring is a time of perfectly mild weather. It is neither too cold, nor too hot, and therefore spring tends to avoid the extremes of nature. During a cleanse our energy can be low, our senses heightened, and our bodies more susceptible to imbalance. For these reasons, it is ideal to avoid extremes of any kind, making spring a more balanced time to take advantage of a cleanse!
3. Allergies are in the air.
It is no surprise that with all the beauty and blossoms that come with the spring, allergies are also at an all time high. Common symptoms of allergies include congestion, inflammation, foggy mind, low immunity, sluggish digestion and high Kapha. For all of these reasons, a cleanse will be most beneficial in order to treat springtime allergies. In fact, if you already know you are susceptible to allergies this time of year, it would be best to perform the cleanse BEFORE their onset, as prevention is always easier than treatment (when possible). Either way however, a detox will be most welcome to make this season your best allergy season ever.
4. Spring cleanses help to remove the accumulated Kapha from the previous winter months.
Winter and early spring are considered the seasons of Kapha, and therefore the time of year when Kapha is most likely to become imbalanced. Common Kapha symptoms such as winter weight gain, stagnation, low motivation, fatigue, foggy mind, congestion, and allergies are all too common this time of year. Performing a spring cleanse can help to reduce the Kapha that has built up in the system and consequently remove these symptoms.
5. Cleanses create a sense of lightness in the system.
Winter is the time of year for eating a bit more and moving a bit less. Although this is the way of nature, it is important to also realize that spring is the time of year to eat a bit lighter and get movin’! Performing a spring cleanse is a great way to set the stage for readjusting the diet and lifestyle, paving the way for healthier food choices and increasing motivation for movement.
6. Winter stagnation can lead to toxic accumulation and sluggish digestion.
I am sure we have all experienced the heaviness that winter may bring. Eating heavier foods and moving less often reduces our digestive fire (Agni), slows down our metabolism, and eventually leads to toxins accumulating in the system. Whether your “heaviness” is of the body or the mind (or both), performing a cleanse will undoubtably help you to boost your digestion and metabolism and lighten up all around! Without clearing the vital channels of the body (known as srotas) and increasing the Agni, the heaviness is likely to continue into the seasons to come – and according to Ayurveda toxic build-up and a sluggish digestion are two of the main causes of ALL disease.
