How to come off a cleanse: the next steps for a spectacular seasonal transition
So you’ve finished your Ayurvedic cleanse, you’re feeling great, and you’re ready to eat something other than kitchari – the only question is, what do you eat now?
In my own experience, and for many I’ve talked to, coming off a cleanse can be the hardest part. When you’re cleansing, you have rules to follow. You know exactly what you will be eating everyday, and you have a routine. But at the end of your cleanse, if you aren’t prepared, it can be easy to slip into old habits or just feel a little lost.
It’s easy to find information on how to do an Ayurvedic cleanse, but it’s harder to get support on what to do before and after your cleanse. Last week I wrote about how to get ready for your cleanse, and so this week I want to give you some tips for how to transition out of your cleanse. Setting yourself up with a good container of preparation beforehand and transition after will help you to get the most from your cleanse experience.
After all, a cleanse doesn’t happen in a vacuum. A cleanse is just one part of the traditional Ayurvedic Ritucharya. “Ritu” means season and “charya” means regime or routine. Ritucharya is the yearly routine that we follow, living in alignment with the flow of the seasons. A cleanse is an integral part of this process; for example, our fall cleanse helps us transition from a lighter summer diet to a more grounding, warming diet as the days get colder. If we practice a cleanse, but ignore these important Ayurvedic principles of seasonal living the rest of the year, the potency of the cleanse is diminished.
Once you start to see your cleanse as a beautiful link that allows you to transition seamlessly from one season to the next, you will start to look forward to your biannual cleanses and make them a part of your yearly routine!
When you plan your cleanse, keep these tips in mind. Set yourself up for success by having a post-cleansing plan!
Transition
When you come to the end of your cleanse, it’s best to implement a “transition phase” that is at least half as long as your cleansing period. For example, if you are cleansing for a week, your transition phase should be about four days. During an Ayurvedic cleanse you are eating kitchari, a warm porridge made from rice and mung beans, for three meals a day. So at the end of your cleanse you will no doubt be excited to eat anything other than that! (It’s delicious, but you get tired of anything after a week!) But rather than jumping right back into your usual foods, try to maintain a diet of warm, cooked foods for a few days. Things like oatmeal, quinoa with steamed veggies, and lentil soup are great options.
In Ayurveda there is a concept that distinguishes between healthy and unhealthy cravings. It is said that the more we are in a state of balance, the more we will have true healthy cravings. When we go out of balance, however, it’s like the imbalance takes over and we crave things that will bring us more out of balance. (Think that pint of ice cream, bag of potato chips, etc. These are usually things high in sugar, salt or unhealthy fats that satisfy us in the moment but don’t provide sustained nourishment!)
A cleanse can be a great way to break the cycle of imbalance leading to more imbalance. Your body should be in a fairly balanced and healthy state after your cleanse, so it’s a good time to see if you can tune into some healthy cravings. Hint: a healthy craving is something that will make you feel good in the long run, not just taste good in the moment!
Rejuvenation
After a gradual transition period, it’s time to move into a rejuvenation phase. A cleanse has an overall reducing effect on the body, as toxins are cleared from the tissues. After going through a cleanse, it’s important to focus on building the body back up through good quality foods and nurturing lifestyle practices.
The Ayurvedic term ojas refers to the body’s natural energy reserve. With increased ojas, you will have more sustained energy, a stronger immune system, and the ability to gracefully withstand the ups and downs of life. After cleansing is a wonderful time to focus on building ojas. Your body is clear of toxins and your channels are more open to receiving the nourishment of good quality ojas-building foods!
Here’s a list of some of my favorite foods for building ojas. It’s no coincidence that most of these foods are sweet and dense – these types of foods, when eaten in a moderation, are deeply nourishing and rejuvenating!
- Medjool dates
- Sesame seeds/tahini
- Good oils: olive, coconut, ghee, butter
- Avocados
- Oats
- Raw honey
- Sweet potatoes
- Butternut squash
- Bone broth
See if you can incorporate at least one of these foods each day. Always buy organic, as this is important for building optimal ojas!
Seasonal eating
An important part of Ritucharya (our seasonal routine) is eating foods that are in alignment with each season. Ayurvedic healer and author Maya Tawari writes, “Eating the same foods season after season creates discontent in the vital tissue memory, and this brings uneasiness that is reflected in your mental, emotional, and physical activities.” I have noticed this to be true in my own experience, and have found that rotating my diet with the seasons brings a deeper element of joy and even novelty to my meals all year long.
As we traditionally practice a cleanse at the beginning of the fall, after your cleanse is the perfect time to look for seasonal fall foods. You should also start preparing meals that are more warm, well-cooked, and grounding. Soups and stews are the staple of a fall diet! The best way to eat seasonally is to shop at a local farmers market or sign up for a CSA box – that way you know you’re always getting something that is seasonal to your specific region. That said, these are some fall/winter staples that you can incorporate.
- Grains: white and brown basmati rice, quinoa, amaranth, oats
- Dairy: organic milk, butter, and fresh yogurt
- Fruits: apples, avocados, coconut, peaches, pears, ripe berries
- Veggies: winter squash, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots
- Spices: basil, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, clove, turmeric, black pepper
If you do eat meat, fall and winter are considered the best times to indulge. Meat can be very nourishing and help sustain us through the colder months. That said, try to limit meat consumption to 2-3 times per week. It’s better for you and better for the planet! When eating meat, combine in it a warm soup or stew along with plenty of spices and veggies.
Momentum
It’s easy to feel inspired towards healthier habits while practicing a cleanse, but much harder to keep up that commitment every day of the year. Along with the practical tips listed above, taking time to set your own intentions and goals will greatly help you manifest good health in the long term.
On the last day of your cleanse, take some time to sit, reflect and journal. Write down any positive changes you are feeling in your body or your mind. Then, write down any habits or routines that you’ve enjoyed while doing your cleanse: maybe it’s waking up earlier, cooking at home more, or eating with mindfulness. Maybe it’s something you’d like to keep out of your diet, like sugar, caffeine or alcohol. Whatever your gut is telling you, go with that!
My challenge to you is to pick one simple thing that you’d like to continue in your daily life moving forward. I’d caution you against picking a ton of different habits, because you will probably get overwhelmed and stop doing them (I speak from experience)! Try to practice this for 40 days after your cleanse. By then, you should be well on your way to making it a long-term habit.
A last note: it’s okay to celebrate after completing a cleanse! You did something that took commitment and effort. I believe in approaching food with an attitude of pleasure and not guilt, so if there’s something you’ve really been craving and you want to indulge, go for it! Just make sure to eat it with awareness, and savor every bite.
To download my free Fall Cleanse shopping list and recipe guide, click here!