When you think about “Spring Cleansing” what typically comes to mind is a harsh dietary regimen of green smoothies, fiber drinks, sour vinegar, and some kind of strange concoction with cayenne pepper and lemon juice. But here at the Homestead, holistic cleansing integrates our emotional well-being, the clarity of our spiritual presence, as well as the major body systems: skin, digestion, lymphatic, metabolic, etc. 

That is why I am so excited to share this letter from Herbalist, Permaculture Designer and founder of Alpine Botanicals, Kate Miller, who will be joining us for Spring Into Health! Spring Cleanse 2017. (Click HERE to register today!)

Dynamic Roots has some really great teas and topicals, all available at Crafted in Colorado on 1st Street in Nederland.  I would especially recommend our Rest & Digest tea, that is a super nice addition to cleanses and supports the Lymph, Hepatic, & Digestive systems while also calming the nerves.  It has some of the herbs you recommend in your hand-out. (Read about my 10 favorite cleansing herbs when you register for Spring Cleanse 2017!)  I also really like doing self-massage (Abyanga in Ayurvedic Medicine) on my joints and on my feet in the morning and before I go to bed with the Sore Muscle Oil (also at Crafted).

I will think more on protocols/practices, but some of the super important ones that come to mind for me are:

– Dry brushing the skin (especially first thing in the morning before a shower or when circulation is bad)

– Big glass of warm/room temp water (I mean 20oz big) first thing in the morning (and I’ve found it’s better to at least rinse out your mouth before water in the morning, or straight up brush your teeth before water so as not to introduce harmful bacteria from the mouth into the rest of the body).  Otherwise tongue brushing or coconut oil pulling before water is great too.

– Sitting on a patch of Uva-ursi in the sunshine AT LEAST once a day

– I have been feeling super supported by mantra as of late, and many of my favorites that come are on the Snatum Kaur pandora station.  I also totally believe in the power of writing your own mantra…even if just to look in the mirror and say “I love you” to yourself everyday for the entirety of the cleanse.  Some examples:  “I am strong like the earth that supports me.” …”My heart is strong.  My heart is open.  My heart is present”.

–  I also am really supported by veggie/mushroom/bone broths.  When I’m not cleansing I try for 1-3 cups per week, but while cleansing, especially fasting cleanses, I need a lot more.  I know some of us when we cleanse have a hard time in the gut, as our body is trying to support detox processes.  Bone broth specifically has a high glutamine content which really helps support the body during cleansing, and literally provides the ingredients for a healthy gut lining.  For veggie/mushroom broths, instead of throwing out veggie scraps, I store them in the freezer so everything goes in there in a big ziploc baggie, potassium rich potato skins & celery stalks, mushroom ends, all the bits from all the veggies we eat.  Then it all goes in the crockpot for at least 24 hrs…with the beautiful Apple Cider Vinegar. I would probably not do as much garlic and onion while cleansing as it can lead to more gas and intense dreaming…

Click here to get this cleansing tea from Dynamic Roots