Lately, I hear a lot of people talking about ‘detoxing’ or ‘taking a fast’ at the beginning of autumn. Cleansing the body by not eating is an ancient practice, which can be very beneficial for you body!

However… according to Ayurveda, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Don’t ‘just stop eating’

When you stop eating from one day to the next, your body will experience shock. Shock increases Vata (the wind element in the body), that can lead to ungroundedness, stress, anxiety and insomnia. Physically, it causes constipation, dry skin, hair loss and more things you really want to avoid.

2.Pick the right season

We’re currently in Vata season. As I mentioned, Vata stands for the air element, and has dry, rough, light, moving qualities. During all changes in seasons, but especially moving from Pitta season (spring/summer) into Vata season (autumn) restlessness, depression and anxiety can arise. If you add more ‘emptiness’ to your system by fasting, Vata will increase even more. A better time to do a fast is in the transition from Kapha season (winter) to Pitta season (spring/summer). That is also the time a lot of religions include a fast, traditionally.

3. Do a mono-fast

If you do insist on having a cleanse, Ayurveda suggests taking a mono-fast. This means eating the same meal, 3 times a day, for one or more days in a row. This kind of eating is easy on the digestive system, because it gets used to digesting just one type of food. Does it matter what kind of food you eat? Of course it does! Mung bean soup or Kitchiri are considered to be most appropriate – and they’re delicious! I hyperlinked both words, for you to find the recipes.

4. Take care of Agni

Agni is your digestive fire. The better Agni works, the better your food is digested, the more nutrients are absorbed, the healthier you are. Giving Agni a boost is also considered a detox in itself. I wrote a blog about how to take care of Agni, too. You can read it here.