Spring cleansing

We are not separate from the forces of nature.  From these seasonal changes, we change as well.  A cold, dusty, windy season will increase vata outside and inside of us.  The hot, sharp, penetrating season will increase pitta.  Likewise, the cold, wet and damp season increases vata.  Therefore, it is beneficial to do a seasonal cleanse, or re-set, to remove the excess dosha that has built up during these seasons.  If we do not take care of these, we experience symptoms such as colds, allergies, congestion and more.
These purification measures with Panchakarma (or PK) will bring the excess doshas back into the GI tract which are then removed, thus restoring health. PK can be extremely powerful to help cleanse and reset the body & consists of several preparatory methods (such as lightening the diet and lifestyle, and using oil or ghee in several ways), and  5 main types of therapy: purgation (laxative) - to remove pitta, basti (enema) - to remove vata, vomiting - to remove kapha, nasya (nasal drops), and blood-letting (not practiced here, to remove excess pitta). After the cleansing phase, there is a re-building or rejuvenating phase called rasayana. This will strengthen, tone, bring immunity, increase energy and give longevity to the body. In India, all of these therapies are done as an inpatient program in an Ayurvedic hospital supervised by an Ayurvedic physician. In the US, we can still do a version of this at home as a domestic PK.  For further, deeper cleansing, an inpatient program either in the US or India is recommended. 
A general outline of the detox week is as follows. You will want to intentionally and gradually become less active in the week before the PK as much as possible.  Clear your schedule to avoid any excessive stimulation, activities, exercise etc.  Think of this time as a retreat and make sure to get plenty of rest. Increase your yoga, breath exercises (pranayam)  and meditation practices. Observe proper sleep/wake times (bed by 9-10:30pm, up by 6-7am).  Continue with daily routines such as tongue scraping, oil pulling etc.  Your diet before the cleanse should favor kitchari or kitchari-like foods: warm, cooked grains, legumes and vegetables. Avoid cold food or drinks, caffeine, raw fruits or vegetables and cheese or other heavy dairy products. As part of your pre-PK prep, ghee will provide internal oleation and lubrication which is necessary so toxins (ama) lose their grip over the deep tissues (dhatus) and start returning to the GI tract for elimination, while external oleation continues this process.
Note of precautions:

• If you have high cholesterol, instead of ghee, use 2 tablespoon of flaxseed oil first thing in the morning and 1 tablespoon before or after lunch & dinner
• If you have nausea or vomiting or can’t take the ghee or flax, try adding it to your food instead. 
• During the panchakarma, stop all vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements.  Continue with any doctor prescribed medications. 
• If your period starts during internal oleation, wait until 3 or 4 days after your period starts in order to start your cleanse. Do not do this if pregnant, anemia, or weak.