March has already arrived. The part of this month falls in
rutu "Shishir" and remaining part in rutu "Vasant". Thus this month
has rutusandhi, the joining point of two rutus or seasons. Vasant
rutu (spring) starts on March 4th as per lunar calendar.

Due to global warming, however, seasons are changing without much
notice to mankind. Sudden increase of temperature, need to open
windows and increase fan or A/C settings signals change of season.
Vaidyas have alert senses to detect change in seasons and warn
people to change the lifestyle. The reason is, Vaidyas do not see
Christian calendar, they observe nature. Author saw a Varun tree
full of flowers almost a week back. Author suspects xenoharmones are
acting on trees also. And why not? They too are part of our world!

In every spring, earth sheds her winter coat of ice in northern
lattitudes. This molten ice water meets sea. Since we are a part of
this environmental plan, we too should think about "spring cleaning"
the toxins from our body. Detoxifying in spring is an important part
of this ayurvedic lifestyle. Spring is the Kapha dosha enhancing
season, the weather reflects the moist, cool, heavy qualities of
Kapha dosha which dominate during this time of the year (March-
June). The accumulated excess Kapha leaves the body during these
months. Secondly, the creator designed this season for peak
fertility, and naturally creation is easy in Kapha dominant
environment.

Biologically too, nature supports cleansing of the body in spring.
In winter the digestive agni is high, and people eat more sweet and
heavy food. Most of the time they aren't able to assimilate these
hard-to-digest foods, causing accumulation of ama, the sticky, toxic
product of indigestion.

Warm weather of March to June melts the snow in spring, it has a
similar effect on the body. In spring the ama melts and due to its
large volume, the channels of the body, become clogged. Now people
staying in tropics or near equator do not see snow, but its effect
they experience. When there is a snow fall in Kashmir, we get a cold
wave in Mumbai, a harbour city.

Symptoms of Excess Ama

If ama does not move out of the body, one can experience either of
following:
1. flu
2. colds and cough,
3. allergies, low fever.
4. fatigued, sluggish or drowsy after lunch,
5. loss of appetite, flatulance,
6. Sharp headaches, dizziness,
7. Mild tremors in the limbs,
8. Unexplained muscle aches, arms,thighs, calf, etc, not
responding to pain killers.
9. Coating on tongue, sore throat.
10. less radiant, heavier, more oily skin.
11. Prone to sunburn, dry patches on skin.
12. exacerbation of eczema, psoriasis, blemishes
13. Swellings become more, no action of allopathy medicines


Spring is the best season for detoxification, because nature is
already trying to clear out the toxins. The way trees shed old
yellowish leaves in preparation of new leaves, it's the time to help
the body to efficiently detoxify the channels and the dhatus. Most
Panchkarma procedures purify the colon and the digestive tract, but
that is not enough. Cleansing the liver and blood, purifying the
sweat glands and the organs of elimination, preventing buildup of
ama in the fat and muscle tissues, and paving the way for more
energy, health and vitality.

A Kapha pacifying diet and lifestyle is best. If eating heavy, cold,
hard-to-digest foods is avoided, the sweet, sour, and salty tastes
are reduced, digestive system will be more efficient in burning away
the accumulated Ama. On this ground soy items are to be avoided.
Sweet juicy fruits can help cleanse the body, but they should be
eaten before sunset, as they have a Kapha-increasing effect after
the sunset. Citrus fruits, apple (stewed in water for few minutes if
digesting raw is difficult) are also available plenty. Spices that
can be added to food -- such as coriander, cumin, turmeric, and
fennel -- help stimulate the digestion and detoxify the skin. Hot
water will help melt the Ama that has accumulated (if your a Pitta
body type or have a Pitta imbalance then drink warm). Daily
exercise, and avoiding day sleep will also help. You can take steam
bath, if
available nearby. Importance of these purification procedures, has
been brought out in Messagge 4931 by Todd, where Parkinson disease
cure was tried:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ayurvedaonline/message/4931

Panchakarma includes a full program of ayurvedic massage, steam
baths and intestinal cleansing treatments, to rid your body of ama
accumulated during the previous season. Panchakarma also strengthens
agni, or digestive fire, so more ama won't be accumulated.

"can't we do it at home, or with some herbals mixtures/decoctions?
Already some enema packs are available, wherein you just insert a
cream/wick/suppository and next morning you have clean bowels" ask
the housewives. This happens because of allopathic mind set, an
enama is given whenever hard constipation exists. Basti for colon
cleanse as a notion, will take at least a decade to sink in mind. If
one can't visit ayurvedist for internal cleansing, he can still
follow an ayurvedic regimen at home to cleanse the body of ama
during the transition between the seasons. Speed of ama elimination
will be slower (almost 2 months may be needed, with attendant cough,
cold, low fever too) without intestinal/lever/Gall Bladder cleanses,
but this will be better option for weak elderly patients:

1. Eat warm, light, nourishing foods such as soups, or light meals
of mildly spiced vegetables with grains. Eating a lighter diet for a
few weeks while the weather is changing will help burn away ama
rather than accumulate it. Also be careful to get proper rest, drink
plenty of warm fluids, and take daily walks or do other exercise
that is suitable for your body type. Most ideal exercise for general
health is walking. It gives all round movement to all muscles. and
safe exercise too, even for heart patients.

2. Less hungry feeling at mealtimes and feeling of heavy and
dullness in two hours immediately after a meal, are indications that
your digestive fire is burning low. If you get cravings for sweet,
this is not only a sign of ama accumulation but also Kapha
accumulaton in which fungus/yeast infection is happily growing.
Itching of skin will reveal this. Diabetics to note especially. To
enhance agni, there is nothing in ayurveda better than buttermilk.
Indians give a sauting to even buttermilk. Food cooked with immune-
enhancing spices such as cumin, fennel, coriander, turmeric, ajwain,
asfoetida, mustard, turmeric, ginger and black pepper is also an
important way
to enhance agni and reduce ama. Spices, if available fresh and in
green form are to be given preference. Eating ajwain, black salt,
asfoetida, fennel seeds and dhal made from coriander seeds is also
advised for better digestion. Finally, it's important to always
avoid the factors that cause ama to accumulate, in any season.

Stay away from leftovers, processed foods, ice-cold foods and
drinks, and heavy foods such as fried foods. Vegetables from the
nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and sweet peppers)
should also be avoided, as these create ama. As an exception, if
potato has to be
used, use it with skin, and in juice form for alkalizing.

3. For those who can carry out the detoxification procedure under
supervision of an ayurvedist or naturopath, author has stored it in
folder `articles' under the file name `Eight Day Detox Programme'. If you are
member at ayurvedaonline list, you can access the file by visiting

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ayurvedaonline/files/articles/Dr.%20BhateFi\
les/

Any doubts can be asked on/off-list. But if you can not take the
Basti and Basti+enema+probiotics at a nearby ayurvedic clinic, just follow
all the food recommendations, and just take about 5 gm. Trifla
powder with water before bedtime, instead of Milk+Ginger+Castor oil
decoction on all seven days. You may notice that all 'fats' are
avoided.

The procedure stored in group file is a general. One can take
additional massages/steam sauna/Vaman/Nasya/Karna-puran when doing
detoxification under supervision. For every
individual, the dosages can be made specific and fruit choices can be
altered in that case. We do more harm by taking even natural foods
for which we are less suited.

Detoxification is a must, if embarking on a 'weight-loss' program.
The advantage of detoxification routine in case of PCOS were
amazing! Ideal time for starting weight-loss program of about a 8
month duration is NOW!