5 Easy Fall Detox Regimen Ideas
And by easy, we mean EASY
We often think of Spring as the time to detox as we come out of hibernation from winter dens, cozy sweatpants, and long dark nights. Days become longer and stillness turns into movement. But each change of season is an opportunity to detox, to release and receive, reframing our intentions as we transition to a new phase of being. This is especially true as we transition from a more outward-oriented season of doing to a more inward-oriented season of being.
Just as the leaves have begun to fall from the trees, this is an incredibly potent time for releasing and making space from what once served us and yet is no longer needed.
Merriam Webster defines detox as, “a regimen or treatment intended to remove toxins and impurities from the body.”Removing impurities from the body, however, can be more than just detoxifying the physical tissues and organs, it can begin with creating a regimen of purifying our thoughts and mind as well.
Here are 5 quick & easy ideas to refresh what and how you digest and reestablish your regimen heading into fall.
1. Change what you mentally digest - Recommit to a short 5-minute meditation practice each morning. I know, I know, easier said than done. But this can be as simple as setting your alarm 5 minutes earlier or lying-in bed focusing on your breath before jumping into the shower. Or you could incorporate Thich Nhat Hanh’s elegantly simple breathing practice based off the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing, also known as the Anapanasati Sutta.
In his book “Breathe, You Are Alive!”, he has offered a simple step-by-step practice for those new to a meditation practice that is so sweetly inviting, you’ll be looking forward to those 5 minutes each morning.
2. Change what you physically digest - Try adding ½ cup kimchi or other fermented vegetable to your appetizer. We’ve all heard that fermented vegetables are rich in probiotics and associated with improved digestion, enhanced immunity, and even weight loss. Our gut microbiome and gut brain access are also crucial to regulating our:
- mood
- energy
- regulating our focus
- other features that affect our mental and physical health
That’s why they’ve become a part of my nightly routine while cooking dinner (and by cooking dinner, I mean thank you Trader Joes ;). As soon as I pour my evening glass of wine – we will chat about that detox in a separate article - I crack open the kimchi jar and consume approximately ½ cup.
Now I am not one to measure anything, so several large fork-fulls seem just about right. I’ve found that even a small amount can significantly change the quality of digestion and gut health.
3.Change what you audibly digest – switch the intake. Morning commute? Got the kids on the bus and your hands are full with laundry, but you’ve got a little time to at least listen? A set of noise cancelling headphones and a new podcast can be a nice change of pace to clean out the clutter and chaos of morning radio DJ energy or TV news broadcasts in the background.
My personal favorite lately is Huberman Lab, a wonderful recommendation from my dear teacher Schuyler Grant. Here’s one of his recent podcasts on “Improve Your Gut Health” that ties directly to #2 above.
4. Change how you digest - Drink one glass of lemon water as soon as you wake up and prior to coffee or breakfast. If you can be a bit lazy like me, I like to cut up the lemon ahead of time and keep it in a container in the fridge. Adding a chunky slice of lemon into your cup of water will give you all the benefits of potassium, folate, and Vitamin C, which have been said to stimulate:
- collagen
- enhance our immune stytem
- help reduce water retention
Additionally, as we move into the fall and winter months, our food selection tends to turn towards warmer, denser, and more calorically rich (insert Pumpkin Spice Latte season ;)~ and staying hydrated will enhance our digestive system’s ability to absorb nutrients and efficiently eliminate waste.
5. Change what you energetically digest - Readjust your living space. This doesn’t mean you have to go out and buy the new fall spread from your favorite interior design store (although adding that new furry pillow or blanket doesn’t hurt) but moving things around and literally shaking the dust off can remove the stagnant energy of summer.
Don’t get me wrong, I love June-August, I see you other fellow Geminis, Cancers, and Leos, but you’ve probably experienced that same whirlwind that we call summer and things can get a bit – well stale in their chaotic outward nature.
You will also most likely soon be spending more time indoors, so as fall approaches, move that piece of furniture, switch wall hangings from room to room, or simply spin the carpet as you begin to turn inward. The energy in the rooms which we inhabit also deserve a reboot to remove the buildup of impurities and dull energy. Toss in some palo santo burning and you’ll take it next level.
- Start small
- Start easy
- It's the gentlest way to create sustainable change
These 5 easy steps are a simple way to detox, release, and create a more liberating space as we turn inward this fall.
And as a bonus, creating crisp energy to dwell in this season will expose clarity to own internal light and keep that flame burning bright, even amidst the darkest of winters.
much love, palo santo ashes, and PSLs this season,
Liz
