Not sure about you, but ever since the April Holidays, I have felt off kilter. I thrive on routine (like most people, I suppose) and so when that was taken away from me, I felt as if I had lost control over my life. I know that life is a process and not a structure and that we should all be like Willow Trees that sway with the wind rather than break like the rigid branches of a tree. Not always easy for someone who is Type A.
So the step I took this May was to get ‘back on track.’ Because when this happens, I flow effortlessly with the flow of life and most of all, my time seems to expand so much so that I can squeeze anything into my day with minimal stress and effort.
So how did I get back on track?
I always feel that the universe speaks to you if you are willing to listen and so I listened very closely. I attended a webinar on heart health and it mentioned how the GALT (Gut associated Lymphatic Tissue) needs to work well for cardiac health. Another lecturer mentioned how recurrent bladder infections could be due to a ‘fungal’ infection and so gut integrity is important. A third spoke about the Covid-19 vaccine uptake and how people with healthy Guts fair the best. The answer was right there. A GUT REPAIR!
Well, I decided that our family was going to ‘detox.’ After all, we’re a team, so if one member (me) was going to detox, then the rest of the members have to come out and support me too. We have just completed our 17 days as of today and I have learnt so much from this detox this time. I have done this many times before and I try to do ‘clean’ eating whenever I can so I wasn’t expecting any major changes or insights but boy, was I wrong.
This is what I learnt thus far from my detox:
1. Starting the detox is the hardest part. Your mind can really play games with you and convince you that it’s going to be too hard.
2. There is never a perfect time. While it is best to detox outside of the festive season, there will always be busy days or life issues that come up. Take it one step at a time.
3. No matter how clean you think your life is, you can always go ‘deeper’ into healing whether it may be physical, emotional or mental healing.
4. Simplicity is key. When the diet becomes simple, you are motivated to make the other areas of your life simpler.
5. Organising, decluttering and journalling become ‘prayers for the soul’ rather than arduous tasks when you detox because you almost do it instinctively.
6. You listen to your physical body. Instead of my to-do list, I landed up spending two weekends doing ‘nothing.’ As a result, my mind is more insync with my body, I am breathing slower and I am listening to whatever my gut is trying to tell me. I am learning more about myself each day.
7. There is an ebb and flow to life. And within those cycles, there are small routines that we can follow to make it easier for our bodies, minds and hearts.
But just like the seasons, we can also tweak our habits a little each season so the foundational element of the habit is the same but we do things differently. This creates alertness & joy and brings about more happiness than a robotic habit.
Example : In summer, you may want to drink water that is flavoured with apple, mint or cucumber. In Winter, harvesting fresh herbs from your garden or using spices from your pantry for warm teas will hydrate you better. Some ideas : Cinnamon sticks and orange peel for an immune boosting tea. Rosemary Tea for a boosting focus and concentration. Coriander, Cumin and Fennel (CCF) tea for a digestive aid.
8. No one is going to be 100% perfect with a detox all the time. And that is okay. If you can get to 80% for most days, you will still be better off than not doing it all.
9. The best thing though is that everyone is sleeping better, everyone seems more relaxed and everyone seems to be listening to each other more.