Pre-Cleanse FAQ's |
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Q. Do I take the digestive formula before the ghee in the morning?
No the digestive formula is taken before breakfast. If you find that drinking the ghee dampens the appetite so that you are not able to eat breakfast then you could take the digestive herbs before the ghee and the remaining herbs afterwards.
Q. How long can I leave the oil on my body after the self massage?
The best amount of time to leave the oil on is 60-90 minutes. Any longer than that and the oil may clog the pores so it is best to take a warm shower or wash of the oil in another way.
Q. I usually meditate right away when I wake up, should I take the ghee beforehand?
No, it is best to meditate on an empty stomach so take the ghee after your meditation.
Q: I am wondering when to take the ghee if I wake up before 6. Also I usually drink water first thing in the morning and then have a bowel movement so I am wondering how should the ghee be structured in relation to these activities?
A: Optimally the ghee is taken first thing upon awakening before you have water. If you find that you need the water in order to facilitate a bowel movement then I would recommend drinking water, having a movement and then drinking the ghee.
Q: The pre-cleanse phase says to eat a NO FAT diet but seeds are a fat so I am confused avoid or don't avoid?
A: As some people are challenged by a no fat diet I am allowing us to eat two tablespoons of seeds a day to help stabilize the blood sugar.
Q: I have been waking up to pee usually between 2:30-3am and not been able to get back to sleep. The only things that have changed are that I have been a lot better about not eating too much at night. Besides that I have made no other changes (except meditating and having more home asana practice). Any thoughts on avoiding this?
A: From the Ayurvedic perspective the time that you mentioned is the liver time. As the liver is related to Pitta and thus discipline and routine it may be that the will power you are using to change these habits is increasing the Pitta. I would recommend using a cooling aroma like lavender or jasmine when you wake up in the morning. It may also be helpful to get up and do chair pose as this will bring the activity in your head into your legs and help to drain the heat from your system.
Q: I have an achy jaw, actually I am feeling achy all over. Is that normal?
A: The Herxheimer reaction occurs when our body is killing and throwing off microbes (bacteria, viruses, yeasts, etc.) in larger amounts than our organs of elimination (kidneys, bowels, etc.) can handle. This is a good sign that something is being accomplished in the body. However, the symptoms of this reaction can be mimic flu-like symptoms such as aches, pains, fever, diarrhea, constipation, exhaustion, and headache. The answer to a Herxheimer reaction is to go slowly. Stop taking the liver formula and turmeric tablets. If the symptoms continue stop taking all of the herbs for a day and then slowly add them back in.
Q: Regarding the Ghee protocol: Can I drink water a half an hour before or after drinking the ghee?
A: Yes, warm water when you wake up is fine. But don't drink too much.
Q: Is the ghee protocol still the same for someone without a gall bladder?
A: Take 2-3 tsp of ghee each morning. This will be enough to help you enter fat metabolism and get the bile to flow. If you are not having any problems, you may slowly increase the ghee, but this is not necessary.
Q: For the last few days I have had pain on the right side of my abdomen and it concerns me. Is it just a cleansing reaction or should I do something?
A: If this is a pain under the rib cage, then reduce the amount of ghee you are taking as this might be your gallbladder not being willing to digest the ghee. If this pain persists go see your doctor.
Q: How can I stop the ghee burps? Is it a sign that something is wrong?
A: Try drinking ginger tea before and after drinking the ghee. Also try taking 1 of the Kapha Digest or Pitta Digest before the ghee to help make it more digestible.
Q: After taking the ghee I get diarrhea a few hours after. This is not normal for me as my stools tend to be hard. What should I do?
A: If the loose stools are uncomfortable then back off the ghee to a dose that makes it tolerable. The key is comfort and your stamina. Also, stop the Liver Formula for a day and see if this helps. This usually indicates that the bile is not able to digest the ghee and that is why the stool is loose. If this continues then consider skipping the purge as you have already purged from the ghee.
Q: Can we eat Avocado, Gomasio (sea salt and sesame seeds), pumpkin seeds, and brown rice during the Pre-Cleanse? Is it very important to stay away from raw foods?
A: The key to the pre-cleanse diet is for it to be NO fat. Avocado will not work, but I have made an exception for all seeds so I would include those. Raw foods are fine for lunch, but minimize them in the morning and evening.
Q. Can I take a spoonful of ghee or how do I prepare ghee?
There are multiple ways to take the ghee. The most common way is to put the precisely measured dosage of ghee in a small glass and submerge the glass in a bowl of hot water, this will liquefy the ghee and you can add a pinch of cardamom or ginger. Another way is to melt the ghee in a saucepan, this usually only takes 10-20 seconds of heat to accomplish. Another way to to put the ghee in some hot rice milk or seed milk, this will also liquefy the ghee.
Q. What kinds of seeds can I use during the Pre-Cleanse phase?
You can eat any type of seeds during the Pre-Cleanse phase. Try and keep the amount that you eat between 2-4 Tablespoons for the best results.
No the digestive formula is taken before breakfast. If you find that drinking the ghee dampens the appetite so that you are not able to eat breakfast then you could take the digestive herbs before the ghee and the remaining herbs afterwards.
Q. How long can I leave the oil on my body after the self massage?
The best amount of time to leave the oil on is 60-90 minutes. Any longer than that and the oil may clog the pores so it is best to take a warm shower or wash of the oil in another way.
Q. I usually meditate right away when I wake up, should I take the ghee beforehand?
No, it is best to meditate on an empty stomach so take the ghee after your meditation.
Q: I am wondering when to take the ghee if I wake up before 6. Also I usually drink water first thing in the morning and then have a bowel movement so I am wondering how should the ghee be structured in relation to these activities?
A: Optimally the ghee is taken first thing upon awakening before you have water. If you find that you need the water in order to facilitate a bowel movement then I would recommend drinking water, having a movement and then drinking the ghee.
Q: The pre-cleanse phase says to eat a NO FAT diet but seeds are a fat so I am confused avoid or don't avoid?
A: As some people are challenged by a no fat diet I am allowing us to eat two tablespoons of seeds a day to help stabilize the blood sugar.
Q: I have been waking up to pee usually between 2:30-3am and not been able to get back to sleep. The only things that have changed are that I have been a lot better about not eating too much at night. Besides that I have made no other changes (except meditating and having more home asana practice). Any thoughts on avoiding this?
A: From the Ayurvedic perspective the time that you mentioned is the liver time. As the liver is related to Pitta and thus discipline and routine it may be that the will power you are using to change these habits is increasing the Pitta. I would recommend using a cooling aroma like lavender or jasmine when you wake up in the morning. It may also be helpful to get up and do chair pose as this will bring the activity in your head into your legs and help to drain the heat from your system.
Q: I have an achy jaw, actually I am feeling achy all over. Is that normal?
A: The Herxheimer reaction occurs when our body is killing and throwing off microbes (bacteria, viruses, yeasts, etc.) in larger amounts than our organs of elimination (kidneys, bowels, etc.) can handle. This is a good sign that something is being accomplished in the body. However, the symptoms of this reaction can be mimic flu-like symptoms such as aches, pains, fever, diarrhea, constipation, exhaustion, and headache. The answer to a Herxheimer reaction is to go slowly. Stop taking the liver formula and turmeric tablets. If the symptoms continue stop taking all of the herbs for a day and then slowly add them back in.
Q: Regarding the Ghee protocol: Can I drink water a half an hour before or after drinking the ghee?
A: Yes, warm water when you wake up is fine. But don't drink too much.
Q: Is the ghee protocol still the same for someone without a gall bladder?
A: Take 2-3 tsp of ghee each morning. This will be enough to help you enter fat metabolism and get the bile to flow. If you are not having any problems, you may slowly increase the ghee, but this is not necessary.
Q: For the last few days I have had pain on the right side of my abdomen and it concerns me. Is it just a cleansing reaction or should I do something?
A: If this is a pain under the rib cage, then reduce the amount of ghee you are taking as this might be your gallbladder not being willing to digest the ghee. If this pain persists go see your doctor.
Q: How can I stop the ghee burps? Is it a sign that something is wrong?
A: Try drinking ginger tea before and after drinking the ghee. Also try taking 1 of the Kapha Digest or Pitta Digest before the ghee to help make it more digestible.
Q: After taking the ghee I get diarrhea a few hours after. This is not normal for me as my stools tend to be hard. What should I do?
A: If the loose stools are uncomfortable then back off the ghee to a dose that makes it tolerable. The key is comfort and your stamina. Also, stop the Liver Formula for a day and see if this helps. This usually indicates that the bile is not able to digest the ghee and that is why the stool is loose. If this continues then consider skipping the purge as you have already purged from the ghee.
Q: Can we eat Avocado, Gomasio (sea salt and sesame seeds), pumpkin seeds, and brown rice during the Pre-Cleanse? Is it very important to stay away from raw foods?
A: The key to the pre-cleanse diet is for it to be NO fat. Avocado will not work, but I have made an exception for all seeds so I would include those. Raw foods are fine for lunch, but minimize them in the morning and evening.
Q. Can I take a spoonful of ghee or how do I prepare ghee?
There are multiple ways to take the ghee. The most common way is to put the precisely measured dosage of ghee in a small glass and submerge the glass in a bowl of hot water, this will liquefy the ghee and you can add a pinch of cardamom or ginger. Another way is to melt the ghee in a saucepan, this usually only takes 10-20 seconds of heat to accomplish. Another way to to put the ghee in some hot rice milk or seed milk, this will also liquefy the ghee.
Q. What kinds of seeds can I use during the Pre-Cleanse phase?
You can eat any type of seeds during the Pre-Cleanse phase. Try and keep the amount that you eat between 2-4 Tablespoons for the best results.
