March 18, 2024

Why detox?

I just did a five day #ayurvediccleanse and I told Instagram about it. I wasn’t going to at first.

Why not?

Because I pride myself on being a “wellness” person and staying reasonable with my #wellness habits and practices. I believe in being real.

I’m healthy, and I eat pasta.

I’m a yoga teacher, and I drink wine.

I’m a somatic coach, and sometimes I doom-scroll instead of shaking or moving my body when I feel anxious (this does *not* work, 0/10 do not recommend).

I strive for authenticity in this hyper-curated social media world.

Yesterday at yoga, a woman who knows me really well (has been on my retreats and takes my classes) told me I looked great and was surprised when I told her I’d done a cleanse.

“That’s not very ‘you’!” She laughed. And she wasn’t wrong.

I still believe in pleasure. So much.

I believe in listening to our bodies, intuitive eating, trusting ourselves.

I spent my 20s disordered eating and depriving and I am so grateful to be at the point I am now in my body/with my body.

So why did I cleanse? Or more importantly: what are cleanses for?

🤸 The outside stuff:
My body feels SO refreshed and energized. I lost a few pounds of water weight which feels nice. My skin looks like a teenagers. My eyes are bright.

🧠 The inside stuff:
My mind is CLEAR (especially now that I’ve reincorporated coffee, my goodness!). My ability to stick to a mono-food cleanse for 5 days helped reshape a persistent belief I have that I lack discipline. My meditation/yoga practice is hyper focused and magical. My dreams have been crazy and insightful. I slept 8-9 hours a night. I feel focused and fresh. I am so well-rested.

I believe life is about finding contrasts and seeking balance and that’s what these last five days were for me.

Curious to learn more? I’ll be talking about the process on here, or you can head to @anina_mailen for so much more wellness, goodness, and insight. She spearheaded the whole thing and I’m so grateful.

📸 by @cisco_mtz