IT’S CLEANSE + RESET TIME!
As the seasons change, so do our needs, and this period of adjustment can be felt in the mind-body.
In a world that is saturated with overstimulation and a lifestyle that doesn’t always go hand in hand with the bio-norm it’s good to create some time in your diary to reset your system and practise “self-care” — an idea that's become increasingly mainstream in recent years. This is the time to heap on a good amount of Yin to the Yang of daily life. To slow down, to tune in, to rest up.
Summer solstice, i.e. the longest day of the year, is this weekend and it’s the third time of the year that I “officially” mark in a Cleanse + Reset — the first one being for the slightly less seasonal but oh-so-needed counterbalance to the excess of end of year and new year celebrations, next is the transition from winter to spring, then the summer solstice, which is the transition from spring to summer, followed by the autumn equinox and winter solstice, and the cycle starts again.
Of course you can do a Cleanse + Reset whenever you feel the need — it can be a half day, a whole day, two days, you can even make a week’s retreat out of it! But remember, this time is all about being gentle with yourself, so watch out for harsh measures and trying to juggle a new menu with a major work project. That said, of course, when life is tough, it’s a good idea to be gentle on yourself and prioritise self-care practices such as easy to digest simple food, getting to bed on time and winding down from screens so you can run the course better — so trying a Cleanse + Reset now is a good idea for future wranglings with life!
If you don’t have the Cleanse + Reset yet, just subscribe to my newsletter and you’ll receive it in a Welcome newsletter completely free. If you have taken part in my Cleanse + Reset already — whether it was just the once a while back or you’ve joined me for the 5 times a year that I schedule in (you can do these 3-day resets whenever you like by the way, I just like them with the changing seasons) — then you will have the info already. Just go to your emails and search “Here's your 3-day Cleanse + Reset plan” and the welcome email with a link to the plan at the bottom should pop up. If you have any issues, contact me at hello@jasminehemsley.com.
Cleanse + Reset is easy, with kitchari as the staple — a rice, lentil and veggie dish that’s easy to change up with whatever you can get a hold of and ticks the boxes in terms of nutrition and satisfaction. Three other recipes (one of which is a tea!) are added in as needed. If you have any food intolerances, don’t worry — the programme offers suggestions on what to sub with.
The optimum and recommended rice for this is organic white basmati and the lentil is the Ayurvedic staple mung dal, which can be purchased from Asian supermarkets — many of which have remained open during this time. You can also get them online (order now!) or in larger supermarkets, and in the meantime, use red split lentils easily found in your local shops. If you want to tune your summer solstice Cleanse + Reset in with seasonal eating, then look for the following veggies in the UK and most of Europe.
Veg: asparagus, broad beans, chard, beetroot leaves, broccoli, carrots, courgettes, fennel, french beans, kohlrabi, lettuce & salad leaves (lightly sauteed or added lke baby spinach to kitchar towards the end of cooking time, mangetout, pak choi, peas, radishes, rocket, runner beans, samphire, watercress, wild nettles
Herbs: basil, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, oregano, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, sorrel, tarragon, thyme
The weather is heating up as we move into Pitta season, so skip any chilli and perhaps reduce the ginger, black pepper, garlic and mustard seeds if you’re feeling particularly Pitta-aggravated, and up the cardamom, cloves and fennel as well as enjoying plenty of mint and coriander which is cooling in nature.
And if you're on the other side of the world or somewhere in between, just look online or pop to the newly opening farmers markets to see what's good. Don’t try to rush about to get everything you need to do this perfectly — the most important thing to take away from this is rest, relaxation, going slow and freshly cooked, easy to digest food. Remember, Ayurveda is as much about the how and when you eat as the what. Go from Ashtanga yoga to Yin, from running to walking, from dance rave to classical, from huffing and puffing to long slow deep breaths, from screens to scenes of nature. Enjoy!
Disclaimer
I am not a nutritionist, dietician or medical professional. The information provided in this plan has been developed following personal research and is based on my own experience with nutrition, wellbeing and Ayurveda. As with any diet, exercise, supplementation or medication programme, before you start, you should consult a healthcare professional and in particular, if you are pregnant or have a health concern of any kind, it is recommended that you consult with your doctor or other medical professional.