Smart tips on ridding your body of harmful toxins at home during lockdown

The way you cook, what you eat, how you exercise can make or mar your immunity during the Covid-19 pandemic. Smart changes in your daily routine can make a big difference to your wellness quotient

Alright, you're stuck at home during the lockdown, with curbs on most other forms of entertainment or outings. So you decide to show off your cooking skills, dishing out banana cake, focaccia bread, chole bhature, and dalgona coffee with oodles of cream, sugar and dollops of butter for your family. The stuff is mouth-watering no doubt, but could have a devastating impact on immunity, especially since physical activity is limited. 

But who says you can't flaunt your culinary skills without harming the health of your loved ones. All you need is to make minor adjustments in your kitchen and start focussing on delivering what health experts call the detox diet.

Why detox?

Detoxification is crucial in the times of Covid-19. Recently Subah Jain, founder, Satvic Movement, organised a three-day ‘juice fast’ during lockdown that had 2,700 participants. She says, "Our gurus tell us that a virus is never the cause, but in fact the outcome of disease. If your body is free of toxins and is clean inside, no virus can survive in it." 

She gives the analogy of two dustbins – one full of garbage and other, empty. Which will attract germs? No marks for guessing the right answer. Likewise, when we stuff our bodies with oily greasy and spicy food, it accumulates and builds up inside the intestine and cells, from where it gets into the bloodstream to cause ‘toxemia’ or blood poisoning. It is this filth that you need to eliminate. A detoxified body helps you reach the optimal weight that mother nature has designed for you. It makes the skin clear and most importantly, it clears your mind, says Jain. 

“The biggest benefit of a clean body when the intestine and stomach are clear is that we feel amazingly calm, and positive energy, thoughts and ideas start streaming in,” she adds.

Where exactly are these toxins present? The answer is everywhere - in our environment and at a metaphysical level. Says Ishi Khosla, a Delhi-based clinical nutritionist, “In today’s lifestyle we are constantly bombarded with toxins at every step - be it pollutants in the air, poisons in our soil, pesticides and heavy metals in the food we consume, or the chemicals in our pills and medicines. Also, we have something called geopathic stress, or vibrations and radiations in the environment that we are exposed to. All this causes inflammation in our body and we should do whatever we can do to reduce this inflammation through changes in our diet and lifestyle.”  

 

How to detox

From morning till evening, there are certain rituals based on the age-old wisdom of naturopathy and Ayurveda that must be incorporated in one’s daily routine. Start your day with a glass of warm water, lemon and teaspoon of honey. Experts also recommend turmeric mixed with black pepper, a tinge of honey and drop of ghee for its anti-bacterial, microbial properties. One can even have the juice of vegetables like ash gourd (safed petha), two hours before breakfast, or cooling concoctions made of warm water, aloe vera, ginger juice, a pinch of turmeric, honey and amla/lemon.

An expert at a famous chain of Ayurvedic resorts also recommends detox drinks. Says Arun Sudhakar, Ayurveda Doctor and Spa Director at Kerala-based Niraamaya Wellness Retreat: “You can make detox drinks such as palm jaggery tea seasoned with Ajamoda (celery), black cumin, dried ginger and black pepper or a decoction of dried grapes, coriander seeds and jaggery.” The expert recommends three detox soups - tomato soup seasoned with dried ginger powder and black pepper; brown rice soup seasoned with moringa leaves, pumpkin leaves and rock salt, and arrowroot soup with coconut milk and palm jaggery.

Focus on gut health

Seventy per cent of illnesses can be cured by improving and focusing on your gut, as there is a direct connection of the gut, brain and hormones.

Says Manoj Kutteri, Wellness Director at Pune-based Atmantan Wellness Resorts: “One of the diagnostic tests we do in naturopathy and Ayurveda is simply to look at your mouth - if your tongue has a coating, it means you have a digestive issue.” He recommends oil pulling. Take two teaspoon of virgin coconut or sesame oil in your mouth, keep it in your mouth and swirl it inside. This, he says, helps in cleaning different areas of the mucosal membrane. 

You can work on respiratory health too. An ancient practice is to take a little warm ghee inside each nostril once a day and sniff. This is called Nasya, another Ayurvedic practice that can be an effective remedy for nasal infections. The therapy helps cleanse and strengthen the nasal passages.

Fasting is mother nature’s supreme medicine. All our vedas and scriptures have repeatedly mentioned upvaas and we should give our bodies a little bit of healing every day with fasting. Says Jain of Satvic Movement: “I would strongly recommend intermittent fasting for 16 hours. This means that if you ate your last meal of the day at 6 p.m. then don’t eat any solid food till 10 a.m. the next day. Of course, you can have coconut water or vegetable juices but we do not recommend tea or coffee. After your dinner is digested, the next few hours will all be healing and the waste will come out through stool, urine, sweat and breath. This helps reverse disease.”

Incorporate herbs, spices and micronutrients in your diet. Saffron, haldi (turmeric), cloves, cinnamom, gilohi (Tinospora Cordifolia) - there are 2,500 nutrients that raise body’s defence against diseases. But a word of caution comes from Ishi Khosla: “When the weather is hot like it is in Delhi at 44 degrees-plus, do not take excess of karha (decoction) as it can be counter-productive. Everything needs to be in the right quantity.”

Tea during the day made of fresh herbs is a good way to detox. Says Babina N M, Chief Medical Officer, Jindal Naturecure Institute: “If you want to add some detox recipes to your daily diet consider drinking mint tea, cumin and fennel tea and fenugreek water.”

 

Food heals

According to guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), your diet is crucial for the immune system to fight diseases, especially during the pandemic. Fresh vegetables and fruits contain both enzymes and antioxidants (the yellow and green coloured vegetables have Vitamin A and C, selenium and zinc) that help detoxify us. Your food should be as fresh as possible – avoid bottled, tinned, frozen, packaged or processed stuff. Replace sugar with honey, dates or organic jaggery. Proteins too have enzymes. Says Khosla: “A fistful of protein should always be accompanied by twice the amount of vegetables. Do not forget to add good fats and water.”

Detox your skin

It isn't just about the food that we eat but also about what we apply on our skin that helps us detox. Since Spas are out and a trip to a wellness resort is also not feasible, what can be done to detox the skin? Avoid going for specialised procedures. Instead, adopt basic things such as applying fruit packs made by crushing any seasonal fruit or pure natural oils.

According to Niraamaya’s Sudhakar, “We normally diagnose people and then suggest treatment accordingly. However, sesame and coconut oil are good for general massage, the former for cold and the latter for hot conditions. Ayurvedic Nalpamaradi oil is ideal for dry and sensitive skin to treat skin irritations and Lakshadi Keram oil is good for small children.”  

It is important to examine the contents of the endless number of creams and shampoos that we apply on our skin. Says Pritesh Asher, Co-founder, Juicy Chemistry, an organic Skincare brand, “Although the product in the front screams aloe vera, coconut, hibiscus and all things natural, if you delve deeper, they use a lot of harsh chemicals.” Asher once visited a mall, where he examined contents of a so-called ‘organic skincare brand', and was shocked to find that the chemicals listed in the contents were actually those that his family business was also using at its petrochemical manufacturing unit. Better to avoid products with sulphates, artificial colours, preservatives and fragrances. One must opt for nut butter, plant seed extracts and fresh-from-kitchen extracts.

Yoga

Yoga and Ayurveda go hand in hand. At Covid quarantine centres, yoga is given as an adjuvant therapy for speeding up recovery. Atmantan’s Kutteri suggests certain yoga asanas during Covid times such as cobra pose (Bhujangasan), lotus pose (Padmasan) and breathing exercises (pranayam) such as alternate nostril breathing (Anulom-Vilom), ujjayi pranayam and Bhastrika pranayama.

Niraamaya experts suggest Apana Mudra, which helps accelerate the release of carbon dioxide from the lungs, cough and mucus from the respiratory organs, perspiration from the skin, excretion through the colon, urination through kidneys and menstruation through the hormonal cycle in females.

Digital detox

Excessive use of social media and digital addiction is more addictive than cigarettes or alcohol, says Santosh Bangar, Consultant Psychiatrist, Global Hospital. Increased rates of anxiety, depression and internet addiction have been diagnosed in social media users. Obesity and insomnia due to alterations in the circadian rhythm and melatonin secretion have also been reported.

Digital detox means having a break from technology. Says Psychiatrist Samir Parikh, Director of Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare: “Typically, we should set aside a few hours a day or per week, wherein there is no screen involved. Especially today, during a lockdown, the entire family could sit together to spend collective time and engage in alternative activities.”

It is important to turn off notifications and limit alerts to what is absolutely essential. Keep your phone away during meals and when you sleep. Set a time limit on certain apps. Leave your phone home when you go for a walk or a run, or leave the house for some errands and finally don’t take the phone to the bathroom.

Lockdown: No better time to detox

It isn't a piecemeal but a holistic approach that will work. Eating right is part of the detox programme but the recipes and concoctions will not work like magic unless supported by yoga and a disciplined lifestyle.

There is no better time to integrate the best wellness practices into one’s lifestyle than the lockdown, which in any case has forced people to eat home-cooked meals and ditch junk food. There is opportunity to learn the benefits of a low-waste life, not move out of home and drive out unnecessarily, become mindful of our purchases, more aware of hygiene and value experience over material pleasures. In a way, it’s a chance for a ‘holistic’ detox of mind, body, soul.

Tips for digital detox:

• Take regular screen free breaks
• Set a reminder/alarm to monitor screen time. Consider using good-old paper diary or a calendar!
• Limit on-screen notifications to lessen the distractions
• Consider deleting some apps to resist the temptation
• Develop a designated ‘sacred spaces’ with prohibited electronic gadgets
• Practise digital detox while on holiday
• Do not replace face-to-face human conversation with social media
• Try to get your validation from work, hobbies, family and not just through social media
• Address the fear of missing out (FOMO) at the earliest
• Moderation is better than complete prohibition!

Source: Santosh Bangar, Consultant Psychiatrist Global Hospital

General wellness tips during Covid-19

• Increase water consumption
• Include turmeric, ginger in your foods
• Drink lemon water daily. Add more fruits and vegetables in your daily diet
• Do steam inhalation once or twice in a week
• Application of sesame oil all over your body 30 minutes before shower is recommended
• If available, you can take Triphala choornam, 1 tsp at bed time.
• Get sound sleep

Source: Doctors at Somatheeram, an Ayurvedic hospital in Kerala

Detox Diet
Detox Drinks

• Palm jaggery tea - seasoned with Ajamoda, black cumin, dried ginger and black pepper
• A decoction of dried grapes, coriander seeds and jaggery
• Golden milk 

Detox Soups

• Tomato soup seasoned with dried ginger powder and black pepper.
• Brown Rice Soup seasoned with moringa leaves, pumpkin leaves and rock salt.
• Arrowroot soup with coconut milk and palm jaggery.

Food Supplements

• Health mix powder - Raagi, oats, Groundnut, cashew nuts, almonds, dried banana, chickpeas etc. 
• Salad - sprouts, grated coconut, cucumber, onion, seasoned with lemon juice and rock salt.
• Buttermilk seasoned with curry leaves, turmeric, Garlic and Cumin seeds. 

Oils 

• Sesame for general massage, during cold, coconut oil for hot conditions. Both are good for nourishment. 
• Ayurvedic Nalpamaradi oil is used for dry and sensitive skin to treat skin irritations.
• Lakshadi Keram oil for kids below 5 years.

Source: Niraamaya Wellness Retreats

Invest in your health by making the following part of your daily routine at home
Wellness factor	Monthly expense (Rs)
Fresh Fruits-Organic	5,000-10,000
Fresh Veggies-Organic	6,000-8,000
Herbs, Exotic Spices, Micronutrients	2,000-5,000
Creams, Shampoos, Oils- Ayurvedic, Organic and Natural

7,000-10,000 Massages, Body Rub & Treatments  2,000-5,000


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