Total Life Cleanse

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Total Life Cleanse A 28-Day Program to Detoxify and Nourish the Body, Mind, and Soul JONATHAN GLASS, M.Ac., C.A.T. A comprehensive guide to the integrated detox of body, mind, and spirit • Presents a practical 28-day plant-based program, divided into four cycles, to initiate and maximize physical, mental, and spiritual detoxification • Integrates the ancient wisdom of yoga, Ayurveda, and Traditional Chinese Medicine with naturopathic principles and contemporary nutritional science • Provides plant-based smoothie and meal recipes, tips on liver health and healthy elimination, exercise and yoga practices, breathing and meditation techniques to address toxic thought patterns, and Karma/Forgiveness cleansing rituals

Integrating the ancient wisdom of yoga, Ayurveda, and Traditional Chinese Medicine with naturopathic principles and contemporary nutritional science, Jonathan Glass, M.Ac., C.A.T., presents a practical 28-day program, divided into four cycles, designed to initiate and maximize detoxification of your body, mind, and spirit from the harmful effects of the modern lifestyle. Glass reveals the interconnectedness of what we consume, both mentally and nutritionally, emphasizing that cleansing of the body alone will offer only a temporary solution if we do not also apply the same cleansing principles to our thoughts and actions. He provides delicious plant-based smoothie and meal recipes, step-by-step instructions to resolve blockages and stagnation in the physical or emotional body, including tips on liver health and healthy elimination, guidance on how to cleanse the proliferation of toxic thought patterns in the mind, as well as outlining a supportive Karma/Forgiveness cleanse ritual to detoxify the spirit. He explains how the soul is encased in five coverings, known as Koshas, and details how to harmonize all five Koshas through a plant-based diet, exercise, yoga, breathing techniques, and meditation/introspective practices. Citing wisdom from teachers he has revered over the years and sages past and present, as well as teachings from the Vedas and other ancient texts, Glass reinforces that how we eat, think, and live directly impacts our health in body, mind, spirit, and our relationships. He also shows how the principles of the Total Life Cleanse inherently support the environment. By empowering you with a new way of thinking, seeing, and being, the Total Life Cleanse program allows you not only to heal yourself by changing your life patterns but also to heal others, as we foster a deeper connection to the life that surrounds us and ultimately the universe. Jonathan Glass, M.Ac., C.A.T., is a master acupuncturist, certified Shuddha Ayurveda therapist, and herbalist who has served on the faculty of the New England School of Acupuncture and The Dharma Institute of Yoga and Ayurveda. An advocate of group-supported transformational programming, he has been in private practice since 1987 and co-founded the Healing Essence Center with his wife. He lives in Concord, Massachusetts. Healing Arts Press • ISBN 978-1-62055-691-7 • $24.95 (CAN $31.50) Paper Also available as an ebook • 448 pages, 8 x 10 • 32 black-and-white illustrations Rights: World • Health/Detox

January 2018

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TOTAL LIFE CLEANSE

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TOTAL LIFE CLEANSE A 28-Day Program to Detoxify and Nourish the Body, Mind, and Soul

For Review Jonathan Glass, M.AOnly c., C.A.T.

Healing Arts Press Rochester, Vermont • Toronto, Canada

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Healing Arts Press One Park Street Rochester, Vermont 05767 www.HealingArtsPress.com Healing Arts Press is a division of Inner Traditions International Copyright © 2018 by Jonathan Glass All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Note to the reader: This book is intended as an informational guide. The remedies, approaches, and techniques described herein are meant to supplement, and not to be a substitute for, professional medical care or treatment. They should not be used to treat a serious ailment without prior consultation with a qualified health care professional. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data [cip to come]

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Printed and bound in XXXXX 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Text design and layout by Virginia Scott Bowman This book was typeset in Garamond Premier Pro and Avenir with Helvetica Neue, Avenir, and Garamond Premier Pro used as display typefaces Figures 22.23, 22.28, 22.30–32 by Robin Glass, Robin Glass Photography All other images by Josh Glass, joshglassphotography.com To send correspondence to the author of this book, mail a first-class letter to the author c/o Inner Traditions • Bear & Company, One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767, and we will forward the communication, or contact the author directly at www.totallifecleanse.com or healingessencectr@ gmail.com.

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Contents PREFACE

How to Use This Book

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Acknowledgments 00 INTRODUCTION

How the Total Life Cleanse Came to Be

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PART I

The Why of the Total Life Cleanse 1 Essentials of Cleansing

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2 Our Modern Condition

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3 Toxins 00

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4 Body Basics and the Essentials of the Best Diets

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5 Theories of Health and Disease

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6 The Universal Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet

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7 Conscious Eating and the Eight Principles of Right Eating

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8 Ayurveda, God, and the Five Goals of Life

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9 TLC’s Essential Principles 00 10 Subtle Toxins

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11 Koshas: The Coverings of the Soul

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12 Ayurveda and the Eight Elements

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13 Cleansing through the Elements

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14 The Chinese Five Elements: Organs,

For Review Only Emotions, and Seasons

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15 The Three Qualities of Soul and of Nature

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16 Doshas and Genes

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17 Karma, Reincarnation, and the Karma Cleanse

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°°° PART I I

The How of the Total Life Cleanse 18 The Cleanse Begins

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19 TLC Essentials: Superfoods, Supplements, and a Cleansing Diet

20 Total Life Detox: Taking the Cleanse to a Deeper Level

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21 Sadhana: TLC Daily Practices to Reconnect to our Divine Nature

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22 TLC Daily Routine Guide

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23 Cleansing through the Seasons

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24 Details on the Top Fourteen “Off-the-Cleanse” Foods

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25 TLC Recipes

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Conclusion 00 Useful Resources for the Total Life Cleanse

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Notes 00 Index 00

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PREFACE

How to Use This Book This book unfolds in two parts. Part 1 shares my personal story and elucidates the reasons why cleansing is essential and beneficial—perhaps more so today than ever before. It also reveals the philosophical foundation behind cleansing and its ancient roots, including principles of modern nutritional science, ayurveda, and Chinese medicine. Additionally, part 1 illuminates optimal eating practices, harmonizes conflicting dietary information, and explores critical health strategies. Total Life Cleanse includes numerous references to ancient Vedic scriptures, such as the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. These Eastern bible-like texts are thousands of years old and are among the sources of yoga and ayurvedic philosophy, including practical life teachings for the body, mind, and soul. Where Sanskrit words are used, you’ll find translations to facilitate easy understanding. Part 2 is the “how to” section and includes everything you need to successfully cleanse. Here you’ll find the Daily Routine Guide, recipes, seasonal tips, a shopping list, cleanse exercises, meditation practices, and dietary, supplement, and herb recommendations, as well as all other pertinent and practical information. The way I see it, there are four ways you can use this book. Choose whichever one you think will work best for you.

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1. Read the entire book from front to back. Then do the cleanse, following the instructions in part 2. While you are cleansing, reread part 1. This is the most comprehensive approach to this cleansing process. 2. Skip part 1 and go right to part 2, and follow the instructions to do the cleanse. While cleansing, carefully read the entire book; it should inspire you with its empowering information and wisdom. ix

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x Preface

3. Read the entire book, and let it inspire you to accelerate your healing process. If you’ve cleansed before and have found additional cleansing practices effective, feel free to use them. 4. This book contains a lot of information on a variety of topics, ranging from scientific to philosophical and technical to practical. Read the entire book straight through or move around to the sections that interest you the most. Then put it down and digest the information for a while. Come back to the book and cleanse when you feel ready.

Note to Practitioners Holistic doctors and practitioners of all kinds will find Total Life Cleanse to be a useful resource for: • Improving their own personal health • Increasing their knowledge of cleansing, nutrition, plant-based eating, ayurveda, and Chinese medicine • Integrating the wide range of knowledge shared in this book

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• Successfully integrating cleansing into their own practices

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Acknowledgments I WOULD LIKE TO THANK my beautiful family: my wife Katherine, and our two

boys, Joshua and Robin. Their loving patience and sweet inspiration have been a great source of encouragement in the writing of this book. I am most grateful to numerous friends who have generously assisted in the feedback, proofreading, and editing process, and especially Katherine Ayars, Rama Devi Nina Marshall, Rebecca Gray, Madhuri Dasi, Ken Russell, Kalanidhi Das, and Dr. Bruce Canvasser. I’d like to especially appreciate Vidura Das (Vernon Mahabal), Radha Sundari Dasi, and B. V. Tridandi Swami for their continued inspiration and support throughout the entire process, which means more to me than they can know. With deep respect, I thank Dr. Kevin Gregg, co-creator of the Total Life Cleanse, for selflessly sharing his friendship, kindness, and profound gifts as a practitioner and teacher with me. Thanks also to Sherry Seaver, who for almost two decades has been our “cleanse angel,” supporting the growth and development of the program while also supporting participants along the way, like a doting and loving mother. To my teachers, especially Bruce Berger, David Quigley, Dr. J. R. Worsley, Dr. David Frawley, Tashi Nyima, Dr. Don Anderson, Dr. Richard Tan, and yoga/meditation master, Paramahansa Yogananda, I offer my sincere appreciation. Finally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the wellspring of my spiritual inspiration and grounding in life: Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami and Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja.

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xii Acknowledgments

My Teachers I have been fortunate to study with remarkable teachers and healers who have helped shape, develop, and improve the philosophy, design, and implementation of Total Life Cleanse. I would like to acknowledge them here. First was my incredibly powerful bodywork and polarity therapy teacher, Bruce Burger, MA, RPP, CPE. At his school, called the Heartwood Institute, Bruce taught me about the true nature of deep healing and led me through my initial cleanse experiences. Around that time, the plant-based nutrition movement was still underground. I was fortunate to be exposed to the works of brilliant and courageous writers on this subject, which deeply inspired me. In particular, the acclaimed and influential book, Diet for a New America, by John Robbins, and Healing with Whole Foods, authored by Paul Pitchford, who was teaching at Heartwood while I was there. I still recommend both books today. My next teacher was the renowned Dr. J. R. Worsley, or J.R., as we affectionately referred to him. He was a true master of five element acupuncture, ’whose purpose is to not only remove symptoms of illness but to offer healing on the deepest levels. I owe a great deal of my knowledge and perspective on healing to him. My interest and study in ayurveda began during my time in India. After acupuncture school I studied with Dr. David Frawley, a brilliant ayurvedic master. I then went on to advance my studies with Tashi Nyima, founder of the Dharma Institute of Yoga and Ayurveda. Tashi’s intimate style of teaching facilitated the blending of ayurveda into my busy acupuncture practice. He wholeheartedly supported the concepts and practices behind Total Life Cleanse and offered invaluable advice that I still use today. Over the years, I have spent many hours studying muscle response testing and nutrition. My most prominent teachers have been Dr. Stephen Stiteler, Dr. Freddie Ulan, Dr. Don Anderson, and Dr. Frank Springbob. Much of my learning and insights came from working side by side with my friend and cleanse co-creator, Dr. Kevin Gregg. His passion and compassion continue to inspire me as a person and practitioner. I have also had many spiritual teachers who have influenced my work as a practitioner. First was Ram Dass, author of Be Here Now. His message of living in the “here and now” shifted my perspective at an early age. Then was the great yoga master Paramahansa Yogananda, who taught me the gift of deep meditation and prayer. There was also Ammachi, whose loving embrace and words encouraged me to continue my work and to remain on my spiritual path.

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Acknowledgments xiii

I am most grateful to my bhakti yoga gurus: A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, whose message of bhakti yoga penetrated my heart and soul; Srila Bhakti Tirtha Swami, whose loving and open heart supported me through turbulent times; and, finally, my beloved Sat-guru, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja, whose example and teachings opened my eyes to the path of bhakti yoga in a way that I had previously only imagined was possible. All of their teachings inspired within me a deep appreciation for the sanctity of all living beings. Their loving wisdom continues to inspire me to do my best and to see the highest potential in every patient and cleanse participant.

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INTRODUCTION

How the Total Life Cleanse Came to Be Everyone has a physician inside him or her. We just have to support it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in becoming well.

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Hippocrates

THE PROGRAM OUTLINED IN THIS BOOK, which I call the Healing Essence Total

Life Cleanse, was initially created by Dr. Kevin Gregg and myself to provide the education, structure, and support the patients in our practice needed to cleanse safely and effectively. It was designed to simultaneously assist them in integrating into their life the healthiest whole-foods plant-based dietary and lifestyle practices. The cleanse presented in part 2 is our most widely practiced twenty-eight-day program. However, the program evolved through a series of different-length cleanses, some lasting for many weeks and others for just a few days. To our surprise and pleasure, even the shorter cleanses had powerful and positive results. I have personally experienced that total life cleansing consistently advances health and wellness, on every level of our being. This is why I am so passionate about sharing this information. You may reasonably wonder, “Why would Jonathan choose to write another book on cleansing when there are so many others available?” My answer is threefold: First, the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse stems from decades of cleansing experience, both personally and in support of thousands of students through its transformative 1

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2 Introduction

process. The breadth and depth of this experience, both in the doing and in the educating, inestimably increases its value. Many commercial cleanses are based on good logic. However, few, if any, have had our degree of personal, day-to-day, direct experience with students and patients. Unlike prepackaged programs, our program grew organically and was engendered by dedicated practitioners. There is nothing like real people having real experiences. After more than twenty years of working with patients facing troubling conditions, I can honestly say that I have witnessed the cleansing program initiate some of the most transformational turnarounds in health I could have ever imagined. Second, the approach to cleansing in this program is based on a holistic paradigm that uniquely takes into account body, mind, and soul as equally essential aspects of the healing process. Third, our health as human beings on this planet is at a tipping point. The Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse inculcates “higher-octave” universal philosophical and spiritual values that significantly contribute to both personal and planetary healing. The Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse will support you in:

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Understanding the countless benefits of cleansing Cleansing deeply and effectively, on many levels Avoiding the potential pitfalls and downsides of cleansing Making positive dietary and lifestyle changes for a lifetime Improving your health in body, mind, and spirit Making a positive impact on our environment and all of its inhabitants

Cleansing and detoxification have been practiced as healing arts on this planet for many thousands of years. Time and time again, it’s been confirmed that how we eat and how we live directly impact the environment and our health in body, mind, and spirit. Even our relationships improve when we eat and live well, and we find improved mental clarity, less pain, and more joy. Everyone in our circle benefits. In this way, the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse is ancient wisdom adapted to modern times—dramatically enhancing its effectiveness. Appreciating the deeper purpose of cleansing profoundly amplifies the cleansing experience. Cleansing is not simply about purifying an organ, improving elimination, or even curing ourselves of serious disease. Ultimately, it’s about knowing ourselves, fulfilling our life purpose, and reawakening the magic and divinity of life. It is about cleansing our life of obstacles, from the ground up. When we clear physical blocks and toxins

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How the Total Life Cleanse Came to Be 3

within the context of cultivating an awareness of broader truths and goals in our life, authentic healing on every level can take place. Ayurveda, the ancient system of medicine from India, incorporates cleansing in all aspects of healing. The ayurvedic comprehensive detoxification program, called panchakarma, includes an appropriate cleanse diet, designed according to the individual’s symptoms and constitution. The Chinese dietetic philosophy also supports eating in a clean and balanced way, in alignment with your energetic pattern to support optimal health and detoxification. Similar practices have been used for thousands of years in these and other ancient cultures, and they are still practiced today. Modern medicine has introduced remarkable discoveries, but too often it encourages blind faith in invasive and unhealthy medical practices. It has a tendency to overuse technology, surgery, and drugs to treat illness when dietary, herbal, and lifestyle changes could engender far safer and better results—whether in conjunction with conventional medicine or alone. After many years of overdependence on drugs and surgery and complete denial regarding how quality of food, diet, and lifestyle impact our well-being, we are seeing a resurgence of interest in natural health and healing. This movement began in the early 1970s and has steadily continued. Now, the potency of natural healing, eating clean organic food, cleansing, and detoxification is finally being acknowledged and is penetrating the fabric of modern culture. This is great news!

For Review Only My Personal Journey to Cleansing

I share my story, with its twists and turns, to give you a better sense of how I came to cleansing and my perspectives on it. It is also my hope that you’ll find some of my experiences and the insights I discovered along the way to be motivating. When I was young, I was plagued by allergies. I had a severe allergic reaction twice— once at eleven months old and again at two years of age. Early on, milk and seasonal pollens were identified as the culprits. As I grew, I continued to suffer from serious allergic symptoms. I was regularly prescribed antihistamine drugs, allergy shots, nose sprays, and other medicines. While I was a relatively good student, there were times when these medications, combined with my allergies, seriously interfered with my capacity to function in school. During my high school years, I developed at least one serious bronchial infection every year—and it was always treated with antibiotics. When I was a senior, I was captain of the varsity hockey team. For much of the season I barked like a dog on the ice,

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4 Introduction

due to a thick mucus-rich cough that took over three months to clear, even with strong antibiotics. At around the age of fifteen, I had become interested in meditation and yoga during a summer camp job in Maine. Jamie, a dear friend, had shared a book with me called Be Here Now, by Ram Dass. All that summer, we immersed ourselves in Be Here Now, along with the mystical shamanism books by Carlos Castaneda. Each day we committed to living in the here and now, meditating daily and leading nightly campfires with friends. It was a magical time of budding personal development and spiritual growth. That summer, I directly experienced how the quality of our consciousness impacts our lives. Throughout my high school years, I continued practicing various forms of meditation, guided especially the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda. Yogananda emphasized how diet, lifestyle, and meditation simultaneously benefit the body, mind, and soul. As I meditated daily, my capacity for concentration, studying, athletic ability, and inner peace greatly improved. It was also then that I began to understand the connection between diet, energy, and mood. Still, due to my habits and attachments, I was reluctant to make permanent changes. In college I played varsity soccer. I noticed that my lung capacity was weaker than that of many of my teammates. While I was quite athletic, skilled, and determined, I just didn’t have the endurance of our best players. One day during that time, I came upon a small health food store in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and met a man who changed my life. Rusty was a calm, handsome, long-haired, and vibrantly healthy-looking guy. I told him about my lung and allergy issues, and he recommended a few products. In particular, he gave me a seed extract supplement that Russian athletes used to increase oxygen in the blood. He also recommended that I read an old classic nutrition and herbal book called Back to Eden, by Jethro Kloss. I took the supplement before my next soccer practice and was amazed by the increase in my lung capacity, and the resulting greater endurance. I had had no idea that there were actually natural substances that really worked. I thought to myself, If Rusty’s recommendation regarding the supplement was so right on, perhaps the book will have some helpful information too. I began to read the biblelike text with great interest. It contained so much information. Kloss was zealous in his beliefs, which I found to be contagious. With passion, he declared that moving from a meat- and dairy-based diet to one that was based primarily on plants and dairy-free could alleviate many symptoms and diseases, including allergies. It was a new and exciting concept to me. I had been accustomed to eating my meals at my soccer fraternity house, where Jack,

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the four-hundred-pound drunken chef, fried everything in lard and smothered it with cheese. My soccer coach recommended that we eat meat and dairy the night before a game; my roommate and I would obediently order large extra-cheese hamburger pizzas. I always felt utterly horrible the next morning: heavy, tired, congested, sluggish, and depressed. It often took me at least half of the game before I really got moving. I may have been a coachable player, but I felt awful. Back to Eden ignited a light of insight and hope. I immediately stopped eating meat and dairy. Within a few days, my allergy symptoms began to diminish remarkably. I was stunned. After suffering for so many years, could it be this simple? I decided to stick with the program and find out. As a college student, I had little ability to make my own dietary choices, especially as a new vegetarian. I did my best. This meant lots of fruit, iceberg lettuce salads, nuts, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Now, this may not sound very healthy, but eliminating dairy and lard-fried meats was so helpful that I felt amazing for weeks. However, over time, I began to feel somewhat fatigued. The overcooked fraternity veggies and PB&Js were no longer cutting it. While I remained mindful of the impact that dairy and meat had on my body, I gradually slid back to old eating habits—cheese, ice cream, and even Jack’s addictive fatty dishes. However, I noticed that if I took a break from dairy at the point when my allergies began to flare up, my congestion would often recede. I never allowed my symptoms to return to being as horrible as they once were. During my last semester in college, I studied religions that had newly cropped up in the West. The Hare Krishna novement was notable; my class went for a field trip to their farm in Port Royal, Pennsylvania. It was fascinating! As I was already practicing yoga and meditation, I understood the basic tenets of their philosophy. One of the principles they emphasized was vegetarianism—they were very strong on this point. It gave me a lot to think about. Jethro Kloss spoke of vegetarianism primarily from the perspective of health for the body and mind. The Hare Krishnas spoke about it from a more philosophical perspective—that of ahimsa, or nonviolence. They taught that all living beings, from insects to humans, have souls and are also children of God. They believed this was a truth that was ignored in most religious and spiritual traditions. While I liked their perspective on vegetarianism very much, I was still attached to my grandmother’s Jewish cooking and family barbecues. That summer, while working in Boston, I decided to visit the local Hare Krishna temple. There, I met a sweet Krishna devotee, Champakalata Dasi, who was very kind to me. I would visit her at the temple every day around lunchtime, before work. Each time, she would bring me a huge plate of the most amazing vegetarian food.

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6 Introduction

While I ate, we’d discuss philosophy. She would inevitably ask, “Have you stopped eating meat yet?” I would sheepishly say, “No, not yet, but I am eating less.” However, I soon found that as I continued to eat this wonderful food she called prasad, or blessed food, it became mysteriously easy to give up eating meat. Gradually, I noticed my health improving once again. Finally, by the end of the summer, I decided to go 100 percent vegetarian, thanks to my experience with Champalakata’s blessed food and her kind yet firm encouragement. I began to understand what my yoga teachers had meant about how food affects our mind and consciousness. Vegetarianism soon became a way of life for me—a way to feel healthier in body, mind, and spirit. My journey continued when I took a trip to Europe—a college graduation gift from my parents. Outside Paris, I met Luna, a woman staying at a Hare Krishna farm I was visiting. She and I became dear friends and decided to travel together, ultimately planning a trip to India. Luna was fifteen years older than me and had been a vegetarian for over twenty years. We traveled from France to Spain, to the beaches in Portugal, and then to Italy, making many friends along the way. We shopped at local outdoor food markets and made the most opulent salads with beautiful produce. We had bread with bee pollen and raw honey every day, and, oh, the olives! What a blessed time it was! I was eating better than ever and feeling great. I learned so much from Luna and experienced for myself that it was possible to be a vibrant, healthy, nondairy vegetarian. I saw it as a win-win-win lifestyle—good for me, good for the animals, and good for the planet! Eventually Luna and I made our way to India. There, we lived in yoga ashrams, studied with various teachers, and traveled throughout the country, at times together, and sometimes going off on our own. I became more committed to being vegetarian. I also delved deeply into Eastern philosophy, bhakti yoga, and ayurveda. Eventually, while participating in a sacred fire ceremony, I made a lifetime vow to refrain from eating meat, fish, and eggs. To this day, I have no regrets about taking that vow, nor have I found it difficult to sustain. However, living in India did take a toll on my health. I had numerous bouts of dysentery and parasitic infections. It didn’t help that I was an overconfident twenty-twoyear-old, walking barefoot everywhere and eating whatever food I was offered. After some time, I returned to Europe and then the States to regain my health and visit my family. After living in ashrams for five years, I decided to begin a new chapter studying

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massage and nutrition at the Heartwood Institute, located in the hills of beautiful Garberville, California. There, I gradually recovered my health, eating amazingly well, just as I had with Luna, but with even more variety. Heartwood was a place of true healing—a powerful place of light. I studied massage, polarity therapy, energy healing, nutrition, hypnotherapy, cleansing, and anatomy and physiology. I immersed myself in my studies every day. I had the great fortune to study with spiritual teacher, profound healer, and master polarity therapist Bruce Burger, one of my most important teachers of all time. Bruce was also adept in ayurveda, cleansing, and detoxification. It was at Heartwood with him that I did the first of many cleanses. We did juice fasts, liver flushes, rainbow diet cleanses, colonics, enemas, herbs, raw sprout diets, water fasting, sweat lodges, emotional release work, Native American peyote prayer meetings, kirtans, yoga, and more. We learned, healed, and practiced in Heartwood’s beautiful sacred environment. Often, while sleeping under the stars, I felt heart-expanding floods of gratitude for this profoundly healing time. It was then and there that I realized that I wanted to share the gifts of healing and natural health with others. When I had come to Heartwood, I was still recovering from weak digestion due to India’s parasites and the limited food choices in ashram life. I experimented with a variety of cleanses that were happening there, and these wonderful opportunities led to my full recovery. They also taught me which cleanse protocols worked and which ones did not. The cleanses were powerful, healing, spiritual experiences that inspired profound insights about my body, mind, relationships, life, and soul. I realized that cleansing was not just about the body but had the capacity to powerfully touch us at core levels of our being. These experiences turned out to be extremely influential in the development of the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse. I also discovered that coming off a cleanse is an extremely important phase of the process! One of my first cleanses was an eleven-day rainbow juice fast led by my friend and brilliant homeopath Kim Elia. Throughout the day, we would juice fruits and vegetables whose colors corresponded to the chakra/rainbow color sequence—first red, then orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and indigo plants. It was a fun, deep, and inspiring juice-fast cleanse. My body, mind, and heart felt lighter and clearer than ever before. On the last day, while sitting in a hot tub under sunny skies, a friend came by to share some beautiful ripe peaches. We were meant to end our cleanse by eating small amounts of peeled fruit. Well, I didn’t take time to pause, and wow, skin and all, did I enjoy those six peaches! Unfortunately, they sat in my lower right intestine without budging, literally, for

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8 Introduction

four days. I was miserably uncomfortable. For the next few months, my digestion was erratic, disturbed, and weak. I felt as if I was unable to fully digest anything. From that point on, I was much more careful to follow the protocols for finishing a cleanse. Over the following months I tried a series of different cleanses with the intention of finally remedying my digestive issues. With the help of these cleanses, along with Chinese medicine, herbs, home-grown organic veggies, probiotics, and digestive enzymes, I found my way back to solid digestive health. Each cleanse taught me a great deal. I also learned about proper post-cleanse practices and how to successfully transition from cleansing to eating a more diverse and healthy plant based diet. Somehow, I knew that one day I would be supporting others to do the same. While at Heartwood, I became a certified massage therapist, a certified hypnotherapist, and a certified natural health educator. A few years later, I also became an acupuncturist and a certified ayurvedic therapist (C.A.T.). For many years, I continued to delve deeply into the areas of whole food nutrition, herbs, and diet and lifestyle practices. I became even more committed to a healthy, vegetarian lifestyle and have continued eating that way for over thirty years. In 1997 I became close with a colleague, Dr. Kevin Gregg. Dr. Gregg is an exceptionally gifted holistic chiropractic doctor currently practicing outside of Dallas, Texas. One day, we were discussing how challenging it was to treat patients with dietary and lifestyle habits that significantly interfere with their health. So many suffer greatly, as I once did, from food sensitivities, toxins, parasites, leaky gut, and other stressors that contribute to the devastation of their health in body and mind. We were both frustrated by our inability to significantly help these patients. Nutritional counseling, acupuncture, and chiropractic treatments were simply not enough. Simultaneously, we were struck by an insight: supporting patients in a group setting would give them the ability make the dietary and lifestyle changes necessary to radically improve their health, and the additional support and education would dramatically enhance the value of our treatments. For many months Kevin and I brainstormed together. We each brought our individual gifts, clinical insights, and experiences with cleansing and created our first healing cleanse program, which we called, appropriately, the Total Body Cleanse. We were thrilled with the extraordinary results of our initial five-week program. Over the next few years, we continued to develop the cleanse program. With the assistance of Sherry, our new assistant, we took our education, organization, and professionalism to another level. These were exciting times. Dr. Gregg and I learned so much while teaching together. We discovered, firsthand,

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what happens when people are genuinely given the support they need to make essential health-related changes. The Total Body Cleanse created an environment in which these powerful changes were possible. Our patients began to remarkably transform their health and habits. Our own lives as practitioners were also transformed and became far more enjoyable. The insights we’ve gained through leading cleanses continue to profoundly influence our present-day practices. My wife, Katherine, and I opened our healing center, the Healing Essence Center in Concord, Massachusetts, in 1992, and it is still going strong. We love the name, as it has always been our intention to dive deep with our patients and do our best to support authentic healing. To us, the word essence is deeply meaningful. It refers to our aim of getting to the core of healing with every patient we come in contact with. It’s also closely related to the Sanskrit word svarupa, which means “one’s true or essential nature.” Our svarupa, or essential soul nature, indicates our deepest divine potential. After developing the Total Body Cleanse with Dr. Gregg, we incorporated the cleanse on a seasonal basis into our center’s programming. We soon realized that our program was having results that went far beyond the body. At the Healing Essence Center, the cleanse evolved to include work on creating new healthy life habits and eliminating harmful ones, expanding awareness, and supporting students in delving deeply within themselves—in finding their inner healing essence. To better fit the expanded program, we changed the name from Total Body Cleanse to Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse (TLC). We liked the parallel with the acronym TLC, “tender loving care.” Plenty of TLC is certainly required for us to cleanse, heal, and reconnect to our inner essence. Life frequently takes on new and reinspired meaning after the Total Life Cleanse. It is not just about the body, the toxins, the candida, the parasites, the liver, the intestines, or even the brain or nervous system. It’s about the essential self within! Of course it’s necessary to cleanse on all levels if we hope to improve our quality of life. However, TLC ultimately is about removing fundamental blocks that stand in the way of our becoming our most authentic self. It’s about connecting to our soul essence, bringing it into our lives, and then sharing that essence with others, inspiring them to do the same. Life has many challenges. How we live and eat is so primal that it impacts the quality of everything we do. For those who aspire to live at their highest capacity and vibration, regular seasonal cleansing is essential. Later in this book, I will go into detail about how every organ and tissue in the body relates to a specific emotion and state of mind. When we treat an organ or tissue with the right food and safe, effective lifestyle and detoxification practices, it becomes easier to emotionally heal and connect to our essence. This connection allows us to rediscover

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10 Introduction

ourselves and increases our capacity to achieve our true goals in life, realize who we are, and fulfill our purpose here on Earth. Authentic cleansing supports us in continuing to eat and live in ways that truly enhance our well-being—well-being not only for ourselves but also for all creatures, our environment, and the planet. Everything is connected. To sum up, the intention of the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse is to remove blocks, effect deep healing, increase our awareness of the interdependency and interconnectedness of all life, and allow us to realize our potential as incredible and beautiful beings. Can you undertake the cleanse simply to lose weight, feel better, lower blood pressure, decrease pain, improve elimination, improve sleep, or address a serious disease? Of course! But along the way, all TLC participants will learn a lot about themselves, about life, and about the profound potential of a soul having a human experience. This is healing essence.

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PART I

For Review The Why ofOnly the Total Life Cleanse

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1 Essentials of Cleansing As long as you live, keep learning to live.

Seneca

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NEVER BEFORE IN RECORDED HISTORY have we been so intensively exposed to

such a barrage of toxins, including biological, dietary, chemical, heavy metal, electrical, and radioactive ones, as well as modern-day emotional, psychological, and spiritual stressors. With thousands of man-made chemicals in our water and air—far too many of which have never been tested for human safety—and electrical smog in the form of electromagnetic and wireless frequencies clouding the ether, it is no wonder that so many types of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and anxiety disorders are exponentially on the rise. In addition to environmental stressors and toxins, the nutritional quality of our food and produce has significantly diminished in the past fifty years. The synergistic effect of stress, toxicity, and nutritional depletion is devastating to our well-being. The good news is that the principle of synergy—the property of combining elements to create an effect greater than the sum of their parts—works just as effectively in a positive direction. When we manage stress more effectively, heal the nervous system, improve our nutritional status, eliminate stored toxins, and reduce our exposure to environmental and dietary toxins, we regain and enhance our potential for health, vitality, and mental and spiritual clarity.

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Essentials of Cleansing 13

What Is Cleansing? Cleansing is the art and process of making health-enhancing dietary and lifestyle changes that reboot our natural potential for vibrant well-being. It is a method of relieving the body and mind from the burden of toxicity and unhealthy stress. It is truly remarkable how positively the body and mind respond when given an opportunity. After a balanced cleanse, we normally experience many subtle and not-so-subtle benefits, including:

Reduced aches and pains Improved digestion Enhanced energy Stronger immunity A calmer and more focused mind More pleasure from the taste of whole foods Clearer skin The loss of excess weight A deeper internal connection A sense of personal empowerment Improved relationships Deeper connection to our innate wisdom and life purpose

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These are just a few of the rewards that come from cleansing and taking our health and our lives into our own hands!

Ayurveda and Cleansing The TLC dietary and lifestyle program is based on a foundation of ayurvedic principles and philosophy. Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine that has flourished in India for over five thousand years. In Sanskrit, ayurveda means “knowledge of the totality of life.” Ayurveda is a deeply rich, practical, and profound system of holistic medicine in which the body, the senses, the mind, and the soul are acknowledged and considered as a single integrated system. It comprises highly sophisticated and advanced herbal, dietary, and lifestyle approaches to healing. Cleansing and detoxification are fundamental practices of ayurveda, and they were considered important even thousands of years ago when our water and air were pure and humankind was not challenged with modern society’s high levels of stress. In today’s

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14 The Why of the Total Life Cleanse

challenging world, it is even more essential that we use this time-tested wisdom. If we wish to reach our greatest potential, we can no longer embrace the standard American diet of refined sugars, bad fats, refined carbohydrates, processed foods, excessive animal protein, and hormone- and toxin-laden dairy. Humankind would do well to embrace many of the tenets of ayurveda, including using its proven detoxification protocols, stress management techniques, and consciousness-raising practices—all of which are essential components of the cleansing techniques being introduced here. Ayurveda recognizes the uniqueness of each individual. It incorporates acute treatment, stress and health management, spiritual practices, and lifestyle guidance for lifetime maintenance of health and vitality, which by necessity involves emotional and spiritual growth. Ayurveda is the sister practice to yoga; the two work in harmony to support our healing journey. Many people are aware that yoga offers numerous health benefits, and it is practiced widely all over the world for peace of mind, discipline, strength, flexibility, self-control, and well-being. However, not everyone is acquainted with yoga’s inner purpose, which is to help us experientially realize who we are in truth—the ever-present soul or atma, the eternal part and parcel of Spirit or God. Ayurveda teaches us that we are responsible for our ultimate well-being. Its principles help us live in these times of both great awakening and profound challenges. We will explore some of its key concepts more fully later in the book.

For Review Only Our Organs of Detoxification

We have five essential organs of detoxification: the lungs, liver, kidneys, large intestine, and skin. Each of these organs assists in the body’s natural process of detoxification. As we breathe, particulates in the air are trapped by the tiny hairs in our nasal passages and captured by alveoli and mucous secretions in our lungs. Our lungs extract oxygen from the air we inhale and discharge acidic carbon dioxide through exhalation. Amazingly, we eliminate 60 to 70 percent of our acid waste through our lungs. As we eat, the food we chew enters our digestive system, beginning with digestive enzymes in the mouth and then gastric juices in the stomach, which assist in breaking down the food. These juices also eliminate pathogens from the outer world, such as microbes, viruses, and parasites. Food is then broken down further in the small intestine, where it is absorbed through the intestinal walls into the bloodstream and carried, via the portal vein, into the liver. The liver filters out toxins and prepares them for elimination through the

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large intestine. The liver also processes nutrients and determines the distribution and storage of essential nutrients such as amino acids and glucose. Almost everything that is not absorbed through the small intestine is passed on and eliminated through the colon, with the exception of some trace minerals. The kidneys process and purify about 20 percent of our blood. They help regulate our pH (acid/alkaline balance) and extract and remove wastes (urea, acid, ammonia, drugs, toxins) in the form of urine, which flows to the bladder and is excreted. The skin is also a powerful organ of detoxification. It uses sweat glands to remove acidic fat-soluble toxins found in the lymph and fat. Most people’s sweat contains hundreds of toxins, including hormones and pesticides. In fact, regularly breaking a sweat takes the burden off the kidneys and is an important part of the detoxification process. When we are young, our organs of detoxification generally function with ease. As we get older, dehydration, scar tissue, stiffness, stress, and toxins burden our organs. As a result, we can experience low-grade symptoms of “dis-ease” and may become increasingly ill. Eventually, many of us forget what a good-quality life feels like. Quite often, poor diet and lifestyle end up decreasing our duration of life.

The “Original” Causes of Disease For Review Only

Ayurveda believes that the origin of disease lies with toxins or ama, and that they often first appear in the digestive tract. From this perspective, the digestive system can be seen as similar to the roots of a tree. Imagine a tree with a damaged or toxic root system; its branches, leaves, and fruits will be compromised. This occurs in our body as well. Digestion breaks down food so that tiny “roots” located in the small intestine can absorb nutrients. The tissues of the body can then be properly nourished. If I become clogged and dysfunctional due to excessive toxins or ama, poor diet, stress, or inherent weakness, my body becomes unable to nourish itsself, and the first stage of disease is initiated. According to the ayurvedic sages, one cause of disease can occur even prior to ama. It is expressed in Sanskrit as prajnaparadha (pronounced “prag-yapa-rad”). The general translation is, “to ignore our knowledge that comes from experience, innate wisdom, and intuition.” In everyday terms, all actions that move us away from love and wisdom are truly the original cause of disease! (We will discuss prajnaparadha in detail in chapter 9.) The ancient ayurvedic text Asthangha Hridayam names fourteen bodily urges that, if frequently suppressed or unnaturally forced, will lead to disease. Denying any

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of them is an example of prajnaparadha—ignoring the innate wisdom of the body. They are: 1. Passing gas 2. Pooping 3. Peeing 4. Burping 5. Sneezing 6. Thirst 7. Hunger 8. Sleep 9. Coughing 10. Rapid breathing upon exertion 1 1. Yawning 1 2. Tears 1 3. Vomiting 1 4. Orgasm

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Repeatedly repressing urges eventually causes energetic stagnation, toxic buildup, and physical damage. These can significantly impact corresponding organs and tissues. Respectfully honoring these urges is no small thing. Being in tune with the natural needs of our bodies is essential for good health and enhances an intuitive knowing of our body. Indulgence, however, is not the message here—we are not meant to force these urges to occur. Additionally, if we want happiness, ayurveda says that there are nonphysical urges that we should suppress: greed, envy, hatred, jealousy, excessive desire, and lack of self-control. We all have an internal guidance system that offers wisdom, intuition, feelings, and experiences that guide our lives and decisions. For various reasons, including childhood wounding and familial, social, and cultural conditioning, we sometimes ignore or mistrust this internal guidance and natural wisdom. Continually doing so causes us to make decisions and create habits that hinder our health on every level, from the subtle to the gross. This affects our physical and emotional health, our relationships (our capacity to give and receive love), and even the Earth’s environment, including the entire fabric of our life experience.

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The Soul and Healing Wisdom is the greatest cleanser.

Sri Yukteswar

True health necessarily includes an experience and realization of our essential nature— which is also the goal of ayurveda and the yoga system. Without access to our essential nature, we are bound to live in imbalance and to miss altogether the purpose of achieving health. As we have seen, contact with our inner nature or soul essence directly and positively impacts our health. The soul has an expanding and emanating energy and is the source of all of our vitality, awareness, wisdom, happiness, and capacity to love. Conscious contact with our soul essence is the root of healing, as well as the inner purpose of cleansing. In summary, cleansing gives the body, mind, and soul a rest from the continual challenges of the modern world and the chance to eliminate excess physical and mental toxins, from chemicals and heavy metals to parasites, fungi, viruses, and bacteria to anxiety, irritability, fear, and distress. Cleansing offers us the opportunity to remove these obstacles, regenerate, and connect to our inner source of energy and vitality.

For Review Only The TLC Approach to Cleansing

After many years of personal experimentation, I have found that a gradual and incremental approach cleansing, over a number of days, weeks, or even months, produces the greatest benefit. This approach to cleansing, though it may seem slow, is very powerful and can have fast and remarkable results. Severe or aggressive cleansing is generally not recommended. It usually doesn’t work to “hurry up and cleanse.” It’s kind of like trying to “hurry up and meditate.” Detox reactions (such as a stuffy nose, headaches, body aches, and digestive issues) can arise when our cells release toxins faster than our body can eliminate them. This encourages toxins to relocate from one area of the body to another, which can lead to new or progressive symptoms in a phenomenon known as the detox/retox syndrome. The slow and steady approach to cleansing can help us avoid severe detoxification reactions. In overly aggressive cleansing, the benefits gained can sometimes be quickly lost as the body is overwhelmed with released toxins.

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The Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse includes:

Four dietary phases Two super detox phases Hygienic detox practices Transformational lifestyle practices Sweating practices Media fasting and other mind-cleansing practices Daily yoga, breathing, meditation, and exercise practices Dietary supplements and herbs Meal and smoothie recipes TLC is not simply a juice fast, nor is it a system of self-deprivation. You will be drinking delicious smoothies, and you will have the option of eating tasty foods from wonderful cleanse recipes gathered over the years. You will be eating clean, but you will not go hungry! Each morning, you will take TLC-supportive herbal supplements along with your smoothie. You will also integrate simple yet powerful breathing and yoga practices into your daily life, and they will bring you greater strength, mental calm, and peace. And it doesn’t all end with the last day of the cleanse. The tools you learn to use, the insights you gain, and the inspiration you receive will travel with you in the days and years to come. For many, TLC becomes an ongoing process and can even become a way of life. In my practice, cleanses are most often held within a group format, with the group of participants meeting once a week for the duration of the cleanse. These gatherings are extremely rich learning experiences and offer camaraderie and support for your growing insights. Often, however, people who are interested in the program are not able to attend the group meetings. If that’s the case for you, this book—and the accompanying videos covering all aspects of the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse, which you can find at www. totallifecleanse.com—should provide the guidance and support you need. This book, however, is not only for my students. It is for anyone wanting to transform their health in body, mind, and soul. So dive deep! Doing so, we emerge refreshed, inspired, and more connected to our exquisite divine essence.

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2 Our Modern Condition We don’t need to do anything to maintain the beauty of forests, rivers and mountains. However, when human beings systematically plunder natural wealth for selfish reasons, the natural order gets disturbed . . . the pulse of human life becomes erratic and Nature’s face becomes disfigured. . . . We cannot delay anymore. We must make the right decisions and embark on the right course of actions.

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Mata Amritanandamayi

WE ARE LIVING IN INTERESTING TIMES. Our modern condition involves greater

levels of daily stress and exposure to chemical and environmental toxins than ever before. For many of us, day-to-day modern stress does not commonly involve life-or-death situations. However, we are exposed to perpetual dietary, environmental, sensory, familial, work-related, and social stressors. They relentlessly and silently nibble away at our energy and health. Much of this stress can be reduced or even eliminated by using the effective dietary and lifestyle practices available today. In short, there are two main reasons we cleanse: 1. The body naturally builds up toxins. Even within a relatively clean environment and with a healthy diet, we benefit from regular seasonal cleansing. Cleansing has always been the foundation of natural health systems, including ayurveda and Chinese medicine. These systems honor the body’s innate intelligence and its ability to heal itself. 2. Our modern condition contributes signficant amounts of toxins and stressors to our daily existence. The need for regular cleansing is greater than ever. Cancer, 19

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heart disease, and diabetes—the diseases of modernity—are off the chart and on the rise. Statistically, one in two men and one in three women will develop cancer at some point in their life.1 While it is helpful to identify and mitigate an individual’s personal stressors, the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse addresses all stressors, and it guides participants toward allowing their body to regenerate and heal from their negative impact on body, mind, and soul. Through cleansing, many people are able to identify the source of their problems as well as dietary and lifestyle practices that can help resolve them.

Stressed, Starved, and Poisoned “Stressed, starved, and poisoned” is our modern condition and the origin of many of our ailments. In particular, being stressed, starved, and poisoned leads to chronic inflammation and oxidation, both of which are involved in most forms of disease.

Stressed

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Never before in human history have our minds and nervous systems been so relentlessly stimulated on a daily basis. We take in staggering amounts of data through our senses, and the pace and complexity of life increases every day. Most of us rarely take sufficient time to eat well, exercise, meditate, sleep, and recreate. Stress causes a cascade of hormonal events, such as increased insulin, norepinephrine, cortisol, and insulin levels. Chronic stress disrupts our hormone balance as well as the body’s ability to use hormones effectively. Stress also interferes with the adaptive capacity of our endocannabanoid system, which directly influences our emotional behaviors, mood, and anxiety levels. These disruptions lead to long-term damage to the nervous system, organs, glands, and tissues. The bottom line? In a unique way, people in modern civilization are more stressed on a daily basis than at any other time in known history.

Starved How can we be starved today, even in wealthy countries such as the United States? Unfortunately, this question is too easy to answer. By consistently choosing foods that are toxic, allergenic, and nutritionally worthless, we literally starve our cells and increase

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Our Modern Condition 21

inflammation. Inflamed cells and intestines make it more difficult for the body to absorb and utilize nutrients. Much of the fruits and vegetables we find in grocery stores do not have the same nutritional quality that they once might have, due to the poor quality of the soil they were grown in. Modern farming practices can severely deplete minerals in the soil, and soil lacking in minerals generates produce that lacks them as well. At the same time, hybridization practices have led to fruits and veggies that may look wonderful on the outside but have little nutritional value or taste. The processed foods that fill grocery store shelves are formulated in a laboratory with the sole intention of captivating the taste buds. Such foods are mostly stripped of their nutrients and laden with chemicals. Growing research (and common sense) shows that many chemicals, colorants, preservatives, and other additives commonly found in processed foods are toxic endocrine disruptors and not safe for human consumption. In fact, it is likely that these toxins directly relate to the increasing rates of autoimmune disease and cancer.2 When we choose foods that stress our body, we eventually weaken the power of our gastrointestinal system. When this occurs, we see a decrease in our ability to properly assimilate nutrients and use them. In other words, we become starved. When our gastrointestinal system is functioning properly, it breaks down nutrients into manageable bits and, in the intestines, they pass into the bloodstream on their way to the liver. In people with an impaired digestive tract, larger molecules— undigested proteins, heavy metals, bacteria, fungi, and parasites—can slip through the mesh-like lining of the intestines into the bloodstream and can even bypass the blood-brain barrier. This unappealing condition is called “leaky gut.” Uninvited invaders in the blood trigger a “red alert” reaction from the immune system, and it galvanizes its forces to attack what it perceives as pathogens. When this happens on a regular basis, chronic autoimmune conditions develop. The immune system gets stuck on hyper-drive, commonly manifesting as multiple food intolerances. Eventually, a specific tissue, gland, or organ, such as the thyroid, will be attacked. This scenario can also lead to chronic brain malfunction, manifesting as forgetfulness, brain fog, depression, ADHD, and more serious brain disorders. The result of modern-day starvation is that, while we may eat more calories than ever, we metabolize little, gain insufficient nutrition, store extra fat, and trigger states of chronic inflammation and autoimmune reactivity.

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Mass Production of Food A nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Large-scale industrial agriculture has some major drawbacks. To begin, there are valid concerns regarding the use of pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, hormones, genetic modifications, and synthetic fertilizers. Additionally, the produce from industrial farms often has lower levels of micro- and macronutrients compared to produce coming from organic and biodynamic farms.3 Just as we have beneficial bacteria in our gut, soil has a vast diversity of beneficial microorganisms that maintain fertility, combat pathogens and pests, and support plant growth. Industrial synthetic fertilizers deplete carbon from the soil, which the beneficial microbes need to thrive, thereby reducing microbial density and diversity. Over time, this significantly reduces soil fertility.4 There are better ways! Organic farming practices support soil-enhancing

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microbial diversity, and as a result they are better for human and environmental health than conventional agriculture. Organic produce has been shown to be free of many of the toxic chemicals found in conventionally grown produce, and to be more nutritious.5 Earth is a big planet with an ever-increasing population, tand there is a common assumption that wide-scale organic farming is not capable of feeding the entire planet. Compelling data shows that is not the case. The Rodale Institute began a study in 1981 called the Farming Systems Trial. It is America’s longest running side-by-side study comparing organic and chemical agriculture (including GMO). It has shown: • After a decline in yields during the first few years of transition, the organic system matches and surpasses the conventional and genetic modification systems. • Organic farming outperforms conventional during years of drought. • Organic farming systems build organic matter in the soil, while conventional farming systems deplete organic matter in the soil. • Organic farming is a more sustainable system. • Organic farming is more efficient and uses 45 percent less energy.

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• Conventional farming produces 40 percent more greenhouse gases. • Organic farming systems are more profitable.6 Biodynamic and organic farming practices are an essential element of healthy TLC-friendly eating, benefiting the people and the planet.

Poisoned There are over eighty thousand human-made chemicals in our environment. Only twenty thousand of them have ever been tested for safety on human beings.7 Of those tested, most were tested in isolation, not in conjunction with other chemicals; we can only imagine their synergistic toxic impact on our bodies. For decades, we have been exposed to pesticides, herbicides, fluoridated and chlorinated water, plastics, hormones, antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, car exhaust fumes . . . the list goes on and on. Just consider: the United States produces and imports about fortytwo billion pounds of industrial chemicals every day of every year.8 In fact, a study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows that the average American has traces of 212 environmental toxins in their bloodstream.9 These toxins range from arsenic and mercury to glyphosate (the herbicide most commonly used in GMO farming practices), flame retardants, and rocket fuel by-products. We must also consider the synergy of these environmental and food toxins with the thousands of chemical toxins we are exposed to via skin-care products, household cleaning products, cosmetics, and personal hygiene products. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for personal hygiene products and cosmetics are far more tolerant and less restrictive than they are for the drug and food industry. After all, a cosmetic is not a food. Or is it? There is evidence that up to 60 percent of what you put on your skin is absorbed into your bloodstream. That’s a food!10 In 2005 the Environmental Working Group (EWG) published a study of chemicals found in the umbilical cord blood of babies born in the United States during the fall of 2004. The researchers tested for more than four hundred chemicals, and they found a disturbing 287 chemicals in the newborns. Of these, 217 were neurotoxins, and 208 were known either to interfere with growth and development or to cause birth defects.11 The TLC policy: If you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin. If you don’t recognize the ingredients on the product label, it’s probably not edible. Never in recorded history has the human body (especially the liver) had to break down and eliminate the amount of chemical, hormone, herbicide, pesticide, GMO, and heavy metal toxins that it does today.

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The Combined Effect of Being Stressed, Starved, and Poisoned As if being stressed, starved, and poisoned were not enough, there is also a negative synergy between the three conditions. Together, they contribute to chronic inflammation, impacting not only the muscles and joints, but also the nervous system and brain. A struggling brain causes weakened digestive power, weakened digestion contributes to a struggling brain, and the downward spiral continues. For example, the more stressed we are, the more starved we become. Stress inhibits digestion, digestive enzyme function, the assimilation of nutrients, and detoxification processes. It does this by overly stimulating the sympathetic nervous system (“go mode”) and suppressing the parasympathetic nervous system (“slow mode,” which regulates the entire digestive process). Thus, stress can increase cellular starvation. With decreased detoxification capacity, along with poor nutrition, the body becomes more vulnerable to dietary and environmental toxins. For example, when we have insufficient levels of minerals like calcium, zinc, and magnesium, the body more efficiently absorbs heavy metals like mercury, lead, and aluminum. The resulting toxicity (poisoning) increases our physiological stress, exacerbating to our deficient nutritional status by interfering with the optimal absorption and utilization of nutrients. The resulting starvation increases our mental/emotional stress due to nutritional deficiencies and/or imbalances. Many key nutrients are critical for supporting healthy brain chemistry. These include minerals like calcium, zinc, and magnesium; amino acids like tryptophan, tyrosine, GABA precursors, acetylcholine, and glutamine; essential fatty acids like DHA and EPA, which are found in omega-3 oils; and antioxidants and phytonutrients, which are found in bright-colored fruits and veggies. Deficiencies and nutritional imbalances also negatively impact the ability of neurons in the brain to efficiently utilize neurotransmitters. At the same time, when we are not nutritionally protected, toxins and heavy metals find their way to cell walls and reduce the production of feel-good neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, and GABA, influencing mood and, in a boost to that downward spiral, degrading our ability to manage stress. The negative synergy of the “stressed, starved, and poisoned” triad must be curtailed for real health to emerge. But it is important to keep in mind that the spiral of effects flows both ways. Though being stressed, starved, and poisoned can lead to a downward spiral of ill health, the opposite states can lead to an upward spiral of well-being. When we have sufficient mineral reserves in the tissues and cell walls,

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they are better protected from heavy metal exposure and other toxins. When we are able to easily eliminate toxins, we are better able to manage stress. When we are not in a chronic stage of siege from stress, we are better able to digest our food and absorb nutrients.

The Six Stressors It is helpful to know the stressors in life that can cause the greatest consequences to our health. Even better, is identifying those stressors that are unique to ourselves. Doing so empowers us to take actions that have the greatest impact on our wellbeing. These stressors can be broken down into the following six categories:

Mental and emotional stressors Dietary stressors Immune stressors Chemicals Heavy metals Scars

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Mental and Emotional Stressors

Chronic mental and emotional stress causes biochemical and physiological changes in the body, with detrimental long-term effects. It especially impacts the adrenal, thyroid, and pancreas glands, which secrete essential hormones relating not just to stress response but also to energy production, blood sugar, metabolism, fertility, and mood. The state of the thyroid tends reflect mental energy, while the adrenal glands tend to reflect overall physical energy. As our energy wanes, the body begins to rely on sugar for energy production and the pancreas is forced to work harder. They all directly impact each other. When any of them struggle, the brain, cardiovascular, digestive, and nervous systems suffer as well. Some people say that all stress is the same, whether it’s good stress or bad. Ancient wisdom and modern science disagree. Biochemically, a strong pleasant feeling has a very different impact than a strong negative or unpleasant feeling. According to Chinese medicine (and my experience concurs), long-held or repeated negative emotions adversely impact the organs they correspond with (see chapter 14 for a discussion of how emotions are linked to specific organs). For these reasons, healing and managing mental and emotional stress is essential for good health.

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Dietary Stressors It’s easy to see how junk foods can stress the body. These “foods,” such as commercial candy, cakes, and breakfast cereals, are nutritionally worthless, frequently high in calories, and full of chemical additives, food colorings, and preservatives that the body perceives as toxins. Junk food requires more of our energy to digest than it provides in nutrition; we end up with an energy deficit in both body and mind. Food sensitivities (intolerances) and allergies are also common sources of dietary stress. Symptoms can include mood changes, irritability, foggy brain, headache, itchy skin or eyes, acne, ear infections, chronic cough, acid reflux, stuffy nose, gas, bloating, constipation, fatigue, and loose bowels. It is important to distinguish between allergies and intolerances or sensitivities. A food allergy can cause immediate, mild to dangerous immune reactions. Some food allergies are difficult to overcome, though it is possible. Peanuts are a common food allergen, and for some, ingesting them can be fatal. Food sensitivities, sometimes called intolerances, behave differently. They generally represent an acquired immune reaction, and they can be eliminated if the underlying cause is effectively addressed. Many people have sensitivities to common foods such as wheat, dairy, and sugar. For some, simply avoiding these foods eliminates conditions like depression, digestive disorders, and chronic pain. Food sensitivity reactions are not always immediate; they may not manifest for days after the food is ingested. This can make a sensitivity difficult to diagnose and the offending food tricky to identify. I have found that food intolerances can best be identified through muscle response testing, elimination diets, or blood tests. The Total Life Cleanse program offers a perfect opportunity to clearly identify food intolerances through its elimination diet. Avoiding foods that commonly trigger sensitivities (wheat, dairy, sugar, soy, et cetera) for two to three weeks clearly reveals their impact if and when they are reintroduced. The benefits of avoiding foods we are sensitive to can be astounding—improved digestion, mood, mental clarity, energy, flexibility, and more. Sadly, many of us take dangerous medications to minimize symptoms that are simply caused by eating these foods. However, avoiding the foods we are sensitive to is not usually enough for true healing. When a person has numerous food intolerances, it generally means there are underlying conditions that are the root. Leaky gut is often involved;other culprits include autoimmune conditions, Candida albicans overgrowth, heavy metal toxicity, stress, antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, GMO foods, and exposure to herbicides and pesticides (especially glyphosate). Therefore, healing the gut must be a priority to minimize the number and severity of food intolerances.

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Immune Stressors Immune challenges classically come from chronic viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections. Chronic autoimmune issues occur when pathogens, such as viruses, burrow their way into the tissues and organs of the body. Due to various factors such as poor diet, nutritional imbalances, immune suppression, toxic exposure, and stress, the immune system is unable to fully handle the pathogens. Current thinking regarding autoimmune disease is that the immune system, for unknown reasons, attacks healthy tissue. This is unlikely. Rather, in its perpetual attempt to fight off pathogens, the immune system ends up damaging local tissue and glands, such as the thyroid. Examples are Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Epstein-Barr virus, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. It is quite common for people to have long-standing, low-grade infections. When we clear symptoms of infection without strengthening the immune system and eradicating the pathogen, the pathogen can linger for many years, sometimes without obvious external signs. These low-grade infections can dramatically diminish energy, weaken organs, and ruin quality of life. Overuse of antibiotics, combined with excessive intake of refined sugar, can also significantly aggravate these ongoing low-grade infections. Viruses, such as Epstein-Barr, mononucleosis, and herpes live like parasites off healthy cells, robbing nutrients and cellular material in order to survive. Over time, chronic viruses weaken the immune system and zap the body of vitality. Chronic fatigue is a common symptom of ongoing low-grade viral infections. I’ve had older patients who had serious cases of mononucleosis or Epstein-Barr as teenagers. In numerous cases, the virus compromised their health for over fifty years and led to symptoms that look like multiple sclerosis but are not. If these patients had properly supported their immune system with excellent nutrition and immune-supportive herbs at the time of their initial infection, they would have avoided future complications. Another common example is low-grade candida overgrowth that occurs after antibiotic use, whether it’s just one round or many. Candida is actually a beneficial natural yeast. However, it will proliferate to protect the body from heavy metals and flora imbalances caused by antibiotics. Years later, patients with long-term low-grade candida overgrowth can have weak immune systems with a leaky gut, tending toward bladder infections, ear infections, lung infections, and chronic pain. Parasites are very common these days, and they don’t just come from foreign countries. Patients are often shocked to discover that parasites are wreaking havoc on their body. Parasites, large and small, invade and settle in various organs and tissues such as the heart, liver, and brain, leading to tissue damage and excessive burden on the immune system. For many, clearing parasites is an important part of the cleanse.

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By reducing pathogenic toxins of all kinds, we have seen remarkable results in minimizing or even eliminating autoimmune symptoms.

Chemicals Chemicals cause problems due to their toxicity and/or because we have an allergic response to them. Chemical toxins include environmental chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides, food and cosmetics additives, and recreational and pharmaceutical drugs. Chemicals particularly stress the liver and kidneys and cause a great deal of oxidative damage to the body. Commonly used herbicides such as glyphosate slacken the linings of the intestines, blood vessels, kidney tubules, and blood brain barrier. This wreaks havoc on the immune system and allows toxins and undigested proteins to circulate in areas where they are never meant to be. Long-term exposure to chemical toxins has been correlated with higher levels of cancer. A study known as the Halifax Project recently released its findings in the scientific journal Carcinogenesis. A team of over three hundred scientists investigated eighty-five common chemicals not known to be carcinogenic. The study found that fifty of them disrupt cancer-related pathways, even at the low doses that are typically found in the environment. The researchers proposed that combinations of these chemicals could cause cancer by disrupting multiple cancer-related pathways and overwhelming the body’s immune system. This is an example of negative synergy. One toxin may have little negative impact. However, many chemicals, even at low doses, can combine to make a toxic cocktail that inhibits the body’s natural defense system.12

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Heavy Metals Heavy metals are high-density metallic elements that are toxic and poisonous even at low concentrations. They are found everywhere in the environment and can enter the body through water, air, food, and skin contact. The most common ones are lead, aluminum, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic, and the most common route of exposure is through produce grown in toxic soil, vaccines, dental amalgams, fish, and polluted air. The body generally absorbs heavy metals faster than they can be eliminated. These large molecules sit on cell walls, interfering with cellular metabolism and the intake of essential minerals and nutrients. They act like bullies, pushing the mineral nutrients aside and interfering with cellular communication and detoxification. Compounding the heavy metal issue is glyphosate, which slackens the blood brain barrier, thus allowing heavy metals to enter into our brain tissue. Heavy metal toxicity can be involved with neurological damage, brain damage (and numerous brain-related disorders), and even cancer.13

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Scars We are energetic and electrical beings! Energy pathways called meridians run throughout the entire body, each one relating to a specific organ system. Scars from injuries and surgical procedures can disrupt the healthy flow of bioelectric energy, or chi. Treating scars with acupuncture, liniments, and moxibustion (herbal heat therapy) has been part of Chinese medicine for hundreds of years. Not all scars cause trouble. However, some do, based on their size, depth, and location. Usually horizontal scars have a greater negative impact than vertical ones. Eliminating energy blocks caused by scars is often a missing link to regaining health and vitality.

Combating Disempowerment and Blind Faith The fact that you are reading this book means you no longer have blind faith in dogmatic medical authorities. Perhaps you have taken steps to empower yourself in the areas of physical, mental, and spiritual health. Good for you! Many people have become disempowered or disillusioned over the years due to misconceptions, misinformation, and fear tactics employed by medical establishments and pharmaceutical companies. Many of us have had to learn some difficult lessons by giving away our power and not honoring our innate intelligence, wisdom, and common sense. By not asking our doctors important questions due to fear or blind faith, many people end up having surgeries and taking medications that may be unnecessary, dangerous, and deadly. Over thirty thousand people die each year from prescription drug–related illnesses.14 The good news is that many conventional doctors are beginning to understand the importance of diet and lifestyle as they relate to our health and mental wellness. They are not just talking about choosing moderation. They (and we) mean making meaningful and significant changes. Many people are conditioned to still believe that powerful medications are the only way to treat illnesses, even illnesses that can easily be remedied by changes in diet and lifestyle. In fact, dietary and lifestyle changes are more effective than pharmaceuticals in many cases. There is plenty of emerging data that backs this up.15 It is arrogant to believe there is little use for modern medicine. There is! I have no problem with conventional medicine except for when it is used inappropriately or unnecessarily. Surgery is definitely called for under certain circumstances. Strong medication, at times, may also be the way to go. Sometimes, we do have to fight fire with fire, or simply treat a symptom in order to increase quality of life for a while.

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However, our well-meaning doctors’ knowledge, understanding, and willingness to think outside the box is often limited. They are too often controlled by medical school indoctrination, legalities, and the structures of the modern-day insurance and medical systems. Today’s medical and health insurance institutions are so boxed in and bogged down that they are often unable to serve the best interest of their patients. For optimal well-being, we need to intelligently choose resources that are the most effective but least harmful for both our loved ones and ourselves.

Conditioned Accommodation When many people agree that a behavior, even if it’s unhealthy, is normal, it’s tempting to follow. As a society, it’s easy to become conditioned (brainwashed) to accept archaic, impractical, unnatural beliefs that lack common sense around maintaining and improving our health. We then accept unhealthy dietary and lifestyle behaviors and become blind to the poisonous effects of processed, denatured, pesticide-laden food. When we eat these foods regularly, our senses accommodate, and we no longer recognize how overly stimulated our senses have become. For instance, when we eat a lot of refined white sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, we accommodate to the extreme sweetness. The natural sweetness of vegetables, fruits, and grains then becomes unsatisfying. Fortunately, when we avoid corn syrup and sugar for just a few weeks, we once again come to appreciate their naturally satisfying sweetness. Many times during the TLC program, students express how much more sensitive their sense of taste has become. Some will admit to tasting a commercial cookie or pie and being shocked at how sickly sweet it now tastes to them. This is an example of detoxifying from accommodation. We also accommodate to stress. For many, watching television feels like real relaxation. However, when we discover meditation, yoga, tai chi, or other internally focused forms of exercise, with practice, we can experience a far deeper and healing level of relaxation, energy, awareness, and peace. With these practices, people often experience a level of calm that they never knew was possible. In this way, we break through the conditioned conception of what is possible—not only physically, but also mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We realize that there is a universe within. By tapping into it, we discover an inner peace.

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Dusty Mirrors, Muddy Windshields The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane. Nikola Tesla

It’s our time to become clear about real health in body, mind, and spirit. When we look into a dusty mirror, while we can see ourselves, it is only with extra effort and little clarity. Similarly, when we habitually stress our bodies and minds with foods, behaviors, and beliefs that obscure our natural capacity for physical, mental, and spiritual health, we inhibit our ability to see clearly what is good for us and what is not. Like a mirror, our consciousness, mind, and intelligence become dusty. We put ourselves at a great disadvantage. We end up wasting precious energy compensating for our poor diet and lifestyle practices. Another useful analogy is that of driving with mud streaked over the windshield. It’s hard to see, but again, we manage to compensate and, with effort, drive pretty well. Then one day, after finally getting around to cleaning the windshield, we realize how much extra effort we had needed to see clearly and drive safely. When we clear away the obstacles to our health, we clearly recognize how our diet and lifestyle were sapping our energy and mental health. We experience how wonderful it is to feel so much better and live without unnecessary cultural and self-imposed stressors. By dusting off the mirror and cleaning the windshield, we regain the potential for mental clarity, peace of mind, and physical vitality.

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3 Toxins Just as fire is covered by smoke and a mirror is covered by dust . . .

Bhagavad Gita 3.38

Luanne’s Story: Releasing Toxins

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Luanne was a sixty-three-year-old progressive, open-minded woman. Over the previous few years, she had suffered a decline in her energy and mental clarity, which deeply concerned her. She had also gained fifteen pounds in two years. Luanne began the Total Life Cleanse with a bang, as she immediately felt better and lost three or four pounds in the first week. She was thrilled. By week three, things began to drag. She felt foggy, bloated, and tired. Her weight loss stopped and she actually gained back a pound. Luanne came in for a one-on-one consultation. During the exam, I discovered, through pulse diagnosis and muscle response testing, that her liver was burdened due to industrial chemical exposure. I asked her whether this made sense. Sure enough, she told me that, in her thirties, she had worked at a company where she had been exposed to toxic chemicals on a daily basis. She had worn a protective mask and had been told that there was “sufficient” ventilation. Clearly, it had not been enough to protect Luanne. I doubled her dose of our cleanse liver detox formula. Within three days, Luanne felt like herself again. Amazingly, weight began to drop off again, and she lost another ten pounds in two weeks.

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Luanne’s story is a testament to how stored toxins can interfere with proper metabolism. If the body does not eliminate toxins, it stores them in the fat as a protective tactic. Once we sufficiently supported Luanne’s liver, her body was able to effectively detoxify and let go of unnecessary fat.

IN AYURVEDA, FIRE IS SEEN as the purifier of all things. However, as the opening

verse from the Bhagavad Gita indicates, nothing in this world is completely pure, as even fire is covered by smoke. Similarly, there is no getting around the fact that there will always be toxins in our environment and our bodies. Toxins are a natural result of life itself, and in small amounts they can even be beneficial. For example, breathing causes oxidation, or the creation of free radicals. Free radicals are a natural result of life processes and are necessary for the creation of cellular energy. Some free radicals are good. Others in excess, such as hydroxyl and peroxynitrite radicals, can be toxic and wreak havoc. When internally generated toxins and external environmental toxins are excessive, slackening of blood vessels and harmful levels of free radical damage occur. This leads to inflammation, cellular breakdown, premature aging, and disease. External toxins alone, however, are not the main cause of disease. It is the combination of poor diet, unhealthy levels of emotional stress, weak digestion, and environmental toxins that causes most imbalances and modern disease. In fact, there is evidence that a toxic diet is even more detrimental than exposure to environmental toxins.1 A healthy body is able to handle reasonable amounts of environmental toxins. However, there is a point when toxins enter faster than the body is able to effectively handle them. Therefore, in today’s fast-paced, chemical-laden, and fast-food-obsessed world, it’s more important than ever to minimize our exposure to toxins, whether they are internally or externally generated.

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Where Do Toxins Come From? Toxins are everywhere. They exist in the air, water, soil, food, wireless technologies, cosmetics and skin care products, household products, and even the body itself.

Air Our air has less oxygen now than it did at the turn of the twentieth century, and evidence shows that the percentage of oxygen in our air was even higher during prehistoric

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times. Its decrease is mainly due to the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, which itself mostly results from the animal agriculture business as well as the burning of coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Additionally, we are destroying the rain forests, the main oxygen suppliers on the planet, at an alarming rate of eighty thousand acres a day. The ideal oxygen content of the Earth’s atmosphere is around 20 percent to 23 percent. It has dipped to 19 percent over most areas, and it drops further down to 12 to 17 percent around major cities. At these levels it is difficult for humans to get sufficient oxygen to maintain optimal health—to keep our cells, organs, and entire immune system functioning at full efficiency. In 1931 chemist Otto Warburg won the Nobel Prize for discovering the nature and mode of action of respiratory enzymes. His work demonstrated that cancer cells replicate in the absence of oxygen. In a lecture, he said: Cancer, above all other diseases, has countless secondary causes. But, even for cancer, there is only one prime cause. Summarized in a few words, the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar.2

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The low levels we are experiencing today may in fact contribute to cancers and other degenerative diseases. If levels should ever drop to 6 to 7 percent, life can no longer be sustained.3 Along with lower oxygen levels, the air contains contaminants from industry and automobiles. The worst contributing factor is the methane and carbon dioxide air pollution that comes from the animal slaughterhouse industry. Livestock are responsible for 18 percent of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, which is more than cars, planes, and all other forms of transport put together. Some studies set that figure even higher.4

Water There are numerous toxins found in water. I break them down into five main categories:

Fluoride Chlorine Radioactive contaminants Pharmaceutical drugs and plastics Heavy metals

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Fluoride

For over fifty years, most local governments in the United States have mandated that fluoride be added to the water supply to prevent dental problems and as a health practice. The fluoride used in water fluoridation is a mix of chemicals, including ones formed as by-products of aluminum and fertilizer production. The main ones are hydrofluorosilicic acid, sodium fluorosilicate, and sodium fluoride, all of which are classified as hazardous waste substances. It’s illegal to dump them in the environment. There is evidence suggesting that excess fluoride increases our cancer risk and our fracture risk, interferes with thyroid function, disrupts the immune system, and suppresses the pineal gland.* At the same time, there have been no proven general health benefits of adding fluoride to community water supplies. Some studies do indicate that fluoride hardens teeth in babies and young children. Even if this is true, we need to consider: at what cost? In fact, the teeth-hardening effects can actually be detrimental as they cause brittleness along with hardness. To possibly improve one problem at the expense of overall bone heath and immunity is a great cost. People convinced of the teeth-hardening benefits of fluoride for their children are free to add it into their own water. However, others should not be forced to have it added to their water supply. Some people argue that in such small amounts, added fluoride has no negative health effects. The problem is, even small amounts of any toxin ingested over a long period of time accumulate and eventually will have harmful consequences. In addition, in contrast to the fluoride found in toothpaste and supplements, fluoridation chemicals are not pharmaceutical-grade.

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Chlorine

Chlorine—and chloramines, which are compounds of nitrogen and chlorine—is added to most drinking water supplies and swimming pools. It is used as a disinfectant because it kills microorganisms. It is effective but indiscrimate; that is, it kills dangerous bacteria, but research indicates that it kills friendly bacteria too, including the bacteria that it comes into contact with in the gut. Healthy gut flora is essential for strong immunity, good nutrition, ideal weight, and good digestion. Chlorine and chloramines have been identified as a leading cause of bladder *For more on the potential dangers of flouride visit http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles /archive/2015/03/10/water-fluoridation-thyroid-dysfunction.aspx.

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cancer, and they have also been associated with birth defects, anemia, and asthma. Breathing chlorinated steam is also toxic and potentially carcinogenic. Chlorine byproducts, such as trihalomethanes , trigger the production of free radicals in the body, causing cell damage, and they are highly carcinogenic. Breathing in these gases can cause severe damage to the lining of the lungs, which can lead to respiratory problems or asthma. It can be harmful at any age yet poses the most risk to the elderly and small children.5 Radioactive Contaminants

Since the Fukushima nuclear accident, radioactive fallout from Japan has been detected in drinking water supplies throughout the world, including in the United States. The health consequences of this level of radioactive contamination are not yet known. However, it is known that long-term or acute exposure to radioactive contamination can cause irreversible damage to DNA, which can lead to a life-threatening conditions.6 Pharmaceutical Drugs and Plastics

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Due to the great numbers of pharmaceutical drugs consumed in North America, many find their way into our water supply. From antibiotics and birth control pills to painkillers, antidepressants, and other psychiatric medications, pharmaceutical drugs are contaminating municipal water supplies.7 Degrading plastics can release estrogen-like substances called xenoestrogens. They are also very commonly found in cosmetics. Xenoestrogens are toxic to the liver and have been linked to estrogen-related cancers. Heavy Metals

Heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, aluminum, and arsenic, make their way into the water supply through old pipes, natural phenomena (volcanoes and forest fires), and industrial and agricultural waste runoff. Copper leaking in from copper pipes can also cause serious mineral imbalances. Heavy metals, as we have discussed, can be extremely toxic and carcinogenic.

Soil The soil in which most mass-produced food is grown is polluted with herbicides and pesticides, which contaminate the soil and deplete it and the produce that grows in it of nutrients. This has caused our produce to be far less nutritious compared to produce

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grown in times past. A Kushi Institute analysis of nutrient data from 1975 to 1997 found that average calcium levels in twelve kinds of fresh vegetables had dropped 27 percent; iron levels had dropped 37 percent, vitamin A levels 21 percent, and vitamin C levels 30 percent.8 As previously mentioned, the quality of our food largely depends on the quality of the soil in which it grows. Plants take up the inorganic minerals in the soil and transformed them into an organic form suitable for human consumption. When the soil is depleted or toxic, so are the plants that grow in it.9

Food Our food can be toxic in three ways:

Due to toxins found in and on the foods Due to refinement and processing of foods Due to poor digestion of food External Toxins

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Food may be genetically modified or contain pesticides, herbicides, hormones, synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, and antibiotics. As we’ve already discussed, all of these external toxins contributes to the buildup of toxins in the body and a chronic stress reaction from the immune system. Animals bioaccumulate toxins in their tissues. For example seafood, which is typically seen as a healthy food, is becoming one of the most toxic foods on the planet. Mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, dioxins, pesticides, herbicides, and other environmental toxins end up in our waterways and run straight to our oceans. Plant life, fish, dolphins, whales, and all other living marine organisms function as the ocean’s filter, concentrating toxins in the flesh of their bodies. Then we eat them. Fish and mammals at the top of the food chain (cows, pigs, tuna, sharks, swordfish, dolphins, and whales), thanks to their consumption of creatures lower on the food chain who have already themselves taken in high levels of environmental toxins, carry a particularly heavy load. For example, Orcas from the Pacific Northwest have been found with dangerous PCB levels of toxic waste.10 Human beings are presently at the top of the food chain. Imagine the toxins we absorb and concentrate in our tissues by eating fish and meats from animals that also concentrate toxins in their tissues. The FDA recommends that children, as well as women who are or may become pregnant, avoid seafood high in mercury.

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Refinement and Processing

Highly refined or processed food is generally of poor quality, being full of refined sugar or corn syrup, refined carbohydrates, trans fats, empty calories, synthetic preservatives, and toxic additives. As we’ve discussed, a diet of poor-quality food contributes to physiological stress and common modern diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Researchers from the University of Minnesota found that, in comparison to those who avoid fast food, people who consume fast food once a week increase their risk of dying from coronary heart disease by 20 percent, two or three times a week by 50 percent, and four or more times a week by almost 80 percent. The researchers also found that eating fast food two or more times a week increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 27 percent.11 Poor Digestion

As we’ve discussed, poor digestion leads to poor assimilation. Incompletely digested food tends to ferment, rancidify, and putrefy inside the body. This causes stress on the digestive organs, leading to inflammation and poor elimination. Eventually, poor digestion can lead to leaky gut syndrome.

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Wireless Frequencies and Electrical Energy

Subtle yet significant toxins come from electrical and wireless devices. The electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) and radio frequencies (RF) used in wireless technologies disturb cellular integrity and DNA replication, which can cause rapid oxidative stress. In fact, wireless technologies have been linked to an increase in brain cancer and possibly other forms of cancer. Experts believe that EMF and RF cause a breakdown in cellular communication, interrupting cellular repair and weakening tissue and organ function. Dr. George Carlo confirmed these findings as he oversaw a comprehensive research group commissioned by the cell phone industry in the mid-1990s.12 We do have technology available to protect us from cell phones, cell towers, wireless routers, smart meters, and so on. However, to date, the companies who make wireless devices have not yet admitted that wireless frequences are a potential health problem. Therefore, at this time they have refused to add this technology to their equipment. Until they do, I absolutely recommend that you purchase and use wireless protective devices yourself. Electricity itself can also be disturbing to the human nervous and energy systems. The alternating currents in electricity create a magnetic field that is incompatible with the human energy field. The use of a heating blanket throughout the night can be especially energetically deranging, causing a magnetic field that can penetrate four to eight

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inches into the body. Research published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that regular use of an electric blanket may increase breast cancer risk, while a 2007 report published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention revealed that the use of electric blankets for twenty years or more was associated with 36 percent higher prevalence of endometrial cancer.13 The natural bioelectric energy field of the human body is exquisitely ordered and intelligent. In ayurveda and Chinese medicine this energy is called prana or chi. Manmade frequencies from electricity, wireless devices, and smart meters can disturb the bioelectric-chi-prana energy fields and negatively impact our health.14 This is why healing modalities like Earth grounding, acupuncture, and energy healing can be so effective. Keeping our energy systems in tip-top condition is a goal of cleansing.

Personal Care Products The skin is an organ! It contains oils and microorganisms that are essential for the health of the entire body. Destroying the surface layer of the skin disturbs the natural oils and protective bacteria (probiotics). We tend to be a squeaky clean and aroma-obsessed culture. Too much of a seemingly good thing (no bacteria) is not good. Personal care products are a source of toxicity that often remains under the radar of the average consumer. It is important to understand that a significant amount of what we put on our skin is absorbed into our body. Many skin care products, cosmetics, soaps, and shampoos actually contain carcinogenic toxins. This is true even of most infant shampoos and cleansers. Some of the more commonly used toxic chemicals are:

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Parabens for preserving the product and preventing bacterial growth, but they are associated with a higher risk of breast cancer Fragrances for smelling pretty, but they are allergenic and negatively impact reproductive hormones Synthetic colorants for dyeing hair and coloring products, but they have been linked to ADHD, and some are carcinogenic Phthalates for moisturizing skin, homogenizing formulas, and keeping nail polish flexible after it dries, but they are hormone disruptors and are associated with a higher risk of breast cancer Sodium lauryl and laureth sulfates for making soaps foamy, but they are associated with cancer when combined with other chemicals Toluene for thinning paints and nail polishes, but it is extremely toxic, disturbs the nervous system, and weakens immunity

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Triclosan for reducing or preventing bacterial contamination in clothing, kitchenware, furniture, toys, antibacterial soaps, toothpastes, and some cosmetics, but it alters hormone regulation and contributes to making bacteria resistant to antibiotics15 Oxybenzone as a filter of UV light in sunscreens, but it acts like estrogen in the body (not a good thing for those who may be genetically prone to estrogen receptive cancer) and has been linked to endometriosis in older women and lower birth weights in newborn girls Retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A, for encouraging regeneration and elasticity in the skin; it’s commonly used in sunscreens, lip products, and night creams, but it may speed development of skin tumors and lesions16 Err on the side of caution and avoid all these toxins as much as possible. There are plenty of clean and effective skin care products available today. As a general rule, if you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin! Also, remember that the natural oils on the skin are beneficial and not meant to be scrubbed off every day. Less soap is best!

Household Products

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Household products and tools must also be considered. Aluminum pans and nonstick cookware (especially older models), for example, should be avoided. When heated, the aluminum in a pan softens and is absorbed into the food. Aluminum is a toxic heavy metal. Many nonstick pans are coated with Teflon, which, when heated, can off-gas into the air. They also often contain trace amounts perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a carcinogen, which can transfer to your food when the nonstick lining is chipped or scratched. As an alternative, use cast iron or stainless steel cookware and natural oils to prevent sticking.17 It should be fairly obvious that most commercial cleaning products contain a wide range of toxins. There is also no reason to use them—white vinegar with a little lavender oil works as well or even better!18 In summary, our exposure to toxins is greater than at any time in recorded history. This news can be disheartening and lead us to feel as if we are helpless victims. However, we become empowered by confronting reality and facing the facts. By coming out of denial regarding our modern health challenges, we are better able to utilize our intelligence and common sense to overcome these negative influences. The denial that I speak of is within us all, both as individuals and as a society. In order

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to regain our health, individually and collectively, as a nation and as a planet, we have to ruthlessly reconsider many dearly held notions about how food, products, and lifestyles impact our health and quality of life. It’s time to step up and move forward into real wellness, not only for us, but also for our children and the Earth.

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4 Body Basics and the Essentials of the Best Diets The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.

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Thomas Edison

THE HUMAN BODY CONTAINS anywhere from sixty-five to one hundred trillion

cells.1 Each cell is a microcosm of the body—a tiny mirror reflection of the whole. Healthy cells translate into a healthy body. For cells to thrive, they need basic macronutrients, such as protein, fat, and carbohydrates. They also need sufficient micronutrients, such as minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. They require an ample blood supply, which itself requires good circulation, a healthy heart, and blood vessel integrity, as well as good hydration, sufficient oxygen, and balanced nutrition. They also require healthy nerve function, which in turn depends on sound skeletal structure, minimal toxicity (especially in terms of heavy metals), a healthy (not overloaded) stress response, and, again, balanced nutrition.

Creating a New Body The body has a natural process of cellular demise called apoptosis. Ideally, one new cell is created for each one destroyed. Out of the body’s trillions of cells, about seventy billion are destroyed daily. 42

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Different kinds of tissue cells “turn over”—renew themselves completely—at different rates:

Nervous tissue cells turn over at varying rates and can last seven years to a lifetime. Bone cells turn over every four to ten years. Muscle cells turn over every one to three years. Blood cells turn over every ninety to one hundred days. Skin cells turn over every fourteen to thirty days.2 The fact that our body regularly regenerates itself means that we can transform the quality of our tissues by how we eat, drink, breathe, think, and live.

The Foundational Needs of All Cells There are two main factors in building healthy cells: 1. Give them what they need—that is, nutrients. 2. Avoid those things that they don’t need—that is, non-nutrients or toxins.

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Air: The Number One Superfood

While we tend to take air for granted, without it we would quckly die. Good-quality air and breathing practices have numerous benefits. Most people access only about 10 to 20 percent of their full breathing capacity, which compromises their health and well-being. The Framingham Heart Study, in fact, found that lung capacity is the number one predictor of longevity. The study followed five thousand people for thirty years. The study showed that those with a greater lung volume were healthier and lived longer overall than those with lesser lung volume.3 Clinical studies from Dr. Manfred von Ardenne have similarly proved that wellness and life span are all dependent on proper breathing.4 While the benefits of having a good lung capacity are clear, many believe that little can be done to improve our lungs, especially for those who have degenerative lung diseases such as COPD. I have found that with right diet, exercise, and effective herbal protocols, significant improvements can be made. When our breathing is full, the body and mind function efficiently and harmoniously. Therefore, keeping the lungs healthy through exercise, breathing practices, and a clean diet must be emphasized. (In chapter 22 we will discuss sadhana (daily exercise and breathing practices) and dive deeply into the profound benefits of healthy breathing.) Cells also rely on respiration for optimal functioning. Cellular respiration is the

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process by which cells burn glucose (nutritional fuel) with oxygen to release its energy. An insufficient supply of oxygen results in:

A reduction of cellular metabolism A decline in energy Increased risk of heart attack and stroke A decline in concentration, memory, and mental clarity Potentially premature cellular death Oxygen creates energy! Breathe well during the cleanse and profound shifts will occur in body and mind. For some, adequate air—breathing—will become the most important superfood that they rediscover.

Water: The Number Two Superfood Water is needed for every chemical reaction that takes place in our body. In fact it makes up 60 to 70 percent of our body mass. In the body, it works to:

Serve as the medium for normal electrical flow for cellular communication Lubricate the joints and tissues Regulate body temperature Remove waste and toxins Provide oxygen to the cells Serve as the medium for neurotransmitters to travel from cell to cell (which

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assists with brain chemistry) Absorb shocks to the organs, spine, and joints Support a healthy heart and cardiovascular system These days, it is more important than ever to be hydrated, as stress and toxins deplete our internal water supply. Numerous cleanse participants have dramatically improved the quality of their lives simply by eating more hydrating vegetables and fruits and drinking more water. Results have been more energy, less pain, and better mood. Water quality is important. There are many technologies available to purify, alkalize, ionize, distill, oxygenate, and add molecular hydrogen to water. Many impart significant health benefits, which are being better understood as research continues. For instance, many people have found their health and energy improved through use of a water-ionizing machine. These machines not only make the water more alkaline but create an abundance of negative electrons, which can be measured by an oxidation

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reduction potential meter. These negatively charged electrons are powerful antioxidants. However, recent research has found that the greatest benefit of ionized water comes from it being a rich source of molecular hydrogen,* a compound that:

Addresses systemic oxidative stress better than other antioxidants Is the smallest, most bioavailable antioxidant molecule Scavenges only destructive radicals—hydroxyl and peroxynitrites Safely converts radicals into water, thus improving cellular hydration Regulates the body’s antioxidant system (glutathione, superoxide dismutase, etc.) Decreases lactate (lactic acid) formation in muscles during exercise Is neuroprotective and neuroregenerative; heals tissues Is anti-inflammatory and antiallergy Stimulates metabolism, prevents weight gain, promotes healthy weight Supports cognitive function, prevents age-related cognitive decline Protects against radiation damage Has no toxic by-products or toxic effects

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There are also nutritional ways to release stable molecular hydrogen into water rather than expensive ionizing water machines (for more on this refer to the resources offered at the end of the book). Fundamentally, the most important thing is to remove contaminants from our water. (See chapter 3 for more details on the most common and toxic contaminants.)

Kate’s Story: Hydration Kate became a patient due to her low energy and high stress. The only time Kate drank water was at night; she kept a bottle of water at her bedside. Being thirsty at night is usually an indicator of dehydration. She had been told for over a year, that she was dehydrated and that her energy and mood would likely improve if she would drink more water and eat more vegetables and fruits. For various reasons, Kate simply could not make these changes. She finally decided to do the Total Life Cleanse. With the inspiration of the group, Kate began drinking about fifty ounces of water per day and *For more on the benefits of molecular hydrogen and its relationship to ionized water visit the Molecular Hydrogen Foundation at www.molecularhydrogenfoundation.com/.

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added more veggies to her diet than ever before. This was a big improvement. Within a week, she was feeling happier and moved with more energy and confidence. The change was quite remarkable. Because she had been initially so resistant to drinking more water, it took her a few weeks to acknowledge that drinking water made such a difference. The last time I saw Kate, she still was experiencing better mood and had more energy than ever. At present, she continues to stay hydrated and perceives any drop in her energy and mood as a signal to drink water.

The Macronutrients: Fat, Carbohydrates, and Protein Macronutrients are those nutrients that we require in relatively large quantities. Over the years, battles have been fought with religious zeal regarding the optimal amounts of each—fat, carbohydrates, and protein—for optimal human health. The Total Life Cleanse does not teach calorie counting or demand close attention to ideal ratios among fat, carbohydrates, and protein. I have listed some “ideal” amounts based on the FDA’s recommended caily allowance (RDA), my own practical experience, and that of other seasoned holistic practitioners. In general, TLC suggests eating a wellrounded diet of vegetables, seeds, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and fruits while letting go of concerns about eating in perfect ratios. When cleansers eat in this way, they naturally find optimal balance in just a matter of weeks. However, individual body type is the main factor that determines optimal ratios. We’ll discuss the individualizing influence of doshas and genes in chapter 16. Identifying your body type will give you insight about how to optimize ratios of fats, carbohydrates, and protein for your own well-being.

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Fat and Fatty Acids Fat is comprised of fatty acids. When we digest fat, the body breaks it down into its component fatty acids and then reassembles them into a form the body can utilize. Fatty acids:

Serve as a source of long-term energy Provide a building block for cell membranes Function as a protective lining for the internal organs Aid in effective cellular communication

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Assist cells in taking in nutrients and eliminating toxins Regulate the rate of nutrient absorption in the small intestine Provide a source of the fat-soluble nutrients vitamins A, D, E, and K Provide strength to the tissues Manage appropriate inflammatory and anti-inflammatory processes Support healthy mental function and mood Different people process fat differently, depending on their body type (dosha or genotype). Some people find it difficult to metabolize fat; if they eat too much, their cells congest, and this may contribute to a variety of diseases including high cholesterol, insulin resistance, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes. Other people need a bit more fat in order to nourish and protect their cells, create optimal hormone levels, and manage inflammatory processes. We also benefit from and ideal ratio of omega-3 and -6 essential fatty acids in our diets. Opinions vary, however the optimal ratio is 1/1. Omega-6 is proinflammatory and omega-3 decreases inflammation, . The modern Western diet contains far too much omega-6 (around 14/1 omega-6/omega-3), which comes from the consumtion of refined plant oils like soy, sunflower, and corn oils. This contributes to the prevalence of inflammatory conditions in Western society. Avoiding these refined plant oils, eating a variety of whole nuts and seeds, including omega-3 rich flax and chia seeds, and eating an unrefined plant-based diet will automatically create this balance. Additionally, adding algae oil (non-fish, due to toxicity of oceans) omega-3 supplements will also help to increase omega-3 if desired.

For Review Only Amy’s Story: Healthy Fats

Amy was a twenty-seven-year-old vegan. Vegans can be very healthy! Amy, however, ate poorly—lots of refined carbohydrates, sugars, and some bad fats, but generally her diet was very low in fats. She was a vegan mostly for philosophical reasons and gave little importance to her health. At the time of the cleanse, she had not had her period in over eight months. She had low energy and felt depressed. Amy started the TLC program and began a cleanse-friendly diet, adding almonds, chia seeds, and flax seeds to her daily smoothie for their healthy fat content. Five weeks into the cleanse, her mood and energy improved quite dramatically, and her menstrual cycle started up again. These positive changes continued for the entire year in which I saw her as a patient.

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Avoiding inflammatory junk foods and including some whole-food healthy fats, as well as an abundance of organic grains and veggies, made all the difference for Amy.

Carbohydrates The body uses carbohydrates to fuel cellular functions. Molecularly, carbohydrates can be simple or complex. The body uses simple carbohydrates, like glucose, for energy. When we eat complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains and legumes, the body breaks them down into simple carbohydrates in order to make use of them. The carbohydrates in our diet should be primarily in the complex form. When we eat simple carbohydrates, like sugar, refined white flour, and fruit juice, our body absorbs them so quickly that blood sugar levels spike and the organs responsible for carbohydrate metabolism, such as the pancreas, adrenals, and liver, can become overworked and weakened. The digestion of complex carbohydrates takes time. As the body works to break these complex molecules down into the simple sugars it needs for creating energy, they are absorbed slowly, at a pace the body can handle and benefit from without undue stress.

For Review Only What Is a Healthy Diet?

A whole-foods, plant-based, moderate- to high-carbohydrate diet with little to no refined carbohydrates, low to moderate fat, and little to no animal protein has been shown to have the most profound anti-inflammatory and health-promoting effects on all fronts. This has also been our experience. A Healthy Diet • Whole foods • Mostly plants • Moderate to high carbohydrates • No refined carbohydrates • Low to moderate fat • Little to no animal flesh

There is a common myth that carbs make us fat. The truth is, it’s the wrong kind of carbs that can make us fat—especially when they are combined with excess animal fat

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and protein. People don’t get fat from overeating the carbohydrates found in unprocessed plant foods like whole grains, lentils, blueberries, leafy greens, and the like. It’s the highly processed sugary and fatty foods like white bread, pasta, cookies, soda, chips, and candy that contribute to obesity and blood sugar disorders. In plants, carbs are combined with an abundance of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and fatty acids. Additionally, most of the carbohydrates in whole plant foods are digested slowly. Soluble fibers from unrefined carbohydrates act as prebiotics by nourishing the growth of the healthy bacteria in our guts. They aid in the creation of a healthy microbiome (internal bacterial terrain), which supports intestinal health, good nutrition, and effortless elimination. Dietary experts can argue over carbs all they want. The reality is, the problem is not carbs but the fact that far too many people are eating too much meat, bad fats, refined carbohydrates, and toxic foods with little to no nutritional value. Eating more wholefoods plant-based carbs—fruit, whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables—would be a massive step in the right direction for a majority of the population. With the addition of large amounts of leafy greens, this is how we eat during much of the Total Life Cleanse. Those who want to lose weight do. Those with blood sugar problems balance out. Those with high cholesterol and triglycerides see their numbers plummet. Those with high blood pressure see their numbers normalize. This has been our consistent experience for the past eighteen years.

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When eating the WFPB diet [whole-foods plant-based diet]—a diet that is exactly the opposite of the Paleo Diet—the benefits begin quickly, slowing and often reversing a broad spectrum of diseases and illnesses. Has a Paleo/low-carb diet ever been shown to do this? No. Not ever. T. Colin Campbell, The Low-Carb Fraud

Pat’s Story: Weight Loss Pat was in her sixties and had been struggling with yearly weight gain. She wanted to make a change in her life. After all, she was a personal business coach who was, ironically, struggling with her own issues—primarily weight and energy. The only diet that occasionally seemed to decrease her weight was a high-fat, animal protein–based diet, even though it made her constipated and irritable.

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When Pat asked me about the Total Life Cleanse, I told her the details, and I happened to mention that the dietary part of it included kitchari, an ancient Ayurvedic cleansing dish made with mung beans and basmati rice. She rolled her eyes and said that a diet like that would make her fat and sluggish, so she would not do it. “Carbs always make me fat,” she said. I told her that it was not my experience that people—even those who generally avoid eating grains—gain weight on the cleanse. In fact, it is quite the opposite. For whatever reason, perhaps out of desperation, she agreed to try the cleanse. In the beginning, she whined quite a bit about TLC’s inclusion of grains. Even so, she persisted. Two weeks into the program, Pat was amazed to find that she had lost five pounds. In addition, she felt clear-headed and emotionally better than she had in years. During her concluding remarks with the group, she shared that she was shocked to find that eating our cleanse diet, which included clean, glutenfree, anti-inflammatory foods and whole grains, was so helpful for her, as it went against everything she had previously believed.

Protein

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Proteins are composed of amino acids, which are the basic chemical building blocks of life. The body breaks protein down into amino acids and then reassembles those acids into enzymes, hormones, vital body fluids, neurotransmitters, and more. For example, the amino acid tryptophan is a precursor for serotonin, which supports emotional wellness, peaceful mood, and restful sleep, and the amino acid tyrosine is a precursor for dopamine, which is essential for good mood and mental focus. As important as protein is, the standard American diet (SAD) tends to overemphasize it. Athletes, in particular, including myself during my college days, are told that eating lots of meat will improve performance and stamina. Protein is certainly an essential nutrient that plays key roles in the body’s function. However, we do not need the large amounts that most people imagine. Excess protein has been linked to acidity and even cancer. How much protein do we need? The RDA calls for 36 grams of protein per 100 pounds of body weight. This would have a person who weighs 120 pounds consuming around 43 grams of protein a day. A 200-pound person could increase that number to around 70 grams a day. The RDA builds in a generous safety factor. Protein consumption varies greatly from culture to culture. People in East Asian

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societies typically consume about 46 grams of protein from their diet of rice, fish, soy, and vegetables. The Western diet, typically centered on meat and dairy, provides 100 to 160 grams of protein a day. A traditional Inuit diet, or any diet based on animal protein, even a so-called weight-loss diet, may include 200 to 400 grams a day.5 Diets that rely on animal-sourced foods tend to have excessive protein. Vegans typically get 10 to 12 percent of their calories from protein. This contrasts with the protein intake of nonvegans, which adds up to 14 to 18 percent of their calories, mostly from animal protein sources.6 As the body breaks down protein into its component amino acids, it releases alkaline buffer minerals, like calcium, into the bloodstream to moderate the acidic effect. When the body has excessive amounts of protein acids, they become inflammatory toxins. The kidneys are forced to work harder to eliminate them, and in the process they eliminate much of those protective alkaline minerals, which can exacerbate the inflammatory condition. Inflammation, in fact, can actually be the cause of kidney stones and a major source of ill health, contributing to all degenerative diseases. The best proactive measure is to avoid the toxic protein excess in the first place, which is most easily accomplished by following a TLC plant-based diet focusing on superfoods, organic nongluten grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. Eating this way automatically assures sufficient dietary protein. Even after just a few days of cleansing on this dietary program, much of the acidic waste starts to clear and damaged tissues begin to heal. Cleanse participants often begin to feel the difference immediately.

For Review Only Doug’s Story: Normalizing Cholesterol and Blood Pressure

Fifty-six-year-old Doug was a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. He was more or less dragged to the Total Life Cleanse by his wife. She had cleansed three times before and had had wonderful results. Doug tolerated her cleansing but made fun of organic food and her new found love of smoothies and vegetarian recipes. Doug had motivation this time. He had been diagnosed with high cholesterol levels (over three hundred) and high blood pressure, and he did not want to go on medication. He also complained that he perspired more than usual and confided in me that it stank! Doug was willing to make some changes. He enthusiastically embraced the program and pretty much did everything as directed. As guys often do when they start eating clean, he lost ten pounds during the first three

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weeks. Much of it was stagnant water weight, but he felt much better. His aches and pains diminished and his clothes fit more comfortably. Additionally, his belly began to shrink. After the cleansing period was over, I suggested to him that he continue the TLC diet for an additional six weeks. He agreed. At his follow-up appointment with his doctor, he happily learned that his cholesterol had come down to two hundred and his blood pressure was in the normal zone. He was thrilled. Doug has continued on this path with great results; he reports that he looks and feels better than he did in his thirties!

The Micronutrients: Minerals and Vitamins Micronutrients are nutritional elements we require in relatively small quantities for the development, growth, and repair for all the tissues in our body.

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Minerals

Minerals are the spark plugs of the body; they give the cells the impetus they need to create energy. The body does not make minerals; they must come from food. Some of the best sources of minerals are vegetables, unrefined salts, and sea vegetables. There are seven macrominerals in the body. Calcium is most prominent, followed by phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, sodium, and chloride. There are also more than seventy microminerals. Many minerals are stored in bone and muscle tissue. Ninety-nine percent of calcium, in fact, is stored in the bones and teeth. Minerals play a vital role in many physiological processes, including:

Nerve signal conduction Contraction (calcium) and relaxation (magnesium) of muscles Structural strength (bones, teeth, ligaments, tendons, muscles) Nutrient transfer across the cell membranes Cellular communication Cellular energy production Cellular detoxification Regulation of heart rate and contraction of heart and blood vessels Maintenance of pH balance and osmotic pressure

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Many people have insufficient mineral levels. I have found, through experience and trace mineral hair analysis, that all-important magnesium is most often the mineral that is deficient relative to other minerals, especially calcium. Magnesium is involved in:

Bone health Muscle health Carbohydrate metabolism Blood pressure normalization Regulating heart rate Sweating Muscle contraction and relaxation Managing physical, mental, and emotional stress Magnesium is gobbled up in the presence of pain and stress, which is why it is one of the most important minerals for us.7 A tight neck and shoulders are often greatly relieved when low magnesium stores are replenished. I have found that many women with osteoporosis actually benefit from adding more magnesium to support bone growth, rather than calcium.

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Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds that the body needs in small amounts for normal growth and function. Though the body can manufacture some vitamins, most must be obtained from food sources. Vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble. The water-soluble vitamins, such as B and C, act as catalysts and coenzymes in metabolic processes, energy transfer, nerve function, and energy production. They are excreted rapidly. Fat-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, and E, are necessary for the function and structural integrity of specific body tissues and membranes, such as bones and the endothelial tissues that line the blood vessels and lungs. They can be stored in the body, unlike water-soluble vitamins. The whole foods that form the foundation of the TLC diet contain ample supplies of all the vitamins the body needs. However, if you are vegan, you may wish to supplement with vitamin B12, which can be difficult obtain on a vegan diet. There once was a time when our soil contained the bacteria that produced B12, however, this is no longer the case. Due to the low quality of food in most of today’s grocery stores, some people may wish to take a vitamin supplement. If you do, look for a supplement that is derived from food sources, as opposed to synthetic substances.

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Enzymes Enzymes are proteins—uniquely sequenced amino acids—that initiate and accelerate chemical reactions in the body. They are essential for digestion of food, regulation of biochemical reactions, and assistance in repairing tissues, organs, and cells.

Enzymes and Digestion

You are not what you eat but what you assimilate. If the digestive system is not functioning optimally to break down and assimilate nutrients, then even eating the best sources of protein, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins will not be enough to prevent the body from suffering from a host of nutrient-deficiency disorders. A major goal of the Total Life Cleanse is to lighten the digestive burden of the body so that it can rest and repair. Simultaneously, it offers strategies to improve the overall strength of the digestive system. That includes supporting the three main enzymatic phases of digestion: 1. Hydrochloric acid and pepsin in the stomach aid in the effective digestion of protein and minerals. 2. Digestive enzymes from the pancreas are released into the small intestine and help complete digestion of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. 3. Bile, comes from the liver via the gallbladder. Although it is not actually an enzyme, it contains bile acids that aid in the digestion and absorbtion of fat. Bile also carries toxins coming from the liver out through the large intestine and functions as a lubricant for the large intestine, aiding in smooth elimination.

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Six Main Digestive Enzymes

Protease: breaks down protein into amino acids to be used by all of the tissues of the body. Lipase: splits fats into glycerol and free fatty acids to be used by cell walls, inner linings of vessels, nerve tissue, the brain, and more. Amylase: breaks starch into simple sugars to be used by the cells. Lactase: breaks down milk sugars into simple sugars. Hydrochloric acid (HCl): normalizes pH in the stomach, begins the process of breaking down protein, and makes minerals such as calcium and iron available for assimilation. Bile: emulsifies fat so that it is usable by cells and tissues, carries toxins from the

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liver to the intestines for elimination, and lubricates the intestines for smooth bowel function. The body makes enzymes, especially in the pancreas. We also take in enzymes from the food we eat. Raw foods naturally contain enzymes, though cooking destroys them. Fermented foods also contain enzymes. As we age, our pancreas tends to grow tired, making fewer digestive enzymes, which contributes to various digestive and health disorders. This is especially true when we eat foods that are inherently difficult to digest. Inadequate digestive enzymes can result in nutrient malabsorption, gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort, constipation, and diarrhea. Our stomach acid levels may also decrease over time, which is generally the cause of acid reflux. Most people think that acid reflux is due to acid in the stomach being too strong. In fact, it is usually the other way around. When there is insufficient HCl in the stomach, food tends to putrefy while it swims in a pool of weak acid. In other words, digestion is not strong enough to bring the food downward into the small intestine. The food eventually refluxes upward, causing a burning sensation in the esophagus and throat. In Chinese medicine this condition is called “rebellious stomach chi,” as the stomach energy is going up instead of down as it is meant to. To support the pancreas, gastrointestinal function, and nutrient absorption, we can eat an enzyme-friendly diet with whole foods, fermented foods, and digestive herbs (such as gentian). Adopting a TLC-friendly diet, consuming fermented foods (which are good sources of enzymes and probiotics), eating consciously in order to provide the best physiological environment for digestion, and supplementing meals with herbs that stimulate stomach HCl are effective ways of dealing with acid reflux, as well as supporting the pancreas, gastrointestinal function as a whole, and nutrient absorption. Stopping acid reflux with drugs is only a band-aid and has numerous adverse side effects. Strengthening the digestion is the best cure.

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Enzymes and Inflammation Proteolytic enzymes, while essential for protein digestion, also serve a larger role as modulators of inflammation everywhere in the body. They are created by the body and also can be taken as supplements. They are amazingly effective in reducing pain and healing tissue, free of side effects. In order for them to function as a natural antiinflammatory, they must be taken in the absence of food, so that they can be targeted toward systemic inflammation, rather than the digestive system in particular. In order

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for systemic enzymes to be effective, they should be enterically coated so that they pass through the stomach undigested and can be absorbed in the small intestine. Our inflammatory response is a normal and healthy part of our immune system. It is also part of the tissue repair process. However, chronic inflammation can result in chronic pain, swelling, permanent tissue and organ damage, and even cardiovascular and brain disorders. Stress plus eating an inflammatory diet high in sugar, fat, refined carbohydrates, and excess protein can cause chronic inflammation and serious health problems. The Total Life Cleanse alone will decrease chronic inflammation and pain. Adding systemic enzymes to our nutritional protocol can additionally be extremely helpful in activating tissue repair, cleaning up cellular debris created by the inflammation process, improving blood flow, improving circulation, decreasing toxins in the blood, clearing excess scar tissue, reducing stiffness, and speeding healing. Enzymes are the sparks of life. Poor diet and stress reduce their function dramatically, causing bodily and mental functions to deteriorate. Once the habit of eating a clean, plant-based TLC -friendly diet is established, supplementing with digestive and proteolytic systemic enzymes often becomes unnecessary.

Probiotics For Review Only

Humans don’t have all the enzymes we need to digest our own diet. Microbes in the gut break down many of the proteins, lipids and carbohydrates in our diet into nutrients that we can then absorb. Moreover, the microbes produce beneficial compounds, like vitamins and anti-inflammatories that our genome cannot produce. Lita Proctor, Ph.D., Human Microbiome Project

Our gastrointestinal tract is like a long tube beginning at the mouth and ending at the anus. The entire tract is host to a sophisticated and densely populated microbial ecosystem, or microbiome. The microbiome is integral to normal development and brain chemistry. It acts as our immune system’s first line of defense, protecting us from pathogenic bacteria and viruses. In addition, it supplies nutrients and vitamins, helps with mineral absorption, and aids in cholesterol, bile, hormone, and drug metabolism. Many of the most important health-promoting microorganisms that colonize in the bowel and small intestine can only do so when they are ingested on a regular basis. The modern standard diet is deficient not only in major nutrients but also in these vital

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probiotics. Derangements and imbalances of our microbiome contribute to an alarming range of diseases and disorders. Some common ones are:

Allergies Food sensitivities Arthritis Autoimmune disorders Inflammatory bowel diseases Leaky gut Candida overgrowth Thyroid problems Brain fog Various brain disorders Poor serotonin production and assimilation (brain chemistry) Early signs of microbial imbalances show up as dysbiosis and, eventually, leaky gut. Early symptoms are:

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Foul-smelling stool Lots of gas and bloating Constipation or diarrhea (often alternating) Allergies or sensitivities to many foods Intestinal pain Sleepiness after a meal Brain fog Inflammation

Life exists everywhere, even within us. The body is made up of 65 to 100 trillion cells, but it is home to over one hundred trillion friendly microbes that, when we are in good health, comprise over twenty thousand species.8 In other words, most of the cells within our bodies are actually non-human. The microbes of our microbiome coexist symbiotically within us, carrying out numerous metabolic and immune-enhancing functions. Microbes substantially protect us from outside pathogens, toxins, bacteria, parasites, and viruses. They also protect the all-important tight junctions of the intestines. “Tight junctions” are the spaces between the cells of epithelial tissue, which lines body cavities and openings. In the intestines, tight junctions are meant to be just large

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enough to allow nutrients to pass through but small enough to prevent pathogens, heavy metals, undigested proteins, and other toxins from leaking into the bloodstream. Both modern medical science and ayurveda recognize that tight junction damage is the foundation of inflammatory disorders and the early stage of many forms of disease. Zonulin is a serine protease found in the intestinal lining and other linings of the body, such as the blood-brain barrier, blood vessels, and tubules of the kidneys. It is the primary mediator of tight junction permeability. That is, it is involved in opening up the spaces between the cells (tight junctions) of the intestinal lining so that nutrients and other molecules can get in and out of the intestines.9 In the presence of thriving and diverse intestinal bacteria, enzymes released protect the tight junctions from zonulin. However, in the case of leaky gut due to a poor microbial environment in the gut, an abundance of zonulin widens the spaces between the intestinal cells too much. This allows large protein molecules and pathogens to get into the bloodstream, causing unwanted immunological reactions.Bacterial biodiversity in the bowel has steadily declined over the past sixty years. The main causes are poor-quality food, herbicides like glyphosate, and widespread antibiotic use. As we’ve discussed, poor-quality food leads to poor digestion and a host of inflammatory conditions. Antibiotic use—in medicine, in factory farms, in personal care products, and more—leads to a loss of microbial life on all fronts, not just pathogenic bacteria but the probiotic bacteria essential to our own health. Loss of bacterial biodiversity weakens our digestion and leaves the bowel wall vulnerable to damage by toxins such as glyphosate, the most common ingredient in weed killers.10 Modern-day gluten is also a major trigger that increases zonulin production and damages the gut wall.11 In fact, gluten sensitivity may simply be the result of a poor microbiome and overactive zonulin. Zonulin also modulates the tight junctions between cells in the blood-brain barrier. When zonulin is overactive, the tight junctions allow toxins such as bacteria, heavy metals, undigested proteins, and parasites to move past the blood-brain barrier into the brain. Over time, these substances will adversely impact brain function. Metals in the brain, for example, have been linked to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.12 You can cultivate a healthy gut microbiome by including in your diet fermented foods such as kimchi, kefir, miso, and kombucha, and even by walking and playing in healthy soil (real soil has tons of probiotic microorganisms). Probiotic supplements can also be helpful; however, they are highly concentrated in specific strains of bacteria, whereas the microbiome requires diversity. There are also nutrients available, such as aloe vera, glutamine, humic acid products, and bioflavonoids, that can help heal the gut lining by tightening its junctures. Avoiding wheat (as a gluten trigger that irritates the

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intestines), sugar (which feeds yeast and disturbs a balanced microbiome), glyphosate (such as is found on much inorganic produce), antibiotics (which destroy the micrbiome), and NSAIDs (which can damage the lining of organs such as the stomach and small intestine) is most advisable. I cannot overemphasize how important a healthy microbiome is to the health of our body and mind. Often, probiotics are the first thing I recommend for reducing inflammation or handling viral and bacterial infections.

Phytonutrients Phytonutrients are bioactive substances found in plantsthat enhance their vitality and immunity, protecting them from UV radiation, bacteria and fungi, insects, and other negative environmental factors. Those phytonutrients provide similar protective and health-promoting benefits to us when we eat them, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, and immune-enhancing properties. Plants contain more than one hundred thousand phytonutrients, though only 10 percent have been identified.13 Fruits and vegetables are the most concentrated source of phytonutrients, though whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices also contain an abundance of them. The pigments that give plants their bright colors broadcast their unique nutritional qualities. For example, foods that are blue or purple, like blueberries and blackberries, are rich in flavonoids; yellow and orange foods, like carrots, winter squash, papaya, and melon, are rich in beta-carotene; red and pink foods, like tomatoes, guava, and watermelon, are rich in lycopene; and green foods, like kale, spinach, spirulina, algae, and any leafy greens, are rich in chlorophyll and vitamin K. Eating a variety of brightly colored fruits and vegetables ensures that we’ll get a full spectrum of phytonutrients. Knowing the names and properties of the phytonutrients may be important to the drug and vitamin companies, but it is not necessary for our health purposes. Instead, we can focus simply on eating a variety of whole plant foods with a wide range of colors. Isolating individual phytonutrients, such as lycopene, into drugs and supplements has not shown very promising results. Plant nutrients work naturally and synergistically with each other; isolating them is not a skillful way to obtain their benefits. The vast intelligence of nature far surpasses what can be created and isolated in a laboratory. Brightly colored fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains and legumes, are the best foundation to any diet. Eating this way naturally protects your cells and tissues from all major diseases, such as cancer, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and autoimmune disorders. (A note for the tea and coffee drinkers: Dairy products block the absorption of

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phytonutrients. Organic coffee and green tea contains high amounts of phytonutrients, but adding milk significantly diminishes any benefits.) The TLC program recommends a ratio of 1:2 fruits to veggies. Focus on fruits that are less sweet and brightly colored, especially the berries. Otherwise, forget the details and follow the principles! Try to have around nine servings of phytonutrient dense fruits and vegetables each day to promote well-being and prevent disease. If you find this difficult to achieve, add a daily dose of a high-quality, slowly dried, organic, phytonutrient-rich powder made from fruits, vegetables, and greens to your deit. There are excellent formulas available these days that provide five to ten servings of phytonutrients in just one scoop!

Fiber Fiber supports our health in many ways:

It can prevent cancer. It lowers high cholesterol levels. It prevents gallstones. It helps in managing optimal body weight. It supports effortless and complete elimination (that is, it regulates the bowels). It supports healthy blood sugar metabolism. It feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut.

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The American Heart Association recommends that we eat at least twenty-five grams of fiber each day. The best way to get that fiber is to eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Taking fiber supplements may be helpful, but it will not make up for eating a poor diet. However, eating plenty of whole plants gives us the fiber we need, alongside their abundant phytonutrients. A super-packed source of whole-food fiber comes in the form of chia seeds. They are rich in fiber, minerals, Omega-3 essential fats, amino acids, and antioxidants, and they are more effective for regulating the bowels than flax seeds and commercial fiber products. They can be added to smoothies and soups and sprinkled on salads.

Common Features of the Best Diets There are multitudes of diets recommended these days. Many seem vastly opposed to each other, like the Paleo diet versus the vegan diet. How is it that theyeach seem to

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work well for some people, at least some of the time? The following chapters will answer this question and clarify why a whole-foods plant-based diet is the best diet for everyone, and for our body, mind, spirit, and planet. Though popular diets may appear very different from each other, they tend to have some important themes in common. These similarities clarify why even opposing diets can be beneficial for so many. Pretty much any diet that aims to improve health, weight, blood markers, energy, and quality of life will feature the following: No refined sugar. Healthy diets call for low to no refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, two of the most addictive and disease-causing substances on the planet. No refined carbohydrates. They eliminate refined carbs in the form of grains that have been stripped of their nutrients, leaving just the flour. They can and do include whole grains and starches, such as rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and ancient forms of wheat. Most successful diets minimize or completely eliminate modern inorganic wheat and corn products. No processed vegetable oils. Processed vegetable oils that have been highly refined and highly heated are often oxidized and stripped of nutritional value, and they were never part of the food chain until the past hundred years. Most processed oils are high in omega-6 essential fatty acids and low in omega-3s, an imbalance that contributes to inflammatory conditions. Additionally, unless they are organic, soy, corn, canola, and cottonseed oils are all genetically modified. Getting your fats naturally from whole foods like seeds and avocados, rather than liquid in a bottle, is best.

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No hydrogenated fats. Hydrogenated fatshave been chemically altered in order to make them shelf-stable and able to bind food for a long period of time. The problem is that they are toxic, disease causing, cell damaging, and artery clogging! No dairy. Most healthy diets eliminate dairy products except for ghee and fresh, organic cultured products like kefir and yogurt. Dairy causes many ailments for so many people. It builds mucus in the body, is hard to digest, and burdens the immune system. (See chapter 25 for more on the controversial aspects of dairy.) Lots of produce. They also recommend copious amounts of multicolored vegetables and fruits. Vegetables and fruits are high in antioxidants, phytonutrients, and fiber. They support immunity and good elimination, regulate body weight, and feed the friendly bacteria in the gut. Most healthy diets especially recommend

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berries, which are the most abundant in phytonutrients and antioxidants and also low in sugar. Whole foods. Healthy diets focus on eating an abundance of whole foods instead of counting calories or obsessing about ideal macronutrient ratios. They don’t include processed or manufactured foods. High-quality, low-sensitivity foods. They recommend eating organic, non-GMO foods and avoiding common food allergens such as modern hybridized wheat and sugar, including high fructose corn syrup. Any diet that incorporates these common features will have strong health-promoting properties.

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5 Theories of Health and Disease If the fish is sick, then change the water.

Robert Young, Ph.D.

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HEALTH CAN BE DEFINED as having an abundance of energy, physiological balance,

mental clarity, and joy. Ayurveda defines health as having strong ojas (immunity), prana (life energy), and agni (fire of digestion), along with balanced elements and doshas. In Chinese medicine, health is attained through strong chi (life energy) and vital blood, along with the balance of yin and yang and the five elements. More recently, over the past two hundred years, there have been passionate debates over the definition of health as well as the origins of disease. Historically, in the West, three prominent perspectives compel these debates.

Three Major Perspectives on Health and Disease The Germ Theory, by Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) Pasteur’s germ theory states that disease is caused by an outside influence such as a germ, bacteria, virus, or parasite—some kind of externally derived pathogen. It claims that microbes from an external source invade the body and then become the cause of specific infectious diseases. This concept was officially accepted by allopathic Western medicine 63

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in the late nineteenth century. Today, it remains the foundation of modern-day allopathic medicine worldwide. Pasteur was also the inventor pasteurization.1

The Terrain Theory, by Claude Bernard (1813–1878)

Bernard coined the term milieu interieur, “internal environment.” He believed that the internal environment or terrain of the body determines our level of health. He found that when the bodily fluids and tissues function in balance, the whole system works harmoniously. Bernard’s research showed that an efficiently operating immune and detoxification system would maintain a healthy internal terrain that could effectively handle the pathogens (toxins, parasites, viruses, bacteria, germs) the body was exposed to. Bernard did not believe, as Pasteur did, that germs are the enemy of life. Rather, he showed that the quality of our internal environmental terrain determines our ability to manage pathogens and experience vitality. Bernard saw our bodies as living ecosystems full of life-promoting microorganisms (probiotics). He believed that these organisms are essential in protecting us from pathogenic bacteria and viruses. (Though he agreed that people with severely weakened immune systems should be careful to avoid pathogenic germs.) Bernard’s concept of health is similar to that of ayurveda and Chinese medicine, which emphasize strengthening our vital energy, immune system, and inner terrain (chi, prana, ojas) so that the body can effectively handle pathogens, without having to fearfully avoid them.2

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Pleomorphism, by Antoine Béchamp (1816–1908) The primary cause of disease is in us, always in us.

Antoine Béchamp

Béchamp, a fierce opponent of Pasteur, believed that germs are merely by-products that act upon weak, imbalanced, and dysfunctional cellular metabolisms and tissues. He showed that a dysfunctional cellular metabolism, not germs, is the cause of disease. That is, an acidic (low pH), low-oxygen cellular environment is created by a toxic and nutrient-deficient diet, toxic emotions, and a toxic lifestyle. Béchamp advocated the principle of pleomorphism: disease develops in a toxic and acidic environment through the unhealthy transformation of micro-organisms (which

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Theories of Health and Disease 65

according to Béchamp are not inherently disease forming) to bacteria, bacteria to viruses, viruses to fungal forms, and fungal forms to diseased cells. Perhaps his greatest contribution was his observation that healthy cells transform into diseased cells in an acidic, oxygen-deprived, toxic internal terrain.3

Summary of the Battle After some controversy, Pasteur’s germ theory took prominence within mainstream medicine. This was likely due to the fact that his simplistic symptom-treating theory enabled mainstream medicine to profit from patented drugs and treatments designed to fight germs. In the end, however, Pasteur acknowledged on his deathbed, “The microbe is nothing; the terrain is everything.” Pasteur initially had believed that the only way to fight illness and treat symptoms was to kill the germs involved. Eventually, like Bernard and Béchamp, he came to understand that maintaining health and fighting illness requires a healthy internal terrain—one that can prevent disease from developing and decrease its duration when it occurs.

For Review Only Our Internal Biological Terrain

There may be times in our lives when an injury, infection, or illness is so serious that extreme intervention—surgery, antibiotics, radiation, or other emergency measures— may be needed. However, for long-term health and prevention of disease, improving the quality of our inner biological terrain is essential. Doing so enables the body to effectively manage pathogens and achieve optimal well-being. The epithelial surfaces of our body, such as the skin and mucosal linings of our blood vessels, stomach, and intestines, are colonized by a staggering number of microorganisms that represent the normal biological terrain. This biological terrain has ten times more cells than all the cells that make up the human body.4 The microflora is comprised mainly of bacteria; however, viruses, fungi, and parasites are also present. A healthy microflora terrain prevents attachment and multiplication of toxic or diseasecausing microorganisms on the surfaces of our epithelial tissues. This creates a healthy barrier, so that these pathogens cannot pass into the circulation. Simultaneously, a healthy terrain destroys pathogens through microbial warfare—fully utilizing all available resources—and strengthens our immune system through facilitation of good digestion and important enzymatic processes. A healthy biological terrain also supports optimal energy levels, body weight, mood, and mental clarity. Our biological terrain requires proper cultivation, which includes adequate

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resources (good-quality food!), a healthy stress response, protection from toxins, and balanced pH. The negative environmental and dietary factors—stress, pesticides and herbicides, GMO foods, antibiotics, NSAIDs, refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, excess animal protein, bad fats—that are so prevalent in modern society cause our terrain to deteriorate, opening the door to of all kinds of opportunistic pathogens while simultaneously weakening the body’s ability to manage them. We’ve talked about stress (chapter 2), toxins (chapter 3), and the importance of a good diet (chapter 4); now let’s talk about pH.

The Importance of Blood pH In any solution, pH is a measure of the solution’s acidity or alkalinity. The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14, with 1 being extremely acidic, 14 extremely alkaline, and 7 neutral. The ideal pH of the blood is around 7.35, which is slightly alkaline. To maintain health, the blood must stay in this pH range. If it creeps toward being too acidic due to stress and negative environmental and dietary factors, the body will do everything it can to bring the pH back toward 7.35. There are, however, consequences when the body must force blood pH back into balance, because when it does so, our body “steals from Peter to save Paul.” That is, with the help of our kidneys, the body pulls alkaline ions from our tissues and carries them into our blood, increasing its alkalinity. Most commonly, the body steals calcium and magnesium ions, especially from the muscles and bones. However, doing so can tax our alkaline mineral supplies and weaken our tissues. In the short run we will survive, but the process takes its toll on the body, promoting imbalances that can show up as:

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Osteoporosis Pain (tight muscles) Gout Arthritis Bursitis Kidney stones Gallstones Inflammation Autoimmune disorders An acid pH imbalance in the blood is understood to decrease the negative electrical charge on a cell’s membrane and causes the red blood cells to stick together. This leads

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to thick and sticky blood and impaired circulation, especially to the extremities, bringing our body temperature down and depriving our cells of optimal levels of oxygen. Eventually this leads to an acidic pH and a stagnant environmental terrain, causing the proliferation of yeast, fungi, parasites, and bacteria. The acid-alkaline rebalancing act becomes a cycle, and as this pattern continues, toxins settle in, cellular health diminishes, tissues are damaged, and serious disease can take hold.

Reversing an Acidic Terrain An acidic internal terrain is ultimately caused by poor diet, emotional stress, environmental toxins, and harmful actions. Some common early symptoms of an acidic internal terrain are:

Headaches and fatigue Neck and shoulder tension Joint and muscle pain Insomnia Hormonal issues Digestive disorders Allergies Excessive body fat (fat stores toxins) Anxiety, irritability, and mood swings

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Urination, sweating, and breathing are the three main ways in which the body eliminates acid waste. The kidneys eliminate the majority of it. However, dehydration inhibits their ability to efficiently perform this task, so drinking plenty of pure water is essential. The lungs and skin are meant to eliminate whatever acid waste the kidneys cannot handle. Therefore, it is essential to sweat and to breathe deeply on a regular basis, especially while cleansing. When the kidneys, skin, and lungs cannot keep up with the acid waste burdens in the body, our pH shifts toward an acidic condition. An acidic body is a toxic body, and a toxic body manifests disease. Again, germs are not the original cause of disease; they flourish at the site of disease. They live on metabolic waste and diseased, malnourished, and weakened tissue—just as mosquitoes proliferate near a stagnant pond. Germs can aggravate symptoms and prompt a variety of secondary conditions, but they are not the underlying cause of disease. The underlying cause is an unhealthy terrain.

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Balancing Your Terrain To maintain proper pH and allow the microbiome to flourish, follow the basic dietary and lifestyle guidelines of the Total Life Cleanse program:

Eat a whole-foods plant-based diet. Eat plenty of leafy greens. Drink plenty of water. Include in your diet alkaline-rich minerals: magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Eliminate coffee. Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates. Eliminate meat. Eliminate dairy (or drastically minimize it). Practice meditation, yoga, and other mindfulness exercises. Spend time in nature. Exercise and sweat Breathe deeply.

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Measuring pH

Measuring our pH is an easy way to track how well we are eating and living as well as how effectively our body is handling and eliminating toxins. We can measure the pH of blood, urine, or saliva, but Mmasuring urine pH is the most comprehensive, easiest, and least expensive. You’ll measure the pH twice: upon your first and second urinations of the day. The pH of your first morning urine measures the acid waste your body eliminated during the night. The pH of your second morning urine reveals your systemic acidity. How to Measure Urine pH

1. Purchase pH paper from a pharmacy or online. 2. Measure the pH of your first morning urination. 3. Measure the pH of your second urination of the day. 4. Record the results of both tests for ten days. 5. Average the results of the tests separately (take the average for the first urination and then the average for the second urination). Since we eliminate acid waste from the body during the night, it’s normal for the pH of your first morning urine to be slightly acidic (below 7.0). During the initial stages of healing and cleansing, an ideal first morning urine pH is

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between 6.0 and 6.4. Higher, up to about 7.0, is even better, but generally not expected until after a few months of clean TLC-friendly eating. If your first urine pH is below 6.0, your body is either clearing excess acid waste or it is too acidic in general. An ideal range for your second urine pH is between 6.4–7.0. This shows that your body has effectively been able to eliminate excess acid waste. If your second urine remains below 6.0, your inner terrain is too acidic. An acidic terrain means your cells are swimming in a toxic pool. It’s time to enthusiastically purify the terrain. As quoted earlier, If the fish is sick, then change the water. Eliminating all acidic sources and following the suggestions in the “Balancing Your Terrain” list will bring you back into pH balance. It is important to remember that eliminating acid waste from the body is not just about preventing disease or increasing longevity. It’s about improving how we feel—better mood, less pain, stronger immunity, clearer mind, and more energy. An enhanced capacity to experience life with a positive and content outlook, along with a body that cooperates, is a gift. All of us will take our final breath one fine day. The quality of our breath and the moments of our days and years are what matter most.

Health Paradigms ForModern Review Only

The present dogma of Western medicine ignores the internal terrain and considers symptom elimination to be a cure. It lacks interest in balancing the terrain, strengthening immunity, and promoting optimal wellness. Instead, it’s mainly concerned with eliminating infectious pathogens and palliating symptoms with statistically studied “one-size-fits-all” drugs and therapy protocols. These therapies can be effective in acute and critical conditions. However, for ongoing conditions, symptoms, and chronic low-grade infections, Western medicine is severely limited by its disease-care perspective, lack of attention to terrain, and lack of personalized care. Western medicine has powerful medications, but they can dangerously force the physiology to override symptoms, especially in cases of chronic conditions. This is not how the body heals, nor does not get to the root cause of disease. Both Chinese medicine and ayurveda follow a principle known as fu zheng 1u xie, which means “dispel the evil by supporting the righteous.” Following this principle, we fight disease by honoring individuality, strengthening immunity, and boosting vitality while at the same time eliminating infectious pathogens. A good diet, herbs, acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, exercise, and lifestyle

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practices (to kill the infectious evil and support righteous immunity and energy) are all terrain-oriented treatments that enhance our body’s energy and defensive capacity. Western medicine can be effective at destroying the pathogen (the evil) but lacks in strengthening immunity (supporting the righteous). Unfortunately, it often leaves patients in a weakened condition, vulnerable to reoccurrences of the original condition or to new and more serious ones. Presently, those of us in the Western culture have a wide range of perspectives and degrees of faith in the various forms of health care available. At one end of the spectrum we find people who proclaim full faith in modern medical science and disdain ancient wisdom approaches such as ayurveda and Chinese medicine. They adamantly reject anything that has not yet been proven (or culturally accepted) by modern scientific standards. They disregard thousands of years of experience and success. At the other end of the spectrum are people who profess faith only in holistic forms of healing, while fully rejecting modern Western allopathic medicine. They are attracted to the wisdom of natural medicine while fearing modern medicine’s more dangerous practices, its lack of ability to support real health, and its one-size-fits-all approach. I’ve seen both extremes deprive themselves of appropriate care. For most of us, our faith falls somewhere in between. Some of us dabble in holistic health care but quickly resort to allopathic medicine when more serious symptoms emerge. Others avoid holistic medicine but come to it as a last resort when allopathy fails. The TLC approach is practical. If you break a bone, go to the hospital! Otherwise, eat well, live well, and think well. As much as possible, base your care on your own individual needs and terrain, and practice fu zheng qu xie.

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Marc’s Story: Reversing Acid Overload Marc was an engineer and a scientist. He was quite proud of his skeptical perspectives on health. Marc enthusiastically yet respectfully challenged many of the TLC cleanse recommendations and the practical wisdom we taught. On the other hand, Marc was hoping to change. He was very overweight, felt tired, and had issues with depression, and his blood markers were pretty scary. The idea of testing his morning urine pH intrigued him. At the start of the cleanse, Marc found that both his first and second morning urine pH was al-

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ways below 5.5, which is extremely acidic. Marc began to follow the cleanse protocol strictly, avoiding sugar, wheat, and dairy, emphasizing more alkaline foods like leafy greens, and hydrating with plenty of lime water. Within two weeks Marc’s second morning urine pH began to creep up. A few days later his first morning urine pH actually climbed to an optimal zone. He was thrilled! More importantly, Marc was losing weight, his energy was better than it had been in years, and he felt much happier. Eight weeks into TLC living, Marc’s cholesterol level and blood pressure dropped into acceptable zones, and he was able to avoid the medication his doctors had been encouraging him to take. He was happy to be an open-minded skeptic.

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6 The Universal Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet Plant-based nutrition is the seismic revolution in health that can end chronic disease.

Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., M.D.

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ONE INTENTION OF THE Total Life Cleanse is to inspire you to embrace a whole-

foods plant-based diet. A tremendous emotional charge often surrounds the topic of plant-based eating versus animal-based eating. I strive to be always respectful of people’s choices, and I understand the power of ancestral and culturally based dietary habits. My intention here is not to put anyone down but to raise awareness about plant-based diets and also about dietary choices in general. People who subscribe to any particular dietary regimen, from vegan to Paleo and everywhere in between, sometimes make biased claims that their diet is the only way to achieve reasonable physical health and longevity. The data used to make these claims is often lopsided. The fact is, anyone can feel better if they stop eating crap! Admittedly, it is possible to be relatively healthy and eat a moderate amount of meat. This is especially true if you aviod refined carbohydrates, sugar, bad fats, junk food, and commercial dairy products and eat plenty of leafy greens and bright-colored fruits and vegetables. However, there is an abundance of evidence showing that a whole-foods plantbased diet has the deepest and widest range of remarkable and beneficial outcomes. The sections that follow show that, in a multitude of ways, the advantages of a wholefoods plant-based diet far outweigh those of an animal-based diet. There is no need to 72

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The Universal Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet 73

skew research or ignore facts. The information speaks for itself. Let your heart and mind ponder and decide. I actually find it a source of gratitude that the same food choices that are healthiest for us; that give us the strongest immune systems and the healthiest longest lives; and that lead to the least susceptibility to diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, are also the kindest to other animals and the best for the environment. The fact that there is that coherence does not jeopardize or cast any kind of aspersion on the diet, it actually strengthens it and it shows we are connected to the world in which we live in ways that we sometimes are not even aware of. John Robbins, interview in Voices of the Food Revolution

What Is a Whole-Foods Plant-Based Diet?

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Behold, I have given you every herb-yielding seed which is on the face of the Earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed—to you it shall be for food. Genesis 1:29

I was introduced to the term whole-foods plant-based diet during my studies in plantbased nutrition with T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study. Essentially, a whole-foods plant-based diet excludes animal products and denatured, processed foods. It includes unprocessed raw and cooked plant foods. I prefer to use this term for the Total Life Cleanse, rather than vegetarian or vegan, for a couple of important reasons. First, the TLC diet is healthy. A vegan or vegetarian diet may be plant based, but it can be just as unhealthy as non-plant-based diet, depending on its content. There are plenty of junk foods that contain no animal products. Second, many people who adopt a whole-foods plant-based dietary lifestyle do not readily commit themselves to the philosophy of vegetarianism or veganism. It is likely that TLC will inspire you in this direction. However, it is not necessary to become a strict vegetarian or vegan to quickly experience the benefits of the program and its whole-foods plant-based diet.

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Personally, I have been eating a whole-foods plant-based diet—no meat, fish, or eggs and very minimal dairy—for over thirty years. I very much hope that you find the following information empowering and that it encourages you to seriously explore a whole-foods plant-based diet. It is the best diet for you, for the animals, and for the planet!

Health Factors Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. Albert Einstein

Across the board, plant-based or vegetarian diets have been shown to reduce the risk of many health problems and afflictions, including:

Obesity Heart disease Hypertension Diabetes Colorectal cancer Lung cancer Kidney disease Osteoporosis

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People often believe that a primarily vegetarian diet cannot produce muscular and bone strength. In fact, the opposite appears to be true. In recent years many accomplished athletes have revealed their strength and fitness secret—a nutritionally dense, whole-foods plant-based diet!

Bone Health Bone health has far more to do with the health of our adrenal, thyroid, and parathyroid glands than the amount of calcium we ingest. In fact too much calcium has been shown to interfere with the cells’ ability to utilize thyroid hormones. It can never be overstated: healthy cells = healthy glands = healthy tissues = healthy bones. In 1983 the Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that:

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Female nonvegetarians had an average of measurable bone loss of 35% as compared to only a 7% bone loss in female vegetarians. In other words, female vegetarians had five times less bone loss by the age of 65 than those on a flesh-centered diet. Male vegetarians had 3% bone loss compared to males on a flesh-food diet with 18% bone loss.1

There are many possibilities as to why vegetarianism seems to have such a strong correlation with bone health. Here are some:

Plant-based eaters (or vegetarians in this case) closely eat according to our natural physiologies. That is, human bodies are designed to eat plants, not meat (see page [x-ref ] for more details). Vegetarians consume less concentrated protein. This generally makes vegetarians less acidic; when the body is overly acidic, it pulls alkaline minerals like calcium out of the bones and into the blood. Over time, this weakens bones. Flesh foods have higher levels ofphosphorus. Phosphorus opposes calcium metabolism and can draw calcium out of the bones. A diet with a lot of animal protein tends to have a lot of fat as well, which can slow calcium metabolism, which then interferes with thyroid function. This leads to tissue calcification—some of the calcium is stored in the tissues (skin, hair, joints, cardiovascular tissue) instead of the bones and teeth where it belongs. This leads to weak bones, a tendency toward hypothyroidism, chronic muscular tension, and even depression.

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Eating Lower on the Food Chain If animal food is a dominant part of your life, toxicity will be a dominant part of your life as well . . . when you eat an animal, or the byproducts of its body, you get a biologically concentrated dose of toxin.

Alan Goldhamer, D.C.

Eating plants, which are lower on the food chain, means that we avoid consuming a wide range of toxins. Like fish in the ocean, commercially raised meat animals accumulate in their flesh all the toxins found in their food and environment: pesticides, herbicides, hormones, antibiotics, medications, GMOs, and heavy metals. They also accumulate internally generated toxins due to the stress hormones the animals secrete

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over the course of a (short) lifetime spent in the horribly filthy and unhealthy environments in which most of them are raised. Commercially raised meat animals are very sick, miserable, and toxic creatures. They can be so terrified in the moments before being slaughtered that their bodies are flooded with acidic forming adrenaline and stress hormones. This contributes to excessive oxidation, and causes beef, for example, to take on a unappetizing gray hue. Processors sometimes inject carbon monoxide into beef packages to redden the quickly graying flesh, giving it a fresh blood color.2 Dr. Virginia Livingston-Wheeler, a top cancer researcher, says that most commercially raised chickens will likely have cancer by the time they get to someone’s table. She says: “I consider the potential for cancer in chickens to be almost 100%. That is, most of the chickens on the dining room tables and barbecues of America today have the pathological form of the Progenitor Cryptocides microbe, which I contend is transmissible to humans.”3 When we eat animal flesh, we eat all the toxins in that flesh—and these days, there are plenty.

For Review Only The Problems with Modern Factory Farming

But in the kali-yuga (this modern age), the calves are separated from the cows as early as possible for purposes which may not be mentioned in these pages of Srimad-Bhagavatam. The cow stands with tears in her eyes, the milkman draws milk from the cow artificially, and when there is no milk, the cow is sent to be slaughtered. These greatly sinful acts are responsible for all the troubles in present society. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Modern factory farming is a prolific consumer of fossil fuels and one of the greatest producers of poisonous wastes. Many thousands of animals are herded together on massive feedlots. Let’s be clear: they are not feeding on fresh grass. The feedlots are filthy, crowded, foul-smelling places with open sewers and thick noxious air. In order to keep the animals alive, producers feed them huge amounts of antibiotics. The Union of Concerned Scientists has estimated that 70 percent of all antibiotics in the United States (approximately 24.6 million pounds annually) are fed to livestock, not taken by human beings. In fact, circulating forms of

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antibiotics fed to cattle and chickens are likely the main cause for antibiotic resistance in humans.4 In addition to their ghastly environment, factory-farmed cows are fed corn, usually GMO, which contributes to making them fat, sick, and weak. A healthy cow’s natural life span is about fifteen years. Slaughterhouse and dairy cows are so unhealthy that, even if they are not slaughtered, their life span is typically less than seven years. These massive doses of antibiotics are essentially necessary to keep the sick, weak cows alive! The ecological impact of a single cow used for meat, which will feed just a few people, is also astonishing. Before a cow is slaughtered, she will eat twenty-five pounds of corn a day. She will eventually weigh 1,200 pounds. It takes approximately 1.2 gallons of fuel to make fertilizer for every bushel of corn. So over her lifetime, a cow’s food will have consumed 284 gallons of fuel. The “return on investment” is absurdly disproportionate.5

Natural Physiology: Humans vs. Carnivores

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Put a child in a room with a lamb and a banana. Note which one he plays with and which one he eats.

Dr. Douglas N. Graham, The 80/10/10 Diet

Humans are ideally suited for a plant-based diet, and our physiology makes this fact amply apparent. We are designed to eat a plant-based diet. Table 6.1 on pages 78 and 79 is a partial list comparing the physiologies of humans and carnivorous animals. I drew the information in this list from numerous sources, but especially from the work of author and raw food advocate Dr. Douglas N. Graham.6

Environmental Factors By eating meat we share the responsibility of climate change, the destruction of our forests, and the poisoning of our air and water. The simple act of becoming a vegetarian will make a difference in the health of our planet. Thich Nhat Hanh

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TABLE 6.1. DIFFERING PHYSIOLOGIES BETWEEN HUMANS AND CARNIVOROUS ANIMALS ASPECT

ANIMALS

Walking

Two hands and two feet; walk erect

Four feet; walk on all fours

Tails

No tails

Have tails

Tongues

Soft tongues

Rough or rasping tongues

Claws/Nails

Flat nails—ripping would be difficult

Claws can rip and tear flesh easily

Opposable Thumbs

Yes; well suited for picking up fruit and veggies

No; poorly suited for picking up anything, but ideal for attacking and holding down

Colon

Long and convoluted, with many digestive stages

Short and very smooth

Intestinal Tract Length

About twelve times the length of the torso, allowing for slow absorption of sugars and other nutrients

About three times the length of the torso, allowing for fast absorption and preventing flesh foods from rotting inside

Sleep

Sleep and rest around eight hours a day

Sleep and rest eighteen to twenty hours a day

Cannot tolerate microbes from rotting meat

Can digest microbes that would be deadly for humans

Perspiration

Sweat from their skin

Sweat from their tongues

Vision

Can see the full color spectrum, facilitating the consumption of a variety of colors

Limited color vision

Vitamin C

Must get vitamin C, an essential nutrient, from food

Manufacture their own vitamin C

Jaw Movement

Can grind food (good for chewing plants, fruits, and grains)

No lateral jaw movement

Teeth

Primarily flat molars for mashing food; sharp canine teeth are minimal and useful for tearing plants and fruits

Pointed sharp molars and sharp canine teeth for tearing and ripping flesh

Urine and Saliva pH

All healthy plant-eating humans maintain a slightly alkaline saliva and urine (alkaline saliva is ideal for breaking down plant cell walls)

A carnivore’s urine and saliva are very acidic (acidic saliva is perfect for breaking down animal cell membranes or flesh)

Diet pH

Thrive on a predominantly alkalineforming diet

Thrive on an acidic diet that would lead to disease for humans

Microbial tolerance

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HUMANS

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ASPECT

HUMANS

ANIMALS

Stomach pH

Optimal stomach pH is from ten to a Digestion depends on highly hundred times less acidic than that of acidic secretions in order to a carnivore rapidly digest meat and prevent putrefaction

Uric Acid (found in many kinds of meat)

Neutralize uric acid by using the body’s alkaline mineral supplies, especially calcium

Secrete uricase, an enzyme that metabolizes uric acid

Starch Digestion

Make amylase, an enzyme that digests starches

Do not make amylase

Intestinal Flora

Flora is far less acidic

Flora is extremely acidic

Cleanliness

Quite particular about eating clean food

Don’t mind eating dirt, bugs, and other stuff with their food

Natural appetite

Generally find the smell of uncooked flesh off-putting; enjoy the smell of fruits and veggies

Salivate at the smell of flesh, in whatever state of decay

Most of us have some awareness of the grave condition our environment is currently in. Scientists have concluded that the most environmentally beneficial action we can take is to move away from an animal-based diet toward a plant-based diet. It is clearly time to make intelligent, practical, and compassionate changes around how we eat and what we eat. In the past few years, numerous documentaries and books have been released showing the many benefits of a plant based diet. For example, the outstanding documentary Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret has provoked a deeper conversation within our culture regarding the numerous benefits of a plant-based diet and the downsides of an animal based one. It has been a necessary part of this shift through visually communicating the information below and much more. The animal agribusiness has an astounding negative impact on the environmental health of the Earth— perhaps more so than any other industry. Animal agriculture is responsible for more greenhouse emissions than the combined exhaust from all transportation on the planet. It is also the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution, and habitat destruction. The amount of water in the United States used for animal agriculture is over ten times more than that of water used in private homes.7 About 80 percent of antibiotics sold in the United States are for livestock and are turning up in our water supplies through their excrement along with the hormones they are given.8 Every minute, cows produce 7 million pounds of excrement in the United States alone, creating around 130 times more animal waste than human waste

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in the United States.9 It is estimated that a farm with 2500 dairy cows produces the same amount of waste as a city of 411,000 people.10 The fish industry is also in trouble. Some estimate that if we continue at the present rate, we could see fishless oceans by 2048.11 Estimates indicate that for every 1 pound of fish caught, up to 5 pounds of unintended marine species—including dolphins, whales, turtles, seals, and sharks—are caught and discarded.12 Shifting our perspective about what we put on our dinner plates is perhaps more important now than ever.

Deforestation Considerations How and what we eat determines to a great extent the use we make of the world—and what is to become of it. To eat with a fuller consciousness of all that is at stake might sound like a burden, but in practice few things in life afford quite as much satisfaction. Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma

Tropical rainforest depletion is well known as a serious global environmental problem. The rainforest serves as the “lungs” of the Earth, being the greatest source of planetary oxygen. It also absorbs significant amounts of CO2 from our atmosphere. Additionally, many of our greatest medical and herbal discoveries have come from the rainforests. When we destroy them, we destroy rich plant and animal life as well as medicines that have yet to be discovered. Every second of every day, one football field’s worth of tropical rainforest is destroyed in order to produce a few hundred hamburgers. The natural rainforests are destroyed so that they can be used for cattle ranching and food production for the cattle. Animal agriculture is responsible for up to 91 percent of Amazon destruction.13 Palm oil production is another major cause of rainforest destruction. However, while over 26 million rainforest acres have been cleared for palm oil production, over 136 million rainforest acres have been cleared for animal agriculture.14 Some people argue that organic grass-fed beef instead of pasture-raised beef (generally GMO corn-fed) is the solution. It is true that the meat from grass-fed animals is generally less toxic and has a better nutritional profile. However, it is by no means an economically or environmentally sustainable option. To produce enough grass-fed beef to sustain our present-day animal consumption would require us to turn all of our rainforests, forests, and cities into grass-feeding farms. Estimates show that the land required to feed one person for one year is one-sixth of an acre for a vegan, half of an acre for a vegetarian, and as much as three acres for a meat eater.15 That’s eighteen times more

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land required for a meat eater than a vegan! Clearly, its time we drastically decrease our dependency on a food that comes from animals.*

Big-Picture Considerations The Union of Concerned Scientists sums it up with its conclusion of the two most beneficial actions people can take to help the environment: 1. Drive a fuel-efficient automobile and live near your workplace. 2. Do not eat beef.16 By not eating beef, we:

Save huge amounts of water Avoid polluting our streams and rivers Save our oceans and its inhabitants Avoid the destruction of topsoil, saving it for plants Avoid the reckless destruction of the rainforest Avoid excessive production of carbon dioxide Significantly reduce methane gas production Reduce the destruction of wildlife and habitat Show compassion for beautiful, calm, and motherly creatures Improve our health and the health of the planet

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We are on this beautiful planet at a critical point in time. We need to either seriously curtail our meat-eating obsession or our planet and its inhabitants will experience dire consequences.

Economic Factors National dietary recommendations are now advising consumers to reduce their meat and dairy consumption and increase their intake of fruit and vegetables. However, over 60 percent of agricultural subsidies continue to directly or indirectly support meat and dairy production. Alternatively, less than 1 percent benefits fruit and vegetable producers. *For a full listing of data related to the impact of the animal industry on our environment go to www. cowspiracy.com/facts/.

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Taxpayers subsidize the meat industry and keep meat cheap.17 The fact that taxpayer-subsidized factory-farmed meat is falsely inexpensive acts as an incentive for consumers to continue eating it. While this economic manipulation benefits the meat industry, it sacrifices human and environmental health.

Ethical Factors It is not good enough to cry peace, we must act peace, live peace, live in peace. Shenandoah

Whoever is kind to the creatures of God is kind to himself.

Mohammed

As a culture, we have become insanely desensitized to the reality of the way we treat the animals we raise for food. Ancient cultures around the world had a deep respect for nature and the animals that sacrificed their lives to become food. As a principle, they never took more than they needed. In the modern world, in sharp contrast, we take much, much more than we need, and we show a wanton disregard for their lives. We slaughter approximately eleven billion animals for food every year in the United States alone, and more than one hundred and fifty billion worldwide.18 Many of those animals spend their entire life in filth and fear. We see them not as animals with consciousness and feelings but as units of food that equal dollars and cents.

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Raising Awareness of Appalling Treatment The suppression of awareness required by our universal practice of commodifying, enslaving, and killing animals for food generates the “ built-in mental disorder” that drives us toward the destruction not only of ourselves but of the other living creatures and systems of this Earth. Because this practice of exploiting and brutalizing animals for food has come to be regarded as normal, natural, and unavoidable, it has become invisible. Will Tuttle, The World Peace Diet

There is far too much denial regarding the violence and suffering happening to innocent animals every day. Severe overcrowding and mutilation are common practices in factory

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farming. In order to avoid chickens pecking each other to death in crowded environments, they are painfully debeaked. Most of the “useless” male chicks are simply thrown away onto a huge pile to die or placed into plastic bags where they suffocate to death. Have you ever seen a baby calf ? It is one of the sweetest and most gentle creatures. Veal comes from a baby calf that has been removed from her mother immediately after birth. She is deliberately fed a nutritionally deficient diet while being chained up in darkness for her entire life, so that her muscles will not develop and her flesh will be softened for human taste. While some may enjoy such tender flesh, the suffering it causes is unfathomable. Cows and pigs are meant to be shocked or stunned before being slaughtered, but that anesthetizing treatment is frequently ineffective. They are, far too often, fully conscious while they are being mercilessly and slowly slaughtered. Many people who have worked at a slaughterhouse and know the business will tell you of its horrendous conditions and the terror the animals express as they approach their demise. We consume that anxious terror with every bite of meat. Forced reproduction is a common and serious issue for the animals and, ultimately, for humans. They are fed hormones to cause unnatural and continuous reproduction. This causes great harm, chronic infections, and suffering to the mother cows. By the end of their lives, they can barely move. Look into their eyes and you will see the suffering, and sometimes even tears.

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If slaughterhouses had glass walls, we’ d all be vegetarian.

Linda McCartney

Eating with Peace Most humans genuinely desire peace on Earth. However, can we honestly expect peace when the majority of the population perpetuates the unnecessary and unprecedented slaughter of innocent creatures on a daily basis? As sophisticated and intelligent as humans can be, we have nonetheless developed an schizophrenic relationship with animals. We love them and yet treat them mercilessly, and we act as if we have no other choice. The truth is, we do have choice. Times on planet Earth have changed. It is easy to maintain good health and vitality as a whole-foods plant-based eater almost anywhere on the planet. If we look squarely at this issue, we will see that regular meat-eating is a choice we make based less on health but on habit (personal, familial, or cultural), misinformation, and denial. As long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other.

Pythagoras

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Philosophical and Spiritual Factors At some point, man will need to give up the eating of animal flesh in order to spiritually advance to the next level. Mahatma Ghandi

Jews will move increasingly to vegetarianism out of their own deepening knowledge of what their tradition commands. . . A whole galaxy of central rabbinic and spiritual leaders . . . has been affirming vegetarianism as the ultimate meaning of Jewish moral teaching. Rabbi Isaac Ha-Levi Herzog

The ancient Vedic scriptures explain that there are four cosmic time cycles, or yugas, that continuously cycle one after another: the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age. It is said that as time progresses from the Golden Age to the Iron Age, good qualities such as compassion, purity, honesty, and discipline gradually diminish, until only a shadow of them exists. At the end of the Iron Age a major transformation occurs, and the cycle begins again. According to Vedic astronomical and astrological calculations, we are presently around five thousand years into the Iron Age, or Kali Yuga. The most prominent quality of Kali Yuga is anxiety. This Iron Age is known as the age of quarrel, hypocrisy, and anxiety—a time when people tend to fight over trivial things, lack sincerity, and are constantly distressed by significant levels of anxiety. There is a story in the Srimad Bhagavatam, a prominent Vedic scripture, that tells of a time just prior to this Iron Age. Thousands of sages had gathered together to perform a great fire sacrifice to offset the negative influence foreseen due to the approaching Iron Age. Some of the sages were particularly powerful visionaries. They saw that in the near future there would be the continual mass slaughter of cows. In the Vedic culture cows were considered sacred, embodying the divine, nourishing, tolerant qualities of a loving mother and Mother Earth herself. The visionaries also perceived many inauspicious omens regarding the future of mankind. They saw that the mass slaughter of animals would unconsciously initiate anxiety and fear in the hearts and minds of humanity. Most people would not perceive the connection. However, as began to contemplatively practice yoga, meditation, bhakti, and kirtan, they would become acutely sensitive to these realities.

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It appears that this time has come. Many people are making the connection between war, social unrest, and personal anxiety with the mass slaughter of innocent creatures. Mass anxiety seeps into the energetic fabric of our planet’s atmosphere, known as the etheric plane. The etheric plane, on a vibrational level, holds the emotions (both denied and conscious) and thought forms of all living beings. A toxic etheric plane then negatively influences our minds, perpetuating the anxiety of this present age. TLC addresses the toxic influence of the Iron Age.

Do Animals Have a Soul? If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men. Saint Francis of Assisi

Some religious traditions claim that animals have no soul. This argument is sometimes used to justify mass slaughter and cruel dominion. From a Vedic perspective, the qualities of love and compassion are indications of the soul and lie at the foundation any of real religion or spiritual path. When a creature responds to love, then by Vedic definition it has a soul. We can easily see that love is present in every creature to varying degrees. Clearly, animals and birds such as dogs, cats, chickens, dolphins, cows, pigs, sheep, and so on respond favorably to love and affection. Again, look into their eyes.

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The Ahimsa Principle Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.

Albert Schweitzer

Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word that means “no harm” or “nonviolence.” In the Vedic yoga tradition, ahimsa is understood to be the foundation of authentic spirituality and religion. Paradoxically, the Vedas also describe how, in this world, every living entity must live off of another living entity in order to survive. On Earth, it is therefore impossible to completely avoid causing any harm, or to practice ahimsa perfectly. After all, simply by walking and breathing we kill insects and unlimited organisms. In reference to this reality, my teacher Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami once said, “The material world is no place for a gentleman.” So, what are we to do?

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The principle of ahimsa suggests that we do our very best to minimize the degree of suffering caused by our day-to-day activities. For instance, it causes far less suffering to pick a fruit from a tree or a potato from the ground than it does to slit the throat of a cow. Moving toward a plant-based diet automatically produces less suffering because it inflicts far less pain to other living beings. As a side effect of ahimsa, we experience less anxiety and the exceptional health benefits of a compassionate, nourishing, and environmentally friendly, whole-foods plant-based diet.

The China Study: A Testimony to the Benefits of Plant-Based Eating The past few years have seen the release of numerous books and studies pertaining to the benefits of a whole-foods plant-based diet. Perhaps the most compelling and wellresearched book on the topic is The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell, PhD, which published the results of a study of the same name. The results of the China Study scientifically validate knowledge and principles that have been understood by plant-based eaters for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. The China Study is likely the most comprehensive study on human nutrition ever conducted. It was jointly arranged through Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine. The study surveyed a wide range of diseases, dietary factors, and lifestyle factors in rural China and Taiwan. It produced over eight thousand statistically significant associations between dietary factors and disease.19 The dietary principles extrapolated from the China Study were so similar to those in the Total Life Cleanse that they have now become part of its curriculum. The primary results of the study were clear and simple: People who ate the most animal-based diets developed the most chronic diseases. People who ate the most plant-based diets were healthiest and were most likely to avoid chronic diseases.20 Following are eight TLC-friendly principles of food and health identified by Dr. Campbell.21 They are in bold and followed by my thoughts.

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1. Nutrition represents the combined activities of countless food substances. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Nature has created food for all living creatures. There are a multitude of varieties of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. There are also thousands of known and unknown nutrients. These nutrients work synergistically, not independently. To isolate and concentrate nutrients and leave others out of processed foods and supplements, expecting

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them to have similar or better benefits than whole foods, borders on ignorance and arrogance. 2. Vitamin supplements are not a panacea for good health. Supplements are simply that: supplements. They are meant to supplement good nutrition and help us acquire what may be lacking in our diet. They don’t genuinely support our health when we eat and live in ways that are counterproductive. Most commercial supplements are synthetic. They often contain high dosages of vitamins and minerals in unnatural ratios not found in nature. Eventually these megadoses create imbalances. For example, calcium requires magnesium and other nutrients for optimal absorption. Calcium, taken in high doses without its synergistic cofactors, may enter the bloodstream but may not be properly metabolized. Unmetabolized calcium doesn’t store in the bones and teeth, where it belongs, but in the blood vessels and joints, leading to potentially painful and dangerous conditions. Taking high doses of almost any nutrient for long periods of time, in isolation from other synergistic nutrients, ultimately causes imbalance. Good organic food, grown in healthy soil, should be our foundation. Supplementation should be reserved for therapeutic applications to address serious imbalances. Therapeutic supplements that come from food, rather than being synthetically manufactured, are ideal, because they will naturally contain the known and unknown cofactors in a form that is easily assimilated.

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3. There are virtually no nutrients in animal-based foods that are not better provided by plants. Plants have all the nutrients found in animal flesh. The one exception is vitamin B12, and that is partly due to modern farming practices. Healthy soil contains millions of healthy plant-based organisms. These organisms are capable of making B12 in our guts. Modern farming destroys these organisms in the soil due to the use of pesticides and herbicides. For a vegetarian or a vegan, it is wise to supplement with B12. It is notable that many meat eaters also have B12 deficiencies. This is because they lack the healthy bacteria in their gut needed to properly assimilate and create B12. Other than B12, plants have far more bioavailable vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than meat does. They also have plenty of protein with healthier fats than those coming from animals. 4. Genes do not determine disease on their own. Genes function only by being activated, or expressed, and nutrition plays a critical role in determining which genes—good or bad—are expressed.

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This concept has been taught in our TLC program since the beginning. Based on diet and lifestyle, a gene may or may not be expressed. For example, someone may have a gene picture that makes it difficult for their body to utilize high amounts of saturated fat, which means he or she is predisposed to develop heart disease. If this person eats a meaty, fatty diet, then it is probable that his or her genetic tendency toward heart disease will be expressed. On the other hand, if that same person eats primarily a whole-foods plant-based diet, exercises moderately, eats low to moderate amounts of high-quality fat, and manages stress with wisdom, he or she could avoid heart disease and live a long and healthy life, skirting the premature heart disease of his or her ancestors. This point is extremely important: we are not victims of our genes. In fact, Dr. Trygve Tollefsbol of the University of Alabama at Birmingham has published several papers showing that components in green tea, broccoli, turmeric, and several other plant foods exhibit the ability to turn on and turn off genes that are directly related to longevity, aging and the cancer process.22 It is now possible to test your genome to identify the optimal amounts and ratios of fat, protein, and carbohydrate for your individual well-being. Individualizing your diet is also a major component of ayurvedic nutritional therapy, and the skillful insight of an ayurvedic practitioner can help you determine your ideal diet. (We’ll talk about this topic more in a chapter 16.)

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5. Nutrition can substantially control the adverse effects of toxic chemicals. The China Study clearly demonstrated that toxins alone are not the main cause of modern disease. They can be, but more frequently disease results from poor diet combined with toxicity. According to the China Study, toxins in the presence of animal protein, processed foods, and animal fat are more likely to cause cancer. When someone who eats a whole-foods plant-based diet is exposed to those same toxins, he or she is much less likely to develop cancer or any of the other diseases of modernity. Excessive animal protein also boosts levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1). IGF-1 stimulates cell growth and has been linked with promoting cancer in adults. It’s notable that plant proteins do not overstimulate IGF-1 in the same way.23 Animal fat clogs the channels of detoxification. When we are exposed to toxic substances, such as heavy metals, chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides, oxidation increases and toxins that are not excreted are stored in the fat as an attempt to protect our body. These toxins eventually damage our cell walls, interrupt cellular communication and respiration, and damage cell mitochondria and DNA.

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6. The same nutrition that prevents disease in its early stages can also halt or reverse disease in later stages. This is great news. Based on the research, a healthy plant-based diet will not only help prevent disease but may also halt or reverse disease. If the cells can normalize with proper hydration, nutrition, detoxification, and oxygenation, healing is possible. A whole-foods plant-based diet is capable of doing just that and is certainly most optimal if someone is fighting serious disease. 7. Nutrition that is truly beneficial for one chronic disease will support health across the board. We do not have to be focused on individual phytonutrients as much as we once thought. A well-rounded whole-foods plant-based diet contains all the micro- and macronutrients that our bodiesneed. It is also preventive of all types of chronic disease, such as diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease. Even those who do not know their ideal genetic or ayurvedic constitutional diet will derive great benefit from a wholefoods plant-based diet. 8. Good nutrition promotes health in all areas. All parts are connected. Good nutrition benefits not only the body, but also the mind and spirit, and it benefits our environment as well. It turns out that what is good for the Earth is good for us. Eating a whole-foods plant-based diet is the healthiest and least toxic lifestyle. It benefits animals, humans, and the Earth. The China Study offers substantial evidence that eating a clean, well-rounded whole-foods plant-based diet effectively and sufficiently supports the health of all the inhabitants on the planet. There is no longer any need to wonder whether it is beneficial, safe, or adequate. The unequivocal decision is in!

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Avoiding a Poor Diet Coronary heart disease is a benign food borne illness which need never exist or progress. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., M.D.

The standard American diet (SAD), unfortunately, has greatly influenced the rest of the world. SAD consists of too much animal protein, animal fat, trans fats from hydrogenated plant oils, artificial ingredients, and refined carbohydrates, including white sugar and corn syrup. For years, we have lived as if what we put in our bodies

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has little consequence. Mass conditioning encourages us eat whatever we crave and simply take drugs to eliminate our acid reflux, irritable bowel symptoms, and chronic pain. Fortunately, awareness of this irrational way of living is growing worldwide. We all want to feel good. Both young and old are discovering that too much sugar, refined carbohydrates, and animal flesh makes us feel tired, foggy, and stiff. Poor diet is the number one cause of illness. For example, reams of data have emerged proving that changing to a whole-foods plant-based diet is the most powerful action we can take to heal the heart and cardiovascular system. Of course, not smoking, exercising, and practicing meditation are also essential. In addition to The China Study, research by stalwart cardiologists like Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn* and Dr. Dean Ornish has unequivocally proven that a whole-foods plant-based diet can prevent, reverse, and cure heart disease.

The Anti-Grain and Anti-Vegan Myths There are those who believe that all grains are harmful and that vegan and plant-based diets are nutritionally inferior, inevitably causing digestive and blood sugar problems. While this is a myth, there are vegans who eat in such a way that these concerns appear to be valid. This is especially true of those who ignore sound nutritional practices. Meat, even with its many downsides, is dense nutrition. Eating it is an efficient way to get lots of nutrients. Plant-based eaters and vegans need to be conscious of how they eat in order to maintain optimal health and vitality. Some meat-eating proponents make this sound far more complicated than it is. It’s really quite simple, as you’ll see in part 2. The anti-grain argument is mostly based on three main points. First is the assumption that since grains are carbohydrates, they ultimately become sugar and act like sugar. Ingesting excessive amounts of simple sugar does contribute to blood-sugar imbalances like obesity, hypoglycemia, and diabetes. However, when we eat TLC-friendly diet and give the body time to heal—avoiding inflammatory foods like modern wheat (and gluten-containing grains), dairy, bad fats, red meat, and sugary junk foods—the body generally utilizes whole grains exceptionally well. Many people eating a whole-foods plant-based diet quickly stabilize and reduce blood sugar into optimal ranges, reduce body fat, lower blood pressure, and reduce cholesterol. These common results defy the anti-grain and anti-plant-based arguments.

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*For more on Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s research visit Dr. Esselstyn’s Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Program site at www.dresselstyn.com/site/articles-studies/.

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The second anti-grain argument is that because modern grains like brown rice absorb arsenic and wheat is sprayed with glyphosate, an extremely toxic herbicide that damages the gut, all grains should be avoided. Use of dangerous pesticides, herbicides, and the run-off form animal agriculture are the cause of these problems. A solution is to eat organic grains, which are not sprayed with glyphosate or any other herbicides and rice that has lower amounts of arsenic such as white basmati. It is best to purchase rice that has been grown in regions that use water that has far less arsenic in it such as northern India or the Himalayas. It also helps to wash your rice thoroughly before cooking. The third argument is that because many people are sensitive to the proteins and lectins in grains, not just the gluten in wheat, all grains should be avoided. It is true that a damaged gut, due to years of dietary abuse, can provoke chronic food sensitivities. However, during the gut healing process, identifying your sensitivities and eating accordingly is the remedy—not avoiding all grains at all costs. Eating a variety of grains, and especially less common grains such as millet, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, purple rice and einkorn, also helps avoid triggering a sensitivity. Plant-based eaters get into trouble when they make poor dietary choices that create an unhealthy internal environment, damaging the intestines, causing nutritional deficiencies, increasing systemic inflammation, creating blood sugar imbalances, and contributing to neurological and brain imbalances. This is what gives grains and vegans a bad rap. However, when these dietary obstacles are removed, plant-based eaters can be some of the most vital and healthy people on the planet!

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Ways That Plant-Based Eaters Get into Trouble

Eating refined grains and carbohydrates (junk foods) Eating sugar and corn syrup Eating modern wheat and gluten-containing foods Eating inorganic grains Eating the same grain for months at a time Eating inflammatory foods (for some people, that includes too many nightshades) Eating a lot of vegetable oil Eating too many nuts and seeds (they are hard to digest) Eating too much raw food (it can be hard to digest) Eating fruit with meals (it can cause fermentation) Eating a narrow diet that lacks variety Eating at irregular times of the day (it’s tough on digestion) Drinking too much coffee (it’s overstimulating)

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Chewing insufficiently (it’s tough on digestion) Eating when stressed Poor overall nutritional habits Ways That Plant-Based Eaters Stay Healthy

Avoid modern wheat and gluten-containing foods Avoid inorganic grains Avoid refined grains and carbohydrates (junk foods) Avoid refined sugar and corn syrup (all processed sugar) Eat cultured (fermented) vegetables, nondairy kefir, and cultured drinks (they contain gut-healing enzymes and probiotics) Eat organic whole foods—grains, vegetables, legumes, berries Eat sprouted grains and legumes (sprouting minimizes lectins) Eat a wide variety of leafy greens and vegetables Eat a variety of organic fruits, but not with other foods and fats Eat a variety of grains Eat a combination of cooked and raw foods Eat soaked nuts and seeds (soaking aids digestion) Eat at regular times Chew well and eat consciously Limit stimulating herbs and drinks like coffee Use spices that aid digestion, like hing (asafoetida), cumin, ginger, and turmeric Use digestive enzymes if necessary Use chia seeds to promote healthy elimination Walk barefoot on dirt Take a sublingual B12 supplement

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Following these simple suggestions and principles assures that eating organic whole grains, in the context of a whole-foods plant-based diet, maintains optimal health and vitality. Not everyone is ready to immediately shift to a 100 percent plant-based diet, even if they would like to. However, taking small, regular, healthy steps will not only improve how you feel but naturally shift your cravings away from animal foods. Eventually, these small changes will lead to quantum shifts. Keep going; your body, mind, spirit, and planet will be forever grateful.

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Stacey’s Story: Adopting a Plant-Based Diet In one of our early cleanse programs, we showed a short film revealing the inside of a slaughterhouse. We showed it because we wanted to offer our students the opportunity to really know how most meat in the United States is actually produced. After all, clearing denial is a big part of cleansing. Stacey was an avid meat eater and believer in the Paleo diet, which, generally speaking, calls for a lot of animal protein. She, like everyone else in the group, was horrified by the level of unconscious insensitivity that took place in the slaughterhouse. For the remainder of the program, Stacey abandoned her Paleo diet philosophy and decided to try out the vegetarian version we proposed. She was scared because she had a strong belief in the need for a high-protein, high-fat diet. She also was terrified of gaining weight. She told the group that she used to eat a lot of bread and felt that eating carbohydrates had been the cause of her digestive and weight issues. The first few days were tough for her, as she felt tired, bloated, and a little foggy headed. She al-

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most gave up, but she took my suggestion to continue for a few more days. By day four, something began to change. She was struck by a shift in her mental clarity and peace of mind. She felt more relaxed and less irritable. This gave her the incentive she needed to continue.

As Stacey’s digestion began to function efficiently, the bloating subsided. She continued to eat a cleanse-friendly diet and felt great. By the end of the program, she had lost twelve pounds and said, “I feel lighter and clearer than I have in years.” She admitted that she had always wanted to be vegetarian, but it had never worked for her before because she had always put on weight. She realized this was because she was eating far too many refined carbohydrates and not enough leafy greens and high-quality plant proteins and fats. Stacey calls herself vegetarian to this day. She has also nicely maintained an optimal body weight.

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7 Conscious Eating and the Eight Principles of Right Eating When walking, walk. When eating, eat.

For Review Only Zen proverb

BEFORE DESCRIBING THE SPECIFIC dietary guidelines of the Total Life Cleanse,

including what to eat and what not to eat, it’s essential to first discuss how to eat! How we eat can be as important as, and sometimes more important than, what we eat. Love is a form of nourishment, and food is a form of love, or nourishment for the body. The love felt between two people diminishes when one or both are distracted and inattentive. In the same way, when we are distracted, inattentive, upset, angry, or rushed while eating, the nourishment we receive, even from the healthiest food, significantly diminishes. This is why the Total Life Cleanse program highly recommends eating consciously: that is, eating with the conscious intention of taking in nourishment and feeding the body, mind, and soul. We’ll talk about how to do that first, and then we can talk about right eating: when to eat, how much to eat, and in what combinations. The eight principles of right eating give you a simple, confusion-free, wisdom-based approach to healthy eating, and these tips can be integrated into your life before and long after the cleanse.

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Conscious Eating and the Eight Principles of Right Eating 95

Conscious Eating and the Nervous System Our nervous system has two main subsystems: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS governs our “go mode,” acting as our internal gas pedal. When we are active, stressed, or multitasking, our SNS is stimulated. Activation of the SNS is great when we are working, playing sports, or being busy with our many tasks during the day. The SNS draws blood and chi/prana away from the digestive organs and brings it to the extremities, such as arms, legs, and certain parts of the brain, to boost our ability to move and think quickly. This decreases our digestive power, lessening the secretion of digestive enzymes. If we eat while we are stressed or multitasking, we set ourselves up for indigestion and poor assimilation of nutrients. The body is intelligent. When it perceives stress—anxiety, worry, physical activity, multitasking—it funnels the body’s energy to be used for the issue at hand, not for digestion. For optimal digestion and wellness, it is necessary to decrease SNS activity and increase PNS activity while we are eating. The PNS is analogous to our internal brake pedal, or the “slow mode” of the nervous system. It helps us slow our mind and body and controls functions such as digestion, making love, relaxing, meditating, and sleeping. When the PNS is functioning smoothly, blood and chi/prana naturally travel away from the extremities and toward the internal and digestive organs. This supports not only optimal digestion but also pleasure in eating. This is the goal of conscious eating. The reality is, both the SNS and PNS are always active, but in varying degrees. For instance, insomnia can be due to an overstimulated SNS and an underactive PNS. This can manifest as agitation, a busy mind, and stress, with an inability to calm down and fall asleep. Learning to balance these two aspects of the nervous system is extremely important for the health of the body and mind. Conscious eating stimulates the PNS and calms the SNS. It improves digestion, nutritional absorption, and satisfaction. When we eat in a calm state of mind, our digestive organs work efficiently. This naturally enhances nutrient intake and absorption. Better digestion means less ama, or toxic buildup, in the body. It also supports the efficient elimination of toxins such as normal waste, chemical residues, and heavy metals. Conscious eating supports the body in working more efficiently and intelligently.

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A Remedy for Neurosis and Emotional Eating Better to eat a dry crust of bread with peace of mind than have a banquet in a house full of trouble.

Proverbs 17.1

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Conscious eating helps reduce stress and emotional triggers around food and eating. For some of us, childhood mealtime was a forum for conflict and arguments and an abundance of stress, and that association of stress with mealtime carried forward through our lives. When we eat under stress for years at a time, it makes sense that food can become a trigger for emotional issues. It’s no wonder that overeating, emotional eating, and other neuroses are common. (It’s also no wonder that digestive disorders such as indigestion, constipation, IBS, and Crohn’s disease are so common.) Eating with presence, or conscious awareness, has the capacity to heal wounds from the past, in particular those centered around food and mealtimes. Conscious eating affords insights into what we are really hungry for. Our hunger is often due not only to a lack of nutrients, but also to a lack of intimacy in relationships, soul fulfillment, or the fulfillment of our dharma. In this way, conscious eating is a powerful solution to emotional eating. It helps us develop the sensitivity to distinguish between actual hunger and emotional hunger and to find real satisfaction. In order to heal from emotional eating, we have to change the habit, which conscious eating can help us do. Conscious eating is itself a habit that must be cultivated with intention. After eating consciously for twenty-one to twenty-eight days, we will find it effortless and extremely rewarding. For many, conscious eating has been one of the most transformational lifestyle practices of the Total Life Cleanse!

For Review Only Food as an Addiction

An addiction is an activity that you think you have no control over and whose purpose is to aid the avoidance of experiencing your emotions. Elijah Nisenboim, Whats in Your Roots?

Food is nourishment—at least, that is what it is meant to be. When we habitually use food to avoid or dampen our feelings, our eating becomes addictive. Add to the equation foods that are scientifically designed to be addictive, and we end up with a perfect recipe for trouble. Removing processed foods, fake fats, refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, and other chemical additives from our diet, while practicing conscious eating, gives us a real chance to successfully handle food addictions. In the beginning of the cleanse, we may feel feelings that we have been sublimating with food. This can be extremely uncomfortable. However, as

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we move through the TLC program, we experience an opening of awareness and other positive changes that help make the experience manageable. I personally have seen participants with with significant food addictions overcome them far sooner and more easily than I, themselves, or anyone else could have imagined. If you feel inclined, seek support from a TLC support coach, your community of likeminded cleansers, and perhaps a guide or therapist during the cleanse. Try to find at least one person with whom you feel comfortable sharing your journey and its challenges. Coming out about your feelings to another person can be extremely healing. The best way to change a bad habit is by replacing it with an action that satisfies the goal of the bad habit in a healthy way. If you are tempted to stray and go back to old addictive junk foods, first take three deep breaths and then ask yourself: “If I were really taking care of myself right now, what might that look like? What alternative action can I take right now instead of eating this?” Then take the positive action you identify. Having a TLC-friendly smoothie or snack can help get you over the hurdle.

For Review Only Nine Practices of Conscious Eating 1. Take three full breaths before you begin eating. Conscious breathing automatically shifts nervous system dominance from sympathetic to parasympathetic. You will feel an immediate energetic shift. This simple step is foundational to supporting all of the other steps, so it is a vital one. Continue to breathe deeply and with awareness throughout the meal, even between bites. 2. Sit down while eating. When we stand and eat, we give our nervous system the message that we are not entirely safe and/or that we have something urgent to tend to that is more important than eating. With this message, the SNS takes dominance. When we sit, the message is the opposite: we are safe and eating is the priority. Now the PNS rises to dominance and facilitates healthy digestion. 3. Express gratitude or grace. Whatever your tradition or present orientation may be, theistic, agnostic, or atheistic, gratitude is universal. Whether you are thanking God, nature, the food itself, or the work that went into producing it, this expression of gratitude enhances a sense of presence and calm in the moment. Gratitude is essential for an enjoyable meal and healthy digestion.

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4. Keep your feet on the ground. Be grounded and present while you eat. Keep your body aligned and your spine relaxed and straight. This allows the body to be calm and function at its highest capacity. When the body is relaxed and in a healthy posture, it messages the nervous system that all is well. 5. Do nothing else while eating. This can be very challenging for many. Focus on the act of eating: seeing, smelling, bringing food to your mouth, tasting, chewing, swallowing, breathing, and pausing until the next bite. Let it be a meditation. On a physical level, the stomach helps churn food and aids digestion. From a Chinese medicine perspective, stomach chi controls thinking, the digestion of experiences, and worry. When we overthink, work, do, and worry while eating, it takes a great deal of blood and energy (chi) away from the stomach and brings it up to the head, decreasing our power of digestion. Being in our “doing” mode stimulates our SNS, while being in “being” mode stimulates the PNS. So “be” while you eat. 6. Eat in a cheerful state of mind. If there were any time for the healthy use of denial, it would be around the dinner table! Mealtime is not the time to discuss stressful concerns or challenging relationship issues. While eating, it’s best to temporarily let go of issues, petty resentments, and stressful topics. Eating while upset turns off digestive power. In fact, many digestive conditions can be traced to regularly eating in a stressed-out state of mind. When eating, accept a cheerful state of mind and enjoy the simple pleasure of receiving nourishment. It is also an opportunity to respectfully honor those with whom we share our table. By intentionally lightening our mood and avoiding conflict or challenging issues during meal times, we create a safe environment, letting our loved ones know that their well-being, downtime, and nourishment matter to us.

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7. Observe and smell your food. Opening our senses while we eat brings us into the present moment with deeper awareness, and being present supports the PNS. All of our senses are involved in eating: smelling, tasting, seeing, touching, and even hearing. Tuning in to our senses brings us into the present, slows us down, and enhances satisfaction. 8. Eat one mouthful at a time, chewing sixteen to thirty-two times with each bite. Chewing breaks down food into smaller particles and mixes it with salivary digestive enzymes, which enhance that breakdown. It is the first step of the digestive process, and more we break down the food in this first step, the easier the rest of the digestive process is. Before we swallow, it is best to create a homogeneous liquid in our mouth. Chewing sixteen to thirty-two times also helps us slow down the eating process. Sometimes we

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take another bite before we are finished chewing the previous bite. One bite at a time and sufficiently chewing automatically supports conscious eating habits. Chewing in this way is very effective in achieving optimal nervous system balance and digestive power. 9. Rinse your mouth six to twelve times after eating. Rinsing the mouth has two functions. First, it is hygienic, as it cleans the teeth and mouth. Second, it clearly ends the eating cycle. Rinsing also removes the lingering taste of the food we’ve just eaten, which clears the palate so that we will be less likely to nibble at leftovers while cleaning up. This helps prevent overeating. Rinsing the face is also beneficial as it is refreshing and helps to clearly end the eating cycle.

Eight Principles of Right Eating The following right eating principles are based on ancient ayurvedic dietary recommendations. Combining the eight principles of right eating with conscious eating practices makes for a balanced and comprehensive approach to healthy eating.

For Review Only Rediscovering Taste

A lovely benefit of the Total Life Cleanse is the cleansing of the palate that occurs. TLC participants commonly find that they appreciate the flavor of foods, including fruits and vegetables, more than they have in years. By eating consciously, following the eight principles of right eating, and avoiding the highly stimulating tastes that come from too fatty, sickly sweet, and overly salty and processed foods, it becomes possible to reappreciate the wonderful and subtle flavors of whole foods.

1. Right Timing The timing of our meals—that is, when we eat—has a direct impact on the power of our digestion. From the perspectives of ayurveda and Chinese medicine, our bodies are controlled by the cycles of the moon and the sun. Our digestive fire (agni) increases at certain times of the day, as does the activity of specific organs relating to digestion. This ancient wisdom aligns with the modern field of chronobiology, or the science of time and its impact on our physiology. Many cleanse participants have found that they were able to remarkably improve

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their digestion and body weight simply by following the ayurvedic/Chinese chronobiological dietary recommendations, which are:

Eat like a prince or princess in the morning (7 to 9 a.m.) Eat like a king or queen at noon (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) Eat like a pauper in the evening (5 to 7 p.m.) Translation: Eat a nourishing, moderate, easy-to-digest breakfast in the morning; eat the largest meal of the day at noon; eat the lightest meal of the day in the evening, before 7 p.m. We tend to do the opposite, eating our largest meal late at night. Try challenging this habit by eating a large lunch, even on a busy workday. Gradually making this important change will enhance your energy, improve digestion, help with weight loss, and improve your overall sense of well-being. During the cleanse, do your best to follow these ideal timing principles so that you will experience the benefits for yourself. Between the times of 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., the stomach is empowered. Therefore, a moderate breakfast is recommended. Between the times of 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., the small intestine is empowered. Therefore, eating lunch around noon is ideal, because soon after the nutrients will pass to the small intestine, which at that time is prepared to most effectively absorb them. Additionally, the sun’s light and heat peak at midday, corresponding to the peak in our digestive fire (agni), which increases the power of digestion, strengthens the small intestine, and stimulates digestive enzymes. Therefore, our body functions best when our largest meal of the day is at midday. Our evening meal should be light because nighttime physiology uses our previously digested nutrients, blood, and energy (chi) for detoxification, tissue repair, and rebuilding. We are not meant to waste our energy at this time in digesting our food. The liver is empowered between the hours of 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., when it functions at its best to detoxify our blood. Eating late at night interrupts the liver’s natural process of detoxification, as it has to focus on processing our latest meal rather than fulfilling its important function of purification. Here is an analogy: Let’s say a company normally shuts down its offices around 7 p.m. and the janitors come in around 11 p.m. to clean up in preparation for the following day’s activities. Occasionally, due to a deadline, the employees have to stay at work until midnight to finish the job. The janitors still come in, but they are only able to clean up the mess that the late-night employees have made—their normal deep cleaning doesn’t happen.

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In the same way, when we eat a large meal late at night, our body focuses mostly on digesting the late-night food, rather than purifying the blood, supporting tissue repair, and rejuvenating the nervous system. It tends to store those evening calories as fat, especially around the waist. Heavy late-night eating also causes restless dreams and interrupted sleep. In addition, eating late at night distracts the immune system. Every day of our lives, we are exposed to viruses, bacteria, molds, parasites, toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and more. At night, while we sleep, the immune system does its best to handle these factors. When we eat late at night our body’s energy ends up devoting itself to digestion rather than physiological cleanup. For a full rundown of which organs are active at which times of day, see chapter 14 (page [x-ref ]).

2. Right Regularity Regularity means eating at about the same time every day. The body, as an energy-conserving machine, likes regularity. This is one reason why the body falls into habits so easily. Therefore, it is important to create eating habits that support optimal digestion. Eating at about the same time every day trains our body to secrete digestive enzymes and stoke agni automatically as it prepares for the food it knows is coming. Our body will be prepared moments before the first bite. Eating at irregular times weakens digestion and forces the innate intelligence and pranic pathways of our body to work much harder in order to function optimally. One aspect of right timing and regularity is the benefit of moving our bowels before 7 a.m. in the morning. The large intestine is empowered between the times of 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. and likes to release between those times, a bowel movement at the start of the day clears toxins and the energetic channels. Most TLC participants find that they are able to make this a new habit. For those who are not used to eliminating first thing in the morning, just sitting on the toilet every morning at some point between 5 a.m and 7 a.m. can actually train the body to do so.

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3. Right Awareness Conscious eating, as previously explained, is an essential component of right diet. This means giving the same amount of attention and awareness to eating as you would to meditating, watching your breath, or listening to beautiful music. Right awareness also means being tuned in to how you feel after you are finished eating. This observation builds awareness of the amount of food that actually feels best to eat, which leads to the next principle: right quantity.

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4. Right Quantity Ayurveda offers a practical way to determine the appropriate amount of food to take on your plate during a meal: Hold your two hands together, making a bowl. Two of these bowlfuls are approximately the ideal amount of food to eat during a meal. Ayurveda also advises that you should fill up your stomach half with food, one-quarter with liquid (preferably room-temperature water), and one-quarter with space or air—a good reminder that food is not the only vital nutrient the body needs. Eating like this will leave you energized and satisfied. After eating, you should not feel heavy. If you do, you’ve eaten too much. Eating the right amount not only because helps you feel better after a meal but supports strong digestion and prevents organ stress. A healthy digestive system is crucial to having good energy and strong immunity. There are a few other ways to determine an ideal amount to eat. One way is to notice your first burp of the meal. The first burp is often a very small one. That “burp” moment, before you feel really full, is the perfect time to end your meal. Another way to discern when you have eaten enough is to use your intuition. Touch your belly with the palm of your hand and ask yourself, “Am I full and satisfied?” Let your body’s knowingness give you the answer. If you have really eaten enough, you’ll get an intuitive “yes” for an answer. It takes some effort and discipline to follow these practices, but if you do, you will feel light, satisfied, and energetic after all of your meals. Experiment, and find which ones work best for you.

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5. Right Quality The Bhagavad Gita explains that foods that are nutritionally worthless, stale, rancid, tasteless, impure, and toxic are foods in the mode of ignorance (tamasic). Foods that are very bitter, sour, salty, spicy, dry, and burning and give rise to pain, grief, and disease are in the mode of passion (rajasic). Foods that promote longevity, enthusiasm, strength, good health, happiness, and satisfaction and are tasty, nourishing, and agreeable to the heart and stomach are in the mode of goodness (sattvic). Quality matters! As we’ve discussed, foods contain vital macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates, and proteins) and micronutrients (minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients, and many cofactors). Foods also have within them variable amounts of vital energy, or prana. When the energy of the food is coherent with the energy of the human body, as is the case with whole foods, it’s easier to digest, nourishes the elements and tissues of the body, and benefits the mind and intelligence. When the energy of the food is corrupted, as is the case with highly processed foods, it does little to nourish the energy of the body. One way to look at food quality is to categorize food as real or fake: Real foods are grown without the use of toxic herbicides and pesticides and include

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whole grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, beans, and, for those who eat meat and dairy, grass-fed organic animal and dairy products. (It is notable that pure ayurveda did not acknowledge meat as a food. It did, however, see it as a medicine under certain circumstances.) Fake foods include fast food and all foods that are highly processed and/or filled with GMOs, synthetic chemicals and colorings, sickly amounts of refined sugar, highfructose corn syrup, and trans fats. They also include high-tech foods created in a lab to tantalize our taste buds and induce addiction, including chips, soda, corn syrup–based sugary drinks, processed meats, factory-farm mass-produced milk, refined grains and breads, cookies, all junk foods, and commercial candy. Eating an abundance of fake foods causes malnourishment and disease not only in our body but eventually in our mind. Another way to look at the quality of food is in terms of its energetic quality. We can describe these energies in terms of the three gunas, the qualities or vibrations that make up all the world. They are tamas (ignorance or inertia), rajas (passion, activity, or imbalance), and sattva (goodness or balance). When we eat, we ingest the vibrational influence of the food, impacting our body, mind, and consciousness. Tamasic foods are fake, toxic, and processed. They destroy our health in body, mind, and soul. Rajasic foods can be real foods, but they are excessively spiced or cooked in ways that are unhealthy, such as deep-frying in bad fats. Too much of any of the six tastes will eventually cause imbalance and disease. Sattvic foods are whole, real, plant-based foods. They taste wonderful and are nourishing to the body, mind, and soul. Even the consciousness of the cook affects the food and, subsequently, the eaters. Food cooked with anger is tamasic, food cooked with stress and anxiety or for business purposes alone (like in some restaurants) is rajasic, and food cooked with love and affection, in a peaceful state of mind, is sattvic.

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Kristin’s Story: Overcoming Sugar Addiction Kristin loved candy and chocolate. She ate it every day. It was easy to do, as it was always scattered around her office in little bowls everywhere. She did the twenty-one-day Total Life Cleanse. For the first time in years, she went without sugar on a daily basis. She felt great! When the cleanse was over, she came in for a consultation. She was concerned that she would go back to her candy and chocolate addiction. It turns out that she had

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already “cheated” a few times and she could feel the impulse building. As she was so much happier being free of her candy addiction, she was open to suggestions. We had a talk about the energetics of food. Previously, Kristin had been eating only commercial candy and chocolate. Every kind of candy bar was her favorite! I reminded her that commercial candy was in the mode of tamas, or ignorance. It has a low vibration and includes synthetic chemicals, GMO sugar and corn syrup, inorganic ingredients, fake coloring, preservatives, and little to no nutritional value. Additionally, it was unlikely that the candy was made with any amount of love or care. I impressed upon her that quality did matter, even with candy, and especially chocolate (as chocolate can be a superfood if it is not processed and is made without sugar or dairy). I suggested that if she did choose to eat candy, it must be organic, nondairy, non-GMO, and without corn syrup or wheat. This list eliminated many of her previous options, but Kristin agreed. Kristen went to a local health food store and purchased raw cacao chocolate made only from organic ingredients and sweetened with a little raw

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honey. Two weeks later, when we met again, she shared that she was having a couple small pieces every day. She was thrilled (as was I) and surprised to find that she was satisfied with this small, high-antioxidant treat. In the past, she said, eating anything sweet would have spiraled her into a sugar binge. We both agreed that her cleanse experience had fundamentally transformed her relationship with candy and sugar. She felt that she was functioning on a higher vibration by eating a primarily whole-foods plant-based alkaline diet, which made it much easier for her to make good choices, since she felt so good. She felt confident that she had a handle on her sugar addiction and would continue to choose only high-quality foods. Her desire was, in time, to become even less dependent on the sweet taste.

6. Right Effect Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

Hippocrates

TLC participants often discover that many of the foods they had previously relied on in their diet were contributing to their mental and physical suffering. In my experience, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other disorders can be significantly alleviated

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with proper hydration and a whole-foods plant-based diet. TLC participants generally report that they feel less depressed, less foggy headed, and more energetic after they eliminate modern wheat, sugar, and dairy from their diet. Many have been able to stop taking medications for mental and physical conditions simply by becoming aware of how food actually impacts them and making the necessary changes. They become able to know and listen to their inner wisdom (buddhi) and thus better able to choose wellbeing over the instant gratification that comes from food that stimulates taste buds but causes suffering. Hippocrates was right!

7. Right Variety of Tastes and Colors Ayurveda does not consider or focus on specific nutrients, such as minerals, vitamins, essential fats, and phytonutrients. Rather, it acknowledges that in food, each taste and color has very specific nutritional, physiological, and energetic influences on the body. Ayurvedic nutrition is based on taste, which impacts how food directly nourishes specific organs, glands, elements, and tissues. Eating a balance of tastes automatically offers a complete nutritional profile, without requiring that you know anything about specific nutrients.

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The Six Tastes

Sour stimulates/nourishes the liver. Sweet stimulates/nourishes the spleen and pancreas. Salty stimulates/nourishes the kidneys. Pungent stimulates/nourishes the lungs and heart. Astringent stimulates/nourishes the lungs. Bitter stimulates/nourishes the heart.

As an example, if the liver is sluggish and needs support, the sour taste from foods like pickles, kefir, kimchi, and lemons will have a nourishing and stimulating effect on it. If, on the other hand, the liver is already overstimulated, then the sour taste, if eaten in excess, will aggravate it. Eating a variety of colors also provides the full spectrum of nutrients and antioxidants that our body requires for optimal health and vitality. As we’ve discussed, the color of a food is a direct indicator of its antixodant and nutrient profile. Eating according to taste and color is a simple and brilliant way to approach nutrition. The Total Life Cleanse program recommends eating a wide variety of tastes and colors every day. Doing so assures that you will get a full spectrum of vitamins, minerals,

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essential fats, and antioxidants in your diet, all without having to know much about specific nutrients. Herbs vs. Pills Many medicinal herbs are available in capsule form, but actually tasting them, whether in food or teas, provides greater benefit. The taste immediately sends messages to the brain, which initiates the therapeutic effect of the herb before it even enters the bloodstream.

8. Right Food Combining Decreasing the burden on the digestive system is one of the principles of the Total Life Cleanse. Along with eating only cleanse-friendly foods, the skillful use of food combining—eat foods in combintaions that are digestively compatible—enhances digestion and takes a burden off the digestive organs. As an example, meat is digested slowly, while fruit is digested very quickly. When we eat meat and then add some fruit on top, the fruit ends up sitting in the stomach and intestines, fermenting, until the meat is digested, causing gas and bloating. This is also true, to a lesser degree, when you eat meat and grains together. I recommend going vegetarian or vegan during the cleanse. After all, cleansing involves giving the digestive system a break. I highly recommend moving toward a 100 percent plant-based diet for life. For vegetarians and vegans, food combining is quite simple. Most fruits should be eaten separately from other categories of foods, such as grains, veggies, and beans. Some fruits, such as melons and citrus, are best taken alone, separate even from other fruits. Avoid combining large amounts of oils, nuts, or seeds with grains and veggies, since this combination can burden the liver and gallbladder and leave you feeling heavy and bloated. (In general, the cleanse recommends low to moderate fat intake.) People who are used to eating meat can choose to do the cleanse in one of two ways. The first way is to gradually decrease the amount of meat they eat each day over the first five to seven days. This gradual approach may be better for those who are concerned with energy loss or simply do not know if they will be able to make an immediate shift to a plant diet. The second way is to immediately eliminate all meat. This method is often successful because cleansers quickly notice a dramatic improvement in how they feel. Cleansers generally find—and it has been my own experience—that making

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dramatic changes is sometimes more effective than making gradual changes, especially when it comes to health. If you are continuing to eat meat in the early stages of the cleanse, it is best to follow the food combining principles below. Basic Food Combining Principles for Animal-Based Eaters

No fish or meat with dairy No meat and fish with grains Grains and veggies together Veggies and meat together Fruit alone, especially melons Basic Food Combining Principles for Plant-Based Eaters

Grains, beans, and veggies together Grains and veggies together Grains and beans together Beans and veggies together Low fat with grains Fruit alone, especially melons and citrus

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8 Ayurveda, God, and the Five Goals of Life The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. Zig Ziglar

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CLEANSING REMOVES OBSTACLES to our natural health and well-being. However,

cleansing that centers primarily on the body is limiting and restrictive. After all, we are vast, amazing beings! To fully cleanse and become healthy in the true sense of the word, it is essential to engage holistically with all aspects of our being in the process. This is the objective of the Total Life Cleanse. An expanded vision of ourselves, as individuals and as human beings, unlocks the profound potential of the health-promoting benefits of cleansing, helping to clearly define the actions we must take in order to flourish during and after the cleanse. Two systems of medicine that incorporate and articulate this view of healing are ayurveda and Chinese medicine. Each combines profound wisdom, time-tested practices, and solid science. In this and the following chapters, we’ll explore ayurveda and Chinese medicine and how they apply to both the cleanse and our ongoing well-being.

The Ancient Wisdom of Ayurveda The name ayurveda comes from the Sanskrit ayus, meaning “long life,” and veda, meaning “complete knowledge.” Ayurveda, then, means the knowledge of all aspects of life. It 108

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Ayurveda, God, and the Five Goals of Life 109

is the knowledge that leads to a healthy life by informing us how to best live in a body while cultivating the realization of our true identity. Ayurveda is a vast and ancient system. The sage Veda Vyasa first wrote down the knowledge and practices of ayurveda in the Atharva Veda, one of the four primary Vedic scriptures, around five thousand years ago. However, the wisdom of ayurveda predates the invention of writing; its origins are rooted in oral history. Vedas themselves hold that ayurveda first manifested alongside the creation of the universe, brought to Earth by an incarnation of Vishnu (God) named Sri Dhanvantari. Thus, ayurveda is considered to be a divine system of healing that is practical, effective, steeped in wisdom, and as eternal as the cosmic cycle of creation and destruction itself.1 Shuddha ayurveda, or pure ayurveda, continues to be passed down through a lineage of master teachers and students. Shuddha ayurveda maintains the original intent of ayurveda: skillfully and harmlessly supporting optimal health and well-being in body, mind, and soul—protecting health, preventing disease, restoring lost health, and increasing awareness. These intentions are pursued within the context of fulfilling our dharma. Ayurveda recognizes that we are both human and divine. Essentially, cleansing is an opportunity to deepen your connection to who you really are—your deepest divine essence—so that you can better fulfill your potential as a human being. In this chapter, we will touch on this and other essential principles of ayurveda, including looking at the soul and God from the broad-minded ayurvedic perspective, giving you the opportunity to learn interesting and new ways to see yourself, your life, and the world.

For Review Only The Five Goals of Life God gives us each a song.

Ute proverb

According to ayurveda, human beings have five primary goals in life. They are:

Dharma: fulfilling our life purpose, expressing our true identity Artha: meeting our basic needs for survival Kama: fulfilling our need for pleasure Moksha: fulfilling our desire for freedom and ultimately spiritual liberation Prema: fulfilling our desire for pure, unconditional love (the love of God)

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All of us have these same fundamental goals. Holding an awareness of these goals can help us better understand and accept ourselves while we enthusiastically pursue them. In order to be healthy, content, happy and successful, each of them must be reasonably fulfilled. Authentic forms of healing inclusively honor these five goals of life within the context of their medicinal practices. Doing so supports the root of physical, mental/emotional, and spiritual wellness.

Dharma Dharma is the natural, characteristic function of a thing; that which cannot be separated from its nature. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Jaiva Dharma

It is better to discharge one’s dharma, even though faulty, than another’s dharma perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one’s own duty is better than engaging in another’s duties, for to follow another’s path is dangerous. Bhagavad Gita 3.35

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We all have a desire to awaken to our full potential. To do so, we must live and act with integrity and according to our true nature. This is called dharma. We all have a dharma, or purpose, that perfectly suits us. Discovering and living it brings great satisfaction and peace. Dharma sustains us and is the foundation for fulfilling all of our other goals in life. Dharma is the predominant quality inherent in an object or person. The dharma of fire is heat and light. The dharma of water is liquidity. The dharma of an apple tree is to grow apples. Our personal dharma can be defined as “right action” within the context of our true nature. Acting and working according to our dharma is essential for satisfaction. For example, if we are suited to be a police officer, but we take up investing because our family owns an investment company, we will never feel satisfied. This is true even if we become an exceptional investor. It is far better to act according to our own nature than according to how we, or others, imagine we should. Personal and spiritual growth begins with being your authentic self. Paraphrasing the verse from the Bhagavad Gita quoted above, “It is better to be yourself, imperfectly, than to try to be someone else, perfectly.” This verse is as pertinent today as it was when it was spoken five thousand years ago. In order to self-actualize and grow spiritually, we must honestly begin the soul-searching

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process of discovering our dharma. Comparing ourselves with others (and, in particular, wishing we were like others) is spiritually harmful. We shine our own light better than anyone else can. Trying to shine someone else’s light is impossible and a waste of precious time and life energy. Dharma ultimately relates to our spiritual nature, a quality that never changes but may not yet be obvious. This is called jaiva dharma, or the eternal function (dharma) of the soul. Dharma has four principal dimensions. These are explained in the ancient Vedic scripture Srimad Bhagavatam and have been beautifully elaborated upon by many commentators including The Book of Dharma, by Simon Haas;2 I draw from their interpretations here. They are:

Satya: truth Saucha: purity Ahimsa: nonviolence (compassion) Tapas: discipline

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The four principal dimensions are like four legs of a table. When all four legs are strong, the table will be stable, perfectly fulfilling its “dharmic function” as a table. If a leg is weak or missing, the table will wobble or collapse. Likewise, our dharma can only manifest when its four legs are reasonably sturdy. Satya: Truth

The Sanskrit word for truth is satya, which means both truth and ever-present existence. Truth is self-sustaining, simply existing on its own, without effort. Truth just is. It is the power in us is to be our authentic selves—sincerity at its best. It takes effort to manipulate an image of ourselves, but it is effortless to simply be ourselves. Cultivating the capacity to be present is an important aspect of satya. Conscious, present awareness helps us accurately tune in to our higher self, the ever-present, infinite source of wisdom within. Presence helps us see what is, rather than projecting through the lens of our negative conditioning or naiveté. Truth, in all forms, has a health-sustaining influence. Lying or untruth is the most uncreative manifestation of satya. It is a cause of illness, as it opposes the energy of existence itself. Creative self-expression is based on accepting our true nature, with its gifts and limitations—the challenge and gift of existing authentically. Both personal growth and spiritual growth are fully dependent on this first leg of dharma.

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Saucha: Purity

The Sanskrit word for purity—internal and external cleanliness—is saucha. Purity is the power in us to discriminate between what is helpful for fulfilling our dharma and what is not. The process of digestion is a good example. When we eat, the small intestine extracts the nutrients and passes on the rest to be eliminated. Similarly, purity empowers us to accept those things that are truly beneficial and reject those that are not. The senses, mind, heart, and intellect are constantly bombarded with unlimited input. Purity protects the heart (physical and spiritual) by letting go of that which is toxic to the body, mind, and soul and accepting that which serves our highest wellbeing. Purity is necessary for clear vision and truthfully manifesting our dharma. Ahimsa: Nonviolence/Compassion

Nonviolence is the highest dharma.

Vana Parva, of the Mahabharata, 207.74

The Sanskrit word for nonviolence is ahimsa. It is the power of wise compassion and is the foundation of dharma. All genuine spiritual teachings speak of the significance of ahimsa. Nonviolence means to restrain from taking actions that harm (physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually) humans, other living beings, the environment, or our self. Beyond avoiding harm, real nonviolence leads to love and compassion—the higher purpose of nonviolence. This is why authentic yoga and most Eastern spiritual traditions recommend a vegetarian diet; it is an important part of awakening to our dharma. Here is an example of the challenge of nonviolence: Suppose that we have a job that is aligned with our nature (truth), which takes effort (discipline) to perform. One day, we have an opportunity to rise in the company, expanding our responsibilities and income. We have a choice to maintain our principles (purity) and act with integrity and kindness (nonviolence) with our competing colleagues. If instead we choose to gossip harmfully (violence, lack of truth) about them in order to secure our climb to the top, we will abruptly step off the path of dharma, ultimately causing suffering and negative karma to ourselves and to others. Alternatively, we could choose to work with effort, discipline, kindness, and purity, knowing that gossip and lying weakens ourselves as well as those around us. When we finally achieve our new position, we will know, as will others, that we truly deserved the promotion, as our actions were solidly based in dharma. Violence—that is, harm—can occur on many levels. Physical harm is obvious. However, when we judge, gossip, or

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criticize, we harm not only others, but also ourselves. By focusing on the faults in others, we ingest the very same negative qualities that we perceive. The the degree to which we lack the quality of nonviolence and compassion is the same degree to which we become disconnected from our dharma. Tapas: Discipline

Discipline . . . is the fire of spontaneity and passion that burns in the inner chamber of our being. When that fire of life burns with fierce intensity, it can manifest our purpose. It can even make the impossible possible. Simon Haas, The Book Of Dharma

The Sanskrit word for discipline is tapas. It means heat or friction. Tapas indicates the fire-like, focused intensity that burns through any obstacle to fulfilling our goals. Once we pass through this fire, like trials of adversity and setbacks, we emerge brighter, clearer, and closer to attaining our purpose. Sometimes people think discipline means that we have to become workaholics, ignoring bodily and emotional needs. This is imbalanced discipline, ignoring the other legs of dharma: truth, purity, and compassion. Dharmic discipline means to act in alignment with these other principles. It takes discipline to eat well, work hard, and become successful. It also takes discipline to take time for fun and recreation, personal growth and development, supporting loved ones and choosing compassion over selfishness. And it takes discipline to say yes or no to various people and opportunities in life. A yes may take us out of our comfort zone but into the realm of being our authentic selves. An appropriate no is essential for building character and keeping us on the path of dharma.

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Those who eat too much or eat too little, who sleep too much or sleep too little will not succeed in yoga. But those who are balanced in eating and sleeping, work and recreation, will come to the end of sorrow through this practice of yoga. Bhagavad Gita 6.16–6.17

°°° Maintaining awareness of the four legs of dharma gives us solid reference points as we move through the days of our lives. We can check in with ourselves to ascertain the

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degree to which we are being real and honest, acting nonviolently and with compassion, maintaining purity by using intelligent discernment, and acting with appropriate discipline and intensity. Discovering our dharma is an ongoing, lifelong process—it deepens and continues to reveal itself. In order to fully manifest our dharma, we must manifest all four dimensions of dharma. That takes time. Life has many teachers, whether they come as spiritual mentors or as life experiences. Both are intended to gradually help us realize and fulfill our dharma. Fortunately, when we are honest with ourselves, the things that really make us tick and feel passion for life will inspire us. This passion is an indication of our dharma. Alternatively, he may be truthful and non-violent but lack the discipline to achieve his goals. Cultivating all four legs in all we do liberates an internal source of energy and power, one beyond ordinary human functioning. When we fulfill the other four goals of life in the context of dharma, our life becomes naturally peaceful, successful, and happy. The natural function of a conscious entity is called dharma, which implies the function of consciousness, or the nature that stems from one’s identity. The concept of dharma is inseparable from consciousness.

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Srila Bhakti Prajnana Kesava Maharaj

Artha Artha relates to the fulfillment of our basic needs: food, clothing, and shelter. Everyone needs food and shelter. Some people feel that they need elaborate manifestations of food and shelter to be happy, while others are satisfied with the basic necessities. Either way, we all need to have our basic needs met in order to be secure, healthy, happy, and fulfilled. Artha satisfied by the fulfillment of our dharma is said to be the perfection of artha. Balanced artha can create a foundation for us to grow spiritually. The goal for economic security, however, can become imbalanced. If we crave more money and things than we actually need to maintain ourselves and our families and to fulfill our dharma, our lives will become imbalanced, limited, and selfish. On the other hand, if we deny, ignore, or judge as nonspiritual the appropriate acquisition of money and necessities, we will likely become overly dependent on others, insecure, and frustrated. Both too little and too much artha can become a distraction that interferes with our ability to fulfill the other goals of life. By accepting artha as an essential goal of life, we become responsible for our lives and better able to fulfill our needs.

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Kama All creatures, including animals, seek and need pleasure. To either deny this reality or overly focus on it causes suffering. Many of the world’s ills are due to the polarity of excessive pleasure (sensory stimulation) and repression, which can lead to acting out in dark and harmful ways. Pleasure that comes naturally—by having our needs met (artha) while we are being true to our dharma—is not only healthy but also an integral part of our inner guidance system. Ayurveda has a balanced perspective on pleasure. We all need some in order to keep our body and mind in balance, and “dharmic kama” naturally leads toward higher states of consciousness. Our optimal type and amount of pleasure is determined by our body type, age, stress level, sex, and state of health. The basic principle is to have a balanced amount of pleasure and recreation in our life—enough to keep us healthy and vibrant while fulfilling our dharma and the higher goals of life. When pleasure becomes a focus or, alternatively, when we repress our desire for pleasure, our mind becomes disturbed and we become unable to fully express our self, our gifts, and our dharma. Pleasure seeking or repression—separate from our dharma— causes inner turmoil, addiction, and anxiety. Healthy pleasure exists within the context of our dharma, including our true nature, responsibilities, and life purpose.

Moksha

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We all have the desire to be free on personal, national, and spiritual levels. When freedom is restricted, internally or externally, happiness and peace are not easily attained. It is worthy to note that many spiritually developed individuals have found freedom within regardless of their external conditions. Moksha generally refers to ultimate spiritual liberation: freedom from the ego’s identification with our temporary body. According to ayurveda and Vedic philosophy, moksha is attained when self-realization becomes deep and steady and the soul realizes its eternal oneness with spirit. Aham brahmasmi, or “I am spirit soul,” is an aphorism from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad of one who seeks or has attained moksha.

Prema There is only one real language in the entire world, and that language is called love. Eyes can speak that language, ears and hands speak and understand it, and a glowing face can tell everything. God is one, and He is the embodiment of love.

Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

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Prema, or pure unconditional love, in seed form is in the heart of all living beings. Love is the universal principle that pervades all of creation. Babies grow better and are mentally healthier when they are held and loved.3 Likewise, all beings flourish in the presence of love and affection. There are many types of love in this world: love between friends, love between brothers and sisters, love between parents and children, love between lovers, love for all beings, and love between the soul and God. Love’s nature is to ever expand—love of self, family, friends, local community, religion, town, country, planet, universe, cosmos, higher self, and God. While it may not always seem to be so, all beings ultimately seek pure love; it is the goal of all authentic yoga and spiritual traditions. On a philosophical note, the question may be asked, “Once moksha (spiritual freedom) is attained, is there something beyond that?” The answer is yes. It is prema, or pure love. Prema is the highest yet most fundamental goal of life, our greatest potential, and the essential nature within all beings. The Vedas explain that we are one in essence with spirit. Many people take this to mean that we necessarily merge into light, losing our individuality at the point of oneness or spiritual liberation (moksha). However, prema allows us to paradoxically maintain spiritual individuality, even after we attain moksha. Real love has no boundaries. We have the capacity to recognize ourselves as divine individuals filled with love for God and all that exists. Rather than requiring us to lose our spiritual identity, achieving the goal of prema simply allows us to let go of our false identity, realizing ourselves as beings of pure love. Ultimately, our potential for prema, or pure love, is unlimited. Prema is rooted in divine dharma—the natural attraction of the part for the whole, or of the individual soul for God or the divine. According to ancient wisdom principles, this love is fully satisfying and is the soul’s highest potential.

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The five goals of life remind us of our simultaneous humanity and divinity. Ayurveda suggests that we cultivate dharma as our foundation and prema as our greatest goal, while harmoniously integrating artha, kama, and moksha. Doing so, we can gain genuine satisfaction, peace, and happiness. Our ultimate dharma is self-realization. Thoughts and actions that support our spiritual evolution are real dharma.

Mata Amritanandamayi

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Ayurveda, Yoga, and God The healing system of ayurveda is sister to the yoga system of practical spirituality. Yoga itself means to link, unify, or connect, and as a practice it can be found in many forms. Some forms emphasize the unification of body, mind, and soul, while others seek the realization of our oneness with the universe and with God/Goddess. Yoga is a process and practice meant to lead us from the ignorance of seeing the body as our real self to realizing ourselves as spirit, part and parcel of God. The higher realization of yoga removes our sense of separation from spirit. This allows us to seeing all living beings as equal on the spiritual platform and to realize the oneness and interconnectedness of all beings. Any thorough discussion of ayurveda is incomplete without discussing its viewpoint on God. Although philosophical, much of the following material is in line with common sense and intuitive by nature. It is not necessary to read this section in order to have an excellent cleanse. Nor is it essential that you fully comprehend or accept the words that follow. However, these ideas can be thought provoking, mind expanding, and spiritually inspiring, supporting you in your cleanse process as well as your life.

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Expressions of God

The Vedas tell us that there are more ways to describe God than there are waves on the ocean. Many who have a relationship with God use names such as God, Source, Love, Light, Spirit, Truth, the Guru Within, Father, Mother, Great Spirit, G-d, the Creator, the Maintainer, the Destroyer, Beloved, Energy, or Christ. Others use names such as Krishna, Vishnu, Rama, Hari, Bhagavan, Allah, Jehovah, Adonai, Siva, and Vasudeva. Some people are entirely averse to the concept of God due to belief, upbringing, and social conditioning. Others are unsure or uncomfortable with religion, its limitations, and the various concepts of God. Many people, pointing to logic and practical lack of proof, have come to the conclusion that God does not exist. There are plenty of good reasons for having an aversion to religion and archaic conceptions of God. We are all aware of the horrendous suffering and violence that has taken place in the name of religion. However, dogmatic exoteric religion is not the same as deep esoteric spirituality. In order for a spiritual path to be of genuine benefit, it must reflect an intelligent and comprehensive philosophy based on a foundation of love. As my teacher A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami said: Religion without philosophy is sentimentality—and philosophy without religion is mental speculation. Philosophy and religion should be combined. Then the

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situation will be perfect. In order that there would be no room for fanaticism in religion, religion must have heart (transcendental devotion) and a head (transcendental knowledge).4

You may or may not already be a spiritually minded person, a religious devotee, a yogi, or a spiritual practitioner. Whatever the case, it is not my intention for this book to make you a believer in God or any other religious doctrine. I simply want to briefly share the Vedic/yogic perspective that ties into the deeper purpose of cleansing. By doing so, my hope is that you will have a greater appreciation for the spiritual depths of ayurveda, a deeper sense of who you are, and a better understanding of how these topics relate to cleansing. The Vedas describe God in three primary ways: Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. Brahman is the ever-present light, or effulgence, of God/spirit that permeates every atom of creation. Here, God is seen as the impersonal light of spirit that exists everywhere and in all things. The practitioner seeking Brahman realization aspires to perceive the oneness of all things with spirit. Paramatma is God within, or the Still Voice within. The Christian mystic might describe this aspect of God as the Holy Spirit. This is the realization of God that many meditating yogis aspire to. Here, God is perceived to be within the heart of all living entities. Paramatma is the transcendental witness and guide for the soul during its sojourn on Earth. Bhagavan is the manifestation of God as the Supreme Soul or Supersoul. That same God dwelling within the heart is understood to simultaneously and independently exist outside the heart as well. Those who practice bhakti yoga aspire to realize this personal aspect of God. Here, God is realized as the the source of all creations and the embodiment of eternity, consciousness, bliss, and pure love or prema. In bhakti yoga, all souls are perceived to be part and parcel of that Supreme Soul, and our relationship with God is seen as one based on love. Bhagavan realization comes through bhakti, or loving devotion.

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Learned transcendentalists who know the absolute truth call this non-dual substance Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan.

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.11

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The Oneness and Difference of the Soul and God The personal bhakti yoga realization of Bhagavan generally accepts the teaching known as acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, or the inconceivable oneness and difference between the individual soul and God.5 Beyond the realization of absolute oneness is the understanding that we are simultaneously and inconceivably one with, yet different from, God and his energy. That is, qualitatively, we are one with God, as we are made of the same essential substance: spirit. Quantitatively, we are different—God’s creative power is unlimited, while ours is limited. The great saint avatar Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu elucidated this subtle yet profound teaching in the early 1500s.6 He used an analogy of the sun and the particles of light that emanate from the sun. The sun’s emanating particles of light are one with the sun in that they have the same qualities of the sun, such as heat and light. Yet in terms of their power, the sparks are limited in their heat and light-emanating capacity. Additionally, their very existence is fully dependent on the sun itself. We souls are like those sparks—the same as our source in quality, but different in quantity due to our dependent position and limited power. As we are not the creator but the created, we become easily illusioned due to our limited power, imperfect senses, and incomplete knowledge. Ultimately, yoga leads us to the realization that we are inconceivably one with and different from the source of all things. Similarly, the Vedas inform us that we are imbued with the same divine qualities of God, but we are not God the source. They describe God as Sat Chit Ananda Vigraha, the form and essence of supreme eternality, consciousness, and bliss/love. The soul in its fullness is understood to be an eternal, divine spiritual particle that emanates from God—with the very same qualities. Not bad for our real identity!

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The whole cosmic manifestation is working due to the presence of the Supreme Soul, whom we call God or the Supersoul or Paramātmā or Bhagavān. It does not matter which name you use. . . . In Bhgagavad-Gita you will find that we individual souls are parts and parcels of the Supersoul. So we have eternal relation with the Supreme Soul. We have this relation qualitatively, not quantitatively—just as a drop of ocean water is qualitatively equal to the mass water in the ocean. The mass water in the ocean is salty, and the drop of ocean water is also salty. So the chemical composition of the water, either in drop or in vast mass, is the same.

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But the drop of ocean water is never equal to the quantity of water in the ocean. That is our position. We are in quality . . . just as God is. . . . But God’s power and my power are different. Just like the mass water and the drop in the ocean . . . that is the difference between ourselves and God. We are minute particles, like the sun and the sun’s rays. The sunshine—the sun’s rays—are a combination of molecules of some shining material. So sunshine is not different from the sun; but, at the same time, sunshine is not the sun. This is called “simultaneously one and different.” Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to say: acintya-bhedābheda . . . “simultaneously one and different.” A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Alexandra’s Story: Clarifying Dharma Alexandra was in her early twenties. She was grappling with the fact that she was strongly drawn to study healing, yoga, and massage, but her father,

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who was supporting her financially, wanted her to go back into business. She felt confused, scared, and pressured. Alexandra undertook the Total Life Cleanse with the desire to clarify her life purpose—her dharma.

Alexandra strictly followed the cleanse protocol, doing almost all the practices with devotion. Around three weeks into the spring cleanse, during the alkaline raw soup phase, she had a breakthrough. She said, “I wake up every morning now and ask myself the question, ‘Am I worth it? Is it really okay to love myself this much? To take such good care of myself? Is it really okay to fulfill my purpose in life—to really be myself? I have decided that the answer is yes!’” Everyone in the class was struck by her words. The intensity of the remainder of the cleanse was propelled to new heights for the entire group. The subject of dharma became a focus that we all deeply discussed. A few weeks later, Alexandra mustered up the strength to speak honestly to her father about her desires. He agreed to support her in her goals. She believed that her newfound strength and belief in herself had come from cleansing—in body, mind, and soul. Alexandra is now married with children and a certified yoga instructor with a thriving massage and energy healing practice.

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9 TLC’s Essential Principles Our first teacher is our own heart.

Cheyenne proverb

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THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES are at the core of ayurveda as well as the Total Life

Cleanse, capturing the essential principles of cleansing, healing, and health. Grasping these principles can help us understand the causes of health and disease. They also identify the essential elements of any authentic cleanse process that is intended to lead us toward a satisfying level of health in body, mind, and soul. The Six Essential TLC Principles

Buddhi: universal and individual innate life intelligence Prana: universal and individual life energy Agni: fire, and the fire of digestion and transformation Ojas: essence, the reservoir of energy and immunity Ama: toxin Prajnaparadha: acting against our knowledge, wisdom, intuition, and love

Buddhi Buddhi is the innate and universal intelligence within and around all things, everywhere. Buddhi manifests as the precise laws of nature that control the perfect rhythms and movements of the tides, planets, sun, and moon. Buddhi controls the natural laws 121

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that govern the interdependent actions of all the kingdoms of life—microbes, plants, insects, fish, birds, animals, and humans. This same buddhi, or innate intelligence, acts within each and every living being to control the activities of every cell in the body. Most of what goes on in our bodies happens without our conscious will. For example, we don’t say, “Okay, now digest, please,” or “Oh, yes, that ankle needs some extra nutrients and healing right now.” Bodily processes occur automatically through the power of buddhi. However, the healing influence of buddhi can be blocked (by, among other things, ama; read on). When it is, imbalance and ill health begin.

Prana Prana is the intelligent vitalizing life force that energizes and moves through all living things. Prana travels in the body through specific patterns and channels known as nadis in ayurveda and meridians in Chinese medicine. Prana is subtle; it connects the body and mind. When it moves smoothly, we feel relaxed, alert, energetic, and enthusiastic, and our body and mind function in harmony. When it becomes deranged or moves outside of its natural channels, the energy of our body and mind becomes disturbed. Prana manifests in five primary forms or directional flows of life energy within our body: inward, upward, outward, around, and downward. Each flow of prana supports specific functions on every level of existence: physical, physiological, emotional, mental, and spiritual. The five directional flows of prana are as follows:

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Prana prana: Inward prana directs prana inward toward the head, mind, and senses. It supports the ability to take in and process food, air, and sensory impressions as well as the capacity to direct our attention inward for introspective and spiritual purposes. Udana prana: Upward prana directs our energy upward so that we can stand upright, speak clearly, and sit or stand erect. Energetically, it supports self-expression, forward movement in life, and inspiration to grow spiritually. When udana prana is weak, we tend to slouch, have a weak voice, find it difficult to express ourselves, have a hard time attaining our goals, make little forward movement in life, and lack spiritual inspiration. Vyana prana: Outward prana moves prana outward. It supports blood circulation and healthy oxygenation, and it brings energy to the extremities of the body.

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TLC’s Essential Principles 123

It supports good immunity and a strong vital aura (or energetic field) around our body. Vyana prana also gives us the capacity for open-mindedness, open-heartedness, and the ability to share love. Samana prana: Circular prana is located in the abdomen. It supports good digestion and assimilation of food and also gives us the ability to digest our sensory, intellectual, and emotional experiences. In addition, samana prana supports harmony between our body, mind, and spirit for a grounded, balanced, and inspired life. Apana prana: Downward prana moves energy downward to support our body’s eliminative functions, such as passing stool and urine, and gives women the power to push down while giving birth. Apana prana also helps us release mental and emotional negativity and supports us in being grounded while living on Earth. Ideally, like a tree rooted in the ground with branches stretching upward, we reach for the sky with upward prana while simultaneously staying grounded with downward prana. The five forms of prana have consistent, subtle, yet powerful effect on the body, mind, and soul. Their state of balance is affected by how we breathe, how we move, what we eat, how we think, and how we live. Part 2 includes simple yet powerful practices that balance all five pranas, supporting healing on all levels of our existence.

For Review Only Agni

When agni is sufficient, there will be no toxic buildup in the body, the mind and the senses will be clear and acute, and we will possess the energy to change our lives in a positive direction. When agni is deranged, we will suffer from dullness, heaviness, stagnation, and cloudiness of emotion and perception. Dr. David Frawley

Agni means “fire,” and it relates to our metabolic capacity and digestive power. It is that which consumes, assimilates, and transforms. Without agni, we would not be able to create energy. However, the same agni that creates life also consumes life energy—like the flame of a candle that emits light yet simultaneously burns the candle down. Generally, agni refers to the power of digestion and the capacity to transform food into the body’s seven major tissues: rasa (plasma), rakta (blood), mamsa (muscle),

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medha (fat), asthi (bone), majja (marrow), and shukra (reproductive tissue). Ayurveda explains that, through the power of agni, food transforms first into plasma and then, step by step, into all seven tissues. It takes about thirty-two days for this process to fully take place. Shukra, or reproductive tissue, is the final tissue produced by our body. Many people today are having infertility issues. This can be due to having insufficient agni, or the body’s inability to fully transform food and prana into healthy reproductive tissue. Not only does agni transform food into our tissues, it is also transforms our sensory impressions and experiences into useful knowledge and wisdom. Anything we take in through our senses and mind—experiences, relationships, conversations, books, movies, TV, the news, music, nature, websites, emails—has to be assimilated, transformed, and comprehended. Agni is the fire of intelligence, giving us the ability to penetrate deeply into any subject. It gives us the capacity for perception and comprehension. Ayurveda explains that the primary cause of any mental or emotional imbalance is undigested experiences. Some experiences can be so overwhelming that they are “indigestible,” such as serious trauma, abuse, or unresolved misunderstandings. Undigested experiences store within the nervous system, muscles, organs, and various tissues of the body. In time, this can cause derangements in our prana, leading to discomfort, pain, mental disturbance, and disease. Undigested emotional imprints, or energies, are said to travel with our subtle body even into our next lifetime. That should give us incentive to deal with our issues as effectively as possible, now!

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Ojas nourishes, strengthens, and gives endurance and longevity. It is the essence or substance of our physical being and nourishes our mind and intellect. It is our power source of immunity, resistance to disease, protection from negativity, and ability to recover once we have become ill. Ojas is an extremely condensed form of prana. It is said to be located in the ovaries, testes, and heart and can be seen in the light of the eyes. In order to have strong immunity, it is necessary to have a healthy lymphatic system. Stagnation and toxicity will negatively impact the lymphatic system and interfere with the positive influence of ojas. Cleansing, on many levels, supports health in the lymphatic system, immune system, and ojas.

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Ama Ama, or the negative influence of toxins, can be externally generated, like pesticide residues on food, or internally generated, such as improperly digested foods. Toxins cause cellular damage and stagnation in our lymphatic system due to interfering with our prana, agni, and ojas, within and around the cells. When our cells are deprived of prana, they quickly oxidize, stiffen, and prematurely die. They lose their innate intelligence (buddhi), their healthy DNA coding (agni), and their ability to communicate with other cells and tissues. When cells completely lose intelligence, they become cancer cells—cells that have gone mad! Ama blocks the proper functioning of the body’s innate intelligence. This then causes the derangement of pranic flows. Deranged prana, when it moves into the digestive tract, disturbs digestion and weakens healthy digestive agni. When our digestion does not function properly, internally generated toxins further perpetuate deranged prana, agni, ojas, and buddhi. In this way, toxicity, or ama, is the cause of disease. Clearing toxins, minimizing toxic exposure, and strengthening the channels of detoxification are therefore essential components of any health program, including the Total Life Cleanse.

For Review Only Prajnaparadha

Prajna is our innate intuitive intelligence combined with the wisdom that comes from experience. As previously explained, ayurveda identifies prajnaparadha—offending, ignoring, or denying prajna—as the primary cause of disease. For example, young children intuitively know when they have had enough to eat. That wisdom—their prajna—is disturbed when they are routinely forced to finish the food on their plates, so that they eat more than they want. If this continues, children eventually lose their innate sense of satiety, or knowing when they are satisfied, and over time they may develop a problem with overeating. Prajnaparadha can also occur with frequen consumption of junk foods. These nutrient-poor, empty-calorie, high-sugar foods confuse the body and the satiety centers in the brain. The stomach may be full, but the hunger is not satisfied and very few real nutrients have been fed to the body. This trend can lead to overeating and food cravings. Prajnaparadha also has deep esoteric meanings. The word aparadha means to offend, to go against your true self-interest, or to go against and away from love and affection. It implies a sense of going against your deepest self-interest, wisdom, knowledge, and love. This is denoted by the word radha within aparadha—Radha is the goddess of the

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full embodiment of love (apa means against or opposed to). Ultimately, aparadha is any action against the self that causes harm to our self and/or to others. Imbalance manifests to the degree to which we ignore our innate wisdom. When we continually make choices from the place of habit, imbalance, and disconnection, we perpetuate imbalance, which then leads to various manifestations of addiction and disease.

Evelyn’s Story: Finding Balance Evelyn was a participant in our first cleanse program. At the time she was eating eight or nine candy bars a day. When we discussed prajnaparadha, she argued that perhaps it was her body’s wisdom telling her that she needed the candy bars to keep her balanced—which in a way I agreed with. In fact, she told me that she trusted her body and no one (meaning me) had the right to tell her what was healthy for her. Knowing she would be a tough nut to crack, I simply encouraged Evelyn to come to the classes, drink her smoothies, and take the herbs. Eventually Evelyn came around to fully participating in the cleanse. She struggled

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in the beginning to overcome her serious sugar addiction. Evelyn’s body was attempting to find balance. Her craving for candy bars was actually an unconscious attempt to find balance. Over the course of a few weeks, however, she found a new healthy balance point that, to this day, serves her well, free of her previous pendulum-like sugar swings.

Finding balance in our health is analogous to trying to hit the bull’s-eye on an archery target. We aim to stay consistently as close to the bull’s-eye as possible, but we have a tendency to drift out of balance. This is the nature of being human—we float in and out. Seasonal cleansing helps us live close to the bull’s-eye much of the time. It’s easy to notice when we drift away simply by how we feel. When we do, we can adjust, bringing ourselves back toward the center. This is one of the great gifts that cleansing offers. Though none of us exists in the bull’s-eye at all times, some people are so out of balance that they exist entirely off the target! Because they have no experience of balance, they have no reference point for knowing just how off target they are. Doing a dietary and lifestyle Total Life Cleanse is one of the most effective approaches to resetting and achieving the experience of balance. Once we’ve experienced balance, we can more easily return to it when we’ve drifted away. In fact, we have the capacity to

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bring ourselves back to balance with more skill and subtlety than we might imagine. A beautiful aspect of ayurveda is that it assumes all human beings are born with the capacity for inner wisdom and balance. It is always available to us. However, we have to clear prajnaparadha—the obstacles to this wisdom.

The Three Pillars of Health: More on Prana, Agni, and Ojas Prana, agni, and ojas are known as the three pillars of health, supporting optimal energy flow, metabolism, and immunity. The goal is to protect prana, regulate agni, and cultivate ojas, while minimizing and eliminating ama. This keeps our buddhi/innate intelligence clear and functioning at its best. If the pillars become deranged—deficient, excess, or imbalanced—disease manifests.

Protecting Prana Prana is the subtlest pillar and therefore has a tendency to move out of its channels, becoming deranged. Our prana is the energetic pivot point between the body and mind, and it requires daily attention.

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Aggravators of Prana

Physical pain Emotional stress Poor diet Restricted breathing Irregularity of dietary and lifestyle habits Lack of rest Too much work Toxins Overstimulation of the senses Wireless technology Excessive busyness Excessive talking Protectors of Prana

Regulating breath through rhythmical breathing practices Pure vital foods, good water, and fresh air

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Healthy use of our body, mind, senses, and speech (speaking mindfully and listening with our inner being) Yoga, tai chi, or qigong Massage and acupuncture Kind actions and service to others Any activity that genuinely reduces negative stress and supports a calm, grounded feeling protects prana.

Regulating Agni Agni is like a fire. When the fire burns just right, it emits warmth, light, and comfort. When it burns too strongly, it projects excessive heat and danger. When it burns too weakly, it permits coldness, dullness, and fear. Agni needs to be regulated just like a fire in a fireplace—not too much, not too little, but just right. Ways to Regulate Agni

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Eat the right quantity of food. Too much food either smothers agni or causes it to overreact, resulting in acid reflux. Avoid processed, toxic foods, which burden agni. Take agni-regulating herbs, such as ginger, gentian, fennel, cumin, and coriander, which are wonderful for stoking the fire just right. Undertake periodic fasting from food, high sensory stimulation, and overactivity. Reduce your exposure to media of all kinds.

Cultivating Ojas Though ojas is the most substantial of the three pillars, it is preserved and cultivated by subtle activities. Clean eating and kindness may be the most important things you can do to improve immunity-protecting ojas. Disruptors of Ojas

Poor diet Lack of sleep Overstimulation of the senses (constant sensual engagement) Burning the candle at both ends Addictions Drugs

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Refined sugar Dishonesty Toxins, which overwhelm the lymphatic system Cultivators of Ojas

Being truthful Compassion Discipline Tolerance Discernment Simplicity Contentment Appropriate use of the mind and senses Holding positive or divine intentions for others as well as ourselves Charity Self-inquiry Meditation and yoga Devotion and service to humanity

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The greatest way to cultivate and preserve ojas is by cultivating the qualities of love, compassion, forgiveness, and devotion. In summary, the Total Life Cleanse is based on the Ayurvedic goal of minimizing prajnaparadha, reducing ama, enhancing buddhi, protecting prana, regulating agni, and cultivating ojas. We are human, and conditioning is a part of being human. However, when we learn to trust our intuition and inner wisdom and stop offending ourselves with harmful behaviors while embracing positive dietary and lifestyle practices, our health in body, mind, and soul will prosper! Understanding these foundational principles provides us with the capacity to intelligently think through the conflicting health information we may come across. We will not be confused by contradictory, lazy, illogical, extreme, downright unhealthy, or “magic pill” recommendations. We will be better able to intelligently discern whether a popular diet, new lifestyle practices, uncommon forms of exercise, or the latest fad in supplements will positively or negatively impact our health. We will be able to think for ourselves and make solid choices for our well-being and for those who depend on us. Follow this recipe: mix buddhi with vital prana, good agni, and strong ojas;

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minimize ama and prajnaparadha; add conscious eating and a high-quality plant-food diet; then wait and watch for the miracles occur!

Trish’s Story: Balancing Prana Trish worked as a social worker in a local prison. She took pride in her work. However, due to the recent firing of a coworker, she had to cover two jobs at once. Typically, Trish was able to handle long hours listening to sad and intense stories from her prison patients. But now she was feeling energetically drained and toxic. Her energy was depleted; she felt drab, stuck, and cloudy. I recommended specific exercises that help balance the five pranas (see page [x-ref]). Trish especially liked working with outward-moving prana, which helps with energetic protection, and downward-moving prana, which helps with letting go of negative energy, feelings, and thoughts. She devotedly began practicing three cycles of the five exercises each morning. With-

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in two weeks, she was doing fourteen cycles of the exercises each morning. When I saw her next, I was pleasantly amazed by Trish’s energetic transformation. She seemed light, happy, and positive—far from her previous state of heaviness and fatigue. She shared that the exercises had given her back her life in a way she never expected. Doing them daily helped her reconnect to her inner source of energy and sense of self. Trish said she felt calmer, stronger, and more connected to herself than she could ever recall being.

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10 Subtle Toxins What hurts the soul? To live without tasting the water of its own essence.

Rumi

IN PREVIOUS CHAPTERS we discussed how physical toxins impact our bodies. Here

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we explore another kind of toxin—subtle toxins, considered in Ayurveda to be involved in all forms of disease. Although subtle, they have a powerful influence on the three pillars of health: prana, agni, and ojas. Within us all exists a natural loving tendency. Ayurveda teaches that this tendency is the source of our health and vitality in body, mind, and soul. Subtle toxins are those mental/emotional states that interfere with our natural loving tendency and, thus, with the strength of our immune system. Clearing subtle toxins is far more challenging than clearing physical ones because they are nonphysical and deeply rooted in our conditioned consciousness. To varying degrees, human beings all struggle with exactly the same subtle toxins, as they are part of our human condition. While we can’t necessarily expect to always be free of them, practices like yoga, meditation, kirtan, various forms of healing and therapy, and nonjudgmental self-awareness can significantly diminish their unwanted influences. When we do this, we become more accepting of others as well as ourselves. An essential principle of Ayurveda is that subtle precedes gross. To effectively heal, rather than tackling the gross symptoms of ill health with high-powered medications and interventions, we must begin by treating the underlying subtle cause of disease using the least invasive method possible. In this way we, achieve the greatest healing result, but with the least amount of side effects. Releasing subtle toxins is just that: a subtle but potent antidote 131

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to disease in body, mind, and soul. Therefore, an authentic cleanse always acknowledges the importance of cleansing our subtle toxins.

Subtle Toxins: The Three Poisons and Six Faults Human beings have a wide range of potential feelings and states of mind. When they become excessive, repressed, ignored, or denied, they accumulate and become toxic. These are our subtle toxins. Thankfully, the wise mystics of the past identified the essential mental-emotional states that are the root source of our innumerable subtte toxins. They called these the three poisons and six faults. Clearing the poisons and faults eliminates the need to independently “work on” every negative emotion and experience we have in order to be healthy in body, mind, and soul. Clearing the roots naturally eliminates their manifestations, allowing for our greatest potential and well-being. Ignorance is understood to be the root of the subtle toxins and thus the underlying cause of suffering and disease. Ignorance is simply ignoring that which is real. In regard to ignorance, the bhakti yoga saint A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami once said, “It is simply a case of mistaken identity.” Who we are in truth often far surpasses the mundane conceptions we place on ourselves and on others. Ultimately, when we become confused about or lose touch with our essential natural loving tendency, we become absorbed in bodily consciousness, possessiveness, and fear. Overly identifying our body-mind as our true self, we distort our perception as well as our natural loving tendency. According to ayurveda, this distortion is the root cause of ignorance, the emergence of the three poisons and six faults, and the manifestation of unlimited negative states of mind.

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The Three Poisons

Attachment Aversion Indifference The Six Faults

Desire Anger Greed

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Illusion/intoxication Pride Fear/envy The three poisons contain within them the six faults. Let’s take a look, cleanse our denial, and honestly observe how they show up within us. When we do, paradoxically, they lose power, freeing us to be kinder to ourselves and to others. The conceptions of I and mine are two types of egoism . . which lead one to think, “I am this body, and all things related to this body are mine.” Due to these conceptions, one naturally feels attracted to people and things that bring pleasure to the material body and mind, and one feels averse to people and things that impede material happiness. When the bewildered soul falls under the sway of such attachment and aversion, he considers some to be friends and others to be enemies, displaying love and hatred for them. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Jaiva Dharma

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Attachment

Within attachment lie the qualities of desire, anger, greed, and fear/envy. Attachment is the illusion that we need a particular person, place, situation, or thing in order to be happy. It’s different than having a preference. Preference without attachment brings little suffering even if the preference is not attained. Attachment, on the other hand, can cause us to become greedy to achieve or possess something, envious of others who have it, and angry if we don’t get it.

Aversion Within aversion lie the qualities of anger, pride, and fear/envy. Aversion is the illusion that leads us to fully believe that if a person, place, situation, or thing were not in our lives, we would be happy. Preference is a natural and healthy expression of our individuality. Aversion, on the other hand, is the illusion that something external is the cause of our unhappiness. Aversion arises when we are fearful that someone will be better than us, prideful and judgmental when we feel that we are superior to another, and angry about being in the presence of someone we are envious of or do not like. Ignorance of our true nature (and that of others), not an external influence, is ultimately the cause of our unhappiness.

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I can be hurt by nothing but my thoughts.

Helen Schucman, A Course in Miracles, lesson 281

Indifference Indifference, rooted in ignorance, contains within it the fault of illusion.Whether we are indifferent to ourselves or to others, it is an inner belief that says, “It’s okay to treat living beings with negativity, disrespect, and disregard.” Indifference causes us to ignore those who have no obvious importance in our lives, treating them as if their existence has no value. How is this mentality the source of our suffering? By treating others as if they are a means to an end, or as if they have no inherent value, we ignore their soul essence—pure light and love. When we ignore the soul essence in others, we deny it in ourselves, sacrificing our innate loving nature, peace of mind, and happiness. All beings are made up of the same elements and have the same basic five goals of life. We are, in truth, one with yet unique from everyone and everything. When we offer others our presence, kindness, and respect, we cultivate a healthy realization based on reality—all beings are of the same essence and come from the same source. Even a glimpse of this realization offers us inner peace and sense of respect for all beings. Indifference distorts our perception. It creates illusion. Extreme illusion manifests as intoxication, referring not only to addictive substances like alcohol or drugs circulating in our bloodstream, but also to a distorted or intoxicated perception of ourselves, often influenced by false pride and envy. The root of intoxication often lies in unmet needs for love and nurturance, which show up as an excessive craving for adoration, honor, and prestige. It is said that these needs run deeply in the veins, and they are often the cause of the unfortunate fall of many leaders, spiritual teachers, and “wanna-be” gurus. Intoxication and illusion can cause us to think we are more important and special than others. The truth is, we are all special in that we each have a unique gift, dharma, and soul nature. However, essentially we are all equal. A mind and false ego covered by too many of the three poisons and six faults seeks in ignorance to maintain its distorted sense of identity. However, by sincerely cultivating our natural loving tendency, we gradually lose our attraction to the three poisons. Divine intelligence always reciprocates by sending authentic guides, teachers, and messages as well as perfectly orchestrated life lessons, inspiring us toward an ever-growing source of peace, wisdom, and compassion.

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The Remedy: Respect and Compassion When we make an effort to have respect and compassion for each and every person and living creature we come in contact with, we automatically reduce our tendency to become overly attached, averse, and indifferent. Respect relies on our willingness to be qualitatively attentive with others. Respectfully speaking, listening, and being present with another has a transformative effect on both people. This is true in our closest relationships as well as in all the brief interactions we have with people from day to day. The most powerful way to start the Total Life Cleanse is to begin with the intention of releasing the three poisons and six faults. The poisons and faults exude a powerful subtle toxicity. When we mitigate them by practicing compassion and respect, then we begin to heal, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and we restore our natural loving tendency and realize our soul essence, which is love. The practices outlined in part 2, if practiced sincerely, are effective at doing just that. By meditating on the sense objects, one inwardly mingles with them. As such, association with the sense objects, in the form of intense absorption in them, gives rise to desire (kama), which inevitably leads to anger (krodha). Anger gives rise to illusion (sammoha)— that is, greed (lobha) to enjoy sense objects even by unfair means. Greed for sense objects leads to loss of memory (moha), which, in turn, bewilders the intelligence, or in other words, it leads to pride (mada), wherein one fails to distinguish between virtue and evil. That pride ultimately leads to utter ruination—matsarya, which severely distorts the living entity’s natural, loving tendency.

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Bhagavad Gita 2.62–2.63

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11 Koshas The Coverings of the Soul

For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.

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Bhagavad Gita 2.20

AYURVEDA BEAUTIFULLY ARTICULATES that we are spiritual beings within a

human form—individual manifestations of pure spirit or consciousness. As particles of pure consciousness, we are encased in five sheaths or coverings, known as koshas. The koshas cover, to varying degrees, the full radiance of the soul, like a lampshade covers a light bulb. Knowledge of the five koshas reminds us of what it means to be a spiritual being while living in human form. Ayurveda’s expanded and holistic view of the body through the koshas helps us navigate our human journey and assists both the practitioner and the patient in determining the level at which the patient needs healing. The koshas convey the importance of taking a multitiered approach to cleansing, rather than simply focusing only on the body. The five koshas (sheaths) are:

Physical body (annamaya kosha) Breath/energy body (pranamaya kosha) Mind/emotion body (manomaya kosha) 136

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Knowledge/wisdom body (vijnanamaya kosha) Bliss body (anandamaya kosha) Illness often begins on a subtle level, like the mind. A real cure occurs on the same level at which the imbalance originates. This is why ayurveda and the Total Life Cleanse emphasize healing on all levels (all koshas) of our existence. TLC works to harmonize all five koshas, incorporating diet, detoxification, exercise, yoga, breathing techniques, supportive knowledge, and meditation/introspection practices.

Annamaya Kosha: The Physical Body Annamaya kosha literally means “food layer/sheath.” It is the physical layer that makes up the tissues of our body. It is called the food sheath because it is that part of us that is dependent on food for physical structure, health, and nourishment. Its function is mainly to create and maintain our body’s tissues. It also allows for pleasure in enjoying food. Taking in nutrition, building tissue, breaking down tissue, and excreting toxins all happen in annamaya kosha. To cleanse this kosha, it is essential to exercise, sweat, and eat easily digestible, pure, vibrant foods as well as nourishing and cleansing nutrients and herbs.

For Review Only Pranamaya Kosha: The Breath/Energy Body

Pranamaya kosha is the layer/sheath of breath and prana that brings life and energy to our body, mind, and consciousness. This sheath is related to the breath as well as the five pranas (see page [x-ref ]), the five main directional energy flows of the body. The quality of our breath has a powerful influence on the state of our prana. Pranamaya kosha is the all-important energetic mediator between the body and the mind, or the annamaya and manomaya koshas. Therefore, balancing pranamaya kosha is essential for the health of both our body and mind. For example, when our breath is shallow, we tend to feel physical and mental tension. This tightens the body and freezes the flow of healthy prana and emotional energy. Conversely, we are often able to relieve tension in the body and mind by taking deep, smooth, full breaths. To cleanse pranamaya kosha, it is best to practice pranayama or daily breathing exercises, while doing our best to breathe consciously and fully throughout the day. For many people, simply maintaining awareness of the power of the healing breath turns out to be one of the most significant cleanse insights and practices.

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Manomaya Kosha: The Mind/Emotions Body Manomaya kosha is made up of our feelings, thoughts, and emotions along with their interactions with the five senses. Manomaya kosha also functions on the level of mental attraction and aversion due to sensory and emotional experiences and past impressions. It includes our imagination, likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, desires, and the conscious and subconscious mind. Everything that comes to us through our senses, emotions, and mind becomes part of manomaya kosha. To cleanse this kosha, it helps to minimize the incredible excess of sensory input that exists in our lives today. This includes input through the media (television, internet, radio, movies, cell phones, texting, social media, et cetera). Minimizing input gives our mind and senses an opportunity to cleanse and digest previous input and experiences. This is why a media fast is such an important part of the Total Life Cleanse, as explained in part 2. Journaling and various forms of therapy can also be beneficial, as they help us digest experiences. Manomaya kosha accumulates unprocessed emotions. Sometimes these emotions are not really even our own, but ones we take on from our closest family and friends. In this light, for some, it may even be helpful to limit sexual activity during the cleanse, particularly if you have more than one sexual partner or if your intimate partner is going through deep emotional challenges or presently carries a lot of emotional baggage. When we are sexual, we merge energies with our partner and we can “pick up” some of their unprocessed emotions and negativity. These undigested emotions can then become part of our own manomaya kosha. The suggestion here is not to avoid intimacy, but to be sensitive to giving your manomaya kosha the space to heal and clear. Manomaya kosha can be balanced through the breath, or pranamaya kosha. There are also a variety of therapeutic breathwork and healing techniques, such as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT, sometimes called tapping), Brainspotting, and Alchemical Hypnotherapy, that are extremely effective at cleansing the emotional body within the manomaya kosha.

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Vijnanamaya Kosha: The Knowledge/Wisdom Body Vijnanamaya kosha is the layer/sheath of our intellect, knowledge, intuition, and wisdom. It includes both materially oriented and spiritually oriented knowledge. It is the realm of our thoughts, ideas, opinions, beliefs, and intuition. It contains the knowledge that helps us not only function in the world but also understand ourselves as spiritual beings.

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Vijnanamaya kosha is seen as the differentiating factor between human beings and animals. Animals clearly have feelings, emotions, thoughts, and memory, but human beings have the capability to intentionally grow in rational, emotional, practical, and spiritual ways. Human beings have the unique capacity to ask, Who am I, what is the cause of my suffering, and what is the meaning of life? Humans can also discover their higher purpose in life (dharma). They have the potential to understand the difference between the real and unreal, minimize the three poisons and six faults, and differentiate between matter and spirit. The wisdom that comes from self-inquiry is the higher function of vijnanamaya kosha. Practical intelligence uses rational knowledge to fulfill needs and desires related to the mind and body. In its most developed aspect, vijnanamaya kosha transcends ordinary intelligence and allows for intuition, wisdom, and higher states of knowledge and perception. To cleanse this kosha, meditation, reading sacred texts, hearing teachings from elevated souls, chanting, and discovering inner peace are most beneficial. Becoming just a little quieter inside enables us to have access to the ever-present source of wisdom within. Spending time with calm, spiritually oriented people is perhaps the most powerful way to cleanse this kosha. The Sanskrit word for this is sat-sangha. Sat refers to truth and the ever-present reality that does not change with the passage of time, and sangha refers to gathering with others. Sat-sangha, then, means to gather with others in order to hear about, discuss, and meditate on reality. Contemplating the qualities of love, truth, gratitude, and forgiveness opens us up to the higher frequency of vijnanamaya kosha: the doorway to self-realization.

For Review Only Anandamaya Kosha: The Bliss Body

Anandamaya kosha is the finest and most subtle sheath; its influence is found in all of the koshas. Ayurveda teaches that bliss is our true nature, and anandamaya kosha is the layer of bliss within our being. It reflects the causeless and unlimited happiness of the soul or atma. Anandamaya kosha also contains a record of our unlimited experiences and reflects our stage of spiritual evolution. Anandamaya kosha manifests in a variety of ways. It contains the root of our craving and desire for happiness, which includes pleasure or happiness related to sex, food, creativity, and emotional and intellectual satisfaction. The happiness that comes while fulfilling our dharma comes from anandamaya kosha. Anandamaya kosha also holds peak experiences, the joy of realizing the oneness of all things, and the bliss of our true nature.

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Anandamaya kosha, however, is considered to be a thin veil covering our true self or atma. Impersonal spiritual realization gives rise to the blissful awareness of our oneness with all that is, otherwise known as Brahman realization. However, the last snare of illusion found in anandamaya kosha is thinking ourself to be the same as God or Brahman in all respects, and not realizing our eternal, divine, ecstatic-filled individuality as part and parcel of the divine. Until this sheath is transcended, a thread of egoic existence still remains. Existing on the level of anandamaya kosha is close to, but not full, soul/selfrealization. Soul realization surpasses anandamaya kosha because it allows for a realization of our simultaneous oneness and difference with God and all that is. Through this awareness lies the ultimate level of bliss attainable beyond even the anandamaya kosha. Full bliss is the soul’s attainment of prema, the fifth of the five goals of life. To cleanse anandamaya kosha and thus contact our blissful essential nature, the practices of meditation, japa (sacred mantra meditation), kirtan (singing spiritually oriented songs and mantras with others), and acts of forgiveness, compassion, and kindness are most beneficial, connecting us to and transcending our anandamaya kosha, allowing us to touch our essentially blissful nature.

For Review Only Beyond the Koshas

Innumerable jivas [souls] emanate from Para-Brahma [God, Supreme Consciousness], just like tiny sparks from a fire. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

The five koshas are interconnectd and dependent upon one another. When we cleanse the annamaya and pranayama koshas (our food and breath sheaths), we automatically improve the health of our three more subtle sheaths. Likewise, dysfunctions in our manomaya and vijnanamaya koshas (our mind and knowledge sheaths) can cause disease in our annamaya kosha. The Total Life Cleanse focuses on balancing and harmonizing all the koshas and elements of our body. It is about recognizing our essential wholeness through a clean and natural diet, internal exercise (meditation and pranayama), love in action (meaningful actions), expanded use of intelligence, and reconnection to our life purpose (dharma). This creates a vibrant, healthy vessel in which we can live life fully, happily, and on target with our dharma. Doing so leads to a satisfying life and ultimately self-realization. Beyond the koshas, encased yet untouched by them, lies our essential soul nature. The soul is not perceivable through the mind and senses but through higher consciousness.

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Koshas 141

It is, however, reflected in our ability to love, to act with wisdom and compassion, and to experience real joy. When we balance and dust off each successive lampshade-like kosha, our soul essence shines through. Cleansing is about healing, nourishing, and balancing the koshas so that the light of our true essence brightly shines through.

Florence’s Story: Uncovering the Soul Early on in my practice I worked with a very special woman, Florence, who gave me an opportunity to deeply grow as a healer. She was eight-seven years old and suffered from excruciating pain in her joints. Her son had asked me to visit her twice a week to give her massage and acupuncture to relieve the pain. Her doctors believed that she only had two to three weeks to live and her son wanted her final days to be less painful. I had yet to work with someone that old and in the condition she was in. When I first entered her room, Florence was lying curled up on her bed. She truly did appear to be a woman who was about to die.

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She briefly looked up at me as I told her I was there to offer her massage. She muttered something unintelligible and pointed to her bent leg. I carefully approached her leg and began to massage and slowly stretch it. Florence let out a loud, scary groan, letting me know that I was causing her tremendous pain. Honestly, at that moment I regretted accepting her son’s request to help her. Florence seemed senile and anxious, and she was very difficult to understand. I was uncomfortable, but in spite of my uneasiness, a bubble of wisdom emerged from somewhere inside, encouraging me to slow down, breathe, listen carefully, and see her as an intelligent and beautiful soul trapped in an old and fragile body. I soon found that if I listenened carefully and repeated back to Florence what I thought she said, she would respond with either “no” or “that’s right.” As the days, sessions, and weeks went by, our communication became clearer and far more interesting. I also learned how to effectively treat her painful frozen knee and other conditions with gentle massage and acupressure. Florence came alive! She gradually emerged from her stupor at death’s doorO, and over the next few months I realized that she was an elegant woman who was dearly loved as a selfless leader in her Episcopalian

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religious community. We had amazing and enlivening conversations that always included her affirmative “that’s right.” I learned about her past, her philosophy on life, her joys, and her regrets. She shared that her biggest regret was that she was too judgmental of others. Later, at her funeral, I learned that her family, friends, and community considered her to be the kindest and most nonjudgmental person they knew. Every time I left Florence I would set my head down against her lips and she would pucker her lips and kiss my forehead. It became our ritual. Florence and I spoke of God, love, healing, religion, angels, inner guidance, and even Eastern mantras such as the Hare Krishna mantra, which she loved and would request that I whisper in her ear each time I came. One day, as I entered her room, Florence was sitting up in her wheel chair, and she slapped her thigh with her functioning hand and exclaimed, “I knew you were coming!” I asked her what she meant. She told me that she always knew when I was coming to see her because two beautiful columns of light would appear in her room. To this day, I can’t say for sure who or what those columns of light were,

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but I know they were real to Florence. Her spiritual self had reawakened beautifully just in time for her body to die.

Instead of two weeks Florence lived for over six months. I saw her twice a week. We shared so much love!

The last day I saw Florence she was in a coma. The doctors allowed me in the room but assured me that she was not conscious. I went up to her bed, took her lifeless hand, and spoke of the many things we had discussed. Then I repeated her favorite mantra for the last time in her ear. Somehow I felt that she could hear me, though there was no indication that she did—until I let go of her hand. Florence’s lips gently and ever so slightly puckered, and she gave me one final kiss on the head. For me, my time with Florence was proof that the coverings of the soul are just that—coverings. The light, love, and presence of her soul was fully functional up to and, I am sure, beyond her very last breath.

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12 Ayurveda and the Eight Elements Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, false ego—all together these constitute My separated material energies Bhagavad Gita 7.4

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THE ANCIENT RISHIS, or mystic seers, of ayurveda categorized the components of

life into fundamental parts or elements. Doing so simplified and synthesized their system of philosophy, medicine, and yoga. Elemental wisdom is based on natural laws and common sense. At first, the elements and their correspondences may seem complex. These elements are the energetic building blocks of the body, mind, and the world in which we live, including the entire universe. However, once we have a basic understanding, knowledge of the elements becomes useful, natural, and mind expanding, and we experience a deepened appreciation for life and the Total Life Cleanse.

The Eight Elements and the Soul Ayurveda explains that human beings are made up of eight primary material elements: five physical and three subtle. Each element has specific qualities and functions that correspond to our body, mind, emotions, and koshas. Additionally, there is a nonmaterial ninth element: the soul, known in Sanskrit as atma.

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The Five Material Elements

Earth Water Fire Air Ether The Three Subtle Elements

Mind (mental activities, memories, and emotions) Intelligence (discernment, intellect, intuition, and wisdom) Ego (our false ego and self-conception) Everything in creation is made up of the eight elements. All five material elements are reflected in nature: earth in the land; water in the ocean, rivers, and lakes; fire in the heat of the sun; air in the air we breathe and the breeze that caresses our skin; ether in the sky or the vast space in which all the elements reside. The specific characteristics and qualities of each of the five material elements are found in varying degrees in everything and everyone. From the standpoint of creation, the elements manifest from most subtle to dense. The subtlest material element is ego. From ego emerges our intelligence, then mind, ether, air, fire, water, and finally the most dense element, earth. Typically, from our perspective, the elements are generally described from most dense to most subtle, or as earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, and ego.

For Review Only The Subtle Body: Mind, Intelligence, and Ego

The three subtle elements are the manifestations and indications of our consciousness and soul. When our soul comes into contact with the conditioning influence of the material world, it manifests through our subtle body as mind, intelligence, and ego.

Mind For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest enemy. Bhagavad Gita 6.6

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The mind is an organism within an organism—an instrument of our intelligence and consciousness. It is the aspect of our consciousness that has unlimited desires, including our likes and dislikes, hopes and fears, acceptions and rejections, and preferences of this over that. Our mind’s intent is to experience pleasure and avoid pain. Our mind is intimately connected with our five senses and uses them to navigate the pleasures and pains in life. It tends to distract us from our inner nature. It becomes imbalanced and disturbed when we allow it to act independently from our intelligence. It is helpful to see our mind as a personal fitness trainer! Its tendency to become disturbed forces us to make an effort to access deeper aspects of ourselves. Otherwise, when we simply follow the dictates of our mind, we suffer! Its superficial and distracting nature can be transcended when we contact our higher intelligence and deeper essence, in the here and now.

Intelligence

The Sanskrit word for intelligence is buddhi. There are three main types of buddhi:

Ordinary intelligence Higher intelligence Universal intelligence

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Ordinary intelligence takes what the mind presents and determines whether it is beneficial or not. It then figures out how to attain those things that it accepts as desirable. Ordinary intelligence helps us avoid suffering, experience pleasure, function in our daily lives, work, and create just about anything that is possible. However, intelligence controlled by the false ego alone is influenced by the three poisons and six faults (see chapter 10); it is used to attract people and things that the mind is attracted to, to avoid people and things that the mind has aversion to, and to show indifference to people and things that the mind has no interest in. Higher intelligence is wise, intuitive, and naturally aligned with the legs of dharma. Higher intelligence is used in the pursuit of self-realization and is capable of discerning between that which is beneficial for our ultimate well-being and that which is not. Higher intelligence can be cultivated through introspection, healing, meditation, and yoga. Universal intelligence acts independently, both within the body and throughout the universe. It pervades all of creation, governing the precise laws of nature, the perfect

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movements of the planets, the laws of cause and effect, the interdependency of living beings, and the seasons of nature. It also permeates our individual body and mind. Most people are unconscious of its subtle yet profound movements. It is said that buddhi (from which the name Buddha originated), in its pure form, is comprised of “molecules of sincerity.” If the Earth decided to rotate unsteadily and unpredictably around the sun, life on this planet would instantly become severely disturbed. Instead, the universal intelligence that governs both the universe and our body is tremendously consistent, dependable, and sincere; the Earth maintains its orbit, and our bodies maintain their natural functions. Universal intelligence allows us to function free of conscious effort. At this very moment, trillions of biochemical, bioelectrical, and cellular interactions are simultaneously occurring within our bodies—digesting a meal, oxygenating cells, killing pathogens, growing tissue, and thinking, feeling, and willing, all happening without any conscious effort on our part. Our own innate intelligence comes from the same stuff as universal intelligence and acts to optimize our survival and well-being. Intelligence in all forms can be refined through a whole-foods plant-based diet, healthy detoxification practices, minimizing the three poisons and six faults, and pursuing the fulfillment of our dharma.

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False Ego

Even subtler than intelligence is the false ego, or ahankara (aham = “I,” kara = “do”; that is, “I am the doer or controller”). Our false ego is the part of us that believes that we are the essential doer and controller, beyond universal buddhi itself. It is only concerned with “I, me, and mine.” It is the “I” that creates and maintains our conception of who we are (i.e., I am man, woman, old, young, happy, sad, wealthy, poor, strong, weak, confident, insecure, et cetera). In Sanskrit, our self-conception is called abhimana. It is the source of our ahankara.and is based on our identification with our body, sex, mind, family, country, beliefs, religion, and so on. The tendency of our false ego is to protect itself at all costs, since it’s the part of us that believes that we are nothing more than our body and mind. A challenge to our false ego tends to cause fear, resistance, and anger—and it is often the source of conflicts between people, religions, and nations. Our state of consciousness and capacity to love reflects the nature of our self-conception, which may be either extremely limited or very expansive. By discovering our deeper soul nature, we can gradually go beyond the limitations and conditioning of our false ego. That, in fact, is one of the intentions of yoga: to expand and purify our consciousness, increase our knowledge and wisdom, and awaken our natural loving

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tendency. Doing so helps us soften the edges of our false ego, so that we can more clearly perceive ourselves as we are, and other living beings, the world, our relationships, and our relationship with God as they are. A self-realized person is free from false ego but still has an ego. He or she is not disconnected from the world, but also not overly identified with the body, mind, and material things. The driver of a car drives, but he doesn’t identify himself as being the car. Similarly, a self-realized person is aware of and uses her body, mind, and intelligence, but she identifies not with them but, instead, with the source of life energy within. As our real ego or awareness of our eternal identity awakens, we begin to transcend to the pains, pleasures, and changes of the body and mind. Although connected to the body and mind, we perceive them more as instruments for communication, healing, love, and self-realization. A characteristic of those who are free from false ego is that they are free from envy and are not overly attached to the results of their activities. This does not mean that they are apathetic in their actions. Rather, they give their entire attention to whatever they are doing, while cultivating a sense of detachment to the results. It’s “Zen and the art of action.” Paradoxically, when we act in this way, the results are often superior to when we act with attachment. When we act mindfully but without attachment, we see ourselves as instruments of higher intelligence (buddhi) and love. When love and higher intelligence flow though us, we function at a higher and more effective level.

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Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings. . . . He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady both in success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.

Bhagavad Gita 4.20, 4.22

°°° In summary, all living beings are made up of a unique combination of the five material elements and three subtle elements. Each combination of elements creates a unique body, both physical and subtle. In other words, everybody is made up of a unique combination of the eight elements. The false ego is the part of us that is identified with our unique combination of the elements. Note that our false ego is not bad or wrong; however, it is limiting, as we are more than just the body and mind. When we define ourselves solely in terms of our body,

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mind, emotions, culture, religion, nationality, and sex, we deny ourselves the opportunity to realize our deeper potential as spiritual beings while fulfilling our dharma on Earth.

Real Ego: Atma The soul is not slain when the body dies; and even when the soul returns to Spirit, it does not lose its identity, but will exist unto everlastingness. Paramahansa Yogananda

Beyond the false ego lies our real ego, the soul. Also known as the atma, it is the essence of pure consciousness, wisdom, and bliss. The atma is unaffected by the eight elements. A metaphor, imperfect as it may be, is often used to describe atma: the sun, which represents the soul, may hide behind the clouds and remain unseen by those on the Earth. But the sun, in truth, is still shining in its fullness. In the same way the soul, or atma, is always fully present, though it may be hidden due to the cloud-like influence of the eight elements, led by the false ego. The soul, our most essential self, is pure, ever-present, conscious, and blissful by nature. It is made of pure life, light, and love; it enlivens and pervades our entire being. This is why it is known as the real ego, or true self. According to the ancient teachings of ayurveda and yoga philosophy, all living entities, including plants, insects, and animals, are soul particles of pure spirit, covered by a material and subtle body. Our subtle body, made up of mind, intelligence, and false ego, and the physical body, made up of the five elements of earth, water, fire, air, and ether, cloak the soul throughout our lifetime. When the body dies, the soul remains, carrying with it the subtle karmic impressions that travel with us to our next destination. This is the cycle of birth and death. We’ll talk more about it in chapter 17.

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Just as the embodied atma (soul) passes from boyhood to youth to old age, similarly, after death he passes into another body. An intelligent person is not bewildered by such a change . . . That by which the entire body is pervaded, you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable atma (soul). Bhagavad Gita 2.13, 2.17

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13 Cleansing through the Elements We, as pure soul, pure consciousness, naturally we are aloof from material contamination. But due to our long association with this material atmosphere, we have accumulated a great, thick layer of dust on the mind. So as soon as the dust is cleared off, then we can see ourselves, what we are . . . I am consciousness, spirit soul, I am not this material body.

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A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

FOLLOWING THE PRINCIPLES, practices, and dietary recommendations of the

Total Life Cleanse will balance and cleanse all of the elements. Doing so automatically supports improved energy, enhanced immunity, and sharper mental clarity. This sets the stage for cultivating a connected and dharma-filled life.

Earth Cleansing Earth cleansing leads to mental stability and structural and physical health. Eating a cleanse-friendly, plant-based diet with a wide variety of nongluten grains, fruits, and vegetables leads to a healthy earth element. Super nutrition leads to healthy tissues, as well as minimal toxic residue. Eating clean is the foundation of he cleanse and positively impacts all the other elements. However, there is no reason to feel deprived! Cleanse-friendly eating allows for wonderfully tasty meals. In the beginning, however, due to the addictive nature of many refined, chemical-laden foods, you may 149

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temporarily experience some feeling of deprivation. As you move forward, cravings for unhealthy food will quickly become a dream of the past. A healthy earth element supports us in being grounded and appreciative of Earth’s abundant and nourishing gifts. A balanced earth element supports the dharmic quality of compassion.

Water Cleansing Water cleansing leads to greater physical freedom, creativity, and emotional health. When toxins burden our body, the water element, which governs the lymphatic system, stagnates like a swamp. This can cause physical stiffness and emotional stagnation. An unpleasant body odor may also develop. When water is cleansed, the intracellular fluid is pure and slightly alkaline. Cellular communication, nutrient absorption, and detoxification pathways function optimally. This lessens inflammation and stagnation in our body and mind. Drinking plenty of good-quality water, eating an alkaline diet, ingesting plenty of trace minerals, and making sure we perspire regularly keeps the water element happy and healthy. Water is related to the emotional body. When the water element is not clear, we’ll feel fearful, murky, stagnant, and stuck and tend to repeat actions that, in the past, have caused suffering, such as addictive behaviors. There are many ways to cleanse water on an emotional level, including forms of therapy, inner child healing work, bodywork, hypnotherapy, sacred ritual, meditation, yoga, kirtan, and simply associating with saintly and spiritually developed people. Cleansing the water element creates a clear window of opportunity for powerful emotional healing to take place. However, toxic thinking, people, diet, and exposures, along with nutritional depletion, significantly interfere with emotional healing. We cannot expect ourselves or anyone else to achieve emotional healing without addressing our brain chemistry and environmental stressors through good nutrition, detoxification, and optimal lifestyle practices. A healthy water element supports good brain chemistry, emotional clarity, and balance. A balanced water element supports the dharmic quality of purity.

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Fire Cleansing Fire cleansing leads to good energy, metabolism, digestion, and mental clarity. A strong fire element supports ideal body temperature, clear vision (inner and outer), strong digestive power, clear mind, and clarity of purpose. Physically, the fire element has to do with metabolism and energy production. Digestive enzymes from the pancreas, stomach, liver, and gallbladder make it possible

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for our food to be digested and assimilated properly. Foods that have high levels of enzymes, raw or fermented, that support the liver and gallbladder, such as leafy greens and spices like ginger, cumin, turmeric, and fennel, all support fire cleansing. Conscious eating, as well as eating whole foods, also strengthens and balances the fire element. When fire is weak, the body is unable to properly process the food we eat. Our body temperature will be irregular. Additionally, the digestion of our sensory impressions, ideas, and emotional experiences will be incomplete. The mind won’t be clear, sharp, and subtle. Dullness, depression, agitation, and irritability will be prominent with an imbalanced fire. We will also feel a lack of creative energy, joy, and forward movement in life. When fire is cleansed, we will have greater mental clarity, intelligence, positive attitude, physical agility, and strength. We will feel able to transform our problems into positive learning experiences. A strong fire element helps us to be sharp, communicative, and present to our life’s daily challenges. A balanced fire element supports the dharmic quality of discipline.

Air Cleansing

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Air cleansing leads to ease of movement and openness of our heart and mind. Physically, a healthy air element supports our breathing so that it is full and smooth, which supports a light, peaceful, and grounded feeling in our body. The air element significantly impacts every tissue of our body and supports optimal cellular communication. It also strongly affects our mental and emotional outlook. Air cleansing encourages inspiration, enthusiasm, creativity, presence, connectedness, and mental alertness and agility. It enhances our ability to access creative responses to the daily challenges of life. A stale air element leads to physical pain and tightness. Mentally, it tends to cause a negative and critical perception of life events, ourselves, and others. Imbalanced air contributes to disconnected, cold, and brittle relationships with others, as well as a lack of spiritual presence in our life. A toxic air element impedes our ability to be present and appreciate the present moment. The quality of the breath powerfully influences the air element, which then impacts our quality of life. Breathing practices, exercise, and avoiding foods that stress the lungs, such as sugar and dairy, support a healthy air element. Clearing old or repressed grief and resentments, along with enhancing our appreciation of life and its gifts, benefits the air element. Gratitude and breath are the medicines for the air element. A strong air element helps us to be present and flexible with both pleasant and

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challenging aspects of our lives. A balanced air element supports the dharmic quality of truth.

Ether Cleansing Ether cleansing leads to a sense of inner spaciousness, open-mindedness, physical comfort, and the capacity to be fully present. It supports the understanding of more subtle aspects of life and our self. Meditation, kirtan, japa, yoga, and spending quiet time in nature benefit the ether element. Healing modalities that balance energy flow and support our nervous system, such as acupuncture, energy healing, chiropractic, and bodywork, benefit the ether element. In fact, any real body/mind/emotion cleansing that helps create a greater sense of inner spaciousness supports a healthy ether element. A healthy ether element supports a mind that is open to new possibilities and expanded well-being in life. A balanced ether element creates the space for the healthy expression of all of the elements.

Mind Cleansing

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For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Krishna, and to subdue it, I think, is more difficult than controlling the wind. Bhagavad Gita 6.34

Mind cleansing leads to peace and contentment. Our mind is meant to integrate the five senses to maintain happiness and health. An imbalanced mind continuously seeks out immediate pleasure and attempts to avoid suffering, even at the expense of being disconnected from our dharma. The problem with this approach is that suffering is sure to come. When the mind functions independently, it tends toward anxiety and superficiality. When under the direction of our innate wisdom and intelligence, the mind aligns with our dharma and becomes a powerful and beneficial tool. The mind is subtle, changeable, and more difficult to control than the wind. Sometimes it moves like a gentle breeze and sometimes like a hurricane! However, when, through practice, our mind follows the direction of higher intelligence, it can peacefully fulfill its role as an extension of our soul. Cultivating a clean diet, healthy breathing, mental/emotional health, meditation,

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and mantra meditation (as in japa and kirtan) are extremely beneficial for our mental balance, calming its windy nature. Toxins generated from eating tamasic foods (toxic, dull, low vibration) bring the vibration of our mind down, making it far more difficult to maintain mental peace. Lack of mental balance can be the source of unlimited mental and emotional disturbances and addictions. For our mind to be balanced, it must take shelter in our higher intelligence, guided by innate wisdom.

Intelligence Cleansing Intelligence cleansing leads to strong discriminative powers that help us make choices that lead to success, happiness, and well-being. Clear intelligence knows what is best for us and guides the mind like a kind parent guides a child or a qualified guru leads a disciple. When our intelligence is strong and clear, it effectively guides our mind toward contentment and wellness. A content mind listens peacefully to the intelligence. Functioning at our highest potential helps us realize deeper levels of peace, happiness, and the fulfillment of our dharma. As we discussed in chapter 12, there are three levels of intelligence: ordinary, higher, and universal. All three aspects improve when we follow TLC dietary and lifestyle practices. While our intelligence is meant to direct our mind, the mind can be so strong, agitated, stubborn, and fickle that it can usurp our intelligence. Calming our mind and strengthening our intelligence is necessary for a healthy and successful life. Our mind and intelligence can be “super cleansed” by learning from those who have realized their true inner soul nature. In their presence, our mind relaxes and our universal intelligence—that which is natural and innate—takes over. Universal intelligence automatically enhances our ordinary and higher intelligence.

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Ego Cleansing Ego cleansing gradually transforms our false ego into our real ego or true self. False ego is the part of us that creates or makes up an idea of who we are. Real ego is who we actually are and are created to be—pure consciousness, or pure spirit soul. There is no comparing the truth of who we are with whom we think ourselves to be, by our own making. Our real self, or atma, embodies the capacity for profound presence, awareness, and

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love. On the other hand, the false ego struggles with regretting the past, worrying about the future, limited thinking, and conditional love. The false ego strongly identifies with our body and its possessions. Its goal is to protect our identity, often at the expense of our relationships and true self. While each of us does have unique bodily, mental, intellectual, and sensual characteristics, a healthy ego does not overly identify with them. Instead, it identifies more deeply with our inner essence. It understands that our physical and mental body is a vehicle for communication, fulfillment of our dharma, and self-realization. The real ego is interested in real happiness and well-being for all. As the false ego is cleansed, our real ego begins to seek truth and happiness where it actually dwells, wasting less time seeking where it is not. As we connect to our real ego, we begin to live with enthusiasm and purpose while utilizing our body and mind to realize our dharmic gifts. Living our dharma leads to great inner contentment and satisfaction, protecting us from distractions and addictions that can cause years of suffering, depression, and hopelessness. Living this way—from the higher mind and soul—energizes and empowers. We walk in clarity, openness, and full participation with life itself. Doing so, we benefit our brothers, sisters, and planet, as well as ourselves.

For Review Only Time Cleansing Time and tide waits for no man.

St. Marher (ca. 1225)

In the Vedas, time is also understood to be an element and is the subtlest one of all. . Time directly influences all eight elements and is the beginning, middle, and end of all personal and universal creative cycles. We have no direct control over time itself, however, we can influence how we respond to it. Since we can’t control time it is not included in the list of ayurvedic elements. Time, as an element, can be the source of despair and suffering or of healing and ultimate wellness. How we use time matters greatly. While the soul is eternal, the body is not. Each of us has our own greatest potential for health. How we eat, think, and live substantially impacts the longevity and quality of our lives. Time is the force that causes the birth, growth, maturity, decay, and destruction of all eight material elements, and with them, our health and life. From the ayurvedic perspective, every element can be used to lead us in the direction

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of wellness or disease in body, mind, and soul. Another way of saying this is, our use of time determines our success at fulfilling the five goals of life: dharma, artha, kama, moksha, and prema.* The combination of having an overly strong identification with our body (sex, beauty, religion, nationality, age, et cetera), ignoring its temporary nature, and lacking awareness of our eternal nature makes us vulnerable to the many sources of suffering in this world. When we use the moments of our lives wisely within the context of the five goals of life, we protect ourselves from this suffering and getting lost in life’s many diversions and traps. Our time is generally used to fulfill one or all of the five goals. Many people spend most of their time trying to fulfill the goals of artha (security) and kama (pleasure). However, to achieve our highest potential as human beings, we must fulfill these goals within the context of our dharma (life purpose), while seeking moksha (self-realization) and prema (pure love). Otherwise, our material attainments may lead to temporary financial security and pleasure but will lack inner satisfaction and meaning. According to ayurveda, wisdom is attained when we realize the following:

The truth of who we are, the essential nature of our relationship with other liv-

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ing beings, the nature of the temporary material world in which we live, and the divine source of and in all things How to best use our time to attain the five goals of life, culminating in prema, or pure unconditional love When the eight elements and five koshas function harmoniously, they maintain balance and support our health in body, mind, and soul. When the mind and intelligence are aligned with the intention of our soul, a powerful sattvic ripple effect flows through all the elements, including time. This energy nourishes every cell with vital life energy and sustains our body at its greatest capacity. When all the elements function in harmony with each other, our soul shines through. When our soul essence is allowed full expression, it vibrates at the frequency of love. As it is said, “Love heals.” When we vibrate love, we effortlessly walk the path of fulfilling our dharma. This is called sanatana dharma, or the eternal dharma of the soul. The time we have is used best, moment by moment, in service to the intentions of our *Dharma = fulfilling our life purpose, artha = meeting our basic needs for survival, kama = fulfilling our need for pleasure, moksha = fulfilling our desire for freedom (spiritual liberation), and prema = fulfilling our desire for pure love (the love of God).

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soul. This intention is inherently aligned with buddhi (universal intelligence) and the will of divinity Defining the intentions of your soul is not the intention of this book. That discovery is a personal one. Ultimately, however, it is an intention of the Total Life Cleanse to remove blocks that obstruct this personal discovery.

Sharon’s Story: Opening to Love Often, cleansing happens more on the spiritual plane than the physical one. Sharon had been brought up in an open-minded nonreligious Jewish family. As an adult, she had been into astrology, yoga, and healthy eating. Eventually, though, she found her way to a fundamentalist born-again Christian group. She was a lover of Christ and found their enthusiasm to be infectious. Sharon’s new church did not emphasize healthy eating or self-care, and Sharon lapsed into bad eating habits—lots of refined bread, sugar, and dairy. She also no longer practiced astrology and yoga, since the church considered them to be pagan and even devil-like practices. Sharon had gained much weight and felt so poorly that she was willing to try anything. An old

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high-school friend invited her to the Total Life Cleanse, and she agreed. At first she was quite resistant to the program, but her inner wisdom began to reemerge. She began to eat clean, exercise, and even practice the recommended breathing and meditation exercises. Sharon was intelligent. She liked my open-minded and calm teaching style. When I spoke about love being the eternal religion of the soul, I noticed that Sharon was softly crying. After saying a few more words, I asked her if there was something she wanted to share with our group. Through her tears Sharon said, “I love my community, but I realize my heart is broader than theirs. They are in some ways so loving, but they are incredibly narrow-minded. I have always believed that love is at the core of every religion and in the center of all hearts. I believe in the unfathomable love of Christ, but I don’t want to live my life in judgment. I am going to have to leave them.” She quietly sobbed for a few more minutes. Everyone’s heart was opened by her honesty, vulnerability, and heartfelt expression. Cleansing truly occurs on every level!

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14 The Chinese Five Elements Organs, Emotions, and Seasons

We must strive to see people not only as they present themselves in illness, but more importantly as they would be in perfect health and balance, in full discovery of their true nature, unique in body, mind, and spirit.

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Professor J. R. Worsley

IN THIS SECTION, we look into the five elements from the perspective of ancient

Chinese medicine. Its nature-based wisdom is practical and profound, and its system for using the five elements is an exceptional model for understanding human nature, health, and behavior. The wisdom of the five elements has been incorporated into the Total Life Cleanse since its inception. This chapter also explores both ancient Chinese and modern perspectives on the organs and their functions, including their healthy and imbalanced manifestations. The final section covers blood sugar imbalance and its relationship to the pancreas, hormones, and adrenal glands. There is a lot of valuable information in this chapter! There is great similarity between the Chinese and ayurvedic five element systems, with some subtle differences. Like the ayurvedic elements, the Chinese five elements are the building blocks for all tissues of the body and the materials of the universe. They are both immensely useful; I use them every day in my practice.

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The Chinese Five Elements

Water Wood Fire Earth Metal The Ayurvedic Five Elements

Earth Water Fire Air Ether The ayurvedic air element is analogous to the Chinese metal element, and ether is analogous to wood. Ayurvedice elements are generally listed linearly from dense to subtle. Chinese elements, on the other hand, are listed in a circular way. This is because each element is seen to be the creator or “mother” of the one that follows, and reflects how energy is created in nature as well as our bodies.

For Review Only Elemental Correspondences

The ancient masters of traditional Chinese medicine observed universal and natural patterns within themselves and all of nature—an elegant lens through which to see and understand life. In this way, they were able to identify the ways in which the elements, the building blocks of the universe, correspond with:

Attributes in nature Seasons Time of day Organs and tissues Emotions Psychological patterns and imbalances Familiarity with the five element correspondences offers us insights into the cause of imbalances in body, mind, and spirit. As the ancient sages discovered, our body, mind, and spirit form a complex that is a

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microcosm of nature. It is humbling to realize how much they could see and understand so much simply through meditation—profoundly observing the intricacies of nature within themselves.

The Law of the Five Elements The Five Elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water are the foundation and spirit of Nature. . . . The Elements are alive both around us and in us. They describe the movement of all life and all energy and embody all the qualities which we encounter in Nature. Through understanding the Five Elements we may begin to understand both Nature and ourselves. J. R. Worsley

The elements within us and around us are alive! The ancient sages saw them as conscious, primal energies. In its pure state, each element has specific powers and gifts to offer. When we energetically connect with an elements in nature, we automatically harmonize with the healing energy of that element. For example:

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Lying on the Earth absorbs negativity and nourishes our body, mind, and spirit. Deeply breathing clean mountain air calms our minds and brings us into the present moment. Sitting by or swimming in a beautiful ocean or lake opens us up to the deeper, formless, flowing parts of ourselves. Hiking in a forest or hugging a huge redwood tree strengthens our capacity to feel grounded while simultaneously reaching for higher goals and aspirations. Sitting by a big fire or basking in the warm sun warms our body, mind, heart, and spirit. The law of the five elements is simply this: the elements in nature interact and relate with the very same elements within us. Recognizing our oneness with nature is healing and empowering. Patterns of physical, mental, and emotional wellness and illness, balance and imbalance, all have correspondences in the natural world around us, and we can describe them from a nature-based perspective. For instance, excess internal heat can cause pain and inflammation, and we may also feel overheated, agitated, or irritable. Excess internal coldness, on the other hand, may cause us to feel stiff, weak, fearful, and vulnerable. Excess dryness may cause us to feel tight, itchy, constipated, anxious, and

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ungrounded. Dampness may cause us to feel heavy, stiff, phlegmy, lethargic, apathetic, and emotionally stuck. Identifying manifestations of imbalances from a nature-based perspective liberates us from simply labeling our symptoms as a disease. Rather, symptoms can be understood as patterns of imbalance resulting from an excess or deficiency of specific qualities—qualities that are part of and found in nature. Reducing the excessive quality and increasing the opposite quality—through diet, herbs, activities, thoughts, and exercise—can correct imbalances. For instance, when someone is too damp, we would begin by eliminating damp foods such as ice cream, dairy, sugar, and cheese. We would add substances that naturally oppose dampness, such as warming and drying spices and herbs like ginger, turmeric, and cumin. Eating light foods and exercising in a way that increases energy, such as fast walking or rebounding (various movements on a mini-trampoline, or rebounder), would be excellent. Being around people who are positive, enthusiastic, and upbeat would also be of great benefit. If the patient follows these recommendations, the excess damp condition, along with its symptoms, would naturally diminish. As we go deeper into the law of the five elements, we begin to recognize all the ways in which our own elements facilitate correspondences between our body and the world around us. This enhances an awareness of our personal connection with nature— a compassionate way to better understand others and ourselves. We also find a deeper appreciation and understanding of the interconnectedness of all things governed by natural and intelligent laws.

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Summary of Five Element Correspondences Table 14.1 on the next page is a summary of the Chinese five element correspondences according to Chinese medicine. It includes the correspondences of those elements to the ayurvedic elements, three pillars of health (prana, agni, and ojas), and doshas. Note: Each element corresponds with two major organs, one that is yin and one that is yang. A yin organ is filled with blood or tissue, while a yang organ is hollow. For example, for the wood element, the liver is yin, and the gallbladder is yang; for earth, the spleen is yin and the stomach is yang. As an exception, the fire element also includes two energetic systems, the heart protector and the triple heater. The heart protector is analogous to the pericardium sack that surrounds the heart. The triple heater is our inner thermostat and is most often related to our adrenal glands. Further note that, even though four out of the five emotional correspondences appear to be negative, they are not necessarily. In Chinese medicine, an emotion is negative when it creates imbalance and disease. For example, grief or anger can be healthy and fitting emotions. It is when one is stuck in anger, grief, fear, worry, or even joy that they can become unhealthy.

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TABLE 14.1. FIVE ELEMENT CORRESPONDENCES ELEMENT

METAL/AIR

WATER

WOOD/ ETHER

FIRE

EARTH

Organs

Lungs/large intestine

Kidneys/ bladder

Liver/ gallbladder

Spleen Heart/small (pancreas)/ intestine, stomach heart protector/triple heater

Emotion

Grief

Fear

Anger

Joy

Worry/thinking

Time of Day

3 a.m.–7 a.m. 3 p.m.–7 p.m.

11 p.m.–3 a.m.

11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 7 p.m.–11 p.m.

7 a.m.–11 a.m.

Pillar

Prana

Ojas

Prana and agni

Agni

Ojas

Taste

Pungent

Salty

Sour

Bitter

Sweet

Dosha

In excess: vata In deficiency: pitta or kapha

In excess: kapha In deficiency: vata

In excess: pitta In deficiency: vata

In excess: pitta In deficiency: vata and/or kapha

In excess: kapha In deficiency: vata

For Review Only The Chinese/Ayurvedic Clock

As noted in the table 14.1, each element has a four-hour time period of the day or night when it is most active or empowered. Each of the paired organs corresponding to each element dominates in half of that time period (see table 14.2 on page 162). That is, each organ has a two-hour period during which it is most active and empowered. Similarly, each organ and element has a corresponding season in which it is most active and empowered. Both positive and negative expressions of the organs and elements will manifest more strongly during their corresponding time of day and season. For example, those with liver problems often experience insomnia during liver time: 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. This is especially true during the spring, the season that corresponds to the liver organ.

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TABLE 14.2. CORRELATIONS BETWEEN ELEMENTS AND THE TIME OF DAY/SEASONS ELEMENT

SEASON

ORGAN

TIME/ SEASON

ORGAN

TIME/ SEASON

Metal

Fall

Lungs

3 a.m.–5 a.m.

Large intestine

5 a.m.–7 a.m.

Earth

Late summer

Stomach

7 a.m.–9 a.m.

Spleen

9 a.m.–11 a.m.

Fire

Summer

Heart

11 a.m.–1 p.m.

Small intestine

1 p.m.–3 p.m.

Water

Winter

Bladder

3 p.m.–5 p.m.

Kidneys

5 p.m.–7 p.m.

Fire

Summer

Heart protector/ pericardium

7 p.m.–9 p.m.

Triple heater

9 p.m.–11 p.m.

Wood

Spring

Gallbladder

11 p.m.–1 a.m.

Liver

1 a.m.–3 a.m.

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The Metal Element: Lungs and Large Intestine Metal . . . The connection with the divine spark within us also feeds our own self-respect and self-esteem. Without it we cannot have a real sense of value, either of ourselves or of the people around us. Professor J. R. Worsley

Metal offers inspiration and the ability to let go. Its season is autumn, a time when the expansive energies of summer descend and journey inward in a first step toward the internal energy of winter. As the leaves fall from the trees, we see that autumn is a time of letting go. Metal reminds us that when we let go, we make space for the perfection of the present moment to emerge. Metal also allows us to let go of things in our lives that no longer serve the body, mind, or spirit. It removes both energetic and physical toxins from our body and the moment. Energetically, the metal element brings brilliance, value, and inspiration to our lives. Minerals in our bodies are metals and are reflections of the metal element. It is classically known as the element that “receives pure chi from the heavens.” Metal gives preciousness, or quality, to each moment. It empowers our ability to let go of the past and be present in the now or, the catchphrase goes, “Be here now.” Just as unfinished metal can be rusty, dirty, discolored, sharp, and cutting, the metal

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within us can also have these qualities. When metal is polished and refined, its brilliance shines with beauty, quality, and essence. It serves us in the same way, revitalizing us from the dull repetition of our day-to-day activities. When metal is balanced, we experience the most mundane daily activities with presence, clarity, and peace of mind. When metal is imbalanced, we feel empty, distracted, bored, and cut off. We may also suffer from a lack of self-worth and self-respect, which can manifest as criticism of our self and others—we develop perfectionist tendencies and criticize others in an attempt to find value in ourselves.

Lungs: The Official Who Receives Pure Chi from the Heavens Of all the Officials, the lung is perhaps the most vital in establishing and sustaining the spirit. By taking in the pure chi from the heavens, it brings the guidance, inspiration, and the authority which our lives need. Professor J. R. Worsley

The lung is the yin organ of the metal/air element. On a physical level, the lungs receive blood from the heart and oxygenate it. The oxygenated blood is fed back to the heart and then distributed to every cell in the body. Oxygen-rich blood is necessary fuel for cells. Therefore, as we discussed in chapter 4, oxygen—air—is the number one superfood for our body. Without it, we could not survive. When it is lacking, we suffer fatigue and ill health. In fact, it has been proven that cells that are deprived of sufficient oxygen can mutate and become cancerous.1 As we breathe, so do our cells, as individual units. Inhaling carries oxygen to the cells, while exhaling eliminates carbon dioxide and other acidic gases from the blood and lymphatic system. Habitual shallow breathing will, over time, weaken our lungs and deplete our vital energy, so that we end up feeling toxic, disconnected, and dull and our cells suffer from oxygen starvation. Breathing deeply, on the other hand, promotes optimal cellular detoxification and brings vital life energy to the cells, nerves, muscles, and bones. Healthy oxygenation of the tissues helps muscles appropriately contract and relax, nerves fire harmoniously, and the autonomic nervous system function intelligently—all supporting a coordinated integration of the body and mind. The lungs are called the “receivers of pure chi from the heavens.” With each breath, our lungs take in a piece of heavenly energy. The heavenly chi enhances the quality of

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our lives by giving us the capacity to be present in the moment. When our breath is tight or shallow, it generally means that our mind is occupied with the past or anxious about the future. When our breath is full and flowing, it’s much easier to be present, appreciate the moment, and flow with change. This is why breathing practices, known as pranayama, are of such great importance in yoga. So much can be accomplished with good breathing. Expanding lung capacity through exercise and learning to breathe properly are among the most significant things we can do to improve our health. The benefits are far reaching, impacting not only our lungs and cardiovascular system but also the mind and nervous system. In fact, as we mentioned in chapter 4, The Framingham Heart Study found that the number one marker for longevity was lung capacity.2 Lung chi governs an aspect of the immune system known as wei chi or defensive chi, which protects us from pathogenic factors such as viruses and bacteria. Lung chi also helps disperse fluids throughout the body, preventing fluid retention and edema. Weak lungs can lead to congestive heart failure and fluid around the heart.

Large Intestine: The Official of Drainage and Dregs

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The constipation of the Spirit holds people firmly in place when they need to move on and develop.


The large intestine is the yang organ of the metal element. It maintains the health of our body, mind, and soul by eliminating waste, stagnation, and pollution. Physically, it receives debris and fiber not absorbed in the small intestine and passes this waste out of the body through the rectum. Though our macronutrients are digested and absorbed in the small intestine, many important trace minerals and prana/chi are absorbed in the large intestine. Energetically, it does the same for the mind and spirit, allowing them to let go of negative patterns and then to receive and renew new energy. “Out with the old and in with the new” is the slogan for a healthy large intestine. We can become constipated in body, mind, or spirit. In fact, physical constipation can indicate difficulty in letting go on various levels. (It is also very uncomfortable and certainly interferes with being present.) Sayings such as “I feel like shit” often relate to imbalance in the metal element and large intestine—when a part of us, physically or mentally, is holding on to negativity. We can improve our elimination with a healthy diet, plenty of water, herbs, and fiber from real food, allowing both our body and mind to become lighter and clearer. The large intestine is analogous to the trash collector. When trash is put into bins

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but not properly removed, it backs up and eventually overflows. In the backed-up body, bacteria, parasites, and yeast overgrowth often manifest. Our bowels become sluggish, and toxins linger and can be reabsorbed into our bloodstream. This puts stress on the liver and blood, and eventually that toxic influence spreads to other areas of our body, contributing to pain, food sensitivities, leaky gut, brain fog, and disease. It is important to note that 70 to 80 percent of our lymphatic immune tissue resides around the intestines. This is why a healthy intestinal ecology is so essential, and why imbalance in the metal element and large intestine can wreak such havoc. A healthy inner intestinal ecology serves to:

Support the immunity of our entire body Aid in digestion Produce essential nutrients Control yeast population Manage cholesterol Decrease inflammation Promote healthy elimination Support healthy intestinal tight junctions

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Metal’s organs—the lungs and large intestine—work together to support a healthy body, mind, and soul. Metaphorically, and in reality, we breathe in inspiration through the lungs and let go of that which is toxic or no longer useful through the large intestine.

The Skin: A Metal Tissue The skin is considered to be an outer lung, which is why it falls under the scope of the metal element. Like the lungs in our chest, it breathes by taking in oxygen. It is also a protective layer and our first line of defense against injury and pathogens. It is a major organ of detoxification that eliminates hundreds of toxins through its sweat glands. And it is our largest sense organ, being related to touch, and has receptors that communicate with the central nervous system. The natural oils secreted on the skin serve an important role in maintaining optimal body moisture, absorbing vitamin D, and supporting immunity with an array of beneficial bacteria. Our modern culture tends to be a bit clean crazy. However, there is really no benefit in scrubbing our entire body with soap. In fact, overwashing removes those precious beneficial bacteria and the natural oils that trap vitamin D. When UVB rays contact these natural oils, they convert into vitamin D. However, it can take up to fortyeight hours for that vitamin D to pass through the skin and enter our bloodstream.

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Showering and especially soaping up immediately after sun exposure literally washes away the vitamin D formed by our skin! So many people are vitamin D deficient, and this is an important reason why. TLC advice is to use soap only where you need it—on “the holy triangle” of the armpits and genitals. For the rest of the body, rinsing with water is generally water sufficient. Skin and Chi

Skin is the perfect medium for chi, or bioelectric energy. This is what makes acupuncture so effective. The skin hosts thousands of acu-points—points with high electrical conductivity that can biologically transmute chi from both within and without the body. These points direct chi to specific meridians (energy channels), tissues, organs, and glands and make it available for use. A scar on the skin can interrupt the flow of chi, eventually causing disruptions in the energy flows (the meridians) of the body. These disruptions can lead to a deficiency of chi in an organ or gland, which can manifest physically as, for example, low thyroid and adrenal function, or as referred pain in apparently random parts of the body. Rubbing a scar twice daily with high-quality sesame oil or wheat germ oil can significantly diminish its size, stiffness, and appearance. More importantly, it can rectify blocked energy flows on the meridians due to scar interference by improving chi flow through the scar. Doing so supports optimal energy flow to the related organs and tissues of our body.

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Skin and Detoxification

Dry brushing, saunas, and far infrared technologies, such as the Amethyst BioMat, support healthy detoxification through our skin. Both stimulation and deep heat increase circulation and activate the lymphatic system, supporting the release of toxins and acid waste through our sweat, which takes some of the burden off the kidneys. No cleanse is complete without supporting detoxification through our skin. Skin conditions such as eczema are often related to food sensitivity. The body does its best to eliminate the improperly digested foods, using skin as one of its elimination pathways. Acidic substances released from the skin can cause irritation. If the offending food or toxin is continually ingested, a chronic condition will often manifest. Allopathic approaches, like using steroidal creams, suppress the skin’s immune system and cause the irritation to diminish. This temporary solution may suppress the symptoms but can drive the problem deeper within the body. I’ve worked with many patients who had eczema as babies and were given hydrocortisone creams to help relieve their symptoms of itching and redness. This was done instead of changing

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the child’s diet and supporting the immune system. In numerous cases, these people developed asthma as teens. It’s a classic example of the fact that consistently suppressing a superficial symptom can cause more serious symptoms to eventually develop. In this case, the suppressed skin—the outer lung—manifested in the future as a serious lung problem. Skin and Healing Touch

The metal element is related to the sense of touch, energetic connection, and quality of life. How we touch and how we are touched meaningfully impacts the experiential quality of our lives. Touching those in our lives with high-quality attention channels the quality of preciousness right into the moment. This relates to any kind of touch, whether it is sexual or not. Massage, or healing touch, is a perfect metaphor for the metal element. When we are touched in a mindful, nurturing way, our breathing expands as we relax. Simultaneously, we find it easy to exhale, get present, and let go of stressful thoughts and emotions that no longer serve us. Even a momentary kind touch can do wonders. In fact, it can change the quality of someone’s entire day for the better.

For Review Only The Water Element: Kidneys and Bladder

Water is the primary component of our blood, the primary component of all the body cells, and the only means by which anything can flow and move in the body. Without a good supply of water none of the Officials [organ and energetic systems] can function at all. This whole system of medicine is based on the quality and strength of the flows of energy, and without water none of the cycles and rhythms of these flows could be maintained. Professor J. R. Worsley

When the water element is out of balance, we can feel tired or depleted during the times when it is dominant: in the winter and between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. We often crave afternoon siestas! When we feel weak or tired, we tend to feel more vulnerable. Water, out of balance for an extended time, causes anxiety and fear to firmly take hold. On the other hand, if our water element is strong, we may feel energetic, strongwilled, and courageous, especially in the winter and between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

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The water element corresponds to a full spectrum of emotions arcing from frozen fear to profound courage. Depending on the condition of our water element, we will walk through life in very different ways. Imbalanced water can cause feelings of terror or frozen fear. This causes us to become stuck, stubborn, and unable to flow with, and trust, life. When water is balanced, we are quite comfortable and capable of being present with the unknowns in life, having courage and being able to take appropriate risks while having a healthy relationship with fear. The Chinese describe fear as being in the presence of the unknown. When in the presence of the unknown, some people respond with meekness, fear, suspicion, or paranoia, while others respond with trust, courage, and humility. How we tend to respond tells us a lot about the state of our water element. Innumerable manifestations of water in nature also manifest in us. Our water can be like the deep blue ocean, a frozen lake, a polluted and stagnant swamp, or a beautiful flowing river. Water can manifest within as a tsunami wave or a placid lake early in the morning, with barely a ripple. It all depends on the state of our water element. Water is the source of fluidity in our body. Watery secretions are the media for transporting all physiological functions, from cellular communication and detoxification to the electrical synapses in the brain, which carry neurotransmitters to their appropriate destinations. The water element also supports optimal joint lubrication, digestive secretions, our capacity to taste, and brain function.

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The Kidneys: The Official Who Controls the Waterways The Kidney is the storehouse of the ancestral energy which is passed to each person by their parents. . . . It is the seed of life passed from one generation to the succeeding one. . . . The storehouse is not just physical energy. When we talk of drawing on our reserves, this may be because of some physical task for which we need extra energy, but more often than not it is a mental or emotional challenge which requires all the energy which we can muster. Beyond these there are the spiritual struggles which people undertake on the path to truth, and the immense importance of a good reserve there. When the path of the Dao is hard it is this store (ancestral Kidney Qi) which is the foundation of eventual success. Professor J. R. Worsley

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The kidneys have many functions. They serve to:

Excrete metabolic waste Maintain mineral balance Maintain acid/alkaline balance Clear acid waste Filter blood Help maintain optimal blood pressure The adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys, also correspond to the water element. They regulate stress hormones, supporting our ability to handle stress and the challenges of life with energy, skill, courage, and willpower. When the adrenals are depleted, we tend to respond to life with fear, anxiety, and avoidance. Kidney chi supports our physical growth and development when we are young, our capacity to be skillfully productive, enjoy life, and fulfill responsibilities during our middle years, and our capacity for wisdom during our elderly years. Kidney chi also determines our reproductive capacity. The inability to conceive generally indicates depleted kidney chi in the mother or father. Kidney chi stores ancestral chi, which is the potential energy supply that we are born with. It is the energetic inheritance of chi that is passed on from the parents to the child. When we need to access energy beyond that which we create from food, air, and water, we rely on our ancestral chi—the essential reserves of our physical, mental, and spiritual energy. Ancestral chi stems from the quality of chi and consciousness of both the mother and father at the time of conception. For this reason, ancient Chinese and Indian cultures gave great importance to cultivating a healthy and elevated consciousness prior to attempting to conceive a child. The season and time of day also influences the ancestral chi of the child.

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Bladder: The Official in Charge of the Storage of Water Once we recognize the immense importance of the reserves and fluidity this Official provides for the body it is not difficult to begin to understand its importance for our mind and our spirit. Many of the words which we associate with the Water Element, such as endurance, ambition and determination, are founded on the ability

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to have and to maintain an inner reservoir upon which everything else we do depends. By providing this on all levels the Bladder is the source of our deepest reserves and strength. Professor J. R. Worsley

On a physical level, the bladder simply stores and eliminates urine. However, the bladder decides when to store and when to release. This is due to the intelligence of bladder chi. Imbalances can lead to dehydration or edema. Energetically, the bladder stores vital chi and determines when to store, utilize, or release chi for the entire body, mind, and soul. There are foods, nutrients, and herbs that benefit the water element, which includes the bladder and kidneys as well as the adrenal glands. They nourish these organs and support energy, will power, and endurance. They include:

Ashwagandha Cordyceps Ginseng Rehmannia Rhodiola Aduki beans Kidney beans

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Energetically, the most important thing we can do to support the chi of our water element is to take time every day to go within and cultivate strong internal energy through meditation, yoga, tai chi, qigong, and other internally focused exercises.

The Ears In Chinese medicine, the ears are seen as the external manifestation of the kidneys as they actually shaped like the kidneys. According to Chinese medicine, loss of hearing is often related to low kidney chi. When we listen deeply—when we really hear and feel the essence of what is being said, sung, or played—we nourish the water element within and bring balance and healing to our kidney chi. Listening deeply, without thinking of a response while another is speaking, is healing for ourselves, the speaker, and our relationships as well. Therefore, practicing the art of deep listening is very nourishing for the kidneys and the water element. Sometimes, listening deeply and allowing momentary gaps of silence during our conversations stimulates fear. In this formless space, we are challenged to flow, to go

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beyond our false ego and be in the presence of the unknown. When we allow the flow of life to move through us, guiding us with its inherent wisdom, support, and love, optimal cleansing of the water element occurs.

The Wood Element: Liver and Gallbladder The Chinese regarded the tendons and sinews as a physical manifestation of Wood. . . . There is a very strong connection between the Wood Element and eyes, the faculty of vision. This has not only to do with the physical eye, but the mental eye and the spirit eye. . . . The Wood Element gives our spirit hope, vision and the potential of growth. It is through the Wood Element that our spirit has the power to grow and rise to new levels. Professor J. R. Worsley

Wood and its corresponding organs relate with our sense of identity, enabling the healthy assertion of the self. When wood is imbalanced, self-assertion can manifest as anger, frustration, or, when lacking, timidity. On the positive side, wood manifests as creativity, hope, new ideas, and positive actions. Spring and its quality of new beginnings and rebirth is a manifestation of wood. Wood also gives us the power of planning and decision making, potencies of the liver and gallbladder, respectively. Metaphorically, a healthy wood element has been compared to a willow tree. It is deeply rooted, with branches that reach toward the heavens. It is strong, but flexible enough to bend with the winds of change. The blueprint of the tree dwells in the seed itself. As it grows, it makes decisions each day, branching toward the sun and rooting deep into the earth, avoiding obstacles along the way. Similarly, a healthy wood element within helps give us vision for our lives, capacity for forward movement, and an ability to make the best decisions to fulfill our goals.

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The Liver: The Official in Charge of Planning Nowhere is the inner plan more important, however, than in the spirit of each person. To have a sense of purpose and to be able to grow and develop in this part of our lives is the foundation of some

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of our most cherished ideals . . . we are able to set aside of some of the short-term distractions around us and aim for the ends which are the most fulfilling for our inner essence and being. Professor J. R. Worsley

The liver is the yin organ of the wood element. Energetically, it empowers us to plan and envision our lives. Liver chi is responsible for the smooth flow of chi in the body, mind, and soul. When liver chi is stagnant, there will be problems with the woody structures of the body, such as tendons and ligaments, manifesting as weak tendons, muscle spasms, and lack of flexibility. The liver also supports the smooth and efficient flow of digestion and harmonizes the digestive organs. Emotionally, stagnant liver chi manifests as anger, irritability, frustration, and depression. The liver corresponds to our eyes and vision. On the mental plane, it functions as our inner visionary, helping us to see the big picture of our lives with clarity. If our liver is weak, stagnant, or toxic, our tendency will be to become aimless hopeless. We may have tunnel vision or, conversely, live by blind faith. This is common with those who have damaged their livers due to overuse and addiction to drugs. The archetype of a “pothead” embodies someone who has a stagnant liver: he or she lacks vision, can’t plan, feels hopeless, and has difficulty making decisions. Both our physical and inner eyes often improve during the Total Life Cleanse as the toxic burden on the liver is reduced. The liver embodies our powers of creation in its capacity to transform nutrients into tissues. Nutrition absorbed in the small intestine is sent to our liver via the hepatic portal vein. Once in the liver, the nutrients are suitably transformed and sent to the heart, which then pumps nutrition-rich blood to feed all the cells of our body. It’s impossible to overstate the liver’s influence on our health and longevity. It is such an important organ that it has the greatest self-renewing capacity of all our organs. It’s responsible for hundreds of bodily functions. Among them, it:

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Processes nutrients from the food we eat Creates numerous enzymes essential for blood clotting and immunity Detoxifies chemicals and drugs Creates bile, which helps us digest fat and lubricates the intestines Stores and manages glucose Secretes stored sugar to support muscle and brain function Stores amino acids, minerals, and vitamins Creates and manages cholesterol

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The Total Life Cleanse is effective for long-term weight loss and management because it so strongly supports the liver, and weight management is dependent on a well-functioning liver. Weight-loss programs often backfire because they do not address a sluggish or toxic liver. Detoxification

The liver regulates blood flow and purifies the blood through two major phases of liver detoxification. In phase one, the liver breaks toxins down into smaller parts known as metabolites, which tend to be more toxic than the original substance. Phase two conjugates the broken-down substances, converting them into a water-soluble form that is easily excreted and carried out via the bile. Ideally, we want both phases to work efficiently. A well-working phase one pathway releases a lot of metabolites, which then need to be removed via phase two detox. If phase two doesn’t function properly, harmful toxins will remain in the body, potentially damaging cells and tissues. Foods and spices that support both phases of liver detox are:

Cabbage Broccoli Brussels sprouts Leafy greens Beets Turmeric

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Hormone Detoxification

One of the liver’s primary functions is to break down fat-soluble substances into watersoluble substances so that they can be effectively eliminated. Hormones are fat-soluble, and they are among the substances that the liver must make water-soluble in order for them to be excreted. The main hormone detoxification pathway in the liver is called glucuronidation (after glucuronic acid, a derivative of glucose that is involved in the process). When the liver is not functioning at its best, glucuronidation will be incomplete. This means that hormones such as estrogen, cortisol, insulin, and testosterone will not be cleared efficiently, which can have serious health consequences. Some of these include:

Breast and uterine fibroids Cancer

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PMS Cyclical mood swings Irregular cell formation Menopausal issues Enlarged prostate Chinese medicine describes the cause of these all-too-common conditions as stagnant liver chi and excess heat due to internal or external pathogens. The liver has to work harder just before a woman’s menstrual cycle due to the fact that more hormones need to be cleared. This is why women often feel emotional before their period. We have seen wonderful changes in this area for women during and after the cleanse. Not only do their cycles regulate, but also their mood and premenstrual symptoms significantly improve. Men also notice improved urine flow and a healthier libido. A happy liver means a vibrant and upbeat mood!

The Gallbladder: The Official in Charge of Decision Making and Judgment

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The better the health of our gallbladder the clearer our thoughts and thought processes will be. . . . No plan is without fault and not every aim is worth valuing. The gallbladder alone is able to bring a wonderful power of judgment to the body, mind and spirit to evaluate the worth of the goals which we set ourselves. Professor J. R. Worsley

The gallbladder is the yang organ of the wood element. Physically, it stores bile and releases it when we eat fat. Bile hydrolyzes (makes water soluble) fat and other toxins. The hydrolyzed fat can be used immediately or stored for later use. Bile carries the hydrolyzed toxins to the large intestine to be eliminated. It also lubricates the intestines, supporting healthy and smooth elimination. Energetically, the gallbladder is responsible for decision making. Ideally it works in conjunction with the liver: the liver “plans” and the gallbladder “decides” in order to achieve the plan. Gallbladder energy, therefore, governs our ability to make decisions, be decisive, and make sound judgments. On the positive side, the gallbladder gives us:

Decisiveness Flexibility

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A sense of justice Creativity (every decision is a form of creativity) Determination Courage It takes courage to make a decision. When we say that someone “has a lot of gall,” we are referring to their gallbladder energy. Though having gall can sometimes have a negative connotation, it certainly indicates courage or decisiveness in action. On the negative side, an imbalanced gallbladder may cause bad decisions due to impulsivity and not clearly “seeing” the whole picture. A severely imbalanced gallbladder can mean we are unable to make decisions at all. In this case, we have so little gall or courage that even small decisions seem tortuous. We experience hopelessness, ambivalence, and procrastination, which can often result in feelings of inadequacy.

The Wood Element and Cleansing It is vitally important for the wood element, liver, and gallbladder to function at their best. Seasonal cleansing, especially in the spring, is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy wood element. Before the lightness and joy of cleansing emerges, negative emotions that have been stored or repressed in the liver are released. For this reason, people sometimes get a little irritable, edgy, or depressed at a certain stage of the cleanse. One participant described his experience as feeling like a bad day in high school—he was depressed, irritable, and angry. Usually, this flood of negative emotions passes quickly. The enthusiasm that wood and liver chi offers soon emerges, bringing new hope, vision, and clarity.

For Review Only Linda and Suzanne’s Story: Having a Liver Moment

In our first cleanse program, we had a couple who completed it together: Linda and Suzanne. When it came time to do the liver flush, they followed the instructions enthusiastically. We warned the group about the possibility of experiencing feelings of irritability. At the next class, both women looked fantastic. During our check-in, Linda explained that, early in the week, they had been bickering constantly. Finally Suzanne remembered what we had said about the liver flush and irritability. From that moment on, they both became more forgiving of each other and ended up having a great rest of the week. They coined an apt

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phrase, “I am having a liver moment,” one that we have used often over the years, indicating the anger that can arise when we cleanse the liver. The entire class appreciated their humor and openness. Anger can be healing, especially when it is expressed in healthy ways, in a safe space, like in the context of the cleanse. To this day, I still tell this story and encourage cleansers to use the “I am having a liver moment” phrase when they feel the energetic healing rush of cleansing anger arise.

The Fire Element: Heart and Small Intestine The love and joy, which are an expression of the Fire Element in us, are two of the greatest gifts it is possible to receive. . . . The love which we receive from the Fire Element bathes every part of our lives. It fires our spirit and gives us an inner communion with God’s love, allowing us to share in the spirit which pervades everything in the universe.

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Energetically, fire gives us the capacity for joy, pleasure, and relating with others with an open heart. Fire enriches us, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, with inner warmth—it is the sun of our inner being. When our fire is healthy, we have access to inner light and joy, and our warmth radiates from deep within. Healthy fire supports mature love and vulnerability in our relationships. Lack of fire appears as depression or sadness and a lack of joy and warmth. When our fire is low, we may find ourselves “looking for love in all the wrong places”—trying to find the warmth we crave somewhere outside ourselves because we cannot find it within.

The Heart: The Supreme Controller The Heart is the bringer of joy, a giver of love, and a home for the spirit, and yet has to control this kingdom with only these resources. . . . Like a leader of a harmonious kingdom the only evidence of the Heart’s presence is the joy and love which abounds between and among this Official’s subjects. Professor J. R. Worsley

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The heart in Chinese medicine is the emperor—the ruler of the body, mind, and soul. The heart’s nature is to unconditionally give of itself. On a physical level, it unconditionally pumps blood and oxygen, the essences distilled from food, air, and water, and nourishes each and every cell up until our very last breath. Energetically, the heart radiates love, warmth, compassion, and strength. With insult or injury to the heart on any level, though, the heart’s unconditional loving nature can become wounded. The Physical Heart

The heart pumps more than a gallon of blood each minute, more or less, depending on oxygen needs and lung capacity. The surface area of the cardiovascular system is about sixty thousand square feet—about one and a half football fields! The heart muscle pumps blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen. The oxygenated blood then flows back to the heart, which pumps it out to the entire body. The blood flows through the capillaries to nourish the body’s trillions of cells. Once the blood releases its oxygen and nutrients, CO2-filled blood is forced back to the heart via the veins. This blood is then sent to the lungs, where the CO2 waste is extracted from the blood and excreted through exhalation. Poor breathing forces the heart to beat more frequently (work harder) in order to feed our cells sufficient oxygen. Ayurveda says that we each have a determined amount of breaths and heartbeats in life—efficiency is important. A TLC-friendly, plant-based diet supports a strong heart, peak cellular nutrition, and high oxygenation capacity. This diet, along with good breathing habits, will help us maintain the health of our heart and conserve its precious energy.

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Curing Diseases of the Heart

Of the 18 members in the study, eleven of them had their hearts x-rayed, and Dr. Esselstyn found that 70% of them had new openings in their clogged arteries. This is absolutely astounding data since these patients did not take any medicine and simply followed a healthy [plant based, low fat] diet. Vegan Nutritionista, discussing the work of cardiologist Cauldwell Esselstyn

Heart disease, followed closely by cancer, is the number one cause of death in the United States today,3 and for many reasons:

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Poor diet Smoking Obesity Mental/emotional stress, including shock Lack of exercise Poor lung capacity Lack of love (for self and others) Congenital conditions Cardio means heart, and vascular means the vessels that carry blood. Cardiovascular disease includes anything that goes wrong with the heart, as an organ, as well as the vessels that carry blood. Cardiovascular heart disease can be prevented, and even reversed, through a heart-healthy diet along with incorporating beneficial lifestyle practices. It’s taking quite a while for conventional medicine to accept this fact. However, the data is in. Most conventional doctors lack nutritional knowledge and experience in using diet and lifestyle to reverse cardiovascular disease. They also tend to underestimate the will of their patients to make the changes they need to in order to survive and thrive. There are times when surgery may be essential. However, significant dietary changes, including the adoption of a whole-foods plant-based diet, is the most important action we can take for preventing and reversing heart disease.4

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Small Intestine: The Separator of the Pure from the Impure We can get some idea of the Separator’s [small intestine] health from the way this Official manifests in mind and in spirit. Just as our food is more often than not contaminated, so is the food that we take into our mind and thoughts . . . there is more filth and garbage to foul our eyes, our ears and our thoughts than ever before. . . . It is only by the Separator’s function that we can extract what we need from this untidy mess. Professor J. R. Worsley

The small intestine separates the pure from the impure.” This sorting occurs on all levels of the body, mind, and soul. On a physical level, it sorts the nutrients from the nonnutrients and toxins, absorbing nutrients and passing on the rest to the large intestine to be eliminated. On a subtle level, small intestine chi sorts the “foods” we take into

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our mind and thoughts, discerning whether they will or will not bring joy to our heart, mind, and spirit. Small intestine chi protects the energy of the heart. It is the part of us that discriminates between the beneficial and the toxic, whether we are talking about thoughts, people, places, things, media, or sensory impressions. A healthy small intestine absorbs those things that are nourishing and lets the rest pass through. Doing so helps us maintain our health in body, mind, and soul, supporting the unconditional rulership of the heart. Digestive problems are common these days. One reason is that the small intestine has heightened responsibilities. It must eke out available nutrients (if any) from junk food and, on a subtle level, “nutrients” or beneficial bytes of information coming from television, internet, cell phones, music, advertising, scenery, relationships, conversations, and so on. All informational and sensory input has to be sorted by our small intestine chi. Much of it is like junk food—stressing our small intestine on a subtle level, and translating into physical symptoms and disease. The small intestinehas a strong correlation with our brain; in fact it is sometimes called our second brain. Constant sorting is a daunting task, and the small intestine can be overwhelmed by sorting out so many things at once. In fact, the feeling many people have of being overwhelmed by life can be due to imbalanced small intestine energy. If the onslaught exists for extended periods of time, brain function can significantly diminish, and disorders such as indigestion, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), clinical anxiety, and depression can occur. The small intestine also plays an important role in our immune system. It contains Peyer’s patches, which are small masses of lymphatic tissue that monitor bacteria in the gut, protecting it from unhealthy bacterial overgrowth while maintaining the healthy bacteria. When the small intestine is overwhelmed, its immune capacity weakens, leading to an overgrowth of harmful levels of bacteria. SIBO occurs when bacteria from the large intestine push backward into the small intestine, causing tremendous discomfort, bloating, and ongoing digestive problems. The Total Life Cleanse removes the burden on the entire digestive system, including the small intestine. By eating healthy foods (nutritious, easy to digest, and high in probiotics), avoiding inflammatory foods and common food allergens, eating consciously, eliminating modern wheat and GMOs, simplifying our lives, minimizing our exposure to media, and performing breathing practices, we can reduce and often eliminate so many digestive, heart, and anxiety-related symptoms. The small intestine is the link between diet, sensory overload, love, and happiness. By healing the small intestine, we heal the body, mind, and the heart!

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Earth Element: Stomach, Spleen, and Pancreas The Element Earth is our connection with mother Earth herself. From her we receive our physical nourishment which, along with the air from the heavens, is the only way that we can replenish and revitalize the Qi energy with which we are born. We also receive from her the mental and spiritual nourishment which gives us the feeling of stability and security, the center and equilibrium on which our whole lives are founded. Professor J. R. Worsley

The earth element gives structure, strength, and substance to our lives. It allows for the nourishment of body, mind, and soul. Without it, we’d have little grounding, kindness, and sweetness in life. Nature herself reflects the energies of earth during the late summer. Typically, this is a time when the trees and gardens are brimming with tasty, ripe fruits and vegetables.

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The Stomach: The Official of Rotting and Ripening of Food and Drink

Taking in food for our mind and spirit is every bit as powerful an anchor for us as the physical food which we eat.


On a physical level, the stomach receives food, secretes enzymes (such as hydrochloric acid and pepsin), and churns the food into a ball known as a bolus. Stomach chi (agni, or digestive fire) is descending. When it is healthy, it sends the churned food downward toward the small intestine. If stomach chi is weak, disturbed, or “rebellious,” it may instead send it upward, causing acid reflux or vomiting. In the same way that the stomach receives and churns food, stomach chi also receives and churns all input and experiences from our senses, mind, and intellect. This explains, for example, why you may sometimes feel nauseous when you have an experience that is emotionally upsetting. When stomach chi is deficient, we may have indigestion, acid reflux, nausea, ulcers, or bloating. On a mental and spiritual level, we may develop an inability or excessive need to receive sympathy, love, and compassion. Imbalanced stomach chi will cause a tendency toward circular thinking, rumination, obsession, overanalyzing, and worry, never coming to a conclusion about anything. Healthy stomach chi

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gives us the ability to think clearly and to give and receive nourishment, sympathy, and compassion.

Spleen and Pancreas: The Official of Transportation and Distribution The task of getting the Qi energy to where it is needed falls on the Spleen Official. . . . The responsibility for movement extends to the mind and spirit as well. . . . This power to move and to flow comes from the Spleen Official. . . . The Spleen’s ability to transport and distribute the nourishment from the Stomach Official is our only means of receiving the warmth and love of Mother Earth in every part of our spirit. Between them they are the only means of replenishing and revitalizing the whole of the body, mind and spirit from the moment we are born to the moment we die. Professor J. R. Worsley

In Chinese medicine the spleen and pancreas share the same element, so they are often spoken of simultaneously. Though it may appear that Western and Eastern perspectives on their functions differ, when we look deeply, we can see that while they are described in different ways, energetically they actually have similar functions. The spleen is a large lymphatic organ that helps clean the blood and support the immune system. It handles unhealthy bacteria and toxins in the blood and lymphatic tissues. It also assimilates any dying red blood cells after their life span is over. Once the blood is broken down, the liver then recycles the components of the red blood cells to make bile. The pancreas is an endocrine gland that plays a major role in sugar metabolism. Sugar enters the bloodstream after food is broken down in the small intestine or when the liver releases glycogen (stored sugar) in the form of glucose. When this occurs, the pancreas releases insulin. Insulin triggers receptor sites on the cell walls to open so that the sugar can enter. Once inside the cells, sugar, in the form of glucose, is used as fuel for energy. Sufficient insulin secretion helps maintain optimal blood sugar levels. In this way the pancreas helps bring energy, in the form of glucose, to all the cells of the body. This is similar to the Chinese perspective on the spleen, in that it “transports and distributes” chi to the entire body. The pancreas secretes the hormone glucagon when blood sugar dips too low. Glucagon stimulates the liver to release glycogen, which is transformed into glucose. Thus, there is a constant balancing act between these two hormones to keep blood sugar at ideal levels while feeding the cells sufficiently.

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From a Chinese energetic perspective, the spleen and pancreas prefer to be warm and slightly dry. Two foods in particular destroy their chi: refined sugar and dairy. This is because sugar and dairy embody the qualities of cold and damp, which oppose the qualities of warm and dry. The qualities of cold and damp slow the energetic distribution capacity of the spleen and pancreas and, when in excess, will cause us to feel heavy, congested, depressed, sluggish, dull, stiff, puffy, and weak. Excess dampness can also be the cause of:

Lung problems Loose bowels Nausea Fibroids Tumors Cysts For many, avoiding dairy and sugar brings about dramatic health benefits, which is why we eliminate them during the Total Life Cleanse and why many people continue to avoid them afterward. The pancreas also creates and secretes both digestive and systemic enzymes. Most digestive enzymes are sent from the pancreas to the small intestine to help break down food. Systemic enzymes assist in every cellular and metabolic function of the body. Supplementing with digestive enzymes or herbs that support digestion can relieve some burden from the pancreas. More importantly, eating a clean and nourishing diet, with moderate amounts of raw and fermented vegetables, which are good sources of enzymes and healthy bacteria, is most beneficial. There is a saying: “As above, so below.” When the liver, gallbladder, stomach, pancreas, and spleen (the above organs) are functioning well, so will the small intestine and large intestine (the below organs), leading to healthy digestion and regular elimination.

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Sugar and Sugar Metabolism Insulin’s primary job is to transport glucose (sugar) from our blood across the cell membranes and into our cells. Once inside the cells, the glucose can be used for energy. All foods are ultimately converted into glucose. An increase of sugar in the bloodstream stimulates the release of more insulin. Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels can be challenging due to our modern lifestyle, with its surfeit of refined sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, refined carbohydrates,

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and other low-quality, high-sugar foods. Many Americans get 25 percent of their calories from sugar! Yet eating sugar aggravates every disease. In fact, over the course of a fifteen-year study on heart disease, participants who took in 25 percent or more of their daily calories from sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who got less than 10 percent of their calories from sugar.5 Abusing sugar overworks the pancreas, as it has to constantly balance sugar levels by juggling glucagon and insulin. Excess insulin eventually irritates the cell walls, perpetuating the condition known as insulin resistance—a condition in which the cell walls become insensitive to insulin. The pancreas responds to insensitive cells by releasing more insulin to force the sugar into the cells that desperately need it. This condition can lead to type 2 diabetes. Eventually the pancreas may wear out and its functioning may become severely debilitated—and then taking insulin is required. Note that excess animal protein can stimulate as much insulin release as carbohydrates do. One function of insulin is to send the amino acids from proteins into tissues and lean muscles, so eating a high-protein meal stimulates the release of a lot of insulin. A depleted pancreas, insuline-resistant cells, and high blood sugar levels are a recipe for diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Even moderately high blood sugar levels—over 100 mg/dl (that’s milligrams per deciliter) first thing in the morning—cause inflammation which is linked to almost every disease. High blood sugar also causes cholesterol to oxidize. This is the reason why high cholesterol can be dangerous—it’s not so much cholesterol numbers that matter but the quality of cholesterol. Eating a TLC-friendly diet for life is one of the most effective ways to keep blood sugar and cholesterol healthy. Eating a diet full of refined sugar, refined carbohydrates, excess protein, and bad fats is clearly the best way to lead to our early demise.

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Not Enough Sweet in Life? Modern living tends to disconnect us from Earth energies—many people rarely even touch the Earth with the bottom of their feet for months and years at a time! We also are constantly exposed to frequencies from wireless technologies, which are out of harmony with the Earth’s natural frequency. A constant craving for sugar indicates that our earth element is out of balance. Earth energy gives us sweetness within and helps us taste the sweetness of life without. When our lives lack nourishing qualities like kindness, sweetness, sympathy, compassion, and mother energy, we tend to seek these qualities outside ourselves—in sweet foods and needy relationships. Sugar is highly addictive. It can even distract us from the real gifts that earth energy offers. Sugar releases the “feel good” brain chemicals dopamine and

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serotonin. Sugar also weakens the immune system, making us more vulnerable to fungal, viral, and bacterial infections. Add antibiotics to the picture and we have a perfect recipe for candida and yeast overgrowth. Candida naturally exists in the small intestine. Its beneficial function protects us from releasing too much sugar into the bloodstream and traps heavy metals that have been released into the gut. However, sugar feeds candida, which can cause its overgrowth, leading to secondary immune challenges. Candida begins to grow like a weed . It can spread to our blood and various tissues in the body, stressing the organs, glands, and immune system. Eventually, a vicious cycle begins. As they grow and spread, candida and its by-products trigger sugar cravings, which leads to further candida growth, keeping the entire cycle alive while it interferes with our quality of life. Candida overgrowth can cause annoying symptoms such as:

Yeast infection Itchy skin and bodily orifices Foggy brain Low mood Fatigue Irritability Leaky gut symptoms

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There is also strong evidence that sugar promotes cancer—sustained high blood sugar levels increase the likelihood of developing and promoting cancer cell growth.6 Sugar may give us a burst of energy, but soon after, when blood sugar levels drop, we experience fatigue, low mood, immune system vulnerability, weakness, and irritability, causing us to again crave sugar—and so the addictive cycle continues. How many sugar addicts would be able to decrease or even eliminate their antidepressant medication if they simply removed refined sugar and corn syrup from their diets and ate according to the principles of TLC? From what we have seen, the numbers would be significant. It is time to get a handle on sugar before it destroys our lives and the lives of our children. We lovingly feed them poison. Better to love with naturally sweet fruits and, better yet, the sweetness of our hearts than with a harmful and addictive substance!

Hypoglycemia As we’ve discussed, when there is a surge of sugar in the blood, insulin is released, which then causes a drop in blood sugar. When blood sugar levels drop too much and stay there, we have what is known as hypoglycemia. Some key symptoms of hypoglycemia are:

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Craving sweets during the day Irritability or lightheadedness if meals are missed Dependence on coffee (or other stimulants) to keep up energy or to get started in the morning In advanced hypoglycemia, we can lose the ability to feel hunger, as the appetite centers in the brain can no longer function properly. We know that we need to eat only because we feel shaky and unable to think clearly, not due to normal hunger messages. There are two main causes of hypoglycemia. The first is depletion of the adrenal glands. The second (and most important) is diet and lifestyle.

Blood Sugar and the Adrenal Connection In the early stages of blood sugar imbalance, blood sugar levels constantly fluctuate— sometimes too high (hyperglycemia) and sometimes too low (hypoglycemia). When they drop, the adrenal glands secrete cortisol and stimulate the liver to release glycogen, which the body then transforms into glucose, the form of sugar that is usable by the cells. But of course the adrenal glands also manage our stress response, releasing cortisol in response to physical, mental, and emotional stress. As you might imagine, given today’s high levels of chronic stress and poor diet, our adrenals are often overworked. When this happens too frequently, over time our adrenal glands become depleted, otherwise known as adrenal fatigue. Some of the most common sources of adrenal fatigue are:

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Life stress Work stress Pain stress Financial stress Relationship stress Toxic stress (chemicals, heavy metals) Overexercise Lack of sleep Immune stress Disease Tragedy, grief, and loss Chronic dishonesty Chronic negative thinking and anxiety

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Too much caffeine Excessive sugar and refined carbohydrates This cycle is often the cause of interrupted sleep and insomnia. Low blood sugar at night causes our brain to need sugar (its fuel). In response, our adrenal glands activate and stimulate the liver to release sugar in order to feed our starving brain—waking us up in the process. Some of the symptoms of adrenal fatigue are:

Difficulty staying asleep Difficulty falling asleep Feeling sluggish upon awakening Afternoon fatigue Dizziness upon standing up quickly General exhaustion Salt cravings Weight issues Foggy thinking Depression Hair loss Loss of sexual drive Unstable body temperature Unstable blood sugar levels Premature aging

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Adrenal fatigue negatively affects our quality of life. Symptoms can range from mild to extreme and should not be taken lightly. The longer these symptoms persist, the more they will contribute to a variety of ongoing health problems. A healthy plant-based diet low in refined carbohydrates along with appropriate exercise, effective mental/emotional stress management, and potent adrenal-supportive herbs and nutrients (like rhodiola, ashwagandha, ginseng, eleuthero, schizandra, whole-food vitamin C, et cetera) can be extremely helpful in healing adrenal fatigue.

Insulin Resistance Type 1 diabetes is generally caused by genetic factors or a virus and usually begins early in life. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas is unable to sufficiently secrete insulin. Insulin resistance, the precursor to type 2 diabetes, is usually not due to a weak pancreas, but manifests

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from poor dietary and lifestyle practices. Due to its frequency in modern society it is an important concept to understand. Simply put, it happens when our cells become resistant to the effect of insulin. The pancreas produces insulin in response to increasing blood sugar levels; the insulin carries sugar (in the form of glucose) across cell walls and into the cells so that they can use it for energy. Insulin receptor sites on our cell walls become desensitized when they are constantly overstimulated by insulin, which happens when blood sugar levels are chronically high. When this occurs, glucose is unable to enter the cells efficiently. The key factors leading to insulin resistance are:

Overeating Eating foods high in sugar and bad fats Eating excess animal protein Mental/emotional stress Lack of exercise A high-sugar diet generates a lot of glucose in our bloodstream. If we exercise regularly, this may not initially be a problem, as exercise increases the cellular response to insulin. However, a lack of exercise, excessive stress, and a poor diet eventually cause our cells to become insulin resistant. Fatigue after meals is one of the most common indications of insulin resistance. A strong craving for sweets after meals and throughout the day is also common. Harmful extra blood sugar that is unable enter our cells needs to go somewhere. As a protective reaction, some of it gets attacked by free radicals, which can unfortunately destroy cell membranes, neurotransmitters, hormones, and nerve tissue, including brain tissue. Most of the remaining glucose converts into fat stored in the liver, known as triglycerides. Extra sugar also gets stored as body fat, especially around the waist. The next potential phase of blood sugar disease is diabetes, which occurs when pancreatic function collapses, most often due to excessive abuse. Diabetics often require insulin through injections or pumps in order to maintain a safe blood sugar level. TLC dietary and lifestyle practices, including exercise and eating a whole-foods plant-based diet (high in fiber, low to moderate in good fats, and low in refined carbohydrates), are extremely effective in preventing and healing from this life-altering and life-threatening disease.

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Consequences of High Insulin in Men and Women Insulin resistance forces the pancreas to work harder, constantly releasing extra insulin so that our cells can properly absorb the sugar in our blood. In males, insulin stimulates an

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enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone into a unusable form. Excess insulin in men also causes triggers the conversion of testosterone into estrogen. Combined with the abundance of environmental xenoestrogens, men are prematurely developing andropause, or a low testosterone-to-estrogen ratio. Andropause causes symptoms of low libido, low sperm count, depression, irritability, fatigue, prostate enlargement, and weight gain. Insulin stimulates an enzyme called 17,20-lyase, which converts the hormone DHEA into testosterone.7 A high testosterone-to-estrogen ratio in women can lead to symptoms like hair loss, mustache, fatigue, aggression, and depression. High insulin also causes the suppression of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which helps the eggs in women to mature. Suppressed FSH leads to varying degrees of infertility. Therefore, excess insulin due to stress, environmental estrogenic toxins, and a diet high in sugar, animal protein, and bad fats are the main causes of modern-day infertility. To sum it up, high insulin levels, due to insulin resistance, cause men to have lower “male” hormones and women to have lower “female” hormones—all because of stress, sugar, too much animal protein, and bad fat! All this points to the necessity of seasonal cleansing, at least twice a year.

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15 The Three Qualities of the Soul and of Nature There are three parts to the subtle body: false ego, mind, and intelligence. You, the soul, is inside the subtle body. Expanding from the soul and permeating the entire subtle and gross body is the consciousness. The material and spiritual impressions from your different births are left on the subtle body and consciousness. When you die, you carry them with your subtle body to the next gross body. In order to leave this cycle of traveling from one physical body to the next, you have to dissolve the subtle body, starting with the ahankara, or false ego. It is the false ego, which gives us a material mind and material intelligence to integrate with the material physical body and accomplish our material desires. When you dissolve the false ego, the material mind and material intelligence are also dissolved. What is underneath that is the you, the soul!

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Sripad Bhagavat Maharaja

FROM THE AYURVEDIC VIEWPOINT, the soul, or atma, is the real you—not an

esoteric concept but a reality. The existence of our soul is always taken into account in ayurvedic healing and diagnostics. Its conscious inclusion is essential for our physical and mental/emotional healing. Ayurveda explains that the soul is a nonmaterial particle that pervades and energizes our entire body. It is the source of our consciousness, intelligence, and mind. Its nature is love. The soul does not die when our body dies. It lives for a time in the 189

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astral realm before taking physical birth once again in a body based on the state of our consciousness.

The Three Qualities of the Soul Because we are spirit soul, our position is anandamaya. Anandamaya means always blissful. Because we are part and parcel of God. . . . God is blissful, all-good, sat-chit-ananda. . . . Sat means eternal, and chit means full of knowledge, and ananda means full of bliss. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

The soul has three essential qualities. They can also be thought of as soul powers. These soul qualities tend to be obscured, to varying degrees, by the three qualities of nature (explained below), the eight elements, and the five koshas. The experience, realization, and expression of our soul qualities are the intentions of yoga and ayurveda, and necessary for real health. These qualities are:

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Sat: The eternal or ever-present quality of the soul. Its power gives us the capacity to be fully present. It is the source of our essential life energy. Chit: The fully conscious and aware quality of the soul. Its power gives us the capacity for knowledge, awareness, and wisdom. It is pure light energy. Ananda: The fully blissful quality of the soul. Its power gives us the capacity to love and experience pure joy. It is pure love energy. Whenever we are very present and in the moment, the soul quality of sat is present. Whenever we are in contact with our deepest wisdom, the soul quality of chit is present. Whenever we are in contact with love and pure joy, the soul quality of ananda is present. The quality of sat (presence) is the foundation of chit and ananda. In other words, being present allows for the qualities of wisdom and bliss to emerge. Therefore, as the Vedas explain, our soul, or atma, is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. Our power to be present, to know, and to feel joy and love comes directly from our soul. Human beings have the unique capacity to fully realize these qualities and ourselves as eternal souls—part and parcel of God. The Healing Essence Total Life

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The Three Qualities of the Soul and of Nature 191

Cleanse helps cultivate an awareness of our soul qualities by eliminating the dietary, lifestyle, and mental/emotional obstacles that interfere. Soul qualities, hidden as they may be, exist equally in all beings. Manifestation of the soul qualities is dependent on our ability to fulfill our divine and Earthly dharma while we also cultivate an inner identification with them. Soul realization, however, is eclipsed by the degree to which we identify with the denser qualities of the eight elements and five koshas. Overidentification with the elements and koshas is due to false ego. Our false ego keeps us acutely interested in the material side of life but averse to our soul. The Vedas explain that this conditioning comes from the influence of the three qualities or modes of material nature, explained below. Cleansing can minimize the influence of material nature and elevate our ability to know and express our deepest soul essence. Doing so cultivates healing in our body, mind, and soul.

The Three Modes of Nature This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is very difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.

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Bhagavad Gita 7.14

According to yoga and ayurveda, nature consists of three subtle yet primal qualities or modes, called gunas in Sanskrit. The gunas underlie all of matter, mind, and consciousness, including people, food, objects, locations, communities, and so on. Guna means “that which binds.” When we do not understand and skillfully respond to the invisible yet powerful influence of the three modes, our minds become bound by them. By When we do understand the three modes, however, we can identify their influences on our mind, helping us to better know ourselves and supporting healthier choices. The three gunas are:

Sattva: goodness: truth, wisdom, balance; describes a good, bright, conscious, spiritually oriented mind Rajas: passion: energy, activity, imbalance; describes a passionate, active, creative mind Tamas: ignorance: stagnation, inertia; describes an ignorant, dull, resistant mind

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Everyone’s mind is uniquely influenced by a combination of the three modes. One mode tends to predominate while the other two cause its fluctuations. Our personal manifestation of the three modes is called our mental constitution, which can be adjusted through personal effort. The qualities or modes we most often associate with have the greatest influence on our state of mind and mental constitution. This is one of the greatest secrets of healing—we become that which we associate with. For example, for lasting well-being, we need a healthy dose of sattva on a regular basis. No matter what our mental constitution may be, if we frequently associate with sattvic (balancing, nourishing, peaceful) foods and people, we’ll find ourselves gradually becoming more peaceful and healthier. This is precisely what happens during the Total Life Cleanse, due to its sattvic dietary and lifestyle practices. It is interesting to note that the combined mental constitution of the mother and father at the moment of conception is believed to strongly influence their child’s mental constitution. This constitution often carries on throughout the child’s life, unless he or she makes conscious effort to change it. The following lists are meant to clarify the characteristics of each mode and help you to identify them in yourself and in others.

For Review Only The Sattvic Mind

Austerities of the mind consist of satisfaction, gentleness, gravity, mental discipline and purity of behavior . . . this is said to be sattvic or the mode of goodness. Bhagavad Gita 17.16

Is mentally alert Is spiritually oriented and drawn toward meditation, yoga, bhakti, and prayer Tends to have good, clear, harmonious thoughts Seeks the association of spiritually minded people Is content, honest and clean Has few material attachments Has a calm, balanced, joyful, peaceful nature Tends to accept that which comes, good or bad, as divinely inspired Is not envious; wishes the best for others Ignores the negative and looks for the positive in others Practices ahimsa, causing as little harm as possible to all beings

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Prefers a nourishing plant-based diet Is friendly and helpful by nature Loves children and the elderly Is inspired by kindness, compassion, and wisdom Keeps high ethical standards Forgives easily Seeks to fulfill dharma, regardless of wealth or fame Strongly manifests the four legs of dharma: compassion, discipline, truthfulness, and purity

The Rajasic Mind

Actions and austerities performed with pride and for the sake of gaining respect, recognition, honor and adoration are said to be in the mode of passion or rajasic. It is neither stable nor permanent. Bhagavad Gita 17.18

Is active, diligent, and ambitious Strives for success and recognition Sometimes uses any means to achieve a goal Is able to assert him- or herself Is passionate, tends to seek pleasure, and can be restless Has clear and definite goals Has good endurance Is immersed in worldly activities but occasionally is spiritually inclined Can have a strong sense of morality and justice Will protect those who are loyal Is less inclined to be vegetarian unless is it for purely health reasons or to fight for

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a righteous cause like animal protection If obstructed, can become aggressive, frustrated, and emotional Finds it hard to forgive and carries resentments Tends to be critical of him- or herself and others Seeks the association of powerful and successful people Is indifferent to those who seem unimportant to or weaker than them Seeks to fulfill dharma with strong discipline but may lack truthfulness, purity, and compassion, in varying degrees

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The Tamasic Mind

Austerities or actions performed out of foolishness, which give pain to the self, or is intended to cause injury to others, is known as tamasic or to be in ignorance. Bhagavad Gita 17.19

Lacks ambition and is lethargic, ignorant, and lazy Is disinterested in any kind of knowledge, science, or spirituality Has an aversion to responsibility Avoids any challenge that requires a significant endeavor Tends to give up easily Sleeps excessively Inclines toward and easily falls victim to addiction and intoxication of various kinds Can’t accept advice Likes to be left alone Is unclean, physically and mentally Tends to be proud, cynical, and aggressive Is extremely attached to sensual pleasure Has no discipline around pleasure and food, doing anything as long as it satisfies

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the senses Tends toward destructive habits of all kinds If religious, tends to be extremely dogmatic, elitist, and even violent Lacks all four legs of dharma; may have spurts of discipline, but will use it to cause suffering

Knowing Your Mode, Shifting Your Quality We are constantly being influenced by the three modes of nature, so it’s important to be conscious of the mode our mind tends to be in as well as the mode of the environment and people we find ourselves surrounded by. If we do not like our state of consciousness, we can look at the kind of energies we are associating with and make the necessary changes. Tamas or inertia is rarely considered beneficial. Rajas or passion can encourage enthusiasm, drive, and creativity. It can also lift us out of the stagnation of tamas. Too much rajas, however, can cause mental agitation, anxiety, and fatigue, and it may lead us toward negativity and then depression, a form of tamas. Rajas must always be balanced with a healthy dose of sattva for optimal balance and well-being. For mental health, it is essential to have a strong connection with sattva, which pulls

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us toward balance, goodness, and peace. In today’s world, rajas combined with tamas is prominent and the cause of suffering. The TLC dietary and lifestyle practices encourage sattva and counterbalances the insane pace of life. Our mental constitution is, paradoxically, both fixed and flexible. Conditioning from our parents, upbringing, associations, culture, and dietary and lifestyle habits is very strong and therefore called “fixed.” However, we are also flexible in that, by adjusting the quality of our associations, lifestyle habits, and food choices, we can change our mental constitution. We can increase whichever quality we want more of by associating with that corresponding mode. When we regularly associate with someone who is very rajasic, it will eventually bring out our passionate nature and desires. If we associate too long with those who are tamasic, we’ll find our energy becoming negative, angry, dull, or depressed. Similarly, if we regularly associate with a sattvic person, we will find that calmness, peacefulness, and patience soon begin to manifest. The most profound yet simple way to shift our mode is through our diet and lifestyle practices. Things that we do everyday have the greatest impact. Every day we eat and have our routines. TLC recommends primarily sattvic foods and lifestyle practices that facilitate balance and wellness.

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To Be Healthy, We Need Sufficient Sattva!

When a man moves away from nature, his heart becomes hard.

Lakota saying

There are two great errors: first, to fail to honor the dictates of our soul, and second, to act against unity. If we have in our nature sufficient love of all things, then we can do no harm. . . . The real victories of life come through love and gentleness, no force whatever must be used. Edward Bach, discovered of Bach flower remedies

Health requires a healthy dose of sattva. Sattva has a strengthening, calming, and harmonizing effect on the body, mind, and nervous system. When the nervous system is calm and stable, it communicates with our trillions of cells efficiently and effectively. Sattva is the state in which our body and mind is nourished, healed, regenerated, and balanced. Eventually, when we are primarily established in sattva, we will no longer be controlled by rajas and tamas.

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To increase sattva in our lives:

Spend time in nature, as nature is inherently sattvic Eat sattvic foods like whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes Avoid eating animal products Take in sattvic impressions: beauty in music, film, and nature Do a media fast but read spiritually inspiring literature Practice self-reflection Perform random acts of kindness, regularly Have good rest and healthy recreation Work wholeheartedly, relax wholeheartedly Cultivate the awareness and expression of your dharma Chant, meditate, do yoga, and pray

The Guru: Within and Without Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

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John 16:24

Associating with and learning from a self-realized guru has immeasurable benefits. An authentic guru transcends the three modes of nature and directly realizes these qualities of the soul within. There are two types of guru—the guru within and the guru without. The guru within exists as spirit or God within the heart, expressed as our ever-present inner voice of wisdom that always guides us toward making good decisions, freedom, forgiveness, and pure love. The second type of guru is an external manifestation of the inner guru. He or she is that person who is a genuinely self-realized lover of the divine and is fully capable of assisting us in attaining a similar state of consciousness. In this current age, there is an abundance of false presentations and cheating in every field. This is also true in the guru business! Many people have come to the conclusion that gurus do not exist or that they are an ancient concept gone bad. This is understandable and for good reason—many so-called gurus have misused their power and cheated their followers. The word guru literally means “heavy” as well as “the remover of darkness.”1 True gurus are heavy with truth and completely unaffected and unmoved by the binding ropes of the three modes of nature. They have no selfish motives, do not seek fame or adoration, and do not attempt to control or manipulate their disciples for their own

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selfish or financial purposes. Gurus know that love is based on free choice. Authentic gurus are empowered to purify their students (with their heavy and truthful words and actions) from the three poisons and six faults, leading them to self-realization and God realization. A real guru is truly rare and precious—but does exist. The guru within is always present. Acting as a witness to our thoughts and actions, the guru within waits to be invited into our heart and conscious awareness. Once invited, inner guru’s wisdom always brings peace, leads us in favorable directions, and assists us in attaining the five goals of life. Simply by just asking and listening to the inner guru, we will find the help we need to align with our soul and connect to our dharma. The inner guru is analogous to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Like Edward Bach, ayurveda emphasizes that we “honor the dictates of our soul.” Being the best we can be ultimately means becoming all that we are. Realizing that we are soul essence permeating as consciousness through the body, mind, intelligence, and ego, we are better able to walk the path of harmonizing our soul with our earthly personality in order to fulfill our dharma. Mental health requires acceptance of our human limitations along with a hearty effort to purify, grow, and evolve as spiritual beings. The guru within and without is meant for that and that alone. Sattva is actually our natural state. However, most of us can’t remain in sattva—it’s not realistic. The ideal is to contact sattvic energy on a daily basis, frequently, and, ideally, at will. Turning this into a habit gives us greater confidence in ourselves and in our own capacity for sanity and happiness. The human tendency is to float out of balance. It is natural to stress out and occasionally fall into negative (tamasic and rajasic) patterns and habits. Learning the art of resetting and reclaiming balance is one of the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves and others. Connection to sattvic consciousness acts as a reset button that turns on the harmonious function of our body, mind, and soul. With practice, returning to sattvic balance can be as natural as gravity itself. The Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse, with its dietary and lifestyle practices, empowers participants to heal and purify by pressing the sattva reset button—the doorway to our natural state, our personal and spiritual evolution, and the fulfillment of our dharma.

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Healing and the Mind Edward Bach elegantly articulated the importance of sattvic energy and connecting to our dharma and soul essence. Though he did not use ayurvedic terms, the sentiment is the same. He said:

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Disease is in essence the result of conflict between Soul and Mind, and will never be eradicated except by spiritual and mental effort. Such efforts, if properly made with understanding . . . can cure and prevent disease. . . . so long as our Souls and Personalities are in harmony, all is joy and peace, happiness and health. It is when our personalities are led astray from the path laid down by the Soul, either by our own worldly desires or by the persuasion of others, that a conflict arises. This conflict is the root cause of disease and unhappiness.2

The nature of the mind is to serve (serve, here, means to listen to or act in alignment with). It will either serve our false ego and its perceived interests or it will serve our innate higher wisdom or soul, which is aligned with our dharma. We are all pleasure-seeking beings, so it’s natural that the mind seeks pleasure and avoids pain. However, when the mind seeks happiness and pleasure independent of our dharma—“the path laid down by the soul,” suffering must come. Life lessons often lead us to this understanding. Again, our soul’s qualities are sat-chit-ananda—eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss. When our mind serves our soul, these soul qualities begin to blossom and our dharma gradually becomes clear.

For Review Only Susan’s Story: Finding Sattva

During the second and third week of the Total Life Cleanse program I always emphasize the importance of spending time in nature—one of the best ways to connect with sattvic energy. I ask everyone to be aware of how they feel before and after their time spent in nature, noticing the difference and being prepared to share their experiences. Although she worked only a mile from Walden Pond—a famously beautiful and protected body of water with beautiful trails—she had not been there for years.As part of the cleanse, Susan committed to walking around the pond every day during her lunch break or in the early evening after work. She shared that while the first few days were beautiful and she felt happy to be there, her mind was very busy and she felt guilty being away from work. Even so, she felt more peaceful after her time spent there. As the days went on, Susan simultaneously experienced a deepening connection with nature as well with herself. She felt as if a long lost part of herself was returning. She walked, gazed at the crystal-clear water, and meditated.

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Susan loved people, but she had been feeling disconnected from this part of herself—the long hours, negativity at work, and lack of self-care were to blame. After a few more days of cleansing and walking at Walden Pond, Susan began to notice that she felt lighter and happier both at work and in her personal life. She also felt calmer and more confident at handling stressful and often complex work-related conflicts. Susan shared that, initially, she was concerned that taking time away from work would be a detriment. She discovered instead that connecting to sattvic energy through nature helped her become stronger, more peaceful, and even more competent at her job and in other important areas of her life.

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16 Doshas and Genes THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO, long before the discovery of genes, ayurveda taught

that each of us is born with a personal blueprint, which identifies our personal capacity for optimal health as well as our disease tendencies. This blueprint is called dosha in Sanskrit. Most people understand dosha to mean body type, but it’s far more comprehensive than that. The word dosha literally means “fault” or “disease tendency.” It identifies our individual tendencies toward specific physiological imbalances and disease. It also identifies our optimal dietary, herbal, and lifestyle practices that, if followed, will aid in preventing and eliminating disease as well as favorably supporting our health in body, mind, and soul. Knowing our dosha and living accordingly makes it possible to minimize disease and fully express our greatest potential.

For Review Only Our Genes

Genes, like doshas, are also blueprint codes of the body. The manner in which our genes are expressed is called epigenetics. In a similar way to doshas, genes potentiate physiological tendencies. The epigenetic behavior of our genes is directly linked to how we live—what we eat, what we drink, our lifestyle habits, and how we think. Knowledge of our individual genetics—just like ancient knowledge of the doshas—can identify the factors that are most supportive for optimal genetic expression. Advancements in the scientific understanding of human genes, particularly from the Human Genome Project, have exponentially expanded during the past few years. The Human Genome Project (HGP) was one of the great feats of exploration in history—an inward voyage of discovery rather than an outward exploration of the planet or the cosmos; an international research effort to sequence and map all of 200

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Doshas and Genes 201

the genes—together known as the genome—of members of our species, Homo sapiens. Completed in April 2003, the HGP gave us the ability, for the first time, to read nature’s complete genetic blueprint for building a human being.1

The human body is made up of trillions of cells. The intelligent functioning of these cells derives from long, winding strings of nucleic acids called DNA. Specific sequences of nucleic acids, known as genes, program the body for certain characteristics and tendencies. The DNA contained within each cell carries the instructions necessary to build and maintain all the different types of cells that make up the body. The complete set of genes, or DNA instructions, is called a genome. Although humans have great variability in their appearance, they are very similar in their DNA. The genomes of any two people are over 99 percent the same. Still, the minute fraction of the genome that varies in humans is most important. DNA variations are what determine the color of our eyes, hair, and skin. More importantly, they also indicate our disease tendencies and wellness potentials, as well as our likely responses to foods, exercise, lifestyle practices, herbs, and drugs.2 Once we understand how our particular genome interacts with our diet, lifestyle, activities, and environment—that is, our epigenetic potential—we can develop individualized regimens and lifestyle habits for preventing disease and improving our health. In recent times, modern medicine has come to the conclusion that health care works best when it is individualized to the patient. (That sounds quite a bit like the ayurvedic perspective to me!) Though a one-size-fits-all paradigm still persists, we now see doctors beginning to individualize prescriptions for medications and other treatments and using genomic testing not only to diagnose disease but also to identify optimal healthpromoting practices. Based on the information contained in a patient’s genome, the health-care practitioner could offer a personalized plan for preventing disease, improving health, and possibly curing disease, if present. This knowledge, if used wisely, has the potential to revolutionize conventional medicine and natural health care. Understanding our epigenetics—how dietary, lifestyle, and environmental influences impact our genetic expression—is extremely important. We are not actually victim to our genes—even the so-called negative ones. High-quality foods, herbs, exercise, and balancing lifestyle practices have the ability to turn on our protective, anti-inflammatory, and immune-strengthening genes. In the same way, low-quality foods, lack of exercise, and excessive stress turns off the protective genes and allows for the activation of the disease process. A high-quality whole-foods plant-based diet, containing a wide spectrum of colorful vegetables and fruits, is one of the best ways to activate healthy gene expression. This is great news! Now, by adding personalized genotype testing and

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applying its results, we can further improve our health by fine-tuning our dietary and lifestyle practices. This is very similar in concept to ancient ayurvedic dosha analysis. Genomic testing can identify individual genes relating to areas such as:

Liver detoxification pathways Sugar metabolism Glutathione production and utilization Hormone function Methylation capacity Cholesterol and fat metabolism Brain chemistry Sensitivity to various foods Specific disease tendencies (diabetes, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure) Ability to utilize (or not) specific drugs and nutrients Optimal dietary and lifestyle recommendations Knowing your genotype can help you accurately optimize your dietary and lifestyle practices and medicinal, herbal, and nutritional supplementation to support positive epigenetic expression. As Pamela McDonald, N.P., author of The Perfect Gene Diet, writes:

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For optimal health, you need to match your particular genotype with the most genesupportive environment (GSE) you can create. You do that through what you eat, how you exercise, and how you respond to stress, which is largely determined by how you think.3

Genomic testing isn’t a replacement for the practical wisdom of ayurveda. It offers information about our epigenetic potential, but that information must in turn be utilized by holistic practitioners and doctors to make wise, individualized, and therefore effective recommendations for their patients. Individualizing care is, in itself, a foundational ayurvedic principle. Combining the knowledge of ancient wisdom with the power of modern science has exciting possibilities. “Health experts” from various fields and with differing perspectives claim that their “wonder” diet—low fat, high fat, low protein, high protein, low carb, high carb, fruit only, raw only, cooked only . . . and the list goes on—is the only way to achieve good health. Hopefully, our evolving understanding of genes and doshas will one day eliminate that one-size-fits-all mind-set. Reality is far subtler. Every body is different. While

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there are many sound dietary principles that we can all benefit from, there are plenty of variables that factor into determining our optimal diet.

The ApoE Gene Our fat-metabolizing capacity has a powerful impact on our well-being on many fronts: our cardiovascular system, cell health, cholesterol, blood pressure, brain health (Alzheimer’s), detoxification capacity, weight management, sugar metabolism, and energy production. The ApoE gene provides instructions for making apolipoprotein E (ApoE), a type of protein that plays a primary role in fat metabolism as well as cholesterol management. This gene, however, appears in three subtly different variations, known as alleles: ApoE2, ApoE3, and ApoE4. Each variant carries slightly different fatmetabolism instructions. Since fat is not water-soluble, it has to be carried in such a way that it does not come in direct contact with the watery portion of our blood. Otherwise, our blood will become thick and clumpy and clog our blood vessels. Our ApoE genotype (which of the three alleles we have) determines how “cleanly” and efficiently our body carries fat. Our ApoE genotype can be likened to our dosha type; from either perspective, our type determines the ideal amounts and ratios of macronutrients, especially dietary fat, that will benefit our energy, health, nervous system, brain, and immune system. For some, consistently eating the wrong amount of fat—too much, too little, or the wrong kind—can lead to long-term damaging effects. This is a significant discovery.

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ApoE Genotypes and Optimal Diets

The following dietary recommendations come from research presented in The Perfect Gene Diet by Pamela McDonald, N.P., and work done by Dr. Margie Smith of smartDNA, a genomic testing service based in Australia.4 The exact amounts of fat, carbohydrate, and protein they advocate are not exactly what my practice recommends during the Total Life Cleanse or in general. However, the suggested ratios for the ApoE2, ApoE3, and ApoE4 genotypes are meaningful and are similar to the recommendations for the three doshas. ApoE2 Types Ratio: 35% fat, 15% protein, 50% carbohydrate

ApoE2 types do well with a diet that is relatively higher fat, moderate carbohydrate, and lower protein. They utilize fat most efficiently, better than the ApoE3 and far better than ApoE4 types. These are the people who stay trim and energized even when they eat relatively large amounts of healthy fat. However, high-glycemic foods, bad fats, and refined

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carbohydrates are dangerous for them, potentially causing high cholesterol and high triglycerides. Apo E3 Types Ratio: 25% fat, 20% protein, 55% carbohydrate

ApoE3 types have a “normal” ability to utilize fat and carbohydrates as fuel. They do well with a balanced combination of healthy fat, carbohydrate, and protein. Apo E4 Types Ratio: 20% fat, 20% protein, 60% carbohydrate

ApoE4 types do well on a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet (as long as those carbohydrates come from unrefined, whole-food, good-quality sources). These are the ones that do fantastically well on a low-fat vegan diet. ApoE4 types do not metabolize fat well. For them, too much fat, even good fat, will clog the blood vessels and cause obesity, high triglycerides, and high cholesterol. Type 4s are the most prone to Alzheimer’s disease, which can result from poor fat metabolism. ApoE4 types really need to limit their fat intake and to make sure, when they do eat it, that it is in small amounts and of the highest quality.

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ApoE Fat Metabolism

ApoE2 genotypes: highly efficient fat metabolizers ApoE3 genotypes: moderately efficient fat metabolizers ApoE4 genotypes: poor fat metabolizers For years nutritionists, health experts, and scientists have fiercely debated the amount of dietary fat that is ideal for human beings. The answer to that question has been there all along in ayurveda’s ancient wisdom about nutrition and the doshas: it all depends on the individual!

Our Doshas Every person is made up of a unique combination of the five material elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether. As previously explained, each element exhibits physical, mental, and emotional characteristics. Our unique blend of the elements determines our personal characteristics as well as our dosha, or constitution. The elements come together to make up three primary types of dosha:

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Vata: ether and air (dry, light, cold) Pitta: water and fire (moist/oily, light, hot) Kapha: earth and water (heavy, damp, cool) Because we contain all five elements, we also manifest all three doshas, but generally one or two of the three aspects dominate. For example, a person who has a predominance of earth qualities, such as being large boned with big white teeth, would be kapha. Someone who has a predominance of fire qualities, such as being very intense, bald at an early age, and physically well proportioned, would have the dosha constitution of pitta. One who has a predominance of air qualities, such as being thin and wiry, with a tendency toward anxiety, would be vata. Dosha Possibilities

Vata Pitta Kapha Vata-pitta Vata-kapha Pitta-kapha Vata-pitta-kapha (tridoshic)

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The structure of the body is made up of the five elements. The physiological and functional aspects of the body are governed by the doshas—vata, pitta, and kapha—and the three pillars—prana (energy flow), agni (digestion/metabolism), and ojas (immunity). Our dosha directly indicates our disease tendencies. However, it indirectly indicates our unique capacity for well-being as well as our potential gifts, because inherent weaknesses can often transform into strengths. Everyone has a dosha, so everyone has a specific way they tend to fall out of balance. Thus we all have a “fault” tendency. However, ayurveda is not interested in correcting our faults—in changing us into something or someone we are not. Rather, by being aware of and accepting our strengths as well as our negative tendencies and limitations, we can effectively make health-promoting choices and create, in parallel to the genesupportive environment (GSE), a dosha-supportive environment (DSE). The Bhagavad Gita teaches that it is better to be ourself, imperfectly, than to try to be someone else, perfectly. By becoming better prepared to minimize our dosha’s negative influences, we can emphasize their healthy manifestations—that is, the three pillars of prana, agni, and ojas.

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TABLE 16.1. FUNCTIONS AND CORRESPONDENCES OF THE DOSHAS DOSHA

VATA

PITTA

KAPHA

Pillar

Prana (air and ether): governs all movement in the body and mind, such as breathing, elimination of waste and toxins, blood circulation, and the movement of thoughts in the mind

Agni (fire and water): governs digestion, absorption, metabolism, body temperature, appetite, intelligence, understanding, ambition, and courage

Ojas (water and earth): governs structure, stability, lubrication, and the cohesive structures of the body; can cause stubbornness and stagnation; allows for kindness and generosity

Classic Qualities and Body Type

Thin and wiry Taller or smaller than average Flat chested Darker skinned Small eyes

Medium build Average body size Well proportioned Strong appetite Oily skin Thin haired or balding Yellowish tint to teeth Green or piercing eyes

Large boned Tendency toward being overweight Strong white teeth Slower metabolism Slow moving and thinking Large brown eyes

Tendencies and Conditions

Tight muscles and joints Dry skin Cold body Gassy, bloated, constipated Stressed Anxious, nervous, fearful, distracted Tire easily Easily influenced Unreliable and ungrounded Fast learners, but forget quickly

Inflammatory disorders Acid stomach Heat-related issues Adult-onset acne Acid reflux and ulcers Intolerance to heat Cardiovascular issues Anger or irritability Need to be in control Have excessive passion Are critical of self and others

Overweight Slow digestion Excess mucus Lung conditions Constipation Feeling sluggish Apathetic Overly attached to people, places, and things Strong material desires Stubborn Resist personal growth and change

Slender, agile Delicate digestion Adaptable Open minded Enthusiastic Creative Energetic mind Talkative Great brainstormers Initiators Excellent mediators Lively and fun Quick learners Spiritually very open and receptive to high vibrations and consciousness

Medium build Strong digestion Good comprehension, intelligence, and leadership capacity Strong judgment and discernment Excellent athletes Entertainers Ethical Concerned for those who are less fortunate

Strong, healthy, and beautiful physical form Lubricated tissues Strong joints Strong immunity Capacity for deep feelings Stable and generous Compassionate Kind Excellent memory Tend to live longer

Gifts

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DOSHA

VATA

PITTA

KAPHA

Aggravating

Dry, cold, windy weather (late fall and winter) Old age Significant transitions in life (moving, birth, death, divorce) Dawn and dusk (transitional times) Stress, fear, anxiety Too much activity Not enough rest Raw, dry, or cold foods Irregular habits, lack of regularity

Summer heat Excess heat (in food, climate, drink) Middle age Salty, spicy, or oily substances and foods Too much work Not enough downtime Bacteria Anger Stress

Damp, wet, cool weather (late winter, spring) Heavy, damp foods (sugar, fat, dairy) Iced food and drinks Sweet, sour, and salty foods in excess Inactivity, stagnation Sedentary lifestyle Lack of exercise Childhood (due to being a mucus-forming time of life)

Pacifying

Warmth (warm food, drink, environment, temperature) Moistness, humidity (warm baths and showers, hot tubs) External oleation (oiling the skin) Youth Sweet, sour, and salty foods Meditation, calm, flowing breath Regularity in habits (eating, sleeping, exercise, meditating) Flowing, light to moderate exercise (yoga, tai chi, swimming)

Cooling and relaxing environments Cooling and sweet foods (but not sugar) Doing less, taking breaks, recreation, and pleasure Winter Evening walks under the moon (it has a cooling influence) Cool water and cool showers

Light foods Spicy, bitter, and astringent foods Staying active and out of ruts Regular vigorous exercise Summer

Organ Sites

Large intestine, bones

Small intestine, heart, liver

Chest, lungs, stomach

Animal

Monkey

Tiger

Elephant

Fat Intake Recommendation

Vata types tend to require more cleanse-friendly fat in their diet than both pitta and kapha. This is due to their dry and cold constitution.

Pittas do well with moderate amounts of cleanse-friendly fats in their diet. pittas, as they tend toward inflammation, heart disease, and high cholesterol. aggravate a pitta cardiovascular tendency. Small amounts of healthy fat can reduce inflammation and kindle digestion.

Kaphas require the least fat of all and are unable to metabolize fat effectively. clogs their blood vessels and cells. Channels of detoxification are impeded. Excess kapha stagnates in the cells and interferes with glucose metabolism, causing insulin resistance, the cause of type 2 diabetes.

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The Dosha-Pillar Connection It is worth taking a moment to clarify the connection between the doshas and the pillars. It can be said that the pillars are the healthy manifestations of the doshas, and the doshas are the “deranged” manifestations of the pillars. When the life-promoting pillars become deranged or disturbed, due to either an excess or deficiency, they transform into their corresponding doshas—prana to vata, agni to pitta, and ojas to kapha:

When ojas (the body’s tissue-building, strengthening, and immune capacity) becomes deranged, kapha manifests, perhaps in the form of excess phlegm and lethargy. When agni (the body’s metabolic and heat-generating capacity) becomes deranged, pitta manifests, perhaps in the form of acid reflux and irritability. When the body’s prana (intelligent flow of energy and movement as well as normal tissue breakdown capacity) becomes deranged, vata manifests, perhaps in the form of intestinal bloating, pain, and anxiety.

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Both pillars and doshas exist simultaneously. This is because our body is constantly moving in and out of balance in varying degrees. Balance is not a permanent state. We can, however, consistently move toward it and gracefully remain in its proximity, with awareness, the right tools, and self-knowledge. The goal of ayurveda and of the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse is to use our awareness and healthy dietary and lifestyle practices to increase the life-promoting powers of the three pillars and minimize the unbalancing effects of the doshas. This leads to balance in body, mind, and soul.

Two Types of Imbalance There are two main sources of imbalance: natural and unnatural. Natural imbalance arises from natural sources, such as age, season, and climate. The phase of life (childhood, middle age, old age) and the season we are in creates a natural stress that the body has to adapt to. Each dosha is uniquely impacted by these challenges. Generally, we can’t control natural imbalances; however, we can adjust to them through appropriate diet and lifestyle practices. For example, we can respond to the climate we are living in by wearing appropriate clothing and eating seasonally optimal foods. However, we can’t change the climate itself. Similarly, we can’t prevent old age, but we can adapt to its challenges through well-suited dietary and lifestyle practices.

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Unnatural imbalance comes from unhealthy or inappropriate dietary and lifestyle habits. Physical, mental, and emotional stress is a result of unnatural imbalance. Health stressors, such as exposures to chemical toxins, heavy metals, viruses, bacteria, and parasites, are also causes of unnatural imbalance. We do have reasonable control over unnatural imbalances, especially those related to diet and lifestyle. Additionally, we can take actions to support our immune system and and stress response.

Like Increases Like, Opposites Decrease To rebalance a deranged dosha one needs to skillfully utilize the ayurvedic principle of like increases like, opposites decrease. For instance, a vata aggravation often shows up as feeling cold and dry. Going outside without sufficient clothing on a cold dry day in the fall would increase this cold, dry vata condition—cold increases cold. Alternatively, taking a warm bath or a hot steam therapy would decrease a vata aggravation of feeling cold and dry—warm decreases cold. This one principle is involved in all individualized ayurvedic dietary, herbal, and lifestyle recommendations. It’s simple yet extremely effective, even with complex conditions.

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Subtle Precedes Gross: Always Balance Vata

The nervous system is the subtlest part of our physiology—it communicates with and controls every cell, tissue, organ, and gland of our body, including the immune system. Vata is the subtlest dosha, as it consists of the two subtlest elements: ether and air. The vata dosha also corresponds with our prana (the subtlest pillar) and nervous system as well as the mind, which is even subtler than the nervous system. Thus, the state of our prana, vata, mind, and nervous system powerfully impacts our entire body. An excess of vata aggravates itself, along with pitta and kapha. Due to its intimate relationship with the nervous system and mind, aggravated vata negatively impacts all the doshas. However, when vata is balanced, it is far less likely that the detrimental aspects of pitta and kapha will manifest. For example, when we blow air (vata) in the form of anxiety onto fire (pitta) in the form of anger, the pitta quality of anger increases. And when ungrounded and anxious energies of vata encounter kapha, they prompt kapha’s tendency to stubbornly resist. Kapha is repulsed by anxiety and chaos and will avoid it at all costs; when matched with excessive vata, they end up feeling irritable, sluggish, and depressed.

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Therefore, when in doubt, balance vata! When we are feeling imbalanced—ill, weak, depressed, irritable—decreasing vata by nourishing the nervous system will be most beneficial. One priority of the TLC is minimizing vata aggravation by regulating prana through dietary and lifestyle practices. Doing so, our nervous system, immune system, five elements, pillars, doshas, cells, tissues, organs, and glands, as well as our mind, emotions, and intellect, will automatically maintain greater balance, metabolic harmony, and stability, bringing about a sense of well-being in body and mind.

Connecting the Doshas and ApoE Genes Here we arrive at the magnificent point where ancient wisdom meets modern science. This should not be a surprise. Truth is truth. The mode or time of discovery has no influence on reality. Personally, I find this information exciting! Knowledge of doshas and genes offers us two unique ways to accurately individualize our ideal dietary and lifestyle practices. Simply following the fundamental health principles of a whole-foods plant-based diet, exercise, healthy recreation, and spiritual practices (sadhana) can significantly improve our health, sense of well-being, and even bloodwork results. But individualizing our care adds a level of sophistication that enhances positive results. This has been ayurveda’s approach for thousands of years, and now modern science has come to the same conclusion, and brings with it the potential to significantlycontribute to this ancient wisdom.

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Comparing the Doshas and the ApoE Gene We can find striking similarities between the doshas and the ApoE gene variations. To begin, there are three primary doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha. There are also three primary ApoE gene variations: ApoE2, ApoE3, and ApoE4. Since our genes derive from those of our parents—for each of our own genes, we get one gene from each parent— these three variations generate six possible combinations:

ApoE2/2 ApoE2/3 ApoE3/3 ApoE4/2 ApoE4/3 ApoE4/4

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The expressions of these gene variations are matched by the characteristics of the doshas, as follows:

Vata is similar to ApoE2/2. Pitta is similar to ApoE3/3. Kapha is similar to ApoE4/4. Vata/pitta is similar to ApoE2/3. Vata/kapha is similar to ApoE2/4. Pitta/kapha is similar to ApoE3/4. A tridoshic vata/pitta/kapha type is rare and has no specific correspondence to an ApoE genotype. Fat Metabolism

Vata and ApoE2 metabolize fat very efficiently. Pitta and ApoE3 are moderately efficient at metabolizing fat. Kapha and ApoE4 have sluggish fat metabolism. Diet

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Vata and ApoE2 benefit from a diet of approximately 35% fat, 15% protein, and 50% carbohydrate. Pitta and ApoE3 benefit from a diet of approximately 25% fat, 20% protein, and 55% carbohydrate. Kapha and ApoE4 benefit from a diet of approximately 20% fat, 20% protein, and 60% carbohydrate. Detoxification

Vata and ApoE2 clear toxins most effectively. Pitta and ApoE3 have a slightly limited ability to clear toxins. Kapha and ApoE4 have the most limited ability to clear toxins. Exercise

Vata and ApoE2 benefit from mildly vigorous exercise. Pitta and ApoE3 benefit from moderately vigorous exercise. Kapha and ApoE4 benefit from very vigorous exercise.

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The Best of Both Worlds: Consciousness, Genes, and Doshas Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.

Zora Neale Hurston

Suddenly, I realized that a cell’s life is controlled by the physical and energetic environment and not by its genes. Genes are simply molecular blueprints used in the construction of cells, tissues, and organs. The environment serves as a “contractor” who reads and engages those genetic blueprints and is ultimately responsible for the character of a cell’s life. It is a single cell’s “awareness” of the environment, not its genes, that sets into motion the mechanisms of life. Bruce H. Lipton, The Biology of Belief

As modern science discovers the inner workings of human physiology and genes, it comes closer to seeing the cause of health and disease in a similar way to the ancient Chinese and Indian sages of the past. The blending of science, wisdom, and common sense works out best. Both genes and doshas are not determiners of fate but responders to internal and environmental influences. The Ayurvedic principle subtle precedes gross is true for genes as well as doshas. Genes, like doshas, are sensitive to subtle energies. It turns out that our consciousness, nervous system, mind, beliefs, and emotions powerfully impact how the cells affect the genes, how the genes affect the cells, and how the doshas influence physiology. For this reason, daily exercise, yoga, and meditation practices continue to be an imperative component of the Total Life Cleanse. They have great potential to positively influence the mind, emotions, and nervous system. According to Dr. Bruce Lipton, stem cell biologist and author of The Biology of Belief, gene activity changes on a daily basis. It turns out that our perceptions and mental states affect the chemistry of our blood. In fact, every mood and feeling we have is reflected in our blood chemistry. And our blood chemistry impacts the function of our genes. Lipton’s research suggests that changing our mental outlook, moods, beliefs, and thoughts actually alters the activity of our genes. In this way, our consciousness becomes the most complete pharmacy in the world.5 We can optimize our blood chemistry by eating a TLC-friendly diet, undertaking

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TLC daily practices, and upgrading the quality of our thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Doing so creates gene- and dosha-supportive environments.

The Changing Paradigm The new physics provides a modern version of ancient spirituality. In a universe made out of energy, everything is entangled; everything is one. Bruce Lipton, The Biology of Belief

The emerging understanding of cellular and genetic biology, combined with the wisdom of ayurveda and Chinese medicine, has the potential to revolutionize modern medicine. Out with the old one-size-fits-all symptom-focused paradigm! Some people find the attempt to integrate ancient wisdom with modern science to be unnecessary and even disrespectful to the particular orientation they may have. Personally, I find it exciting and practical. Exciting, because genetic science appeals to the Western intellectual left-brained mind, while at the same time proving what ancient ayurvedic and Chinese masters knew to be true. Practical, because in the future we can all benefit from intelligent individualized health care; we can all get personalized health advice that is capable of “expelling the evil and supporting the righteous” while causing far less harm. With these new developments, it may be that someday these two worlds that so often clash will be able to communicate with and inform each other. This will benefit all people, no matter where our present faith, health beliefs, and orientations may lie. The walls of modern misconceptions and dogmatism will fall—soon, I hope. An authentic, wisdom-based, and scientifically oriented system of individualized health care will certainly be an inclusive win-win for all!

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Cassie’s Story: Individualizing Diet Cassie had been a client for two years. She was tall and big-boned but thin for her body structure. She had an upbeat attitude but also had problems with anxiety and occasionally struggled with weight problems, having been previously being very heavy. My ayurvedic assessment of Cassie revealed that she was a vata-kapha type, with a stronger tendency toward kapha.

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I recommended that she cut down on eating fat. At the time Cassie firmly believed that grains made her fat, and she was eating a low-grain, relatively high-fat diet. She cooked all her veggies in a few tablespoonfuls of coconut and olive oil and ate lots of nuts and nut butters smeared on fruit. She was quite defiant, saying the fat made her feel good and helped her keep the weight off. I was concerned for her because her cholesterol numbers creeping higher, her mood was often low, and she was having strange pains that moved all throughout her body. Her M.D. was threatening medication. We decided to do a salivary genome test. The results showed that Cassie was an ApoE2/4—perfectly corresponding to her ayurvedic assessment of vata/kapha. It turns out that Cassie’s grandfather and great-grandmother both had advanced Alzheimer’s disease. I explained to Cassie that her genetic body type and dosha might be especially sensitive to the oxidation of dietary fats—a major contributing factor in Alzheimer’s disease. Finally convinced, Cassie cut her fat intake in half, began eating nongluten grains in moderation, and increased her veggies according to an anti-kapha diet (we agreed on this, as she was very concerned about regaining weight). Months later, when I saw Cassie again, she looked better, felt calmer, and was pain free. She said that she felt great and her cholesterol numbers were down, and that it was wonderful to expand her diet without gaining weight. She was also most grateful for the tips to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

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17 Karma, Reincarnation, and the Karma Cleanse That by which the entire body is pervaded, you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable atma.

Bhagavad Gita 2.17

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THE INTENTION OF the Total Life Cleanse is to qualitatively enhance our present

and future well-being. The ancient Vedic sages explored how our present actions and dietary and lifestyle practices influence our existence not only in our present lives, but from the perspective of eternity. Foundational to Vedic philosophy and the practice of yoga and ayurveda are two principal concepts: karma and reincarnation. While they are widely used terms, there is much to be learned about these profound subjects. Note: It is not my intention to impress a specific belief system upon you. I offer the following pages in the spirit of sharing my understanding along with honoring the profound teachings of the Vedas, yoga, and ayurvedic scriptures.

Cleansing the Soul Body As previously explained, our material body is made up of five elements and our subtle body is made up of three. Both our material and subtle bodies are temporary, while the soul body (atma), the luminous core of our being, is eternal. A remarkable thing about cleansing is that it touches all three bodies. Removing toxins from within and without not only benefits our physical body but also calms our mind and fortifies our intelligence. Cleansing naturally increases our capacity for 215

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introspection, which has a wholesome impact on our false ego. With increased introspection, along with decreased physical interference and mental agitation, the clarity of our soul consciousness is better able to shine through. Internal exercise in the form of sadhana (breathing practices, yoga meditation, japa, kirtan, prayer, et cetera) helps us connect to our wise inner essence, which, in turn, also has a beneficial effect on both our physical and subtle bodies. In this way, cleansing creates a positive feedback loop that circulates health and well-being throughout our physical, subtle, and soul bodies. Our thoughts, feelings, and actions directly influence our experience of the moment. They can also ripple far into the future, impacting our forthcoming mental, emotional, and physical realities. As eternally existing souls, these ripples continue through time, beyond the physical body and into our future incarnations. The cleansing actions we take now influence us not only in this life but also in the next! The mind-set of the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse is to live fully in the present while being awake to the reality of eternity. I remember well my first raw juice cleanse in the hills of northern California. It was a twelve-day cleanse with a group of fourteen participants. All of us were student bodyworkers, so we shared massage, healing, and meditation with each other every day. During this experience, I realized that cleansing was not just about the body.Due to cleansing, t The massage and healing work released old suppressed emotions with greater ease than ever. The group meditations opened me up to realms far beyond my body and mind. At times I felt as if my entire being was made of light. I had a sense of eternity—that all matter was formed by molecules and ripples of light. Within the light was a sense of deep inner peace and joy I had never known. I felt that I had made contact with my soul. A wonderful by-product of it all was that I felt lighter, healthier, and more energetic than I could ever remember feeling. When we expand the edges of our consciousness in the context of a cleanse, life-changing insights often arise, along with greater clarity of mind and physical vitality. All of my cleanses, healing work, family life, and personal goals since that time have been in some way influenced by those experiences.

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Karma Karma: What you do, you taste in return.

Dr. Michael Geary, Vedic astrologer

Karma, one of the most basic laws of nature, is the law of cause and effect. Simply stated, “Whatever you do comes back to you.”

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The soul is eternal. The body is not. We are the soul. We are not the body. Our actions determine our future experiences. Since we are eternal, we, the soul, continue on after the body passes. Understanding that our thoughts, feelings, and actions impact our present and future existence is central to ayurvedic thought and an important aspect of the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse. What is it that determines our future situation? Karma. Karma is not punishment, nor is it vindictive. It is based on an energetically precise relationship with universal intelligence. What we put out vibrationally, we experience in return. Our thoughts create feelings that then lead to actions. Actions performed regularly form habits. Habits are the foundation of character. Character greatly influences our consciousness. Consciousness determines the state of our present existence and our destination at the moment of death. Our karma is integrally tied connected to the three modes of nature: sattva (goodness), rajas (passion), and tamas (ignorance). The quality (sattvic, rajasic, or tamasic) of our thoughts and actions determines the karmic seeds we plant. The karmic seeds we plant determine our future happiness or distress. All of our dietary and lifestyle activities can also be seen in the context of karma. Activities and foods in the quality of goodness (sattva) lead to contentment, health, peace, sanity, and future well-being. Conversely, distress, unwanted experiences, and illness come from dietary and lifestyle habits that are excessively in the modes of passion and ignorance (rajas and tamas). Cleansing helps us undo bad habits and replace them with positive sattvic actions that benefit others as well as our body, mind, and consciousness. Sattvic foods, lifestyle practices, actions, and habits lead to awareness, health, peace, and natural wisdom. Together, they open the doorway to fulfilling our dharma and self-realization. Deep cleansing is good karma!

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Three Main Types of Karma Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. Victor Frankl, M.D., Ph.D, Holocaust survivor

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The three types of karma are:

Seed karma: This is karma that has not yet materially manifested in our present lives. Just as life events unfold in their own time, karmic reactions do not occur all at once. Stores of karma in seed form often come from previous lives. Manifesting karma: This is karma that is presently manifesting in our lives. Manifesting karma can show up in limitless pleasant, challenging, or unpleasant ways. New karma: This is karma that we are presently creating by our thoughts, feelings, and actions. While thoughts and feelings generally do not directly create karma, they do lead to actions, and our actions create new karma. We don’t have control over our past karma or its present manifestation. We do, however, have control over how we respond to our presently manifesting karma and thus the new karma that we create. Sattvic/good karmic actions are just like nutrients that support the healthy detoxification and nourishment of our physical and subtle body. Sattvic foods (plant-based foods), sattvic lifestyle practices (meditation, yoga, prayer), and sattvic actions (honesty, kindness, compassion, selfless service) lead to sattvic/good karmic reactions in the present and future. Tamasic/harmful karmic actions are like toxins that disturb our physical and subtle body. Again, it is important to keep in mind that karma is not punishment. Rather, it is nature’s or God’s teaching device. The universe is benevolent and wants us to realize “the whole truth and nothing but the truth” of who we are. Life lessons are often hard, but, if we digest them, understand them, and grow from them, we do not need to repeat them. Additionally, some of the greatest human transformations emerge from the ashes of despair. Karma is purely energetic. Like increases like! Love creates love. Fear and selfishness create more fear and selfishness. Karma gives us the opportunity to cooperate with higher intelligence and participate in our personal and spiritual evolution.

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No Karma There is actually another type of karma, known as “no karma,” that is achieved through the development of consciousness through meditation, karma yoga (selfless actions), and bhakti yoga. It is the practice of living our

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lives and fulfilling our dharmic responsibilities while, at the same time, being free of results-oriented consciousness through offering our actions and their fruits to the divine. A no-karma lifestyle may be attainable for those who aspire to spiritual freedom, self-realization, and God realization. For the serious spiritual aspirant, attachment to creating good karma can sometimes be an obstruction to spiritual growth. Good actions and the resulting good karma create an auspicious environment for potential personal and spiritual growth. However, becoming overly attached to the results of good actions, such as admiration from others, self-importance, and the selfidentification of being a “good person,” can become an ego-oriented trap. Authentic humility is required to avoid this pitfall. Nevertheless, there are certainly worse traps. Karma yoga means to act with full awareness and effort while being detached from the results of our actions and dedicating them to the divine. Karma yoga also fully embraces the principle of ahimsa—simply defined as “doing the most good and least harm, in the moment, in relationship with all living beings.”

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Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme.

Bhagavad Gita 3.19

Some Rules of Karmic Reactions

When intention is good and the result of the action is good, there will be positive karmic reactions. When intention is good but the result of the action is bad, bad karma is diminished. When intention is bad but the result of the action is good, good karma is diminished. When intention is bad and the result of the action is bad, there will be a strong negative karmic reaction. The best dharma in the world is compassion and nonviolence.

The great king Yudhisthira, from the Mahabharata

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Reincarnation Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail. Bhagavad Gita 8.6

According to the Vedas, where we place most of our attention during our lives, including our most prominent desires and actions, manifests in our consciousness at the time of death. Our state of consciousness at the time of death determines our next destination and type of body. This is reincarnation. Our atma, or soul, is eternal. As long as the subtle body (in the form of the material mind and consciousness) covers it, we will acquire a new body sometime after it departs from its present one. The Vedas declare, however, that once we fully enter the vibration of pure goodness and realize our divine soul nature— once the soul is no longer hidden behind the subtle body—we no longer are obligated to reincarnate again. Acting in full cooperation with love and its source, it is possible to end the karmic cycle of birth and death. This, of course, is the ultimate cleanse! As previously explained, the subtle body is made up of the mind, intelligence, and false ego, which come from the impressions, conceptions, thoughts, desires, and actions most prominent during our lives. The Bhagavad Gita (15.8) tells us:

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The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas.

A commentary on this verse clarifies the subject: It is not that one’s bound state of life ends at death. The jiva (soul) gets a gross body according to his past actions, and in due course of time, he will also give that up. While going from one body to another, he carries with him desires for activities related to the body. Just as the wind travels to another place carrying the aroma from its source, such as flowers or sandalwood, the jiva (soul) travels from one gross body to another gross body along with the subtle elements and the senses.1

Whatever we have done in the past—good, bad, indifferent, contemplated, desired, denied, or feared—and whatever we are passionate about in our present life imprints into our subtle body and manifests in our consciousness at the time of death. It is this culminated consciousness at the time of death that determines our destination and body in the

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next life. According to the Vedic scripture the Padma Purana, there are 8.4 million species of life in the material universe (including planetary systems far beyond our knowledge). These include plant, insect, aquatic, animal, human, and superior-to-human species. There are so many possible forms we can acquire from lifetime to lifetime! Through cleansing, healing, and sattvic dietary and lifestyle practices, we create good karma. Purification of both the physical and subtle bodies lays down the foundation for present-life happiness and contentment, future well-being, and eventual self-realization. This principle, like all divine and natural universal laws, is kind yet neutral. While it is ultimately meant to cleanse tendencies that cause suffering, it honors our free will. That is, it will support the fulfillment of our desires even if they may lead to suffering. That’s how we learn. People often ask, “Why does God [or whatever higher intelligence we acknowledge] allow suffering and evil to exist?” While human beings have the special advantage of being able to consider the long-term benefits and misfortune an action may bring, they have free will and often misuse it in harmful ways. This is due to the influence of tamas, or ignorance. The Vedas explain that one of the names for God is Isha, which means “the fully independent creator and controller.” It is said that a particle of God’s independence has been placed within the soul of every living being. Like a parent who allows their children to make a mistake so that they will learn on their own, the laws of karma function in a similar way. Sometimes we have to repeat an experience many times before we learn the lesson we are meant to, just like a toddler learns to walk by falling down again and again. Letting go of an illusion, as well as our resistance to embracing the deeper and wiser side of ourselves, is always part of the lesson. Human beings have the freedom to cultivate either love and understanding or fear and ignorance (that is, ignoring love and truth). When we seek forms of happiness based on fear and ignorance, any happiness we find will be temporary, and it causes suffering in countless and multifaceted ways. Some of them are terrible. Love, understanding, and healing can’t be forced. Forced love is not love. Real love is a choice. At some point in time every human being, whether in this life or the next, becomes weary of looking for happiness in illusory and ego-centered ways. Using free will, we choose instead to search within for truth, wisdom, love, compassion, and happiness, which are the natural qualities of the soul.

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The world is the great gymnasium where we come to make ourselves strong.

Swami Vivekananda

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The Realms of Reincarnation The unsuccessful yogi, after many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people, or into a family of great wealth. Or he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists (yogis or genuinely spiritual people) who are surely great in wisdom. Verily, such a birth is rare in this world. On taking such a birth, he again revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru. Bhagavad Gita 6.41–43

According to the sages of ancient India, just as there are numerous states of consciousness, there are also a multitude of planetary realms in which living entities exist and may go to at the time of death. The Vedic literatures describe these planetary realms, called lokas, in six basic categories:

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Middle realm Lower realm Lower hellish realm Upper realm Upper heavenly realm Vaikuntha, or the nonmaterial transcendental realm

Living beings inhabit each realm according to their previous activities (karma) and state of consciousness. But note that the laws of karma and reincarnation may seem quite simple. In reality, however, they are extremely subtle and complex, filled with paradoxes and nuances that few, if any, fully comprehend. Here, we can open our minds to the vast possibilities of how our actions and level of consciousness impact our present and future circumstances. It’s food for thought—slowly chew and digest in time.

The Middle Realm This realm includes planet Earth and all Earth-like planets. This is the realm where heavenly and hellish qualities can coexist. The middle realm is considered ideal for personal growth and spiritual development. The incredible mixture of happiness and distress on Earth creates an environment that eventually stimulates the desire for spiritual growth. Generally, due to the temporary nature of things on Earth, there is more than

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enough suffering to inspire us to seek higher truth, but not so much that it becomes an impossible distraction. There is also the potential for plenty of material happiness, but not so much that it forever distracts us from seeking enlightenment and spiritual development. As Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura tells us: In human life various difficulties arise at every moment, reminding us that this world and all its pleasures are in fact of a temporary nature. But for demigods, whose life is comparatively full of uninterrupted sensual pleasure, realization of the temporary nature of the world is not easily attained. Thus, by taking birth as humans we are granted these interruptions in pleasure and, consequently, we can make preparations for our true welfare by correctly identifying what is actually, ultimately beneficial, and distinguishing it from what is not.2

Most decent human beings will reincarnate on Earth in a form that corresponds to their actions and desires from their previous lives. Based on karma, we may reincarnate as wealthy or poor, intelligent or unintelligent, attractive or unattractive, vital or weak. Karma is complex; we have a mixture of good and bad karma that manifests in our lives. For example, we may be born into great wealth but have poor health, or we may be very beautiful but lack intelligence. The Vedas say that animals do not actually create karma. This is because they simply act according to their own nature, which they cannot change. According the Vedas, animals naturally evolve to the next higher species (including human) after living out their natural life. It is possible, although not common, for a human being to reincarnate as an animal due to extremely negative karmic actions and reactions. If one who is on an authentic spiritual path does not attain full realization in a lifetime, he or she will generally return to a family that supports spiritual growth in a favorable atmosphere, such as having considerable material facility so that they can enjoy life while pursuing spiritual goals, or a very simple life that is conducive to personal growth and spiritual advancement.

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After many, many births and deaths one achieves the rare human form of life, which, although temporary, affords one the opportunity to attain the highest perfection. Thus a sober human being should quickly endeavor for the ultimate perfection of life as long as his body, which is always subject to death, has not fallen down and died. After all, sense gratification is available even in the lowest species of life, whereas Krsna [God] consciousness is possible only for a human being. Srimad Bhagavatam 11.9.29

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The Lower Realm Persons of great power and opulence populate these planets but have an extremely materialistic consciousness. They have reached this place through severe disciplines and yogic austerities aimed solely at material enjoyment, not spiritual development. While this realm is extremely pleasurable, it is temporary, devoid of pure love, and lacking any spiritual awareness. Pleasure for the mind and senses is the only objective for those in the lower realm. There are many people on Earth whose only desire is sensual pleasure and material opulence—perhaps this realm could be their destination. Those in the lower realm do not become old and diseased like we do on Earth. There is such an abundance of pleasure there that they can think of nothing else. Seduced by comforts, they can easily get stuck there! Time is their only fear, as death eventually does come. One day it will remove them from their long lives of comfort, opulence, and pleasure. The problem with the lower realm is that personal and spiritual growth doesn’t occur there; it is temporary, and much negative karma can be generated. It is the realm of pure pleasure that lacks acknowledgment of a higher purpose, compassion, real love, and spiritual awareness.

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Lower Hellish Realm

The lower hellish realm is the home of rectification for those beings from the middle realm that have performed the most horrible and harmful acts toward others. This is the Vedic version of hell. While this hell is not eternal, it is said that, for one who is there even for a brief period of time, it feels like eternity. Once someone finishes their time in the hellish realm, they generally return to Earth to live out their karmic lessons—likely some tough ones—and eventually have the opportunity to get it right and advance in consciousness.

The Upper Realm Those with extremely good karma, pious actions, clean living, sincere philanthropy, and deep yogic and spiritual practices may attain the upper realm. This is the astral planetary realm that serves as a resting and educational zone for souls that have just died and are transitioning from Earth. Souls can sometimes reincarnate on Earth quite soon after being there, but the upper realm is a beautiful heavenly environment. Some stay for thousands of years in this blissful realm. Western religions often speak of heaven as the highest, final destination. According to the Vedas, the upper realm is not final. There is great happiness, peace, love, and

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spirituality in the numerous planets of this realm, and it takes incredibly good karma, pious activities, and discipline to go there. The duration of life here is extremely long, but even so, death still exists. Generally, once someone has lived out the results of their good karma in this realm, they must return to Earth, or the middle realm. There, they are once again given the opportunity to develop spiritually. Itt can be difficult to grow in the upper realm, as there is so much peace, beauty and joy that there is little inspiration to grow and evolve. This again points to the gift of being a human being on Earth.

The Upper Heavenly Realm The highest heavenly realm is inhabited by yogis and spiritualists who have attained extremely advanced levels of yogic perfection. These are gorgeous, pure, and peaceful places. Beings can live there for exceptionally long periods of time. Once they have lived out the full duration of their lives, some will attain the pure and eternal transcendental realm (Vaikuntha). Others return to Earth in order to complete their spiritual growth or assist others on the path of self-realization.

Vaikuntha, or the Nonmaterial Transcendental Realm

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Vaikuntha is said to be the land of no anxiety, where every word is a song and every step is a dance.3 It is the realm for those who have become completely free of karma. To go there, a person must have perfected karma-free living and cultivated pure love for God and all beings. This realm is in some ways analogous to the Judeo-Christian idea of an eternal heaven. Vaikuntha is entirely transcendental and is made up of molecules of pure love and light. No touch of the three modes of nature exists there. Those who have perfected the path of raja yoga or the yoga of pure love, known as bhakti yoga, are transferred to Vaikuntha at the time of their death. The outer region of Vaikuntha is called the brahmajyoti—the realm of the effulgent light of Spirit. It is said that its existence comes from the radiating effulgence of God or from the Vaikuntha planets themselves. There reside great yogis who have successfully eradicated their desires and suffering through merging themselves entirely into the brahmajyoti light. While their path is an extremely elevated one, they are required to give up all sense of individuality by dissolving themselves forever into the light of Spirit. Many aspirants seek this realm. It is, after all, completely nonmaterial and peaceful and brings an end to all suffering. Seeking the goal of merging into light is known as the “impersonal” path of self-realization. For others, such as bhakti yogis or “personalists,” loss of soul identity and absolute

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merging are not desirable. Their realization is that the nature of the individual soul is pure love—that is, prema, or pure, ecstatic love of God and all that is. They do not find it favorable or necessary to lose their soul into the brahmajyoti light in order to attain the highest state of God consciousness and self-realization. For them, full realization of their divine soul essence, as love-drenched parts and parcels of the divine, is their perfection. Fully realized yogis who attain pure love, free of any selfishness and false ego, entirely dissolve their subtle body made of mind, intelligence, and false ego. However, still remaining is their pure soul essence, made of pure existence, consciousness, and bliss (sat-chit-ananda). These yogis but maintain their luminous self as a fully liberated, fully conscious, love-filled soul forever existing in the Vaikuntha realm. Vaikuntha contains inumerable transcendental planets filled with variety, and the beings there relate with the divine in two primary ways: in awe and reverence for Gods supreme power and in pure love and bliss, seeing God as the embodiment of ecstatic love and sweetness. It is said that beings never return from Vaikuntha to the middle realm of Earth unless they are divinely inspired to assist others along the path of self-realization. These beings are known as avatars, or those who willingly descend. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was one such avatar. Having incarnated on planet Earth over five hundred years ago, his intention was to share divine knowledge and inundate the entire planet with love of God and all of existence through chanting (kirtan) of divine names of God. Indeed, we have frequently witnessed that when a group of sincere people gather together to do kirtan, walls of false ego collapse and a sense of love and peace expands in all directions. Kirtan is a powerful way for us to clear negative energies, purify karma, break down walls between others, create an auspicious future, and ultimately connect ourselves to truth, God, and our divine identity. Karma and reincarnation are vast subjects and can be extremely subtle and esoteric. We have just touched upon the basics as described by classical Vedic texts. In the modern day, there has been extensive scientific research into these topics, with results that clearly signify their reality. As just one example, Ian Stevenson, M.D., formerly a professor of psychiatry at the University of Virginia, extensively investigated cases of spontaneous past-life memories in children for more than thirty years. His book, European Cases of the Reincarnation Type, is based on data collected from over three thousand cases.4 It is interesting to note that more than half of the children studied remembered their “past-life person” having undergone a violent death. Stevenson feels that, when trauma at death occurs, it is more likely that a past-life memory will bleed into the consciousness of a young child. As they get older, he found that they do tend to forget their memories. There are also numerous anecdotes of adults remembering past lives through the process of past-life regression therapy. I have personally experienced a number of

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past-life regressions, which were validated by having accurate insights into historical and cultural events that I had no previous knowledge of. These included memories from ancient African tribal communities, Native American tribes, and lives as Christian monks and Indian yogis. These regressions were some of the most insightful and healing experiences of my life. At some point on our journey, in this life or the next, a strong desire for spiritual awakening will occur. This is the special gift that comes with being human. When that time comes, the ever-present guide within the heart, who may also manifest outwardly as a living guide, will assist us in realizing the truth of who we are as well as our eternal relationship with the divine.

The Cleansing Power of Forgiveness We are not held back by the love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we’re not extending in the present.

Marianne Williamson

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Why bring up the topic of forgiveness in a book about cleansing? By now, you understand that cleansing is not just about the body, but also about the subtle body and soul— our most essential self. Forgiveness is a powerful way to detoxify our consciousness. It allows us to reclaim the here and now by releasing the past and freeing the present. Forgiveness helps us best use the element of time and free ourselves of negative karma. Forgiveness helps us strengthen all four legs of dharma:

Truth: Forgiveness releases resentments and judgments that cloud present perception, allowing for a more accurate vision of reality. Purity: Forgiveness releases mental and emotional negativity. Discipline: Forgiveness disciplines the mind to stay present and see what is, rather than what our conditioning and resentments encourage us to see. It also takes discipline to practice forgiveness. Compassion: Forgiveness allows us to act and live from a place of love and respect. Compassion (nonviolence) supports others in awakening to their n atural loving state. From the perspective of ancient wisdom, we come into the world lacking awareness of our real nature. We tend to view ourselves, others, and the world through the lens of

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our own projections. These projections often come from emotional wounds and familial and social conditioning. Unfortunately, projections turn into judgments. Judgments limit perception, as they are preconceived “decisions” about reality. Preconceived decisions about reality interfere with opening to the freedom, beauty, love, and power available in each moment. Forgiveness, from the TLC perspective, means to let go of and look past our judgments of another and see their essence instead. By doing so, we forgive and perceive them more clearly, opening the doorway to compassion and witnessing their inner self. The interesting thing is, when we forgive others, looking for their essence instead of their faults, we offer the same precious gift to ourselves. Forgiveness is a doorway to higher consciousness. Forgiveness is a conscious choice we make from moment to moment and situation to situation. It frees us up to let go of toxic emotional debris that negatively impacts our lives and bodies. Forgiveness offers freedom to us and peace to others. It is perhaps the most healing use of our time, purifying the time element itself. When time is purified, all the other material elements are also healed and cleansed.

Forgiveness and Peace of Mind

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For as we offer freedom, it is given us. . . . What I give my brother is my gift to me.

Helen Schucman, A Course in Miracles

A person is considered still further advanced when he regards honest well-wishers, affectionate benefactors, the neutral, mediators, the envious, friends, relatives and enemies, the pious and the sinners all with an equal mind. Bhagavad Gita 6.9

Eating a TLC-friendly, sattvic diet helps refine our nervous system, balance the mind, support intuition, enhance intelligence, and nourish compassion. When the body and mind are clear, forgiveness comes more easily. While forgiveness is not dependent on a TLC diet, it is easier to forgive when the mind and body are not disturbed by tamasic dulling foods, toxins, and biochemical/blood sugar imbalances caused by poor diet. Forgiveness is an offering of freedom to another, which, through transcendental law, gives freedom back to us. Focusing on another’s faults and judging them keeps us

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trapped. Forgiveness has a mystical quality. When applied in daily life, it leads us to recognize our own essential, good, and loving nature. In so doing, we are able to spontaneously recognize the same in others. We can all hear many voices arising from within. Ancient wisdom traditions acknowledge that, while we do have numerous manifestations of the voice of false ego, we have one inner voice of wisdom that is accessible to all. This is a voice of wisdom, love, peace, understanding, truth, and forgiveness. In mystic Christian traditions, it is called the voice of the Holy Spirit. In the Eastern yogic traditions, it is known as the Paramatma, buddhi, or God within. For others, it’s the higher self. Authentic forgiveness is not a form of denial but the spiritual practice of deep presence and listening to the inner voice of wisdom and truth. The proof of the voice of forgiveness is that, when we listen to it and act upon it, the result will always be peace. As long as we project and judge reality according to our conditioning and fears, our perceptions will continue to be distorted. Judgment is a frozen image stuck in time, preventing us from being free. Judgment keeps us disconnected from ourselves and from the presence of the present. It is the clever ploy of the false ego! Grace can manifest in our lives when we free the moment from our judgment and allow the beauty of love to take over. Forgiveness is the act of consciously bypassing the voice of judgment while listening for the voice of wisdom and love within. Forgiveness is a doorway to truth. A final note: Many people ask, “What about real evil, or serious abuse? How can that be forgiven?” or “How can I forgive someone if that person is still not safe to be around?” or, finally, “What did I do to deserve this?” Forgiveness does not require that we abandon the quality of discernment, nor does it weaken our discriminative powers; it actually strengthens them. Through forgiveness, our perception comes closer to seeing reality. Forgiveness does not negate the necessity of expressing our feelings or speaking our truth. Suppression is not healthy or beneficial. In fact, communicating directly, openly, and honestly (nonviolently, without attacking), even if it brings up discomfort in ourselves and others, often makes greater space for healing and forgiveness to occur. Forgiveness does not suggest that we continue to expose ourselves to abuse. However, focusing on the negative in others is always harmful. If a person is still not safe to be around, like someone who is violent or physically and mentally abusive, we can still forgive him or her—from a distance. Forgiveness here means to simultaneously see their essence and understand their present sickness, while keeping a healthy distance. With a free mind and a healed heart, we can stay physically and emotionally safe at the same time.

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Finally, what did I do to deserve this? From the Vedic perspective, it’s best to simply acknowledge that we have made many mistakes in this life as well as innumerable past lives. The “mistakes of living,” or prajnaparadha, manifest in the form of karmic reactions. Karma and its reactions will continue until we fully realize our true essential nature. After all, we live in the temporary middle planetary realm—the realm of happiness and distress, where the greatest potential for spiritual growth exists. Therefore, it is less important to know exactly what we did than to do those things now that lead to our ultimate self-realization. My teacher used to say, “If the house is on fire, don’t waste time asking how the fire began—get out of the house!” While the “whats” and the “whys” may be interesting and sometimes insightful, it is best to simply heal our misconceptions through forgiveness and optimal dietary and lifestyle practices. When we are sincere, insights from within will help us understand exactly what we need to know. Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love, for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned . . . St. Francis of Assisi

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Gossip and Fault Finding

Whoever indulges in praising or criticizing the qualities and behavior of others will quickly become deviated from his own best interest by his entanglement in illusory dualities. Srimad Bhagavatam 11.28.2

To experience the full benefits of the Total Life Cleanse, and in our own best self-interest, we will have to let go of two tempting and addictive toxins: gossip and fault finding. In the bhakti yoga tradition, gossip and fault finding are considered to be the most harmful “weakness of the heart.” They stem from our lack of willingness to forgive ourselves and others. Constant judgment freezes our negative perceptions and solidifies our negative stories. These stories and judgments are expressed through gossip and finding fault in others. Gossip and fault finding keeps the false ego safe, but at a grave cost—it interferes with our personal happiness and spiritual growth. Ayurveda also sees gossip as a serious toxin. The Sanskrit word for gossip and fault finding, prajalpa, means “useless talk” or using the power of the voice in a meaningless and toxic way. Prajalpa causes misery by disturbing our own mindsand the minds of others and saps our vital life energy.

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We ask that everyone participating in the cleanse become aware of their tendency to criticize, gossip, and find fault with others. It is an extremely empowering practice to become aware when the urge strikes and then make the choice to not indulge. Just as we can feel cravings for foods like sugar and dairy and let them go, we can do the same for the poisonous mental junk food, prajalpa! Do your best, and notice when you fail. When you do, simply recenter and begin again to embrace forgiveness and release the impulse to gossip and find fault. Ultimately, forgiveness is a doorway to the present moment, where presence, awareness, and love exist. If you see that a person is wretched, then don’t associate with him. Offer dandavat pranam [full respect] from a distance, but do not think of him at all. . . . Otherwise, you can say, “Now I should go,” but do not criticize. . . . Never criticize anyone. If someone is doing bad things, he only causes harm for himself. If you criticize someone, thinking, “This is wrong” or “This fellow is very bad,” then all the bad qualities that you are thinking about will enter your heart.

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Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

The Karma Cleanse The following practices create good karma to benefit our present life as well as the next. While the subject of karma and reincarnation may be complex, the karma cleanse is quite simple. Become familiar with these recommendations and keep practicing. You’ll forget but then, again, remember. In just a few days, you will notice greater peace of mind, internal strength, deeper contentment, and stronger connections with others. May these qualities extend from now into eternity! For the duration of the cleanse:

Create as little suffering to other living beings as possible. Eat only sattvic, plant-based foods (little or no animal flesh) Include kindness in every interaction of your day. Avoid gossip and fault finding. Find at least one positive quality in every person you encounter. Listen deeply, speak mindfully, and be present.

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Speak your truth, but speak without attacking. Forgive constantly by looking past others’ mistakes. Look into the eyes of others and see their light. Respect all—from a distance, if necessary. Meditate, pray, chant, and read inspirational words daily. Offer all your actions, including when you eat, to the highest truth. Breathe, and be here now. Be grateful. Be present, yet awake to the reality of eternity.

Janet’s Story: Letting Go of Judgment During the summer of 2005, I was in California at a retreat with my ninetyyear-old spiritual teacher from Vrindavana, India, Srila Gurudeva. Nestled high in the sequoias, he spoke daily on many deep topics about the purpose of human life. During this retreat in particular, he emphasized the perilous consequences of the habit of gossiping, criticizing, and finding faults in

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others. Many of us were familiar with the idea that the qualities we judge in others are often found within ourselves. Coming from another angle, Srila Gurudeva explained how extremely toxic and harmful gossip and fault finding was to our mental and spiritual well-being. He said that fault finding, criticizing, and gossiping about others creates a bridge from our heart to theirs and that all the negative qualities we are focusing on in them will enthusiastically march over that bridge right into our own heart. He taught that this is the main way we pick up toxic negative energies from others. Each evening, Srila Gurudeva would end his class in his deeply grave yet beautifully sweet way, saying: “Don’t criticize!” In his purifying presence, we all became aware of our fault-finding tendencies. It was clear that none of us were free of faults. It was humbling. His words acted like a knife and felt like spiritual heart surgery. He reassured us that it was normal to not like everyone. However, he said that it was important to respect all, and if necessary, we could do so from a distance. During the next TLC program, I shared this information with the participants as part of the karma cleanse. The group seemed to deeply appreciate the simple and meaningful teachings.

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Janet, one of the participants, had been angry with a woman at her office for months. She felt extremely critical of her. As I shared my teacher’s wisdom with the group, Janet became aware of how toxic her thoughts had been. She soon discovered that much of her angst came from constantly having judgmental and negative thoughts toward her workmate. During the next cleanse meeting, Janet shared that my teacher’s words had given her the insight, permission, and strength to let go of her obsessive judgmental thinking. Pleasantly free of the urge to mentally criticize her business associate, Janet recognized how harmful her thinking had been to herself. With joy, she expressed how she immediately had felt lighter and more peaceful. Janet was thrilled to have practically no negative emotional charge around the workmate relationship. It was remarkable to witness such a dramatic transformation, and it also touched all of the other cleanse participants.

Gossip, fault finding, and criticizing others are mental toxins that interfere with happiness and spiritual well-being. They also weaken the emotional and spiritual heart. Cleanse participants appreciate the relief, happiness, and peace of mind that quickly come when they consciously give up the fault-finding tendency. It also makes for a wonderfully harmonious and supportive group cleanse experience.

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PART II

ForThe Review Only How of the Total Life Cleanse

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18 The Cleanse Begins The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Lao-tzu

PART 2 INCLUDES ALL OF THE NECESSARY instructions and recommendations

for making the most of your Total Life Cleanse. Clearly understanding them will prepare you for having the most rewarding and empowering cleanse experience. The chapters that follow detail everything you’ll need to know. The chapters in part 2 cover the following:

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Chapter 19: TLC Essentials—superfoods, supplements, and products to include in your cleanse diet and routine, along with foods and products to avoid during the cleanse Chapter 20: Total Life Detox—practices that detoxify and revitalize, including bathing, dry brushing, regular exercise, deep liver flushes, ayurvedic cleanses, healthy sleep, a media cleanse, and more Chapter 21: Sadhana—daily practices to help you reconnect with your divine nature, including breathing exercises, kirtan, yoga, aura cleansing, affirmations, and more Chapter 22: The Daily Routine Guide—a day-by-day guide to the cleanse, including meals, supplements, herbs, sadhana exercises, and more Chapter 23: Cleansing through the Seasons—using the influence of seasonal energies to boost the positive impact of the cleanse (and the rest of your life!) Chapter 24: Details on the Top Fourteen “Off the Cleanse” Foods—an in-depth discussion of why certain foods should be eliminated from your diet 236

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The Cleanse Begins 237

Chapter 25: TLC Recipes—step-by-step recipes for making TLC-friendly soups, salads, smoothies, and other dishes, organized according to the Daily Routine Guide Take the time to familiarize yourself with these materials. Then, be sure to have a supply of TLC-friendly foods, products, and materials on hand (see the shopping list in chapter 19 for help!). Once you do, you’re ready to begin your Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse. For additional support, there are frequent virtual live cleanses, which include TLC videos that cover the various aspects of the cleanse. Information can be found at www. totallifecleanse.com. You will also be able to join the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse Facebook group, where you can make connections with other TLC participants, have your questions answered, and set up live one-on-one consultations with myself and our TLC team. Consider tthe leanse to be an opportunity to nurture and heal yourself, even in the midst of your busy life—a retreat in a real-life setting. Cleansing at a retreat center can be a wonderful experience. However, once they return home, people typically jump right back into old patterns, unable to integrate lasting dietary and lifestyle changes. The Total Life Cleanse, in contrast, is not just about detoxification but about making meaningful long-term changes. Cleansing in a real-life setting develops real-life muscles, creating positive shifts in awareness, diet, and lifestyle habits and supporting real wellbeing for a lifetime.

For Review Only Summary of the Cleanse: Phases 1 to 4

The Total Life Cleanse generally lasts for twenty-eight days, broken down into four week-long phases. The descriptions below will give you a good idea of the intended flow of the cleanse. The chapters that follow expand upon it. Note: While twenty-eight days is an ideal duration for the Total Life Cleanse, at times a shorter cleanse may be more suitable. My recommendation is to maintain the four-phase structure, while shortening each phase. For instance, an eight-day cleanse would consist of four two-day phases; a twelve-day cleanse would consist of four threeday phases.

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238 The How of the Total Life Cleanse

Phase 1 Days 1–7: “On the Cleanse/Off the Cleanse” Diet In phase 1, you can eat any food that is “on the cleanse,” while avoiding any foods that are “off the cleanse” (see chapter 19 for details). You will begin to have a nutritionpacked TLC smoothie (see chapter 20) every day. If you like, you can also begin to experiment with the ayurvedic dish known as kitchari (see below). It is optional at this point, however. The main focus of phase 1 is cultivating a TLC-focused diet.

Phase 2 Days 8–14: Simplifying with Kitchari In phase 2, continue following the “On the Cleanse/Off the Cleanse” diet. Additionally, begin adding kitchari to your diet every day. Kitchari is a simple cleansing dish made of rice or quinoa, mung beans, spices, and veggies. It has been used in ayurvedic detoxification programs for thousands of years, and it is a foundational food of the Total Life Cleanse. You will find numerous kitchari recipes in chapter 25. One main focus of phase 2 is simplifying your diet in order to lessen the burden on your digestive system. Phase 2 is also an opportunity to begin the process of eliminating meat and other animal products (for those who do consume them). Rest assured, you will get plenty of protein from kitchari and the TLC smoothie. During this phase, you can also begin to add an abundance of leafy greens and other vegetables to your diet. An easy way of doing that is to add them to the kitchari. Greens are alkalizing, packed with nutrients like vitamins A, C, and K, and minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium. They also contain lots of folate, which plays a roll in DNA synthesis and repair and encourages cellular detoxification and growth. Ayurveda encourages the use of greens to satisfy our need for the bitter taste and its action on our body. Bitter greens purify the blood and are deeply cleansing as they clear accumulated fat and toxins from our tissues. They are also known to eliminate parasites and other unhealthy microbes from the gastrointestinal tract while enhancing bile secretion and optimal digestion and liver function. The bitter taste enhances our appreciation of other tastes, encourages a healthy, and reduces thirst. Leafy greens (as well as beets) are also a fantastic source of organic nitrates. When organic nitrates are mixed with our saliva and absorbed into our bloodstream, they convert to nitric oxide or NO. Nitric oxide is a miraculous gas that’s made in the lining of our arteries. It allows our arteries to relax and appropriately dialate—supporting optimal blood pressure and healthy blood vessels and enhancing heart, brain, and sexual organ function. Fermented vegetables, such as krauts and kimchi, are wonderful condiments for

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kitchari. They boost digestive power through their natural abundance of probiotics and enzymes. Feel free to add green salads, especially when the weather is warm. Too much raw food during cold weather, however, may reduce body temperature and cause digestive disturbances, especially for vata and kapha body types.

Phase 3 Days 15–21: Alkalizing Super Greens During phase 3, go wild with the veggies, especially leafy greens. Eat veggies and greens for meals, in your smoothies, and in your kitchari. In the warmer weather, enjoy raw green soups and salads; in colder weather, enjoy warm soups. (You’ll find recipes for soups and salads in chapter 25.) The focus of phase 3 is to boost the power of your diet, focusing on only plant foods that are alkalizing, cleansing, and easy to digest. Alkalizing foods like leafy greens, broccoli sprouts, avaocado, arugala, and cabbage help to neutralize harmful acids stored in your tissues. Most alkalizing foods have small amounts of alkaloids. These alkaloids act not only as natural pesticides for the plants themselves, but also have many protective benefits for just about every tissue in our body. Since animal products take more energy to digest and are acidic forming, we avoid them entirely in phase 3. It’s also a good time to be sure to use low amounts of fat to relieve the body of extra digestive stress. One route is to even go grain free, eat only veggie soups, and pack your smoothies with greens to take your cleanse to a deeper level. Some people find this deeply cleansing diet too challenging to maintain, while others find it wonderful and energizing. Experiment! If you find that you are not comfortable going this far, be sure to add alkalizing and mineral-rich himilayan or celtic salt to your grains, stay focused on eating only “On the Cleanse” foods. No matter what, if you just stick with the “On the Cleanse” protocol, you will have an excellent experience.

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Phase 4 Days 22–28: Conscious TLC Reintegration It is essential to come off the cleanse gradually, and this last week marks the wind-down phase. Phase 4 is also the time to redefine how you want to eat and live from this point forward. It’s the time to clarify your new bottom lines in terms of your diet and lifestyle. You will have experienced many benefits of the cleanse by the time you reach phase 4. Perhaps you will feel lighter, more energetic, happier, and clearer. Perhaps you’ll have better digestion, less pain, and a greater sense of spiritual connection. You should have

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a sense of which foods, herbs, and lifestyle practices worked best for you during the cleanse, whether that was eliminating refined carbohydrates and sugars, giving up meat, the liver flush detox protocol, the simplicity and nutirional punch of the TLC smoothies, the daily sadhana practices, conscious eating . . . Reflect on all the changes you have made, and consider which were the most impactful. Write them down and see yourself incorporating them into your life at least 80 percent of the time, from this point forward. Spend this week eating a TLC-friendly diet while you begin the process of exploration and integration.

Beyond Phase 4 Beyond Day 28: Tips for Ending the Cleanse Ending the cleanse is, in reality, a new beginning! Your experience will have made it easy to assess whether you have specific food sensitivities, as well as how various foods, habits, and activities affect you. As you wrap up your cleanse, use this time and selfknowledge wisely so that the TLC benefits spill over into your life, for a lifetime.

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Reintroducing Foods

If you choose to reintroduce any foods that are on the “Off the Cleanse” list (see page [x-ref ]), be sure to introduce only one food at a time over a three-day period. Do not reintroduce two or three “off the cleanse” foods at the same time. Doing so would make it impossible to clearly identify which food, if any, has a negative impact. Tune in really carefully to how you feel after eating an “off the cleanse” food. Look for things like:

Increased mucus (nasal and lung congestion) Low mood or mood changes Foggy-headedness, lack of mental clarity, memory loss Irritability Skin irritation Pain Gas and bloating Bowel changes Stomach discomfort Headaches

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Any of these changes or symptoms (even small ones) could indicate that you have a food allergy or sensitivity. You do not need a blood test to prove that a food makes you feel congested or miserable. Honor your knowing and experience (don’t have prajnaparadha!). There are a few foods that I recommend you never return to. These foods either have no nutritional value or have been damaged so severely by modern technology and farming practices that they are no longer fit for human consumption. Never Eat (Or Almost Never)

White sugar High-fructose corn syrup Fake sweeteners Inorganic meat Processed meat Inorganic milk GMO foods Refined wheat products Modern inorganic wheat Commercial candy and chocolates Tuna or other fatty ocean fish (because they are high in mercury)

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Best to Avoid

All dairy (unless raw, and even then, eat just minimal amounts) All meat Inorganic coffee Inorganic chocolate Alcohol Modern organic wheat After the cleanse, you might consider continuing some of the TLC dietary and lifestyle habits as a well-being maintenance program. You can, for example, continue taking most of the TLC supplements (see chapter 19); however, some may be more important for you than others. Go by your own experience. Continuing smoothies is generally a great idea for most people; they are an excellent way to get clean, potent nutrition every day. If you like kitchari, eat it at least once a week so that you stay in a healthy post-cleanse mind-set. Continue to eat a whole-foods plant-based diet, and include an abundance of alkalinizing leafy greens.

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It is always good to limit your exposure to media. When or if you bring it back, notice how it feels and get clear about maintaining healthy media limits. Take regular breaks from news and social media. Again, assess what really worked for you during the cleanse and commit to continuing doing those things. Beneficial Activities to Continue

Drink plenty of pure water. Exercise and do yoga. Walk daily. Meditate. Chant. Do saunas or use an Amethyst BioMat twice per week. Eat consciously. Eat clean and plant-based. Cleansing Regularly

It’s ideal to cleanse at least twice a year. Spring and fall cleanses tend to be the most powerful, but many people find winter and summer cleanses to be very effective. Fall cleanses especially benefit detoxification of the lungs and large intestine, which is essential for optimal well-being. Fall cleansing is a great way to wind down from the summer and ramp up for the new year. It also paves the way for a healthier winter season. Spring is the most powerful time to cleanse, as it supports efficient detoxification of the liver, the most important organ of detoxification. Spring is about new beginnings. The body loves to cleanse in the spring, and it is often a time of efficient weight loss. Winter cleansing, while not traditional, is perfect for supporting immunity and recovering from the holidays. It could be called “the Recovery Cleanse.” After the onslaught of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year celebrations—winter cleanses are often greatly appreciated! Summer cleansing supports the heart and cardiovascular system. It’s easy to sweat and eat light in the summer. Therefore, it’s an excellent time to focus on cleansing the lymphatic system as well as supporting the heart and decreasing systemic inflammation.

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TLC Tips Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

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The following tips will help you have a deep, effective, and life-changing cleanse within the context of your normal daily life.

Slow down: breathe deeper, speak slower, walk slower (unless, of course, you are exercising). Bring a higher degree of mindfulness into all your actions. Simplify your schedule as much as possible. Eliminate the unnecessary; do only the necessary. Be okay with that. Stay home more. Go out less. Avoid noisy, crowded, chaotic environments. Get to sleep before 10 p.m. The sleep we get before midnight is the best sleep of all. Going to bed early also makes it easier to rise early the next morning. Wake up thirty minutes earlier than you normally would. The best time to rise is at least ten minutes before sunrise. Having extra time in the morning for meditation and yoga is extremely beneficial. Spend quiet time in nature. Nature is inherently balanced. When we associate with balanced energy, we become more balanced. A simple walk in the woods, in a park, or by a body of water can quickly improve your state of mind. Speak less. Speech is directly connected to the nervous system. Excessive talking disturbs the mind, especially if the subject matter is superficial. Being deliberate with your words is an effective way to steady the mind and stabilize the nervous system. Avoid prajalpa—a Sanskrit word that means talk that is related to overly superficial subjects, or gossip. Prajalpa, when it becomes a habit, is one of the greatest obstacles to mental and spiritual peace. How you speak about yourself is also of great importance. While humility is healthy, self-deprecation is an obstacle to well-being. Eliminate gossip and negative self-talk during the cleanse, as it is a serious mental toxin and a life-changing habit to break. Set a clear intention for the cleanse, and dedicate the benefits you will receive to a higher purpose—your dharma, the planet, the environment, your relationships, your family, the benefit of all beings, or God. Realize that the cleanse is a significant and powerful action that benefits not only you but also others and the planet as well. Cleansing is a decision that empowers you to take responsibility for your health in body, mind, and soul. This is no small task. It takes personal power, discipline, and depth to choose to do what is truly beneficial. Be grateful for the opportunity and honor yourself for making the choice to

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improve your life in a real way. When you grow as a person, it has a positive ripple effect on all those around you. When you are clearer, happier, lighter, and more positive about life, your presence alone will lift others. You will naturally educate others merely by your energy and example. Remember that cleansing enhances your ability to fulfill your dharma and fulfill your goals in life. Observe your attachments and aversions. They contain a great deal of energy. For example, the foods you are most attached to may be the ones that are most important to give up. Similarly, the behavior you have the most aversion to, such as daily meditation, may hold the most transformational power. Think of three qualities, behaviors, or habits you would like to let go of during the cleanse. Write them down. Create and repeat Afformations (see chapter 21) related to them. Cleansing is an opportunity to go beneath the surface of ordinary daily life and focus your attention on letting go of habits and qualities that no longer serve you. Think of three qualities, behaviors, or habits you would like to develop or bring into your life. Write them down. Create and repeat Afformations related to them. This is a time to do those things that, before, seemed unlikely or impossible.

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The increased energy, inner peace, healthy discipline, and self-confidence that come with cleansing allow for quantum changes in body, mind, and soul.

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19 TLC Essentials Superfoods, Supplements, and a Cleansing Diet

IT IS NOW TIME TO REVEAL the essential components of the Total Life Cleanse.

Here you’ll find out which foods and products are “on the cleanse” and which are “off the cleanse.” You’ll learn about the amazing ayurvedic cleansing dish called kitchari and why and when we make use of it. This chapter also details the recommended cleanse supplements and the delicious, nourishing, and detoxing cleanse smoothie as well as suggests additional helpful and essential items identified on the TLC shopping list.

For Review Only On the Cleanse/Off the Cleanse

There are many levels of cleansing, and some of them go very deep indeed. However, you can have an excellent cleanse simply by following the essential “On the Cleanse/Off the Cleanse diet!” I always like to emphasize this point. Often, just these simple dietary changes yield profound results. The “On the Cleanse” and “Off the Cleanse” lists are almost self-explanatory: during the cleanse, eat whatever you like from the “on” list, and eliminate those foods on the “off list.” It’s that simple. The lists go on to include cooking techniques, cookware, and personal care products. Adherence to the “On the Cleanse/Off the Cleanse” diet ensures that you decrease your exposure to toxins such as:

Industrial chemicals and pesticides Heavy metals Toxins in water (e.g., chlorine and fluoride) 245

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GMOs Allergens Gluten Rancid fats Trans fats Artificial additives and colors Refined sweeteners and carbohydrates Chemical-laden cosmetics and perfumes TABLE 19.1. ON THE CLEANSE/OFF THE CLEANSE DIET OFF THE CLEANSE—FOODS

ON THE CLEANSE—FOODS

Coffee, black tea, and processed chocolate

Green tea, ginger and herbal teas, and raw cacao

All alcohol, including beer and wine

Kombucha (only for transitional use*)

All refined sweeteners (including sugar, corn syrup, secant, and all artificial sweeteners)

Stevia, raw cacao, raw honey (in moderation), and agave syrup (in moderation and only for transitional use)

Nonorganic foods and GMO foods

Organic foods

Animal products including meat, fish and eggs

Organic tofu, tempeh, mung beans, soaked TLC friendly nuts and seeds (phases 1 and 2 begin phasing meat, fish and eggs out; phases 3 and 4 completely eliminate meat, fish, and eggs)

Processed tofu or other processed soy products

Organic tempeh, tofu, and beans (minimize lentils and emphasize mung beans)

Cow’s milk and soy milk

Organic raw almond, rice, hemp, or coconut milk; kefir (in moderation and only for transitional use)

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Other dairy products, including cheese, as well Organic tofu, cashew based organic cheeses as processed vegetarian cheese (only for transitional use )

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Gluten-bearing grains (wheat, oats, rye, barley, triticale, kaput, spelt) and their products (bread, pasta, couscous, etc.)

Organic white or brown basmati rice, organic short-grain brown rice, purple rice, amaranth, buckwheat, millet, and quinoa (soak rices over night and change water when cooking)

Corn and all corn products, rice chips, potato chips, rice cakes, and all other processed grain products

If you absolutely must: organic baked blue corn chips (very sparingly), raw chips, and TLCfriendly crackers

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OFF THE CLEANSE—FOODS

ON THE CLEANSE—FOODS

Salted, fried, or baked nuts and seeds of any kind and all peanuts

Organic raw or lightly toasted chia, flax (ground), pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds and almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, pine nuts, and walnuts (all in moderation)

Tomatoes, white potatoes, green peppers, and eggplant (members of the nightshade family)

Organic vegetables, red potatoes, sweet potatoes, and (in moderation) red peppers

Refined table salt

Whole salts, including Celtic, Himalayan, and black salt

Seasonings with sugar, soy protein powder, or brewer’s yeast

Unrefined herbal seasonings

All processed vegetable oils (including corn oil and sesame oil) and animal fats

Organic ghee (from humanely treated cows); organic flax, olive, hemp, chia, and coconut oils; sesame oil is to be used externally only (use all oils for cooking in moderation)

White, wine, and balsamic vinegars

Organic raw apple cider vinegar

Tap water and carbonated water

Filtered or spring water, ionized water, or lemon water (see page [x-ref])

Fruit juice

Organic apple and pomegranate juice (only for transitional use)

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Nonseasonal fruits

Apples, bananas, berries, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and pomegranates (1:2 ratio of fruits to vegetables)

All canned and processed foods

Organic frozen vegetables and berries

*“For transitional use” means to use these foods early on in the cleanse to transition from an off the cleanse diet. For example, one might drink komboucha for a few days to transition from drinking wine every night.

TABLE 19.2. OFF THE CLEANSE/ON THE CLEANSE FOOD PREPARATION OFF THE CLEANSE— FOOD PREPARATION Microwaving and grilling

ON THE CLEANSE— FOOD PREPARATION Steaming, boiling, baking, and broiling

Aluminum cookware; Teflon and other nonstick Stainless steel, cast iron, glass, and ceramic cookware cookware Aluminum foil

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Plastic wrap and waxed paper

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TABLE 19.3. OFF THE CLEANSE/ ON THE CLEANSE PERSONAL CARE OFF THE CLEANSE—PERSONAL CARE

ON THE CLEANSE—PERSONAL CARE

Antiperspirants

Natural deodorants

Fluoride toothpaste

Nonfluoride toothpaste

Synthetic perfume and cologne

Essential oils

Pesticides, chlorine, bleach-based cleaning products

Natural substitutes

All nonprescription medications, including NSAIDs and other painkillers

Natural alternatives

Kitchari: Ultimate Nourishment Phase 2 of the Total Life Cleanse calls for you to eat kitchari twice a day for seven consecutive days. Cleansers often include kitchari in their diet for many days beyond this, even beyond the cleanse, and find kitchari to be satisfying, balancing, and calming. Ayurveda regards kitchari as the ideal meal to facilitate healthy detoxification, excellent nourishment, and mental and spiritual well-being. Traditionally it was recommended for the elderly, the ill, and those who are cleansing. The TLC kitchari combines split yellow mung beans, long-grain white basmati rice, and a blend of Indian spices like cumin, turmeric, coriander, and hing (asafetida). (Some people may use quinoa as an alternative to rice.) We use white basmati rice instead of brown rice because it has had its husk removed and is thus easier to digest. When you are cleansing, your metabolism slows down as your body focuses on detoxification and healing. Therefore, it is essential to eat food that is super nourishing, but also simple and easy to digest. After the cleanse you can eat brown rice, which is slightly more nourishing. Split yellow mung beans have also had their husk removed, making them easy to digest (and unlikely to produce gas and bloating, like other beans do). They are high in protein, have a balancing effect on blood sugar, and contain an abundance of antioxidants. Rice and mung together make a perfect protein. Rice, like many grains, has only low levels of some essential amino acids like lysine and high levels of others, like methionine. Beans are low in methionine but high in lysine. Together they provide all ten essential amino acids. The spices traditionally used in kitchari, like turmeric, corriander, and cumin, are also therapeutic, supporting optimal digestion and immune function. In sum, kitchari is easy to digest, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, gut-healing,

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blood sugar–balancing, and super nourishing. It is unlikely to trigger an allergic response, easy to prepare, and tasty. These qualities make kitchari an ideal dish to include in your diet throughout the entire cleanse process. Fasting during a cleanse can be counterproductive. The body eventually adapts and ends up storing fat instead of letting it go. Fat stores toxins. Releasing stored fat is an important component of cleansing. Kitchari helps us do just that, while keeping cleansers satisfied and supporting optimal detoxification. It is also very sattvic. This means that kitchari has the effect of calming the nervous system and mind—an essential influence for any authentic body-, mind-, and spirit-oriented cleanse. Traditional kitchari recipes often call for generous amounts of ghee. However, when cleansing, it is generally best to minimize fat. All of the TLC kitchari recipes have greatly reduced the recommended fat in the form of ghee or, preferably, coconut oil. Eating fat according to your dosha or genotype after the cleanse is fine. You’ll find numerous delicious kitchari recipes to experiment with and choose from in chapter 25.

For Review Only Fasting on Ekadasi

While the Total Life Cleanse program does not generally encourage extended phases of fasting, fasting can have great benefit for the body, mind, and spirit. It offers an opportunity, on every level, to rest, detoxify, and reset. There are two days per month that are especially beneficial for fasting. These days are known as ekadasi. Ekadasi falls on the eleventh day of the waxing and waning moon. Three days before the full moon and three days before the new moon, the Earth’s water becomes stagnant and absorbs all of the psychic negativity on the planet. Perhaps this is one reason why more crimes are committed on or near the new and full moon! According to ayurveda, grains and beans are the greatest absorbers of water. When they are eaten on ekadasi, they stagnate in our intestines and negatively influence our minds. Therefore, ayurveda recommends that twice each month, on ekadasi, we fast from grains and beans and eat lightly, or even better, fast from all food. Doing so is not only protective of the digestive system but also extremely healing for the entire body, mind, and spirit. It also inspires the vibration of sattva to enter our consciousness. Fasting on both ekadasi days is a balanced way to regularly purify our body and mind and keep us on the TLC track.

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The TLC Smoothie The TLC smoothie is a wonderful way of getting good-tasting, high-quality, whole food and easily digestible nutrition. Taking the burden off the digestive tract is an important TLC principle. The smoothie does just that. It is also one of the best ways to support the body’s natural detoxification pathways, as well as efficient metabolism of nutrients and fat and healthy bowel elimination. A smoothie is recommended for every day of the fast, so be sure that you have all of the ingredients in stock. Ideally, it is best to keep all of the ingredients readily at hand so that your smoothie-making process is smooth and efficient. You may want to keep your blender right on your countertop for the duration of the cleanse. The recipe calls for Clear Response powder and Renewal Greens, two of the essential TLC supplements. We’ll talk about them below. You can also add to the smoothie any other cleansing supplements that you’re taking.

•The TLC Smoothie ¼ cup blueberries and/or strawberries

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½–1 not-too-ripe banana (optional)

1 scoop (10 grams) Renewal Greens (or chosen green superfood powder) 1 scoop (27 grams) Clear Response powder (or chosen plant protein powder) 1 tablespoon chia seeds (for fiber and essential fats) 1 tablespoon hemp seeds (optional; for extra protein and essential fats) 1 tablespoon high-lignin flaxseed oil 8–12 ounces of water or organic almond, hemp, rice, or coconut milk 8 soaked almonds or pecans, or 1 handful soaked sunflower or pumpkin seeds* A handful or more of leafy greens (kale, spinach, romaine, and so on; mix up the greens on a weekly basis) 1 small beet (optional; for liver and gallbladder health) *Nuts and seeds are extremely nutritious—high in protein, minerals, healthy fat, and phytonutrients. However, they do contain enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid, which can interfere with their full digestibility and assimilation. Soaking them in whole salt helps to neutralize their enzyme inhibitors and increase their nutritional bioavailability. To soak, add three days worth of nuts and seeds for smoothies to a jar. Fill it up with purified room temperature water so that it covers all the nuts and seeds. Add 2 teaspoons of real salt. Let them soak for 10–24 hours lightly covered and not refrigerated. The next day, pour off the water, use the nuts and seeds you would like, and cover with pure water and salt again.

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A small handful of raw cacao nibs (optional; for antioxidants and moodelevating effects) A pinch of ground ginger, cardamom, and/or cinnamon (optional)

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add more liquid. It’s that easy! Take your time ingesting your smoothie. Think of yourself as “eating” instead of drinking it. Give it a few chews before swallowing. This adds important enzymes, reduces the chill of a cold smoothie, and aids digestion. In the colder seasons, feel free to use extra warming spices, such as ginger, and add a little hot water to remove the chill. Enjoy!

Supplements Over the years we’ve tried a wide variety of cleanse supplement protocols. Two in particular have proven to be the most effective. The first protocol includes four products from Innate Response, a manufacturer of plant based-food, food sourced nutritional supplements, and one from Ayush herbs, a high quality, certified organic, ayurvedic herbal company. From Innate Response we use: Clear Response, Inflama-GI, Innate Detox, and Renewal Greens. From Ayush Herbs, we use Trifal, a potent form of the ayurvedic herb triphala. This is the protocol described below and in the daily routine guide, but you are free to use the protocol that works best for you. The second protocol includes four products from Nutragen—an extremely high quality option for those who prefer using powders over capsules (two of the Innate Response products are in capsule form). From Nutragen we use (the equivalents from the above protocol are included in parenthesis for your information when using the daily routine guide): Pure Plant Protein (Clear Response), Pure Greens (Renewal Greens), Pure Cleanse Plus (Trifal and Innate Detox), and Pure Digestion Plus (Inflama-GI). Cleanse participants consistently have positive results using both protocols. This doesn’t mean, however, that it’s absolutely necessary to use only the products recommended by the TLC program in order to have an excellent cleanse experience. With each product, you’ll find a discussion of comparable products and ingredients, and the qualities to look for in these alternative supplements.

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Inflama-GI Inflama-GI is anti-inflammatory, healing, and soothing for the intestinal tract as it maintains a healthy inflammatory response in the intestines. Many types of disease begin in the intestines due to inflammation.

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Usage: One scoop (6 grams) of the powder with eight to ten ounces of water taken twenty minutes before breakfast, or midmorning between breakfast and lunch Alternatives: Nutragen’s Pure Digestion Plus or look for products that contain turmeric, aloe, slippery elm, ginger, and marshmallow root.

Clear Response Clear Response is a potent detoxification formula based on pea protein. Usage: One-scoop (27 grams) of the powder taken once per day, either in a smoothie or in water Alternatives: Nutragen’s Pure Plant Protein or look for a plant-based protein powder with pea protein and/or hemp as its base. Additional ingredients may include glycine, L-glutamine, milk thistle (seed), and MSM.

Renewal Greens Renewal Greens formula contains a broad spectrum of fruits, vegetables, greens, and herbs. It is both alkalizing and rich with antioxidants and phytonutrients.

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Usage: One-scoop (10 grams) of the powder taken twice per day, either in a smoothie or in water Alternatives: Nutragen’s Pure Greens or look for an organic powdered greens formula that has potent and pure ingredients.

Innate Detox Innate Detox offers a deep level of liver and systemic detoxification, supporting both the phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification pathwaysThe combination helps the body make its own glutathione—an incredibly important antioxidant and detox compound. Usage: Two or three capsules taken in the morning (with your TLC smoothie) and two or three capsules taken before bedtime Alternatives: Nutragen’s Pure Cleanse Plus or look for a product with generous amounts of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), milk thistle seed, dandelion root, and turmeric in a base of whole foods.

Trifal Trifal helps to regulate the bowels and clear accumulated toxins in the intestines. It also relieves occasional constipation. Trifal is a combination of three ayurvedic herbs

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TLC Essentials 253

(generally spelled, triphala), amalaki, haritaki, and bibhitaki, which have been used for thousands of years. These herbs nourish, regulate, and detoxify not only the intestines but also the urinary tract, liver, eyes, blood, and immune system. Trifal supports optimal gut flora and is often used to counter pathogenic intestinal parasites, yeast, bacteria, and fungus—common problems in modern humans. Maintaining healthy gut flora positively impacts every aspect of our health, including our brain and mental outlook. Usage: Two to four capsules taken at bedtime (begin with two and increase if needed for optimal elimination). Alternatives: Nutragen’s Pure Cleanse Plus or look for triphala from a reputable nutritional or ayurvedic company.

Herbal Teas Consuming herbal teas is a tasty and easy way to gently encourage detoxification and nourishment for our organ systems. They also serve as a source of good hydration. Feel free to prepare your teas in quart-size batches and sip them throughout the day.

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Ginger and fennel to support digestion Dandelion root to detoxify liver and gallbladder and leaf to support kidney function Rosemary for liver support Tulsi for adrenal, lung, and nerve health Green tea for antioxidants and energy Ama cleansing ginger tea (see chapter 23, page [x-ref ] for detailed instructions)

Water

As we discussed in chapter 4, water is a superfood for the body, and hydration is key during a cleanse as it aids in optimal elimination and detoxification. Every tissue and cell in our body requires water to support nutrient transfer as well as the efficient excretion of toxins. The goal is to drink the number of ounces of water that is equivalent to half your body weight in pounds. For example, a 120-pound person should drink sixty ounces of water. Water quality is important; see chapter 4 for details. One of the best forms of alkalinizing water is lemon water: thirty-two ounces of water with one-quarter of a lemon (or lime) squeezed into it, and a pinch of whole salt mixed in.

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Other Supplements The following products can be helpful additions during the cleanse:

Digestive enzymes help break down food in the stomach and intestines, improving digestion and elimination. Probiotics help populate the intestines with health-promoting bacteria and can help with efficient elimination. Magnesium helps improve elimination (excellent for constipation), lower blood pressure, and reduce muscle tightness. Adrenal support herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola, tulsi (holy basil), and schizandra encourage optimal energy levels and appropriate stress responses. They can be helpful in decreasing the fatigue that sometimes occurs early on during the cleanse process. They also support hormonal balance, mental clarity, emotional stability, and faster recovery time after significant physical or mental exertion. Raw apple cider vinegar, when taken at the end of a meal, supports digestion and improves healthy bacteria in the gut. Take 1 teaspoon in an ounce of water at the end of a meal for better digestion. Fennel seeds support optimal digestion and relieve excess gas. Chew ½ teaspoon after each meal for better digestion.

For Review Only TLC Shopping List

The TLC shopping list is meant to serve as a guide to the groceries you will need for the cleanse as well as the additional supplements and herbs that are optional.

TABLE 19.4. TOTAL LIFE CLEANSE SHOPPING LIST: SUPPLEMENTS AND HERBS ITEM

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DETAILS

Chia seeds

Great source of fiber and essential fats

Hemp seeds

Great source of protein and essential fats

Gymnema

To help balance blood sugar levels and sugar cravings

Teas

Dandelion root and leaf, fennel seed, ginger, green tea, milk thistle seed, rosemary, tulsi, and yerba mate (in bags or as loose herbs); the Yogi Tea Detox tea blend is also excellent

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ITEM

DETAILS

Protein powders

Look for products derived from peas, rice, hemp. For those who may require additional plant-based protein due to high levels of excersise and physical activity

Probiotics and digestive enzymes

To optimize digestion!

Adrenal support herbs

Rhodiola, ashwagandha, tulsi (holy basil), and schizandra are good choices

TABLE. 19.5. TOTAL LIFE CLEANSE SHOPPING LIST: FOOD FOOD

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DETAILS

Organic ghee or coconut oil

For cooking and for the ayurvedic deep detox; coconut oil can also be used externally (cooling)

Organic frozen berries

Blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries—½ to ¾ cup per day

Organic bananas

As many as 2 per day

Sesame seeds

Unhulled, light tan—1 oz. per day

Nuts

Almonds, walnuts, and/or pecans—about 15 nuts per day

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Split mung beans

Preferably yellow—½ to 1 cup per day

Organic grains

Brown or white basmati rice, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa are also excellent TLC grain options during kitchari phase—½ to 1 cup per day

Sea Salt

Whole salts, such as Himilayan or Celtic salts, are best—a six to twelve ounce bag should be fine for the cleanse

Organic vegetables and leafy greens

Chard, arugala, spinach, dandelion greens, beets, beet greens, broccoli, cauliflower, red potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other non-nightshade vegetables

Organic avocados

Up to 1 per day

Organic cilantro

A wonderful detoxifier

Cultured Vegetables

An excellent source of probiotics

Organic lemons and limes

At least ½ lime or lemon per day

Nori sheets

To wrap dry kitchari during week 1 as a kitchari nori roll

Organic fresh ginger root

A couple slices each day for adding in smoothies and vegetable dishes, benefits digestive power

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TABLE. 19.5. TOTAL LIFE CLEANSE SHOPPING LIST: FOOD (continued) FOOD

DETAILS

Stevia or raw honey

Stevia is preferable; use the real plant, not the refined stevia you find sold as a white sugar substitute in grocery stores

Organic spices

Ground ginger, coriander seed, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, hing (asafetida), cardamom, cinnamon, fennel seed, black mustard seed, and/or whole cloves (depending on your personal preference and which kitchari recipes you choose)

Organic sesame oil

For external use (sesame warms, coconut cools)

Flaxseed oil

Preferably high lignin to add to smoothies

TABLE 19.6. TOTAL LIFE CLEANSE SHOPPING LIST: ADDITIONAL ITEMS

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DETAILS

Squeeze bottle for oil

Container and applicator for external oleation with sesame oil

All-natural soaps, shampoos, deodorants, conditioners, and other body-care products

All body care products should be natural and free of commercial chemicals and toxins

Non-toxic household cleaners

Any non-toxic cleaning products, vinegar and water combined 50/50 works great

Neti Pot

Found in most pharmacies; use regular refined sea salt. (less than ½ teaspoon used daily)

Epson Salt

Up to 2 cups per day.

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20 Total Life Detox Taking the Cleanse to a Deeper Level

THE HEALING ESSENCE TOTAL LIFE CLEANSE includes a variety of nondietary

cleansing practices that play a significant role in effective detoxification as well as creating healthy lifelong habits. Following the TLC diet is often the most significant part of the cleanse; however, supplementary practices will dramatically optimize the benefits of the cleanse. In fact, many of these practices can be done daily, both during and outside of a cleanse. If you regularly apply them, they will enhance your health and sense of wellbeing for a lifetime. The TLC detox practices are:

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Sweating for skin and lymph detoxification Dry brushing and external oleation Tongue scraping Nasal rinsing Liver flush and ayurvedic detox The media cleanse Sleep practices Daily sadhana practices (discussed in chapter 21)

Sweating for Skin and Lymph Detoxification Opening the pores and breaking a sweat on a daily basis is critical for optimal cleansing. The body releases hundreds of chemicals and toxins through the skin in our sweat. In 257

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this way, sweating benefits the lymphatic system, kidneys, lungs, skin, liver, and blood. Sweating takes a significant burden off the kidneys. The kidneys are the main organs that eliminate acid waste from the body, doing so through urine; however, their capacity is limited. Sweating is an essential support for the kidneys in their job of eliminating acid waste. Sweating can be the missing link to better health and having a fully successful cleanse experience. Some people don’t sweat very well, which can indicate a thyroid issue, a liver or lung deficiency, or a weakness in one of detoxification pathways of the liver.

Exercising to Break a Sweat One of the most common ways to break a sweat is through vigorous exercise. It is not necessary to overly strain. The goal is to break a sweat and open the pores, which are elimination pathways that support lymphatic detoxification. Exercise is effective because it circulates and cleanses the lymph and eliminates acidic toxins through the skin and the lungs. Ideally, exercising outdoors in a natural environment is best as being in nature reduces stress and elevates the mood. However, indoor exercise is also beneficial and sometimes all that is available. Brisk walking, jogging, biking, rowing, jumping, and rebounding are good options. Twelve to twenty minutes is sufficient.

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Sweating without Exercise

Exercise may not always be an option due to physical limitations. Thankfully, there are several ways to induce sweating without vigorous exertion:

Amethyst BioMat sessions Saunas Steam rooms Ginger baths Epsom salt baths These sweat-inducing detoxification practices can be used in addition to exercise or as a stand-alone substitute for exercise. They are generally very pleasant, relaxing, effective, and safe as long as you keep a few points in mind:

If you have high blood pressure, discuss sweating practices with your doctor before getting started. Start out slowly, sweating for just five to ten minutes in the beginning.

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Hydrate before, during, and after your sweat; cool water or lemon water (see page [x-ref ]) is ideal. Keep your head cool throughout your sweat. Why is it important to keep your head cool? The anatomy of the head is delicate, sensitive, and sophisticated. The senses and brain like to stay cool. Therefore, ayurveda always recommends keeping the head cool while sweating. Keep a bucket of ice-cold water and a sponge or facecloth nearby when doing a sauna, steam, or hot bath. From time to time during your sweat, squeeze a little ice water on top of your head and dab your face with cold waterto keep your head cool. Not only is keeping a cool head much healthier, but it also makes it possible to last longer in a sauna or a hot bath without becoming overwhelmed by the heat. Amethyst BioMat

The Amethyst BioMat is one of the most practical, effective, economical, and balancing detoxification tools we have discovered. The mat is made of all-natural materials and has healing amethyst crystals embedded throughout. It emits warm far-infrared waves that penetrate deeply into the body, significantly stimulating deep cellular and lymphatic detoxification and sweating through the skin. The mat comes with a nonheating amethyst-covered pillow, which emits negative ions. Negative ions are naturally cooling, so the amethyst pillow keeps the head cool while the mat heats the body. At lower temperature settings, the BioMat supports the nervous, glandular, and immune systems. At higher temperature settings, the BioMat becomes a powerful detoxification device that exceeds the power of both regular and far-infrared saunas. If you have purchased or have access to a BioMat during a cleanse, use it once a day on a higher temperature setting. Gradually build from five minutes to forty-five minutes of use. The Amethyst BioMat is used in health centers and cancer clinics all over the world. It is easy to use, making it more practical than a sauna; just turn it on and lie down. It feels wonderful and is nourishing and calming. A link to learn more about or purchase the BioMat is found in the resource section.

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Sauna

If have access to a sauna, you can use it frequently during the cleanse to promote sweating and detoxification. Be sure to keep your head cool, stay hydrated (drink lemon water with a pinch of whole salt), and go for five to thirty minutes. Build slowly. Just

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breaking a sweat is a good thing. Eventually, sweating for around forty-five minutes is most beneficial. If you have a hard time sweating, try dry brushing and external oleation (oiling the skin) before the sauna. It will open your pores and bring fluid to the surface of the skin. See page [x-ref ] for a discussion of these techniques. The most effective saunas are far-infrared. They can be purchased or you can make them yourself. Infrared saunas penetrate more deeply into the tissues than regular dry saunas. Both a far-infrared sauna and the Amethyst BioMat require less heat than a regular sauna and are more effective at removing toxins. Steam Rooms

Steam treatments are a great way to break a sweat. As with sauna, dry brushing and external oleation before a steam can help promote sweating. There are a couple of issues with steam rooms, however. They can be a breeding ground for bacteria, so make sure they are kept clean. Also, many steam rooms use unfiltered chlorinated water to make steam, so that you end up breathing in chlorinated steam. Your body absorbs far more chlorine when you breathe in the steam than when you drink chlorinated water. For this reason, steam rooms are not always a safe option.

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Ginger Baths

A ginger bath is a potent detoxifier. It provokes sweating, enhances detoxification, decreases inflammation, and supports the immune system. To make a ginger bath, add ½ a cup of freshly grated ginger to a hot bath. Enter the tub and soak for 15–30 minutes. To avoid ginger chunks going down your drain, you can wrap the ginger in thin cotton material (an organic white cotton T-shirt will do) or cheese cloth, swish it through the water, and squeeze the juice of the ginger out into the water. Be aware that a ginger bath often causes profuse sweating that can last for over an hour after a bath. They are great during a cleanse and can also help to sweat out a virus when sick. Be sure to drink a glass of lemon water before the bath and another after. Note that ginger baths can occasionally irritate those with sensitive skin. For those that do have sensitive skin, the Epsom salt bath described below may be a better choice. Epsom Salt Baths

Another great way to sweat, destress, and detox is to take an Epsom salt bath. Epsom salts are magnesium salts. Magnesium is a natural relaxant. In a bath, it works effectively to relax the muscles and support detoxification from deep layers of the skin, including heavy metals and environmental toxins. Holistic healers also recommend Epsom

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salt baths for removing any negativity captured in the aura, or bioelectric energy field. Again, it is ideal to use dry brushing and external oleation before an Epsom salt bath. To make an Epsom salt bath, add two to four cups of Epsom salts and a tablespoon of nonaluminum baking soda to a hot bath, and stir well to dissolve. Keep the bath as hot as possible. As water begins to cool, continue to add hot water. Stay in the bathtub for at least fifteen to twenty-five minutes. Remember to keep your head cool during your bath by wiping your face and head with ice-cold water and sipping cool water. Epsom salt baths—or any detox baths—can be taken daily during the cleanse, or at least three or four times a week. Of course, it is necessary to use chlorine-free water. Chlorine filters for bathtubs and showers can easily be employed for this purpose.

Dry Brushing and External Oleation Dry brushing and external oleation (skin oiling) are recommended daily practices. They stimulate circulation of the blood and lymph, exfoliate the skin, and enhance detoxification and sweating. Before taking a shower or bath, or before using a sauna, steam room, or Amethyst BioMat, it is a great idea to do dry brushing and external oleation on your skin.

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Dry Brushing

A dry brush looks like a long-handled hairbrush with large natural bristles. You can purchase one at most health food stores. Dry brushing the skin removes dead skin cells from the surface. More importantly, dry brushing stimulates the lymphatic system, increases microcirculation, and brings blood and toxins to the surface of the skin. This supports the body’s natural detoxification processes. Remember, the skin is the largest organ of detoxification. Supporting detoxification through the skin also takes burden off your lungs and kidneys. Practice dry brushing before taking a shower or any sweating practice. Always brush toward your heart to support the movement of lymph, which drains into the heart. Begin by brushing your feet in a circular motion, gradually brushing up the legs. Brush your abdomen in a circular motion, and then your arms, starting with the hands and moving toward heart.

External Oleation: Oiling the Skin External oleation is done after dry brushing the skin by lightly massaging the entire body from head to toe with sesame or coconut oil. Sesame is most common, though coconut can be better for people who have oily or irritated skin.

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External oleation is extremely nourishing for the tissues, assists the body in drawing out fat-soluble toxins (particularly when it’s done before a sweating session), and rejuvenates and moisturizes the skin. It’s nourishing and calming, decreases vata and nervous system aggravation, and builds body awareness. Many people notice that they feel much more grounded when they practice dry brushing and external oleation on a daily basis. Dry brushing followed by external oleation is the best way to keep the skin moisturized, smooth, and healthy. No longer will you need expensive lotions or potions to keep your skin feeling soft and healthy. Many TLC participants have found dry brushing with external oleation to be one of the most powerful awareness-enhancing lifestyle practices of the cleanse.

Cheryl’s Story: Building Body Acceptance Cheryl was a regular TLC participant. She had done two of our cleanses every year for four years. At one meeting, she confessed that the one practice

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she had avoided in the past had been dry brushing and external oleation. Cheryl at one time had been quite overweight, but she had lost over forty pounds during the past four years. She admitted that her self-esteem and acceptance of her body had greatly improved since she started cleansing. However, the thought of dry brushing and external oleation still made her uncomfortable. We discussed the benefits and the importance of facing our aversions. Often, TLC practices that people have the most fear of or aversion to hold the greatest healing potential. Cheryl got great support from her cleanse group and was open and willing to finally give it a try. Over the next few weeks, we all followed Cheryl’s progress with great interest. She revealed to us the initial feelings of self-loathing that came up the first few times she tried dry brushing and external oleation. Each day she shared her progress as she slowly became more and more comfortable with the process. During the last class Cheryl, teary eyed, shared with the group that dry brushing and external oleation had helped her overcome a big barrier to healing her body image issues. She noticed that she felt calmer than ever. She shared that she no longer saw her body as something to judge, avoid, or hate. She accepted her body in a way that she never had before and felt

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it would no longer be an obstacle to her ability to love herself and to give and receive love. In addition, Cheryl noticed how smooth and bright her skin had become!

Tongue Scraping Tongue scraping is an ayurvedic practice for oral hygiene. Often, when you wake up in the morning, you will see a thick white or yellow coating on the tongue. This coating comes from toxins that the body has eliminated during the night. Tongue scraping removes these accumulated toxins. It also:

Eliminates bacteria from the mouth Prevents tooth decay and gingivitis Decreases bad breath Stimulates digestion and elimination A tongue scraper is an inexpensive and handy device that can be found in most pharmacies and health food stores. A plastic scraper will work quite well, but a stainlesssteel one will be more effective. After you get up in the morning, before eating or drinking anything, use your scraper to scrape your tongue from the back toward the tip. Tongue scraping is not only hygienic but also diagnostic. Chinese medicine teaches that the tongue is like a map that reflects the health status of the entire body. It reveals much about the condition of specific organs and the level of toxicity and yeast growth in the body.

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The tip of the tongue reflects the heart and lungs. The middle of the tongue reflects the liver, stomach, and spleen. The back of the tongue reflects the kidneys and intestines. If you observe your tongue on a daily basis, you will notice changes in color, meaningful lines and cracks, coatings, and bumps or irritations. Cracks tend to indicate older organ stress, color indicates the condition of the blood, and coatings and irritations reflect current organ stress or toxicity, depending on where they are located. For example, a tongue that has a crack at the tip, is red in color, and has a yellow coating indicates an irritation or heat stress in the heart. A lot of white coating on the back of the tongue indicates a toxic buildup and perhaps candida yeast overgrowth in the intestines.

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Observe your tongue every day during the cleanse. It will change as the process unfolds. The coating often increases in the beginning as the body dumps toxins from the extremities into the intestines. After a week or two, the tongue will begin to clear up. This is an indication that the cleanse is working. Scraping the tongue also stimulates its acupuncture points, and Chinese medicine holds that the tongue contains points that relate to all of the body’s major organ and systems. Scraping a particular area stimulates the nerve and energetic channels that directly relate to the corresponding organ. This is why scraping your tongue— and particularly the back of the tongue,which relates to the intestines—first thing in the morning stimulates peristalsis in the large intestine, supporting your first bowel movement of the day.

John’s Story: Tongue Diagnostics John was a sugar addict. It turns out that he had been on antibiotics almost every year since he was five.

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When we met for our one-on-one session, I discovered that John had an overgrowth of candida. His tongue had the classic thick white coating covered it entirely.

During the cleanse, John took up tongue scraping with great enthusiasm. As the days passed, he shared with the group that his tongue coating was gradually decreasing. He found this fascinating, as did the group. By the end of the cleanse, John’s tongue was pink all over and just slightly white in the far back. The visible feedback he got from seeing his tongue coating change inspired him to handle his sugar addiction. To this day, John proudly shows me his tongue whenever he comes in for a seasonal treatment or cleanse.

Nasal Rinsing: The Neti Pot and Other Nasal Rinse Devices Through the sinuses we absorb prana or vital life force that goes directly into the brain and senses to invigorate them-to, as it were, light up the bulb of the brain and mind. This subtle prana is not

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simply oxygen but an energy of life and awareness from the greater conscious universe.

Dr. David Frawley, Neti: Healing Secrets of Yoga and Ayurveda

Nasal rinsing has been used in daily ayurvedic hygienic practices since ancient times, and it has recently gained popularity in the Western world. Just a few years ago it was very difficult to find a neti pot anywhere except for an Indian grocery market or maybe a health food store. These days, you can find neti pots and other squeeze-bottle nasal rinse devices in almost every pharmacy in the country. Nasal rinsing clears the nasal passages and sinuses of mucus, pollen, and other debris from the air. It works extremely well to prevent or reduce exposure to allergens, bacteria, and viruses and to remove congestion from the nasal passages. The nose is the first doorway from the outer world to the inner. The cilia, or fine hairs on the inner lining of the nasal passages, function as a pre-filter. This filter prevents large airborne particles and microorganisms from entering deeply into the body and the lungs. It is beneficial to clean this filter daily. This way, the nasal passages remain moist and clean, continue to filter effectively, more importantly, stay open so that we can breathe with ease. On a subtle level, ayurveda explains that the nasal passages absorb prana, or vital life energy. The prana in the air, being very subtle, stimulates energy channels in the nasal passages called nadis. These nadis are direct channels to the brain. Prana thus stimulates the brain and then cycles through the body in a very particular flow or pattern. It is understood that when the sinus passages are clear and healthy, more prana is absorbed into the brain. For this reason, nasal rinsing is said to increase mental clarity and intelligence as well as a sense of well-being. Just think what it’s like when you experience sinus congestion due to allergies or a cold; it’s very difficult to think clearly and sharply. When your sinuses are clear and uncongested, you breathe smoothly and effortlessly. In the same way, prana flows smoothly and effortlessly in your brain and throughout your entire body. Nasal rinsing first thing in the morning, every day, will eliminate particulates, toxins, bacteria, and common allergens from your sinuses and enhance the circulation of air, blood, and energy in your body. It also benefits and supports the digestive and detoxification pathways. It will improve nasal breathing and increase the amount of prana you absorb. Until you do nasal rinsing, you’ll never know what it feels like to have truly clear passages—and the calm, clear mind that goes along with them.

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When you purchase nasal rinsing products, you’ll find instructions for using them in the packaging. Usually, they recommend using ¼ to ½ teaspoons of sea salt per cup of warm water. It just takes a little practice to learn exactly how nasal rinsing works. Once you figure it out, it’s very easy.

Joanie’s Story: Getting Clear Joanie was participating in the cleanse because she wanted to lose weight and her sister-in-law had had a very positive TLC experience. But the TLC mind-set was completely unfamiliar to her. She thought I was a bit of a nut. When I went over nasal rinsing, her face grimaced with disgust. However, it turned out that she had serious allergies and was chronically congested. A few days into the cleanse, Joanie eliminated dairy from her diet. Her sinuses and lungs became notably less congested. During a class, a female student around Joanie’s age recommended that she give nasal rinsing a try. Perhaps because it was coming from her instead of me, Joanie decided to give it a try.

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The following week, she was practically in tears, crying and laughing about how much she loved nasal rinsing. While she still said it was “gross,” Joanie admitted that she loved seeing all the “crap” coming out of her nose. By the end of the cleanse, Joanie said that she felt clearer in her sinuses and in her mind than she could ever remember being!

Deep Detox Practices: Liver Flush and Ayurvedic Detox Both the liver flush and ayurvedic detox amplify the detoxification process, bringing your cleanse to a deeper level. We encourage TLC participants to use these deep detox practices around phase 2 of the cleanse, ideally during days 8 through 14, when the body has begun to detach toxins from cell walls. Both practices are optional, but even those new to cleansing find them to be quite easy and very effective. The liver flush supports optimal liver detox by stimulating bile flow. Bile carries toxins from the liver through the gallbladder and into the intestines. There it lubricates the intestines and carries the waste out through the large intestine and rectum.

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The ayurvedic detox clears the bowels and helps reduce accumulated fat-soluble toxins, chemicals, metals, and even stored emotions.

The Liver Flush (days 8–10) The liver flush helps clear and open the bile ducts of the liver and may release small gallstones from the gallbladder. It assists in clearing deeply stored toxins. Many symptoms of ill health are often relieved by the liver flush, including:

Constipation, gas, and bloating Irritability Inflammatory conditions PMS Puffy eyes Tight shoulders Headaches Sluggish digestion

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Some people feel put off when they first look at the ingredients used in the flush. I can say, with confidence stemming from many years’ observation, that most cleansers who initially had resistance found that they actually enjoyed the process and that the taste was not at all offensive, however odd the mixture may seem.

•Liver Flush Blend 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice Juice of 1–2 organic oranges or grapefruits 2 tablespoons fresh flaxseed oil or olive oil 1½-inch slice fresh ginger, roughly chopped 1–2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend well. Note: Alternatively, you could substitute actual citrus fruit for the citrus juice, using half a lemon and one or two oranges (or one grapefruit). Peel them, squeeze them, and drop them in the blender. This will make the flush blend much thicker and pulpier. Some people find it satisfying enough for breakfast.

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Liver Flush Instructions 1. As soon as you get up in the morning, prepare the liver flush and drink it. 2. Five minutes later, prepare and sip a cup of peppermint or dandelion root tea. 3. Thirty to forty-five minutes later, or whenever you feel hungry, have your morning smoothie or a TLC-friendly breakfast.

Ayurvedic Detox (days 11–14) Once the body has cleansed for one to two weeks, toxins that were stored in the tissues and extremities of the body are let loose. They begin to make their way to the central channel—the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. If the toxin load in the central channel overwhelms the body’s capacity for processing and elimination, the toxins will instead be reabsorbed, causing detox-retox syndrome: fatigue, irritability, headache, and other symptoms of toxin overload. The ayurvedic detox protocol helps to prevent detox-retox from occurring by clearing these accumulated toxins from the intestines, and it leads to a more effective and complete cleanse.

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The Ayurvedic Detox Protocol

1. On days 11 to 14, it is best to eat only kitchari and smoothies.

2. On day 11, begin your day by ingesting 2 teaspoons of melted organic ghee or coconut oil first thing in the morning. For each subsequent day of the four-day detox protocol, increase the amount by two teaspoons, so that on the last day you ingest eight teaspoons of ghee or coconut oil. (Ayurveda has traditionally used ghee, but we have found that coconut oil works as well.) 3. After ingesting the ghee or coconut oil, wait around thirty minutes before eating or drinking; go by how you feel. 4. On last (fourth) day, do the evening purgative: • In the late afternoon, take a twenty-minute warm bath or shower. • One hour later, have a light meal. • Rest for ten to twenty minutes with hot water bottle on your abdomen. • Mix four teaspoons of castor oil with the juice of one orange (set a wedge or two of orange aside) and two ounces of hot water; drink the mixture. If you find the mixture distasteful, suck on a wedge of orange to quickly clear the taste. • Within one to four hours, you should experience a laxative effect; occasionally it occurs the next day. Wait until the laxative effect wears off before eating or drinking.

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Note: An alternative to castor oil (if you have a strong aversion) is 600 to 800 mg of magnesium oxide taken an hour before bed. This will not be quite as powerful for clearing deep-seated toxins but will likely have a strong purgative effect.

The Media Cleanse: Clearing Mental and Emotional Toxicity The media cleanse is one the most important TLC practices. Ayurveda maintains that digestion is the most important factor in maintaining good health. We don’t often consider that digestion occurs on many levels: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. That is, we digest not just food, but also the experiences and information that we take in through our five senses and mind. Ayurveda says that the only cause of emotional imbalance is undigested experiences that become imprinted into our emotional body. In Sanskrit these emotional impressions are called samskaras. Trauma at any stage, especially before the age of five, can be difficult to fully process or digest. Physically, these undigested experiences show up in our body as illness, lack of energy, organ imbalances, and pain. Mentally and emotionally, undigested traumas show up as depression, anxiety, negative emotional patterns, and addictions. We are not able to digest an unlimited amount of food; neither are we able to process an unlimited amount of energy and information. While it is obviously beneficial to avoid ingesting unhealthy foods, it’s also extremely beneficial to avoid unhealthy sensory, informational, and emotional input, and to limit the amount of input that we are exposed to. Media is generally a significant source of excessive input. It is not only stimulating but often stressful (rajasic) and mind numbing or depressing (tamasic). The Total Life Cleanse inspires us to mindfully eliminate our exposure to unhealthy “junk food” media and even negative people in our lives, giving our body, mind, and soul an opportunity to digest, process, regenerate, and heal from past toxic exposures. Media cleansing relieves us from sensory and mental overwhelm. When we watch television shows or the news, listen to the radio, read magazines or catalogs, engage in social media, browse the web, or play games on our phones, we have to fully process, assimilate, and eliminate all of that input. Often we can’t, whether because the information is coming at us too quickly, in too great a volume, or in choppy bites on our cell phone screen, or because we are busy, or not fully focused, or numbed to the onslaught of negative input. For example, when we watch the news online or on TV day after day, we numb ourselves to the often extremely negative content. Stories of people being murdered,

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robbed, and raped are told to us by attractive, calm, pleasant-faced reporters. Usually the stories are followed by loud and obnoxiously upbeat commercials, creating a sense of cognitive dissonance. It’s as if we are trained to feel nothing when we hear such news. Even if we do have an emotional response, if we stay glued to the screen, the next story or advertising quickly comes along to distract us, giving us no time to digest the story we just heard. Studies have shown that after less than one minute of television watching, the brain waves switch to a low alpha frequency. Low alpha is a relaxed and mildly hypnotic state. Relaxed is good, but too much low alpha can also cause one to be spaced-out, easily influenced, and unfocused in thinking, too much of which can negatively impact our relationships, personal drive, interest in life, and mood. This highly suggestible state, however, is ideal for advertisers.1 During the cleanse, eliminate media as much as possible. Strictly speaking, the TLC media cleanse includes no radio, television, newspapers, magazines, catalogs, social media, or web browsing. Anything required for your job is, of course, okay. As for input that you do experience, make sure it is TLC-friendly. When you listen to music, choose music that is calming and nurturing for the mind, spirit, and nervous system. If you read a book, choose one that is uplifting and serves to feed and nourish the mind, heart, and spirit. This book is ideal! Media cleansing decreases disturbance in the nervous system, thus decreasing vata). It increases mental agni, or the power of mental perception, along with sattva, or mental balance. The media cleanse is wonderfully effective for nourishing the mind, senses, and nervous system as well as supporting freedom from cultural programming and mental indigestion.

For Review Only Sleep Practices The early morning has gold in its mouth.

Benjamin Franklin

Good sleep is essential for mental and physical well-being. There are many causes for poor sleep. Most often they are related to adrenal stress, hormonal imbalances, brain chemistry deficiencies, and sugar metabolism issues. Very often these causes are interrelated. The Total Life Cleanse addresses sleep issues from a variety of angles. Sleep appears to be a simple, passive activity, but in actuality, a myriad of vital processes occur during sleep. Sleep repairs body tissue, balances hormones, strengthens immunity, and helps our body detoxify. It supports a healthy brain, memory, and

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intelligence and balances our appetite through hormones that play a role in controlling hunger and fullness. Sleep helps us “digest” the day’s mental and emotional experiences and clears accumulated stress. It helps decrease inflammation and pain and gives us the opportunity to start the new day refreshed. Sleep is a productive time for us. We spend about one-third of our life sleeping, and that time plays a meaningful role in determining how energetic, healthy, and successful the other two-thirds of our life will be. During the deeper phases of non-REM sleep, blood pressure drops and breathing becomes slower. Muscles relax as blood supply increases. Tissue growth and repair occur and energy is restored. Growth hormone production, which is essential for growth, development, and muscle repair, also occurs. REM sleep occurs about ninety minutes after you fall asleep and recurs about every ninety minutes for as long as you are sleeping. During REM sleep (or rapid eye movement sleep, in reference to the manner in which the eyes dart back and forth during this stage), the brain is active, heart rate and blood pressure often inceases, and dreams often occur. It is during REM sleep that we process feelings, emotions, and memories, thus clearing the slate of the body and brain for the following day’s activities.2 Cleanse participants generally find that their sleep improves once they eliminate sugar, eliminate media before bed, and take up the practice of daily meditation. Meditation, in fact, has many of the same benefits as deep sleep. People who regularly practice deep meditation—experienced meditators, yoga practitioners, and bhakti yogis—often require less sleep than most people.

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Two Types of Insomnia Insomnia can show up in a variety of ways. However, there are two major types of insomnia: inability to fall asleep, and waking at night and having trouble getting back to asleep. Inability to get to sleep is often due to high cortisol levels at bedtime. Adrenal stress can cause the normal cortisol rhythm to become imbalanced. Cortisol should be higher in the morning and gradually decrease to its lowest point by bedtime. In this type of insomnia, cortisol levels rise up just before bed. Adrenal stress, mental/emotional stress, poor diet, late-night use of electrical media, and other unhealthy lifestyle habits are generally the cause. People who have very active and busy minds are especially prone to this condition, and this can be due to an overactive sympathetic nervous system and a lack of GABA, the inhibitory/calming neurotransmitter. Eating well and practicing the healthy sleep habits that follow will give your nervous system the opportunity it needs to unwind before bedtime.

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People who tend to wake up in the night and have difficulty falling back to sleep may suffer from poor adrenal function, worry, poor liver function (liver time is from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m.), hormonal issues, low serotonin levels, low magnesium levels, and blood sugar fluctuations. In the case of blood sugar fluctuations due to adrenal fatigue, insufficient overnight levels of cortisol are unable to convert glycogen stored in the liver into the usable form of glucose to meet the demands of the brain. When the brain’s blood sugar drops too low while we are asleep, the adrenal glands will stimulate the liver so that it releases sugar into the bloodstream and feed the brain. This stimulation from the adrenal glands often causes us to awaken—sometimes with a startle! Over time, this cycle not only fatigues the adrenal glands but also puts a great deal of stress on the liver and pancreas. When adrenal function and normal cortisol rhythms are restored, and when blood sugar is brought into balance, healthy sleep patterns can be reestablished for people with either type of insomnia.

Healthy Sleep Habits The following healthy sleep habits are recommended for anyone participating in the Total Life Cleanse, but they are helpful for all people at all times. Cultivating good sleep habits will positively impact the quality of our sleep and our well-being for the entirety of our lives.

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Get to Bed Early

It is best to get to sleep before 10 p.m. and to rise early in the morning—ideally at least ten minutes before sunrise. According to the ayurvedic/Chinese medicine clock, the highest-quality sleep occurs two to three hours before midnight. This is the time when a healthy person’s cortisol levels are generally the lowest. Getting to sleep before this time, so that you can experience this highest-quality sleep, is important. At around 10 to 11 p.m., the body’s energy shifts. This is when the wood (liver/ gallbladder) and pitta phase begins, which is the body’s prime time for healing, enhanced immune function, and internal detoxification. When we stay up past 11 p.m., the “creativity” of detoxification and immunity turns into mental creativity and activity, stimulating the nervous system and the adrenal glands to secrete more cortisol and making it more difficult to fall asleep. Again, according to the chronobiological clock, the most beneficial time to get to bed is before 10:30 p.m. Otherwise, you will catch the stimulating wood/pitta wave and wake up again! Creative people often make a point of staying up between the hours of 11 p.m. and

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3 a.m. This is when they frequently do their most creative work. Done occasionally, keeping these late hours is fine and good. If done regularly, however, the adrenals will be taxed and the liver stressed, and the liver will not be able to sufficiently do its daily duty of purifying the blood. Over time, this can have harmful effects on health. Eat Lightly at Night and Not Too Late!

What you eat at night, you will wear in the morning.

Tashi Nyima, ayurvedic practitioner

Eating late at night forces the body to focus on digestion during liver time (1 a.m. to 3 a.m.) instead of sleep, hormonal balance, detoxification, and immunity. You may have noticed that eating a heavy meal just before bedtime leads to disturbed sleep and lethargy in the morning. Our digestive power wanes with the setting sun. It’s best to have a light evening meal, and to have it no later than 7 p.m. Eating lightly at night goes far in improving the quality and duration of our sleep. Decrease Light Pollution

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Human beings have been aligned with nature’s patterns of light and darkness since the beginning of time, and they still influence our well-being, regardless of whether or not we are aware of them. As light and darkness unfold, numerous biochemical changes simultaneously occur. At night, the most well-known hormonal shift is the secretion of melatonin. Melatonin is a powerful and life-enhancing hormone that promotes deep sleep. It is also a potent antioxidant for the brain. When we habitually stay up late while surrounding ourselves with unnatural “light pollution,” we interrupt melatonin secretion and disturb cortisol rhythms. This profoundly impacts our quality of sleep and eventually our health. When you are sleeping, be sure that your room is completely dark. Light pollution in your sleeping space (from street lights, clocks with lights, computers, televisions, et cetera), suppresses melatonin secretion, and it boosts cortisol levels or prevents them from decreasing the way they should at night. You might ask about the effect of moonlight. The phases of the moon certainly affect our physiology and mood. While our sleep may change due to the phases of the moon, it will not have any negative long-lasting impact on our sleep. This is because we are innately aligned with the moon’s cycles and its light. While a bright moon may occasionally awaken us, it will not generally have chronic or long-lasting effect on our sleep cycle.

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Create a Healthy Sleeping Environment

Try to make your sleeping space ideal for one thing: sleep! The potency of this one sleep habit is often underestimated. Do nothing but sleep in your sleeping space. (Being intimate with your partner is okay too—and often helpful for getting to sleep!) Keep your sleeping space simple, clean, and peaceful. Remove wireless and electrical devices that do not need to be in the room, and certainly unplug them if they are in the room. This is especially true for sensitive sleepers. The bedroom should be a peaceful sanctuary—a place to retreat and restore. Simply speaking, it’s best to:

Eat in the dining room Work in the office Recreate in the living room Poop and pee in the bathroom Sleep in the bedroom Creating a pleasant sleeping room trains the body and mind to relax as soon as you enter the space.

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Dishcharge Stress before Bedtime

Practices that discharge stress and mental ama (toxins) accumulated throughout the day are very helpful in supporting good sleep. Deep breathing, light yoga, stretching, pranayama, and meditation—any of the gentle sadhana exercises from chapter 21—will do. These exercises help unwind your body and clear energies and busy thoughts from your mind. Note that regular exercise during the day also helps to promote good sleep by relieving nervous system tension and stress. Exercise done in the morning boosts melatonin production and regulates circadian rhythms. Other Useful Tips for Good Sleep

Keep the temperature in your bedroom on the cool side. Use plenty of blankets if needed. Before you fall asleep, visualize yourself waking up the next morning at the time you would like to wake up in a peaceful and energized state of mind. Wake up anywhere from ninety to ten minutes before sunrise. When you wake up, remember your visualization from the previous evening and notice its motivating and positive effect.

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Gaze at bright sunlight as soon as possible after you wake up. Get out of bed as soon as you wake up, rather than lingering and dozing off again. If necessary, use herbs and supplements that support sleep. For help with falling asleep, try GABA, passion flower, or valerian. For help with staying asleep, try 5-HTP, tryptophan, or ashwagandha.

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21 Sadhana Daily Practices to Reconnect with Our Divine Nature

Mindfulness helps you go home to the present.

Thich Nhat Hanh

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THE FOLLOWING DAILY PRACTICES have been used for many years during the

Total Life Cleanse. The value they offer to the process and to our lives cannot be overestimated. We call these TLC daily practices sadhana. Sadhana generally refers to spiritual practices that help us reconnect to our divine nature on a daily basis. It can also mean any practice that we regularly perform in order to attain a particular goal. In the context of the Total Life Cleanse, sadhana includes daily breathing, yoga, exercise, and meditation practices that have the intention to harmonize and benefit our body, mind, and soul. TLC sadhana practices will support any health-oriented or spiritual path that you are on. They are based on ancient principles and the science of the breath and the healthy flow of prana. Since prana is the pivot point between body and mind, regulating prana automatically harmonizes our body and mind and leads to greater physical and mental well-being. If you currently have a daily sadhana practice and are happy with it, then by all means stick with it. However, experiment with the practices offered here. They have proven particularly beneficial to people working through the Total Life Cleanse, and you may find that you want to integrate them into your present practice. TLC sadhana practices help: 276

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Harmonize our elements within Harmonize our body and mind Decrease habitual imbalances Regulate our flow of prana Calm our mind and nervous system Relax our body Enhance immune function Improve digestion Improve sleep Connect us to our innate wisdom Allow us to be more present Enhance concentration Improve mood Enhance mental/emotional stability Aid detoxification of body and mind Connect to our dharma Connect to our divine nature

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When we regularly connect to our innate wisdom, which is our natural state, we naturally achieve greater health in our body and mind. Though we talk about these sadhana practices in the context of the cleanse, they work best when integrated into our daily routine, offering well-being for a lifetime. Resources for more information on mind-body-spirit practices are provided in the resources section at the back of the book.

Ayurvedic Principle: Subtle Precedes Gross As we have discussed previously, one of the fundamental principles of ayurveda is that subtle precedes gross. Whatever occurs on the subtle level will eventually manifest on the gross physical level—if the occurrence on the subtle level continues long enough. Subtle influences cause both health and disease. Physical ailments and authentic longlasting healing both begin on the subtle plane. For example, to build a house from scratch, you first have the idea to build, followed by the vision, a plan or blueprint, and the collection of the materials and workers you need. Once the plan is clear and the materials and workers are ready, the physical manifestation of the original “subtle” idea of the house can begin to manifest. In this example,

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the idea of the house is on the subtle platform. The final product of the finished house is on the gross platform. If the subtle planning phase of the house has serious faults, the gross structure of the house will be significantly compromised. Everything that exists, good and bad, begins on the subtle plane. When the subtle plane exhibits consistently imbalanced thinking and energy, negative symptoms must eventually appear on the physical or gross plane of existence. Alternatively, balanced and empowering activities and thoughts on the subtle plane have a positive impact on the body and mind. Sadhana, which directly works with our subtle energies—the elements, prana/chi, and the subtle body—has extremely healing effects. Many of the same sadhana practices recommended in the Total Life Cleanse have benefited humanity for thousands of years and continue to do so for modern-day TLC participants and yoga practitioners all over the world.

Three Types of Exercise Ayurveda speaks of three different types of exercise: internal, external, and mixed (internal and external). Incorporating all three into your life nourishes and balances not only your body, but your mind and spirit as well.

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Internal Exercise

Internal exercise is most subtle, acting immediately on the subtle plane. Examples include:

Meditation Pranayama (breathing exercises) Japa Breathwork Yin and gentle forms of yoga Tai chi Qigong Attention is directed internally and focuses on the mind, subtle body, meridians (chi energy channels), nadis, and pranic flows of energy. Either very little or no external movement is required for internal exercise; however, there is a great deal of subtle movement that occurs within. Internal exercise works directly with the subtle elements (mind, intelligence, ego, consciousness). It balances vata, regulates prana, and supports the nervous system. It

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decreases stress and anxiety while enhancing peace and calmness. Through the inward attention of internal exercise, the potential for soul awareness arises.

External Exercise External exercise is purely physical and focuses on muscles and bones as well as the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Its purpose is to achieve greater physical strength, expand lung capacity, and improve cardiovascular health and endurance. Its other benefits include stress reduction and detoxification. Some examples of external exercises include:

Weight lifting Running Biking Swimming Competitive sports Strenuous yoga

Mixed Exercise

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Mixed exercise is a combination of internal and external exercise and includes such practices as:

Hatha yoga Kundalini yoga Some forms of martial arts Meditative walking or jogging Meditative swimming A combination of yoga, pranayama, and meditation Mixed exercise incorporates mindfulness and inner awareness along with physical exercise and movements.

What’s Best?

Based on the principle of subtle precedes gross, subtle exercise has the most powerful and long-lasting benefits because it harmonizes our body, mind, and soul. It can also be practiced for our entire lives and will benefit and nourish us even at the moment of death. Mixed exercise is an ideal combination of internal and external. It sufficiently strengthens our physical body while balancing and healing our subtle body.

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External exercise benefits detoxification, immunity, and strength. Sadhana helps integrate our inner and outer aspects. It therefore supports us in becoming fully integrated human beings. The TLC sadhana exercises described below include all three types of exercise, but the emphasis is always placed on mixed and internal exercise.

Exercise and Health: The Immune System, Blood Sugar, and Brain Before we get into the specifics of TLC sadhana practices, let’s address the benefits of exercise and their influence on our immunity and overall well-being.

Exercise and Immunity The immune system is complex and has many avenues of defense that protect us from pathogenic invaders. One of its most important components is the lymphatic system, which includes the:

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Tonsils Thymus gland Bone marrow Spleen Lymphatic fluid Lymphatic vessels Lymph nodes

White blood cells created by the thymus gland and bone marrow serve as our main protectors from invaders. While the red blood cells deliver oxygen and nutrients to all the cells, the lymphatic system’s white blood cells (B cells and T cells, also known as lymphocytes) are designed to attack invaders and infected cells and tissues. Lymphatic fluid carries dead cells, metabolic waste, acid waste, and toxins away from healthy tissue. This is a critical function of the lymphatic system. Its ability to function strongly influences our level of energy, sense of well-being, and health. Toxic debris from the lymphatic system is eliminated through sweat, mucus, urine, and bile (which itself is eliminated through the stool). Lymph nodes are filters that cleanse the lymph fluid and capture microbes and bacteria for the white blood cells to dismantle. The nodes are primarily located in the

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armpits, groin, and neck and surround the blood vessels of the chest and abdomen. In fact, 80 percent of lymphatic tissue surrounds the intestines, which says a lot about the importance of having a healthy gut. Toxins coming from our environment and food, as well as internally generated toxins, must be handled and cleared effectively for the body to function optimally. When the detox process is incomplete, lymphatic stagnation, toxin buildup, inflammation, pain, and disease take hold. Blood is pumped through the body by the heart. Though there is around three times more lymphatic fluid than blood, the lymphatic system has no pump. It is fully dependent on muscle contractions squeezing lymphatic vessels to circulate the lymphatic fluid through its one-way valves. The more we move our body, the better our muscles function, and the better lymphatic fluid is pumped and purified. From the TLC perspective, a major benefit of exercise is that it circulates lymphatic fluid, which promotes healthy detoxification. Additionally, sweating during exercise expels toxins from the lymphatic system out through the largest organ of detoxification, the skin.

Exercise and Blood Sugar

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Exercise improves a cell’s ability to utilize blood sugar, which translates into steadier energy levels and ideal weight. Insulin resistance, one of the most common and healthcompromising conditions of modern life, is improved with exercise. For those who have serious insulin resistance, vigorous exercise is highly recommended. A TLC-friendly diet along with exercise can stop the progression of blood sugar disease in its tracks. (See chapter 14 for more discussion of blood sugar imbalances.)

Exercise and the Brain Exercise enhances the health of the brain. High-intensity exercise, such as interval-style training (see page [x-ref ]), can positively impact growth hormone release and opioid release. Growth hormones can help the brain to recover from any kind of trauma or stress. Virtually all of the brain’s neurons and connections to the entire nervous system are positively impacted by healthy growth hormone release. The opioids released by the body during exercise—which are the source of the “high” athletes sometimes feel—modulate inflammation and autoimmune responses. Generally, the more intense the exercise, the more opioids will be released. The intensity of exercise, however, should be appropriate for a person’s level of health. Otherwise, tissue damage and adrenal burnout might occur.1

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Developing the Sadhana Habit It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.

Tony Robbins

The daily habit of sadhana is one of the most important and beneficial habits we can ever develop—a precious gift to our inner self, every day. I do sadhana every morning, no matter what. It is the habit for which I am most grateful. The good habit of sadhana helps us to develop spiritually, avoid becoming consumed by bad habits, and eliminate those that we might get into—and then it helps us create new good ones! Self-care habits like sadhana are easiest to cultivate when we are young. Once they have become imprinted on our daily behavior, they’re easier to maintain as we age— and when life becomes busier and includes greater responsibilities, such as work, important relationships, and maintaining a healthy family life. Many young people say that they will begin meditation, yoga, or some personal development practice later on, once they established themselves in a full-time job or their family life begins. Some older people claim that they’ll begin their sadhana once the responsibilities of family life and work slow down. Unfortunately, both are forms of procrastination. The time to begin is now. The Total Life Cleanse is an opportunity to imprint positive experiences and begin new good habits. Within the supportive TLC context, many people have found that they are able to start and stick with a regular sadhana practice. Many people have expressed that the TLC sadhana habit was the most transformative aspect of the cleanse. They’ve also said that the TLC dietary changes became much easier once they began sadhana. Though its transformative effect on our lives can at times be subtle, the more regular you are with your sadhana practice, the more you’ll notice its profound benefits. For example:

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You’ll notice subtle changes in your body; it will feel looser and more relaxed. You’ll find that you are more tuned in to how you feel. You’ll be more sensitive to your breathing patterns, promptly becoming aware of when you’re restricting your breath. You’ll begin to find it much easier to connect to a flowing natural breath, which immediately leads to a calmer, more present, centered state of mind. You will notice that you are better able to calmly handle stress. You’ll be more present and less emotionally reactive.

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Begin here and now, it is never too late to begin.

Anandamayi Ma

Starting and Ending the Day with Sadhana It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.

Aristotle

Just beneath the busyness of our mind and the anxiety of the superficial personality lies the natural depth and wisdom of our self. When we drop, even a little, into the depths of our being, we find a source of natural wisdom that is ever present and always available. Life can be like swimming in the ocean. On the surface, we are tossed about by the waves. However, when we go beneath the surface just a few feet, we experience the water’s gentle flowing movement. In a similar way, sadhana helps free us from the turbulence of life, allowing us to connect with our innate depth and wisdom. The best times of day to practice sadhana are in the morning and in the evening. In the morning, strive to do morning sadhana shortly after you wake up, or even better, before the sun rises. In the early morning, the atmosphere is peaceful and calm, which makes sadhana easy and pleasant. According to ayurveda, the energy of the rising sun is very powerful and uplifting. With the first stirring of dawn, around ninety minutes before the sun appears on the horizon, comes a great surge of the sun’s vital life energy. In nature, this is when the birds begin their chirping and the feeding of their young. When we rise early and practice interally focused sadhana, like yoga, pranayama, japa, and meditation—before sunrise, we connect inwardly and align with the powerful rising energies of the day. Around ten to fifteen minutes before sunrise, a second surge of energy streams through the atmosphere, even more powerful than the first. Prana from the rising sun is absorbed into the cells of our body, energizing and cleansing our blood, boosting vital life energy, and supporting our immune system. Awakening and practicing internal exericise before sunrise is like being a surfer who catches a perfect wave that carries him or her effortlessly all the way to the shore. In the same way, the energetic wave of the rising sun carries us through the day with great energy, lightness, and enthusiasm. In India, this time before the sunrise (between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.) is known as Brahma Muhurta. Brahma Muhurta is revered as the most auspicious and sacred time

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of day—the time of Brahma, or pure consciousness. Some call it “God time.” It is the easiest time of day to raise our consciousness. Sattva predominates at this time, as the purer vibrations in the atmosphere make it easier to calm our mind, pray, meditate, chant, learn, and find peace and clarity. Devotional practices are also profoundly ignited during Brahma Muhurta. Done regularly, morning sadhana has an incredibly life-affirming effect. After even just a few days of practice, our heart becomes more receptive to the whisper of inner wisdom and divine inspiration. Many people find that it helps them to feel happier and have stronger concentration. Additionally, they find that they are able to spend more time in a state of higher consciousness, presence, and awareness. It is also ideal to do some sadhana in the evening before bed. This helps to clear your mind from the busyness and stress of the day. It helps you to wind down, digest your experiences, assess your day and your actions, and reconnect with your inner being before going off to sleep. An evening sadhana habit also supports a stronger one in the morning. The body and mind like regularity. A regular sadhana practice becomes a sacred inner space where daily healing, grounding, and reorienting take place. While is true that early morning and evening before bed may be the most beneficial times to practice sadhana, not everyone is able to do it at those times. If it is not possible for you, carve out a time that does work and stick to that. The regularity of sadhana, no matter what time of day, will still bring profound benefits.

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Constructing a Sadhana Practice The rest of this chapter is devoted to the particulars of the sadhana exercises that we recommend in the Total Life Cleanse. Experiment with them all, discover which ones you are most drawn to and derive the most benefit from, and practice them daily. Include in your regular sadhana practice at least one internal and one mixed exercise; together, they will build strength, balance, and focus in mind and body. Whether or not you include an external exercise is your own choice, but it can greatly contribute to physical and mental strength and flexibility. Many people like to begin their sadhana practice with mixed exercise, like yoga. This can remove stiffness and stagnation, open the lungs, prepare the body to be a more conducive vehicle for prana, and help deepen our internal sadhana practice. Other people like to immediately begin their day with internal exercise. There are a couple reasons for this. First, some find that mixed exercise is stimulating, which makes it more difficult for them to then foucs on internal excercises. Second, some find that internal exercise helps them to perform their mixed exercises with greater awareness. While mixed

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exercise can be done before or after internal exercise, depending on your preference, external exercise is generally best to do at the end of your sadhana practice, as it can otherwise be distracting. All internal exercises can be done by everyone. Some people may have trouble with the more physical mixed exercises, such as the Tibetan Five Rites (page [x-ref ]) or Sun Salutations (page [x-ref ]). The Seven Tigers mixed exercise (page [x-ref ]) is easy enough for everyone, however, and after a couple weeks its strengthening effects will make the other exercises easier to do. All of the practices are most powerful when practiced regularly. By this, I mean five to seven days per week. Sadhana swiftly transforms the nervous system, but its potency is realized only with consistent practice. Regular practice builds up an inner reservoir of calm and strength that we can draw upon anytime and anywhere, whenever we need it most. For example, alternate nostril breathing (page [x-ref ]) is wonderful for decreasing stress and anxiety. However, it will not be nearly as effective in a moment of great stress if we have not been practicing it on a regular basis. If we we have been practicing it regularly (even for just a few minutes a day), just a few breaths will have the power to immediately reduce anxiety, allowing us to tap into the inner calm we have cultivated through regular practice. External, mixed, and internal exercises all have great value. However, don’t sacrifice your internal time. An internal exercise habit will nourish and support all other good habits, including external and mixed exercise. Remember, you can take internal exercise with you anywhere, no matter your condition, until your very last breath!

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Internal Exercises

Alternate nostril breathing Prana dharana Five pranas meditation “Tip of nose” breathing meditation Prayer, affirmations, Afformations, permission messages, and intentions Japa Kirtan Chanting (silently or aloud) Exploding technique Karate chop technique Mixed Exercises

Sun Salutations

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Tibetan Five Rites Seven Tigers Plus External Exercises

Interval training Rebounding

Sadhana for Fitness Most of us want to feel balanced, vital, strong, toned, and in good aerobic condition. We don’t, however, feel like we have the time, space, or resources to achieve that level of fitness. These days, it is quite easy to find classes in yoga, tai chi, qigong, and other mixed exercises that are very effective for building physical and mental conditioning. If you find them helpful during the cleanse, by all means, go! However, I highly recommend that you develop the habit of doing your own daily sadhana practices at home, in addition to any classes you may be taking. Building a daily sadhana habit that does not depend on an outside source is the intention here. Doing so enables you to create a sadhana temple in your own home and heart. Over the years I have experimented with a variety of exercises, and I have found three mixed and two external exercises that are simple yet especially potent:

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Sun Salutations (mixed) Tibetan Five Rites (mixed) Seven Tigers Plus (mixed) Interval training (external) Rebounding (external)

Incredibly, these five exercises don’t take much time and do not require much space; only rebounding requires equipment (a small trampoline), and it is inexpensive and simple. All of them work really well together. After practicing them on a daily basis, slowly increasing repetitions, TLC participants report:

Increased energy Increased strength Increased flexibility Less pain Improved muscle tone Greater lung capacity

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Experiment with them all and discover which ones you find most helpful for building and maintaining fitness. I have integrated all five exercises into the Total Life Cleanse, and I myself generally do all three mixed exercises every day and rotate the external ones.

Alternate Nostril Breathing Alternate nostril breathing is a foundational TLC sadhana. It’s easy, effective, and beneficial, whether as a stand-alone practice or for use before meditation. I recommend beginning any sadhana practice with alternate nostril breathing. It balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain and harmonizes the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, so it is both calming and energizing. When practiced daily, alternate nostril breathing is very effective in reducing anxiety and harmonizing the prana in our body and mind. It is great as a reset tool because of its efficient recentering effects. It is the perfect practice whenever there is a need for more focus or calm and for easing transitions that occur throughout the day. For example, after a long day of treating patients, I will often do a few cycles of alternate nostril breathing while sitting in my car in the driveway before entering my house. It helps me transition smoothly from being my “practitioner self ” to being my “husband, family, father self.” Alternate nostril breathing is also a great practice to do before any important personal or professional event.

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Instructions for Alternate Nostril Breathing 1. Sit in a comfortable, cross-legged position on a pillow to elevate your hips and reduce the pressure on your knees, or sit comfortably on a chair. Sit up straight, but relax your body. Soften your jaw and breathe naturally, taking three full breaths. 2. Using your right hand only, bend your index and middle fingers toward the palm, keeping your ring finger, pinky finger, and thumb slightly extended (see figure 22.1 on page 288). You will use your thumb to close your right nostril and your pinky and ring fingers (together) to close your left nostril. 3. Close your right nostril with your right thumb (see figure 22.2 on page 288). 4. Inhale slowly and deeply through your left nostril. 5. At the top of your inhalation, close your left nostril with your ring and pinky fingers and release your right nostril (see figure 22.3 on page 289). The transition should be smooth; there is no need to hold your breath. 6. Exhale through your right nostril. 7. Keeping the left nostril closed, inhale deeply through your right nostril. 8. Release your left nostril and close your right nostril, again using your thumb.

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9. Exhale out of your left nostril. You are now in the original position, with your thumb closing your right nostril. This is one cycle (in left, out right; in right, out left). • Equalize the length of your inhalations and exhalations • Do not hold your breath after each inhalation or exhalation, but let each breath naturally flow into the next. • Perform up to twenty-one full cycles daily. You can do seven in the morning, seven at midday, and seven before bed. Any combination is fine, but try to do at least seven each morning. You can do additional cycles any time you would like or feel the need.

For Review Only Figure 22.1. Hand position for alternate nostril breathing (step 2)

Figure 22.2. Alternate nostril breathing with right nostril closed (step 3)

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Figure 22.3. Alternate nostril breathing with left nostril closed (step 5)

Prana Dharana and the Five Pranas Prana dharana and the five pranas meditation were taught to me by two of my ayurveda teachers, Tashi Nyima and Dr. David Frawley respectively. Both practices beautifully regulate the flow of prana throughout the body and mind. When we practice prana dharana and/or the five pranas meditation, our body and mind quickly come into greater balance. Both exercises can be done before we rise from bed to activate the energy flows of the body and harmoniously energize our mind. People generally have the habit of rolling out of bed half awake, giving themselves just enough time for the physical essentials before running off to work. This abrupt transition from the astral planes of sleep to the physical realm of daily life shocks the nervous system and subtle body. With sadhana, however, it’s easy to start the day out right! The five pranas meditation and prana dharana are best done in the morning or in the evening, in bed or as part of your sadhana practice. However, they are beneficial anytime.

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Prana Dharana

Dharana means to focus with one pointed attention on one object, part of the body, mantra, or thought. Prana dharana is the practice of placing our focused attention on prana at the primary energy centers located near the surface of our body over the chakras. These points, called marmas, correlate with the chakras and are major acupuncture points. Prana dharana follows the energy pathways of the body. It is practiced using breath, awareness, and concentrated attention.

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Instructions for Prana Dharana 1. Sit comfortably with a straight but relaxed spine in a chair or on the floor. (You can also do the exericse while lying down, before getting out of bed in the morning). 2. Place your tongue gently behind your front teeth, on roof of your mouth. 3. Breath smoothly in and out through the nose in a circular flow (no pause in between breaths). Ujjayi breath is excellent for prana dharana. (If you do not know ujjayi breath, that’s okay.) 4. Bring your attention to the brow point (the point between your eyes, also known as the third eye). 5. Breathe in and out three times, again using a smooth-flowing circular breath. 6. Move your attention to the crown point on the top of the head. Breathe in and out three times. 7. Continue this process of bringing your awareness to a marma point, following the sequence below. 8. After going through all the points, you will end up at the brow point where you began. After returning to the brow point, keep your attention there and begin a

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meditatation. The “tip of nose” breathing meditation (page [x-ref]) is ideal.

Prana Dharana Chakra/Marma Point Sequence

1. Brow point (the third eye, midway between the eyebrows) 2. Crown point (top center of the head) 3. Base of skull point (where the base of the skull meets the neck) 4. Throat point (front of the throat) 5. Heart point (center of the chest) 6. Solar plexus point (just below the xyphoid process) 7. Navel point (in the navel area) 8. Lower abdomen point (1 to 2 inches below the navel) 9. Floor of pelvis point (between the anus and genitals) 10. Sacral point (low back area, where the sacrum and spine meet) 11. Back navel point (behind the navel on the back) 12. Back solar plexus point (behind the solar plexus on the midback) 13. Back heart point (upper back between the shoulder blades) 14. Base of neck point (where the shoulders meet the neck) 15. Brow point (a return to the first point)

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The Five Pranas As discussed in chapter 4, prana divides into five subpranas. Each has specific functions, powers, movements, pathways, and directions. Each energetically supports and nourishes our body, mind, and soul. Each has physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual correspondences. These five forms of prana are the five primary powers or shaktis within and represent the five powers through which universal prana operates.

TABLE 22.1. THE FIVE FORMS OF PRANA PRANA

LOCATION

ENERGY FLOW

FUNCTION

Prana

Centered above the crown chakra and the third eye between the eyebrows

Inward movement

Governs: the brain, the reception of food, water, and air, the mind, the capacity to direct energy inward, Inner spiritual development

Udana

Centered in the throat, above the throat chakra

Upward movement

Governs: speech, capacity to sit and stand erect, physical growth, self-expression, forward movement in life, upward growth of consciousness, enthusiasm for spiritual growth, passage to our destination at the time of death

For Review Only Vyana

Centered in the chest, over the heart chakra

Outward movement

Governs: circulation of breath, circulation of blood, mental and emotional circulation and expansion, mind expansion, opening of the heart—protecting us from negativity

Samana

In the navel area, over the solar plexus chakra area

Circular inward movement toward the navel

Governs: digestion of food, digestion of air, digestion of experiences, harmonization of body, mind, and soul, inner peace

Apana

Centered at the floor of the pelvis (perineum), over the sacral and root chakras

Downward movement

Governs: elimination of stool, urine, menses, and semen, elimination of negative mental, emotional, and sensory experiences, grounding and stabilization so that the soul can fulfill its dharma while living in human form

The five pranas meditation is a simple exercise for clearing pranic blocks and supporting healthy energy flow within each of the five pranas. It can be done every

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morning or evening while in bed or as part of your sitting meditation practice. Although it is very simple, this exercise can have profound results due to the five pranas’ corresponding influences on the body and mind. The Five Pranas exercises below are derived from the books and teachings of one of my teachers, Vamanadeva Shastri, a.k.a. Dr. David Frawley.

Instructions for the Five Pranas In this exercise, you’ll focus on each prana individually, beginning with prana prana, moving sequentially down to apana prana, and then, making your way back up to prana prana to finish the sequence. 1. Prana prana: Bring your attention to the brow point between your eyebrows. Inhale, and sense prana accumulating there for just a moment. Exhale, and imagine spreading/dissolving the accumulated prana inward into the head, brain, and senses: eyes, ears, sinuses, and tongue. Repeat three times. 2. Udana prana: Take a deep ujjayi breath (or a deep regular breath) through your mouth and draw prana into area of you throat. Hold your breath momentarily, al-

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lowing the prana to accumulate. On the exhalation, loudly chant “Om” while feeling/visualizing the prana rising up your spine and out of the top of your head, into the sky. If, for some reason, you can’t chant out loud, mentally chant instead. Repeat three times. 3. Vyana prana: Stretch your arms outward, holding your hands open. Inhale deeply and gather prana by slowly bringing both hands over your heart. Sense your heart and lungs filling with vital prana. Pause momentarily, and exhale while slowly spreading your arms back out, visualizing and sensing prana expanding throughout your circulating blood and entire body, including your hands and feet. Sense the prana extending far past the physical body into your aura. Repeat three times. 4. Samana prana: Bring your attention to your navel point (belly button). Inhale slowly and deeply and sense prana gathering in your navel. Hold your breath momentarily; imagine warmth in your navel. While exhaling, sense the accumulated prana dissolving inward into all of the digestive organs, such as the liver, stomach, spleen, and small intestine. If you are not sure of where each organ is, simply sense the prana spreading into your entire belly. Repeat three times. 5. Apana prana: Breathe deeply into your first chakra area (the floor of the pelvis). Hold your breath for a moment while sensing prana gathering there. Exhale, sensing the accumulated prana spreading down the legs and out through your the feet into the ground. Repeat three times.

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6. Make your way back up the body, repeating the above steps but in reverse order, beginning with apana prana and ending at prana prana. When you are done, meditate or practice the “tip of nose” breathing meditation (below) for a few minutes.

“Tip of Nose” Breathing Meditation Like the other sadhana practices, this meditation is best done in the morning and evening, though anytime is beneficial. It is a simple yet powerful meditation practice. Essentially, it centers our mind and empowers us to enter the space of the present moment. This simple practice has far-reaching benefits. It is ideally practiced after pranayama practices such as alternate nostril breathing, Prana Dharana, or the Five Pranas. If time is limited, however, it can certainly be practiced alone with wonderful results.

Instructions for “Tip of Nose” Breathing Meditation 1. Sit in a chair or on the floor with a straight but comfortable spine. 2. Place the tip of your tongue lightly on the roof of your mouth, behind your front teeth.

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3. Bring your attention to the tip of your nose. Notice the sensations of incoming and outgoing breaths through your nostrils.

4. Relax your body and notice the sensations of the breaths at the tip of your nose as well as in your entire body. 5. After an exhalation, if you feel no urge to inhale immediately, allow the sensation of the pause or “breathless state,” until you feel the need to inhale. The “breathless state” is extremely peaceful and healing. 6. Continue meditating on your breath in this manner for five to thirty minutes.

When practicing the “tip of nose” breathing meditation, simply notice and “allow” your sensations, without doing anything to change them. With continued practice, an expanded capacity to be aware and present naturally occurs. For example, sounds around you elicit subtle yet noticeable sensations. Notice them, allow them, and soften into them. Keeping attention at the tip of your nose and continuing to notice those sensations will effectively calm and focus your mind. Allow your breath to flow on its own without trying to change, control, or “argue” with your sensations. This leads to a state of inner neutrality. A neutral yogic state allows for greater stability in the body, mind, and nervous system. Regular practice of this breathing meditation profoundly supports greater presence and less reactivity to the potentially stressful circumstances of life.

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Ron’s Story: Cultivating Sattva to Overcome Addiction Ron was a reformed alcoholic. He had been sober for a number of years by working the steps of AA with integrity and grit. He shared with our group that AA and his sponsor had literally saved his life. Ron decided to do the Total Life Cleanse because he had noticed that he and many of his sober AA friends were crazy for sugar, cigarettes, and coffee (or Mountain Dew, in his case). He had begun to gradually change his diet, but he knew that his addictive tendencies were getting in the way of his health, mental stability, and personal growth. During the first class, we discussed the concept of exchanging healthy sattvic behaviors for unhealthy tamasic and rajasic behaviors. I shared my belief that many smokers enjoy the smoking habit because it gives them a break to clear their minds. They get to inhale deeply while creating a cloud of smoke that creates a boundary between themselves and others. I also shared some information on how caffeine in excess gives us false energy and temporary mental clarity but depletes us of our energy reserves.

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Ron had become a major sugar addict. He was amazed to hear how sugar can ferment in the body and become alcohol, the very thing he was religiously avoiding.

I explained how meditation and breathing techniques, such as alternate nostril breathing, prana dharana, and the “tip of nose” breathing meditation, can satisfy the craving for smoking through deep breathing, taking space, and making healthy boundaries. I also told Ron that the TLC smoothie could give him great energy without the downside of sugar and caffeine. Ron enthusiastically took up the new TLC practices. He immediately began the smoothies twice a day as well as the breathing practices I had recommended. He also did them whenever he had a desire to smoke, drink Mountain Dew, or drink coffee. The results for Ron were truly remarkable. Within a week, he was off sugar, Mountain Dew (previously he had been drinking a quart a day), and cigarettes! I was pleased and impressed, to say the least! Ron was thrilled. He and I had a wonderful conversation privately. He shared his insight that replacing a lower-vibration activity with a higher-vibration activity helped him make the changes. Not only was Ron replacing old behaviors with new ones, he was replacing them with ones that helped him feel more balanced and energetic in body, mind, and soul.

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Ron maintained his new lifestyle for the duration of the cleanse and has continued to integrate them into his life for many years.

Prayer, Affirmations, Afformations, Permission Messages, and Intentions Internal exercises such as alternate nostril breathing, prana dharana, the five pranas meditation, and the “tip of nose” breathing meditation bring us to a place where our mind is calm, prana is balanced, and body is relaxed. A perfect way to complete these internal exercises is with prayer, affirmations, Afformations, permission messages, and intentions, which allow us to connect to an awareness of our innate wisdom, deepest needs, and essential nature.

Prayer Prayer can be particularly profound after deep meditation. When we dive below the waves of our busy mind, we connect to a deep part of ourselves—the part that knows what is important to us, strives to improve, and wants to grow. Here, it’s also easier to connect to feelings of gratitude. Prayer can be a deeplyenlightening and blissful experience.

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Affirmations Affirmations can be very helpful in promoting positive change in the subconscious mind. They are far more effective after meditation, when the mind is calm and receptive. It is always best to speak an affirmation in the positive. For example, you would say “My mind is calm and peaceful” rather than “My mind is not crazy and disturbed.” Make a list of affirmations to support your cleanse experience and the most important areas of your life. Keep them simple and positive. After practicing sadhana, mentally repeat your chosen affirmations. Do so for three to five minutes, or until you feel the positive energy of your affirmation. Repeat your affirmations numerous times throughout the day.

Afformations Some people find that the mind tends to resist affirmations because the statements are not yet true. Sometimes this prevents affirmations from being effective. Noah St. John, a motivational and personal development coach, discovered that making the affirming statement in the form of a question has a magical way of

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bypassing the subconscious mind. He calls these statements Afformations.2 The subconscious mind apparently loves questions and, when asked, loves to find the answers. For instance, rather than affirming, “I am healthy,” an Afformation would be, “Why am I so healthy?” During the Total Life Cleanse, make a list of Afformations based on the areas of life you would like to improve. Practice them numerous times throughout the day, especially after sadhana practices. You can also practice them in moments when they are needed most. For example, if you are about to go into a meeting with your boss and you are nervous, you might try repeating to yourself, “Why am I so grounded and relaxed while meeting with (boss’s name).” Many TLC participants find them to be enjoyable to do and even more effective than affirmations. Here are some examples of TLC-related Afformations you might use:

Why am I so healthy? Why is it so easy for me to let go of wheat, dairy, and sugar? Why is it so easy to do sadhana every morning? Why is it so easy to finally take good care of myself ? Why is it so easy to let go of (alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine) this time? Why am I so peaceful (calm, sane, strong, happy, successful)? Why do I feel so energetic and refreshed when I wake up in the morning?

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Afformations have unlimited possibilities.* Feel free to make up your own; just make them appropriate for yourself, according to the issues that are important to you.

Permission Messages Giving permission messages is a way of working with mental/emotional patterns. They can be especially helpful in removing self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors. As children, we may develop negative mental/emotional patterns because we lack healthy role models, receive mixed messages about love, or lacking nurturance in important areas of our lives. For example, someone with a mental/emotional pattern of chronic anxiety may have grown up in a family where love was expressed by overprotective and highly anxious parents. The parents unconsciously “taught” that love and safety are not able to coexist. This message naturally created a subconscious imprint in the mind of the child. Now, as an adult, she tends to blend love with anxiety in a similar way to her parents. *To learn more about Afformations and how they can help you remove obstacles and achieve your goals faster and easier, please visit Noah St. John’s website at www.NoahStJohn.com.

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Her experience of love had always been mixed with anxiety. She was never given “permission” to love and to feel safe at the same time. As an adult, it is natural that she would unconsciously communicate the same message to her own children, eventually causing them emotional suffering and lack of self-esteem. An appropriate “giving permission message” can be helpful in uprooting subconscious imprints. The permission message in this situation could sound something like “I give myself permission to feel love and feel safe at the same time” or “I give myself permission to share love and feel safe at the same time.” Another example might be someone who gets sick all the time. As a child, perhaps this person only received love and attention when he was sick. This pattern initiated a subconscious imprint that said, “I am loved only when I am sick.” His permission message to uproot the negative imprint might be “I give myself permission to be loved and healthy at the same time” or “I give myself permission to be loved even when I am healthy.” Permission messages are a wonderful way to give yourself the exact messages you need to hear but never have. They can also be used in the moment when a negative belief or pattern is occurring. They are easy and very effective, especially after internal exercise. Tune in to an issue you have or are working with. Create a permission message. Try using the same one. After sadhana, mentally repeat your permission message for a minute or two. Be sure to feel the mental and emotional sensation of the permission message. Often, it creates a feeling of relief and is very pleasant. If a negative pattern emerges, use your permission message in the moment. For example, sometimes my day gets backed up with patients and I get behind. I used to get quite anxious when this occurred. My pulse rate would increase, my mind would speed up, and my body would get tight—not how I like to be with patients. Now if I begin to feel anxious, I use my permission message, “I give myself permission to be present, calm, and focused, even when I am busy.” I find that it immediately shifts my energy in a favorable way. Practice your messages (you can adjust them over time) for three to four weeks in order to make deep subconscious changes. Cleansing at the same time will make your work with permission messages even more effective.

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Intentions Setting intentions can have a powerful impact, and it only takes a few moments. After evening sadhana, utilize your clearer consciousness to set a clear intention to feel great (or whatever quality you would like to feel) in the morning. Visualize yourself waking up exactly the way you would like to. Do the same following your morning sadhana to set the tone for the day. See yourself moving through your day exactly as you would like.

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Cleansing Your Aura, Subtle Body, and Consciousness TLC supports cleansing on all levels of our being. One critical area where cleansing is often neglected is our aura, which includes our subtle body and consciousness. The aura, sometimes called our morphogenic field, is a bioelectric energy field that extends from within, through, and beyond the edges of our physical body. Its size and vitality are indications of our health and healing potential. A strong aura protects us from negative energies. Many people have the ability to see and feel auras. There are also modern technologies able to photograph and measure it. Muscle testing is also a great way to measure the size of the auric field. Everyone and everything—objects, places, the natural world—emits an energetic field or aura. The quality of the aura is largely determined by our actions, thoughts, environment, relationships, and diet. Our auras mingle with each other as we move about our day. This mingling can be positive or negative. Many of us have experienced the feeling of being dumped on emotionally by a negative person. It can feel really toxic. This is a negative mingling; our aura picks up dark or negative energies from words, judgmental thoughts, or just being in the silent presence of negativity. It can feel as if a dark cloud of energy enters our body and mind. This can especially be an issue when we, or people we interact with, have poor psychic boundaries. I call this “energy slime.” Auric mingling tends to happen more frequently when we are feeling overcome by any of the three poisons and six faults (see chapter 10), fatigued, ill, upset, weak, envious, depressed, or intoxicated. In fact, one of the most troublesome aspects of recreational drugs (and many pharmaceutical drugs) is that they deplete and weaken the auric field, leaving us more vulnerable to negative people, spirits, and environments. One sign that a person’s energy has entered our field without invitation is that we find ourselves thinking about that person obsessively (i.e., constantly going over in our mind a difficult conversation we recently had with them). Additionally, we may suddenly feel:

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Fatigued Grumpy Not quite like ourself A constant need to yawn Guilty for no reason

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Confused Overly concerned about what another person is thinking Brain fog More depressed or emotional than usual Of course, these symptoms do not necessarily mean we have picked up negative energy. However, when they come on abruptly shortly after an interaction with someone, it can alert us to the possibility. It happens more often than you might think. What about positive mingling? If we mingle energies with every person, place, and thing we encounter, then some of that mingling will be of a positive nature. But aura cleansing is not only for clearing negativity. It’s about clearing both inner and outer forces so that we can have clear access to our own energy, feelings, thoughts, goals, and visions, without being influenced by others. Positive mingling is a lovely human experience, as we are meant to exchange energies, thoughts, and feelings. Still, clearing our aura on a daily basis keeps us connected to ourselves and to our dharma. I do it every day! Just as we pick up dirt and dust throughout the day and then shower to clean it off, we can clear energetic debris picked up due to our actions and during our interactions with other people and places. We don’t need to be energetically filthy in order to take an energy bath—it always refreshing for our body, mind, and soul. Having a regular sadhana practice is the best way to protect our energy field and keep it clean. It brightens our consciousness, subtle body and aura, while connecting us to our soul essence. Soul essence has greater potency than any negative material or emotional energy. There are exceptional techniques that can be used to purify our consciousness and cleanse the subtle body and aura on a daily basis and as needed. Following are the ones I find to be most effective.

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Japa, Kirtan, and Chanting the Divine Names of God Kirtan is the safest situation within this material world.

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

The unlimited names of God are the most powerful and sacred mantras. Their vibrations hold the frequency of pure love. The word mantra derives from man, “mind,” and tra, “to deliver.” Mantra is thus a sacred sound vibration that delivers, or frees, the mind so that we can awaken to our true divine identity.

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Sacred mantras are the sound manifestations of divinity: pure existence, consciousness, and love. As love is the highest vibration, the divine names are powerfully purifying and protective. Ayurveda explains that the material universe is made up of sound vibration and that the forms of this world are molecules vibrating at different frequencies. The Vedas explain that the original and all-inclusive sound vibration of creation is the well-known sacred sound, Om (Amen is understood to be a version of Om). All potential vibrations and forms manifest from and exist within this sacred syllable. Thus, Om is understood to be the original sound vibration of God. There are mantras that connect to our soul, or divine identity. Other mantras connect to various aspects of God/Goddess as well as the planets and their astrological influences. There are also specific healing mantras for balancing the body, mind, organs, doshas, emotions, and chakras. When deeply meditated upon, specific mantras have the power to free the mind from suffering, anxiety, and illusion. They also help purify the heart and consciousness by removing the negative influences of the three poisons and six faults, and they lead us toward a state of self-realization and pure love of God. Silent meditation—making no sound at all—is one way of connecting with the power of mantras. Japa (meditating on sacred mantras) and kirtan (singing divine mantras) both utilize the power of sacred sound. Japa includes the quiet, just slightly audible repetition of a particular mantra. Kirtan, or audible chanting/singing of mantras, is a powerful way to purify both the subtle and physical body, as it quickly clears mental/emotional obstacles. Singing of sacred mantras, prayers, hymns, and chants purify the subtle body and help us feel connected to the divine. A unique quality of kirtan is that it naturally pacifies the mind and senses. It is understood to be the easiest and most beneficial practice in this age of anxiety, or Kali Yuga,3 because it effortlessly and joyfully aligns the soul with its true nature and source. Additionally, when kirtan is done in a group, the heart vibrations of all those participating come into alignment. This creates a feeling of oneness, openness, and love. When kirtan is done with concentration and devotion, it purifies the atmosphere, the elements, and ripples out to anyone who happens to hear it and beyond. The Vedic scriptures tell us that the names of God are as innumerable as the waves of the ocean. In the present age of Kali Yuga, the most well-known and powerful mantra is the mantra of love called the maha mantra, or the Hare Krishna mantra. It is:

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Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

The three names in the maha mantra are Hare, Krsna, and Rama.

Hare indicates the ecstatic feminine aspect of God, which includes Her unlimited energies.

Krsna means God, as the all-loving, attracting and attractive force in and behind all existence.

Rama is the divine reservoir and source of all pleasure and happiness. When combined, the six sacred syllables of the maha mantra create a sound vibration that is purely transcendental. By immersing ourselves in the vibration of the maha mantra, the all-loving, attractive, and blissful energy of the divine can cleanse and awaken our heart. There are no strict rules for chanting. Many people chant quietly on beads (like a rosary), slightly audibly or silently. Chanting is also done together in small or large groups of people. This is known as sankirtan, or congregational chanting of God’s names. While there aren’t any rules and regulations for chanting the maha mantra, there are great benefits to be instructed by one who is a master in this practice. In recent years, people all over the Earth have been coming together to chant the maha mantra and other chants in the languages of their own traditions. Chanting in a group is powerful and blissful, as the hearts of all unite in sacred sound. In fact, a study published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience by a team of Swedish researchers showed that when members of a choir sing together, their heart rates tend to synchronize and beat as one. This synchronicity produces a sense of calm that is similar to the effects of yoga and meditation.4

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The Exploding Technique The exploding technique was taught to me by a dear teacher, the late Sharon Turner. Sharon was the founder of the personal development training called Awakenings. This technique clears your auric space from other people’s energy so that you can feel your own energy clearly. It is very effective when you have taken on the negative energy of another, when you someone has gotten into your mind and emotional space more than feels comfortable, or when you find you are not able to hold a healthy boundary with someone. You can use this technique with those you love as well as those you may not love so much!

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I often use the exploding technique after working with a patient who releases a great deal of negativity and emotional energy, especially if I feel fatigued after the session. In fact, fatigue after spending time with someone indicates that their emotional energy has attached itself to your energy field. The exploding technique is also effective when you are upset with someone and you can’t stop thinking about situation that upset you. Conversely, if you are distracted because you can’t stop thinking about someone whom you love or admire, exploding may also be called for! For instance, if you find yourself saying “yes” to your kids when you really want to say “no,” you have become emotionally “hooked” and are being controlled by them! This is a great time for the exploding technique. The exploding technique may sound violent. It’s not. You are not exploding with negative intent (like voodoo). You are simply clearing energetic imprints that are clinging to your energy field. This is why it is fine to explode even your loved ones. While this technique is helpful when you are angry at someone or when they are angry with you, its purpose is to cleanse your energy from the negativity of the interaction, not to cause harm.

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How to Explode

1. Close your eyes and visualize the person whose energy you are holding or thinking of. 2. Imagine seeing that person filling up with golden light. If you can’t imagine that fully, simply say their name out loud and imagine them in front of you. 3. Imagine that you are holding a ball of golden light in your throwing hand. (You have as many of these balls available to you as you need.) You can also imagine bolts of light coming out of your fingertips instead of a ball. 4. Throw the balls (or explode light out from your fingers) again and again into the person’s light-filled body and see their body exploding into millions of golden particles. Be sure to physically make a real throwing action. It also helps to make an audible exploding sound. In other words, let yourself really get into it! 5. Keep exploding until that person’s energy is totally dispersed into particles of light and/or you feel satisfied. 6. Take a breath and feel your own cleared energy. It will feel good! If you don’t feel fully clear, repeat the process until you do.

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The Karate Chop Technique The karate chop is another excellent way to separate your energy from that of another. It is ideal when you feel invaded by another person’s energy or when you have—intentionally or unintentionally—merged energies with another and you feel the need to separate. It is an excellent technique for those whose work requires them to connect quickly and deeply with others, one after another, such as a therapist, salesperson, receptionist, or healer. Disconnecting from one client and quickly opening to another can be challenging. The karate chop clears energetic cords with the first client so that you can find clarity and make a healthy connection with the next client. The karate chop technique is great any time you feel the need to reset, clear, and feel your own energy. It does not “separate” you from other people but clears emotional and electromagnetic energetic hooks. It helps bring you back into the present moment and allows you to connect to yourself and to those you are presently with.

How to Karate Chop

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1. Hold your dominant hand a little in front of and just above the top of your head. Have your palm directed toward your head, with the fingers together, as if you were about to use it in a karate chop.

2. Visualize the person you want to disconnect from in front of you. Then, make seven strong chopping movements with your hand, from your head all the way down below your pelvis. This movement clears the energetic cords on all seven chakra levels between you and the person you are clearing yourself from or with whom you just interacted. 3. After all seven chops, take a breath or two and tune in to feel the clarity of your energy field. If you need to do a few more cycles of seven chops, feel free to. Normally, one to three cycles of seven will suffice.

°°° Remember, these clearing techniques are not malicious. They simply help you regain your center and empower you to let go of negative, upset, and confused energies that have merged with yours. Learning to clear negative debris that magnetically attaches to your bioelectric energy field—your aura—can have a tremendous positive impact on how you feel. Not only that, it trains you to have clearer and healthier boundaries. Clearing techniques are simple and effective in ridding your mind and energy field of energetic obstructions so you can get on with your life!

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My Own Story: Clearing Frustration One morning I was running a little late to work. I had an early patient. My son was just one year old, and my wife and I had hardly slept for numerous nights in a row. As I was trying to dash out of the house, my wife, with a tone of frustration, reminded me of something I had promised to do the day before. Both of us were exhausted and irritable and we began to quibble as I was walking out the door. As I got into my car, I sarcastically thanked my wife for helping me start my day of “healing others” on such a great note. I was concerned that my irritation would impact my healing work and that I would end up holding on to my frustration for hours. I was surprised to hear her say, “Oh, just explode me on the way to work!” Wow, I thought (even though I was still irritated), that’s pretty cool of her to give me permission to explode her! Cool as it was, in my irritated state, I doubted it would help. Even so, during my short seven-minute drive, I en-

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thusiastically exploded away.

I was amazed to find that my irritated and frustrated emotional charge was gone within just a few explosions! Though just moments ago I had been extremely irritated, I had no desire to continue to indulge in the feeling. As it turns out, my wife and I had merged both of our frustrated energies. I was holding hers and she was holding mine! Once I did the clearing I felt back to normal and very relieved. Because of this clearing, my wife and I were able to calmly discuss what had occurred when I got home.

Sun Salutations Sun Salutations are an excellent workout, as they stretch and strengthen the entire body. Beyond the physical, they relax and prepare your mind for internal exercise such as meditation. Traditionally, Sun Salutations are done facing the sun, at sunrise, giving you the opportunity to absorb the sun’s powerful healing rays. If you can’t do them at sunrise, that’s fine. Do them anytime! However, beginning your day at sunrise with Sun Salutations is a great way to catch the energy wave of the day and energize your body, mind, and soul. These poses are quite easy to learn, but begin at a slow pace. Those who are able can

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experiment by doing them at varying speeds. There are many excellent videos online teaching how to do the sequence, including the one I have made. Begin with three cycles, then increase to seven, fourteen, and up to twenty-one over time. If any part of the sequence causes pain or you are unable to do, find a qualified yoga instructor who can properly guide you and make personalized modifications.

The Sun Salutation Sequence 1. Salutation: Face the sunrise (if possible). Stand erect yet relaxed, with your feet together. Exhale, and bring your palms together in front of your chest. 2. Raised arms: Inhale, and stretch both arms above your head, palms facing upward. Arch your back and stretch your whole body. This posture stretches your chest and abdomen and lifts prana (udana prana) upward. 3. Bend at the waist, hands to feet: Exhale, and bend your body forward and down, keeping your legs straight. (You can bend your knees a little if needed.) A healthy flow of blood is sent to your spinal nerves as they are stretched and toned. Your hamstring and calf muscles are also stretched and toned. The inversion increases blood flow to your brain, andprana (apana prana) is channeled to the lower regions

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of the body.

4. Lunge, right leg forward: Inhale, and extend your left leg back. Your right knee should be bent at a 45-degree angle and kept between your hands and arms, with your right foot flat on the ground. Lift your spine and open your chest. 5. Jackknife: Exhale, and bring your right leg back to join with the left leg. Simultaneously raise your buttocks and lower your head between your arms so that your body forms a triangle with the floor. This jackknife posture strengthens the nerves and muscles in your spine, arms, and legs and stretches your calves, hamstrings, and Achilles tendons. Inhale deeply while maintaining this posture. 6. Eight limbs touching the ground: Exhale, and lower yourself as if you were coming down from a pushup. Your hands, chest, knees, and feet should touch the floor. 7. Cobra: Inhale while lowering your hips and pushing your chest forward and upward with your hands, until your spine is fully arched and your head faces forward. Your knees and lower abdomen can remain on the floor. Focus your awareness at the base of your spine and feel the tension from the forward pull and upward stretch. This pose expands your abdominal region and chest, supporting the organs of your chest and abdomen. It is helpful in relieving tension in the back muscles and spinal nerves. Cobra is very effective for low back pain and can resolve mild disc p rotrusions. 8. Jackknife: Exhale, and bring yourself back to the jacknife posture of step 5.

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9. Lunge, left leg forward: Inhale, and swing your left leg forward between your hands and arms. The right leg remains back. This is the same posture as in step 4, but with the legs reversed. 10. Bend at the waist, hands to feet: Exhale, and bring your right foot forward. Straighten your legs, keeping your body bent forward from the waist. 11. Raised arms: Inhale, and lift your trunk, and bend backward. Stretch both arms above your head, palms facing upward, as you did in step 2. 12. Salutation: Exhale, straighten your body, and bring your hands down in front of the chest. Begin again.

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Figure 22.4. Salutation

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Figure 22.5. Raised arms

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Figure 22.6. Bend at the waist, hands to feet

Figure 22.7. Lunge, right leg forward

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Figure 22.8. Jackknife

Figure 22.9. Eight limbs touching the ground

Figure 22.10. Cobra

Figure 22.11. Jackknife

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Figure 22.12. Lunge, left leg forwardd

Figure 22.13. Bend at the waist, hands to feet

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Figure 22.14. Raised arms

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Figure 22.15. Salutation

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Tibetan Five Rites The Tibetan Five Rites is an incredible and powerful program. It turns back the clock. It increases your energy, mental clarity, and focus. It reduces stress and improves strength and flexibility. It is capable of restoring your passion and zest for life if you let it. I highly recommend it for anyone willing to improve their life. John Gray, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus

I first learned about the Tibetan Five Rites in the early 1990s. The techniques were being sold by mail order. The health claims sounded preposterous and the price was also a bit steep for me. I read the advertisement with interest but put it aside. A year later, a good friend of mine contacted me and told me of the remarkable benefits his wife had received by daily practice of the Tibetan Five Rites. Most striking was that her chronic fatigue and pain had practically disappeared. I trusted this friend, and he wasn’t selling anything to me, so I purchased the book and soon began experimenting with them. Within a week, I noticed more energy and physical strength. I even felt stronger at the gym after having been away for many weeks. After a few months, my posture was better and my endurance in all areas of life had improved. I was so impressed with the Five Rites that I began to share them with my patients and, eventually, with TLC participants. The roots of the Tibetan Five Rites are somewhat mysterious. The book that popularized them was The Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth, by Peter Kelder. In it he claims that the Tibetan Five Rites came from a group of monks in the mountains of Tibe, who shared their secrets of longevity with a British colonel.5 True or not, the rites are powerful and effective. The Tibetan Five Rites are similar to the ancient ayurvedic practices known as the pancha kriyas. They are said to energize and spin the chakras properly, promote optimal function of the five pranas, and balance all of the meridians. The result is a significant increase in energy, flexibility, strength, health and well-being. They are easy to do, take very little time, and are very effective. The goal is to do each of the five rites twenty-one times. It is important, however, to start slowly in order to properly develop all the muscles involved. Some find that they unable to do a specific rite. In such cases, it is okay to modify the rites accordingly. To do so, it is best to approach a qualified yoga instructor to guide you in the

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best way to safely modify and practice the five rites. Begin with only three repetitions the first week, then move on to seven the second week, fourteen the third week, and then twenty-one if you are able. If twenty-one is too much, find your optimal amount and keep it there.

Five Rites Instructions 1. First rite: Stand erect with your arms outstretched, horizontal with your shoulders. Spin clockwise at least three times and up to twenty-one times. 2. Second rite: Lie full length on the floor. Place your hands flat on the ground, alongside your hips. While inhaling, raise your feet until your legs are straight up, keeping your knees straight. Let your feet extend a bit over your body, toward your head. Hold this position for a brief moment and, then, exhaling, slowly lower your feet to the floor. As you are raising your feet and legs, simultaneously raise your head; and as you are lowering htem, lower your head. Repeat at least three times and up to twenty-one times. 3. Third rite: Kneel on the floor with your palms flat against the side of your legs. Keeping your spine straight, bend your head forward and place your chin on your

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chest. Then, inhaling, arch backward as far as is comfortable, keeping your palms on your thighs. Exhaling, come to an erect position and again tuck your chin into your chest. Repeat at least three times and up to twenty-one times.

4. Fourth rite: Sit erect on the floor with your feet stretched out in front of you. Keep your legs straight. Place your hands flat on the floor, with your fingers pointing slightly outward. Tuck your chin down on your chest. While inhaling, gently raise your body by bending your knees to a right angle, keeping your arms straight. As your body is raised upward, allow your head to gently fall back. Your torso will now be horizontal. Hold this position for a moment while tensing your legs, buttocks, and arms. Exhaling, return to the first position and relax for a moment. Repeat at least three times and up to twenty-one times. 5. Fifth rite: Lie on your stomach on the floor. Place your hands on the floor, about shoulder width apart. Stretch your legs out to the rear in a pushup position, and drop your hips and knees in a sagging position (Cobra pose). While inhaling, push your body, especially your hips, up as far as possible into the jacknife position, keeping your back straight, rising up on your toes and hands, and tucking your chin against your chest jacknife). Exhaling, return your body to the sagging position (Cobra pose), arching your back and bringing your head upward. In both positions, briefly tense the muscles of your arms and buttocks. Repeat at least three times and up to twenty-one times.

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For Review Only Figure 22.16. First rite

Figure 22.17. Second rite

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Figure 22.18. Third rite

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For Review Only Figure 22.19. Fourth rite, legs extended

Figure 22.20. Fourth rite, body raised

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For Review Only Figure 22.21. Fifth rite, Cobra pose

Figure 22.22. Fifth rite, jackknife position

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The Seven Tigers Plus The secret to the system is nothing more than contracting and extending your muscles with great tension while thinking into them. Tigers and lions stretch their entire body with a tension so great that their limbs actually quiver. The tiger’s stretch is so powerful that it actually builds incredible strength and muscle. The inner resistance produced by the tension builds muscle fibers as much as the external resistance produced by weight or machines. However, since the resistance is perfectly controlled at all times throughout the entire range of motion, there is no jerking, no compression, and no harm to the body. John McSweeney, founder of the Seven Tiger Moves

I first discovered the Seven Tiger Moves in K. C. Craichy’s excellent book Super Health: 7 Golden Keys to Unlock Lifelong Vitality. The Seven Tiger Moves are an amazing set of muscle-tensing or isometric exercises taught by exercise expert John Peterson. John learned the moves from well-known martial artist John McSweeney. They are efficient, energizing, toning, and strengthening for the entire body. Muscle-tensing exercises are done by tensing specific sets of muscles individually or by working a set of muscles against another set of muscles. They don’t require a gym or equipment, are safe, and can tonify the entire body. Tensing exercises were first introduced to me through the lessons of the great yoga master Paramahansa Yogananda. He recommended doing his version, which he calls energization techniques, just before meditation.6 He taught that they help us develop willpower, become aware of prana, and prepare for deep meditation. Muscle-tensing exercises are extremely underrated, perhaps because they are so simple and the only required equipment is our body. The Seven Tigers are so effective and efficient that I had to include them in the Total Life Cleanse. They take just a few minutes. They naturally, safely, and instantly send prana, blood, and oxygen to our muscles. They quickly tone and strengthen our entire body, boost willpower, and are excellent for increasing mobility and strength in our joints. The act of mindful tensing of the muscles also releases stored tension. Therefore, some like to do the tigers prior to their internal exercises because its tension releasing properties supports deep internal practices. I have added to the classic Seven Tigers one extra exercise that strengthens the abdominal muscles and massages the internal organs.

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Sadhana 315

Seven Tigers Plus Instructions All seven exercises call for tensing specific parts of the body while they are in motion. The tensing should be smooth and gradual, moving from a low to medium to high level of tension. Once the motion is complete, relax for a moment and feel the energy/ prana. Breathe deeply and slowly with each movement, as explained below. When you concentrate fully on the part of the body that you are tensing, more healing prana is sent to that part. Prana follows attention. Fully concentrating while doing the Seven Tigers Plus strengthens the mind as well as the body. 1. Straight arm extension and contraction: Stand erect with your feet shoulder width apart and your left foot just in front of your right foot. Extend your arms straight out in front of your body at chest level. Bring your palms together. While inhaling, slowly swing your arms out to the sides of your body, keeping them extended, as you steadily tense the muscles in your shoulders, arms, and hands. Relax and feel. Then, while exhaling, slowly bring your arms back to the front of your body, keeping them extended and again tensing the muscles in your shoulders, arms,

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and hands. Relax and feel.

Keep the muscles in both legs slightly tensed during the sequence. Repeat three to five times.

2. Bent arm extension and contraction: Stand erect with your feet shoulder width apart, this time with your right foot slightly in front your left. Lightly cross your right arm over your left arm in front of your chest. While inhaling, steadily tense your arms and extend them outward, keeping them bent at around a ninety-degree angle, with your upper arms close to your torso and your forearms extending outward. Relax and feel. Then, while exhaling, tense your arms while bringing them back to the crossed position in front of your chest. Relax and feel. Keep the muscles in both legs slightly tensed during the sequence. Repeat three to five times. 3. Back of hand extension and contraction: Stand erect with your feet shoulder width apart and parallel. Extend your arms straight out in front of you and pointing downward at about a forty-five-degree angle. Rotate your arms so that the backs of the hands face each other. While inhaling, steadily tense your arms while bringing them outward and slowly rotating them so that palms face each other and your arms are extended out to the sides of yourbody. Relax and feel. Then, while exhaling, steadily tense your arms

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while moving them back to the original position at forty-five-degree downward angle, with the backs of the hands facing each other. Relax and feel. Keep the muscles in both legs slightly tensed during the sequence. Repeat three to five times. 4. Tension curls: Stand erect with your feet shoulder width apart and parallel. With your arms bent, hold your fists close to and facing your chest. While inhaling, slowly raise and steadily tense your right arm until it is fully extended upward, keeping the palm of your fist facing backward as best you can. Relax and feel. While exhaling, tense your right arm while slowly bringing it back down to the original position in front of your chest. Relax and feel. Repeat with your left arm to complete one cycle. Keep the muscles in both legs slightly tensed during the sequence. Repeat three to five times. 5. Vertical shoulder press: Stand erect with your feet shoulder width apart and parallel. Hold your arms at your sides, bent at the elbow, with your fisted hands facing forward. While inhaling, slowly raise and steadily tense your right arm until it is extended

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above your head, keeping your palm facing forward. Relax and feel.

While exhaling, slowly lower and steadily tense your right arm, bringing it back to its original position. Relax and feel.

Repeat with your left arm to complete one cycle. Keep the muscles in both legs slightly tensed during the sequence. Repeat three to five times. 6. Abs tension exercise: Stand erect with your feet shoulder width apartand parallel. With moderate tension, press your right fist into the palm of your left hand just in front of your chest. Inhale and press your hands together. Then, while slowly exhaling, steadily tense your abdominal muscles while bending over ever so slightly. Relax and feel. Keep the muscles in both legs slightly tensed during the sequence. Repeat three to five times. 7. Leg bend tension exercise: Stand erect with your feet shoulder width apart and parallel. With moderate tension, press your right fist into the palm of your left hand just in front of your chest. While inhaling, steadily tense your legs and buttocks. While exhaling, continue to tense your legs and buttocks while you bend your knees, sinking about halfway down. Inhale again, steadily tensing your legs and buttocks as you stand back up. Exhale, relax, and feel. Repeat the sequence three to five times.

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8. Abdominal and organ massage: This last exercise is not part of the original Seven Tigers sequence but one that I’ve added. Abdominal organ massage strengthens the abdominal muscles, cleanses and massages the digestive organs, supports healthy elimination, and eliminates excess CO2 from the body. This exercise should be done on an empty stomach. Stand erect with your feet shoulder width apart and parallel. Bend your knees slightly, bend at the waist, and rest your hands firmly on your knees. Keep your back straight. Inhale deeply and then exhale forcefully, blowing out through your mouth, completely expelling all the air from your lungs. Repeat this breath three times. After the last exhalation, while your lungs are empty, quickly and repeatedly pull and push your abdomen in and out (massaging the internal organs) for as long as you can until you feel the need to inhale again. Repeat the entire sequence three times.

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Figure 22.23. Straight arm extension

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Figure 22.24. Straight arm contraction

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Figure 22.25. Bent arm extension

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Figure 22.26. Bent arm contraction

Figure 22.27. Back of hand extension and contraction

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Figure 22.28. Tension curls

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Figure 22.29. Vertical shoulder press

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Figure 22.30. Abs tension exercise

Figure 22.31. Leg bend tension exercise

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Figure 22.32. Abdominal and organ massage

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Sadhana 321

Interval Training Unless you are training for a major athletic event, it is not necessary to spend hours doing external exercise. One of the most efficient and effective forms of external exercise is interval training. In just twelve to twenty minutes, three to five days a week, interval training can dramatically improve lung capacity, burn calories, decrease belly fat, enhance blood sugar metabolism, and support detoxification.7 Applying interval training principles to any form of exercise, such as jogging, biking, rebounding, walking, swimming, jumping, and even using weights, will work. The basic idea is to exercise at different rates of speed and degrees of effort. Simply begin your chosen form of exercise slowly. After a minute or two, increase your intensity to the point that you begin panting; continue at this rate for around thirty seconds to one minute. Then slow down for a minute or two, until your breathing normalizes. Repeat this cycle for twelve to twenty minutes, according to your capacity. I have found that for both myself and my patients, interval training is the most impactful and efficient form of exercise for strengthening the lungs, reducing body fat, and supporting overall fitness and wellness.

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As you probably can tell by this point, all of the TLC sadhana practices are not only effective but super efficient. People are busy these days and often don’t have time to spend hours exercising at the gym. Most of these practices can be done anywhere and anytime. The only exercise that requires equipment is rebounding—that is, bouncing on a mini trampoline. Mini trampolines are not expensive, do not take up much space, and are readily available at most sporting goods stores. Rebounding is an enjoyable form of exercise and has more benefits than perhaps any other form of exercise. Due to the increased g-force resistance you experience on the trampoline, rebounding positively stresses and stimulates every cell in your body. Excessive stress on your joints and muscles can be damaging, but your tissues actually need some healthy stress in order to grow, repair, and strengthen. The healthy, safe “stress” of rebounding benefits every cell and tissue the body, including:

Joints Bones Muscles Lymphatic tissue

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Connective tissue Organs Nerves Brain Rebounding adds beneficial stress to the cells, supporting mitochondrial activation and healthy protein synthesis. This means having more mitochondria available for ATP production (energy production) and efficient tissue growth and repair.8 Rebounding is also amazingly helpful for people who suffer from constipation. The increased cellular energy as well as the downward gravity from the bouncing increases apana prana, the downward-moving prana. Many people find that after rebounding for a just few minutes, they have the urge to eliminate! Rebounding stimulates lymphatic circulation by boosting muscular contractions, which stimulate the one-way valves in your lymphatic system. This is why rebounding is so great for your immune system; it is perhaps the most effective way to circulate and cleanse the lymphatic system. Rebounding is very low impact, which allows you to exercise much longer than you could on solid ground without damaging joints or overworking specific areas of the body. It is great for people who are athletic as well as those who are not, and it can be done by children, the elderly, and even the disabled. NASA studied some of the benefits of rebounding in the early 1980s and found compelling evidence that it is an extremely safe, effective, and efficient form of exercise.9

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Rebounding Benefits

Boosts lymphatic drainage and immune function. Strengthens the skeletal system and increases bone mass. Improves digestion and supports elimination. Is easier on the joints than jogging Does not overly stress the ankles, hips, and knees. Increases endurance by stimulating mitochondrial energy production. Improves balance by healthfully stressing the middle ear vestibule. Increases lung capacity and circulates blood and oxygen throughout the body. Works the whole body and improves overall muscle tone. Is really fun!

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Sadhana 323

Lauren’s Story: Sadhana Lauren had done numerous cleanses in the past with other practitioners, including some ayurvedic cleanses. She had always had good experiences. However, she had never been able to integrate sadhana into her daily routine. She was determined that this time she would. During her Total Life Cleanse, Lauren watched all the videos on internal, mixed, and external exercise. She began doing sadhana practices every day and quickly noticed the energy-enhancing, strengthening, and mind-calming effects. Lauren said that the daily sadhana practice helped her to feel less emotionally reactive with people she sometimes had issues with. She shared that the sadhana brought a depth and potency to her cleanse that had been lacking in her previous cleanses. She also found that the sadhana practice helped her to feel far more enthusiastic about staying on the cleanse protocol.

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22 TLC Daily Routine Guide THE DAILY ROUTINE GUIDE (DRG) is your day-by-day, complete guide to the

Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse. From morning to night, the DRG lists all of the dietary, supplement, herbal, and lifestyle practices recommended for each day of the cleanse. Each day includes a suggested recipe, and all of the recipes are detailed in chapter 25. While it’s not essential that you use the recipe that is suggested for any particular day, it’s imperative to eat only those foods from the “On the Cleanse” list in chapter 19. During phase 2 (days 8 to 14) and phase 3 (days 15 to 21), the suggested recipes are optimal. Otherwise, all of the tasty TLC recipes are interchangeable. Day 1 begins with the basic TLC routine. Going forward, you’ll add various sadhana exercises, activities, supplements, and foods. To get started, skim the entire DRG. Then carefully read through the first seven days, or phase 1. This way, you will be able to prepare, plan recipes, and allow for any timing adjustments for your first week of the cleanse. At night, carefully read over the following day’s recommendations. This way, any changes will be fresh in your mind in the morning, when you again look over the DRG for the day. At the beginning of each phase—that is, each seven-day block—review the entire week’s DRG to facilitate planning and refresh in your mind the goals of that phase. Take your time to get going. Nothing we are asking you to do is really difficult. Possibly the most challenging aspect of the cleanse is getting into the rhythm of new routines. Once you do, which usually takes anywhere from three to five days, cleansing will be easy and pleasurable. Let go of your mental pictures of perfection—it’s not about cleansing perfectly. Having said that, do your very best! That’s all. You are worth it!

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TLC Daily Routine Guide 325

You can’t fail the Total Life Cleanse. Think of it in terms of good, better, or best:

By eating only “on the cleanse” foods, avoid “off the cleanse” foods, and take your herbs and supplements, you will have a very good cleanse. If you want to go deeper or better, follow the suggested recipes and eat plenty of greens and soups. For the very best cleanse, practice sadhana exercises every day, undertake the media fast from day 3 to day 21, and, during phase 3, include the liver flush and then the ayurvedic detox. Make a list of three things you want to let go of and three things you want to bring into your life both during and after the cleanse. Meditate on these intentions every day of the TLC. Create related affirmations and Afformations and practice them daily for at least twenty-one days. You’ll find the TLC supplements called for by name in the day-by-day guide. Turn back to chapter 19 for a full discussion of these supplements’ effects, as well as our other optional protocols or substitutes that can be used in their place. (And for a quick reminder, see the list below.)

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Supplements Summary

Clear Response: plant-based detox protein formula. Trifal: intestinal cleanser and healer Inflama-GI: anti-inflammatory product for the gut Innate Detox: liver detox support Renewal Greens: green phytonutrient superfood powder

Phase 1: “On the Cleanse/Off the Cleanse” Diet Phase 1 is your opportunity to let go of “off the cleanse” foods, begin the habit of taking your herbs and supplements, and integrate daily sadhana into your life. If your recent diet included generous amounts of wheat, dairy, sugar, tuna (high mercury), processed foods, GMO foods, coffee, or alchohol, there is a good chance you will undergo some detox reactions. These include symptoms such as fatigue, low mood and irritability, achiness, loose bowels, and even flu like symptoms. However, if you gradually eliminate “off the cleanse” foods, take your cleanse supplements, and drink plenty of water, there is a good chance you can minimize or even eliminate detox reactions all together. Either way, remember; if you have detox reactions, they will last just a few days. Hang in there, be strong. You will feel great in less than a week!

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Day 1 Congratulations on taking the first step of the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse. This is an important step in claiming your health in body, mind, and soul. Today, be gentle on yourself, get organized, begin to eliminate “off the cleanse” foods, and don’t worry about being perfect. It’s only the first day! We are so happy you are joining us! The routine for day 1 is the foundation of the cleanse; you’ll follow this routine for the entire duration of the cleanse, adding to it as you go. TLC Daily Routine, Day 1 and Beyond MORNING

Give yourself no less than an extra thirty minutes of time in the morning compared to what you were used to before beginning the cleanse. Depending on timing, it’s ideal to also wake up at least ten minutes before sunrise. Practice deep circular breathing through your nose upon waking. Scrape your tongue. Drink 8–12 ounces of water with a pinch of salt and a squirt of lime/lemon juice added. Do sadhana: “tip of nose” breathing meditation, alternate nostril breathing, meditation, intention setting for the day Drink a TLC smoothie with 1 scoop (27 grams) of Clear Response and 1 scoop (10 grams) of Renewal Greens Take two Innate Detox capsules with your smoothie. Sip detox teas (tulsi, dandelion root and leaf, fennel seed, ginger) throughout the day. Sip water all day; aim to drink a number of ounces equal to your body weight in pounds.

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Circular Breathing Many breathing practices include pausing the breath either after an inhale or an exhale. There are good reasons for these practices, however, circular breathing is different. Here, the breath is slow, deep, and smooth, with an even inhale and exahale through the nose—no pause inbetween breaths. Circular breathing regulates the prana throughout the entire body. It can be practiced alone or combined with walking. When you first wake up in the morning and before getting out of bed, practice circular breathing for a minute or two. It is a great way to conscioulsly transition from sleep to awake time.

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Circular Breathing and Walking Ayurveda says, “Man is meant to breath and walk.” When we combine mindful circular breathing with walking, the body and mind quickly come into harmonic balance. This manifests as a calm and receptive mind along with a fluid feeling in the body. Cleansers often report that they experience heightened sense perception and a feeling of oneness with their environment. To practice circular breathing while walking requires no more than ten minutes. Begin walking and after a minute or two, become aware of your breath. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose. Count how many steps you take during one inhalation. Do the same for your exhalation. Then, get into a rhythm of breathing in and out with a fixed amount of steps. For example, when I walk and do circular breathing while walking, I take eight steps during the inhalation and eight steps during the exhalation. Remember, with circular breathing there is no pause in between breaths. However, don’t rush the breath either as this can make you feel short of air. Nice and smooth circular breathing in harmony with your steps is a simple yet truly

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powerful way to bring balance to body and mind.

Circular breathing is meant to be practiced daily. However, it can also be done any time you feel the need to quickly reconnect to yourself, your environment, or those you are about to relate with.

MIDMORNING

Take one scoop (6 grams) of Inflama-GI. Take a 10-minute walk in nature while practicing circular breathing. AFTERNOON

Have a large lunch of any “on the cleanse” foods LATE AFTERNOON

Drink a TLC smoothie NIGHT

Have a smaller meal with any “on the cleanse” foods. Do sadhana: alternate nostril breathing, “tip of nose” breathing meditation, and intention setting for the next day. Take two Innate Detox capsules before bed.

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RECIPE OF THE DAY

Bok Choy/Cabbage Ginger Soup: eat this soup as often as you would like throughout the cleanse.

Day 2 Today, focus on creating a cleanse rhythm and taking the suggested cleanse actions. Do your best to avoid wheat, dairy, and sugar today, and really try to get in at least one smoothie as well as all your supplements. Remember, new horizons of health and wellbeing await you! TLC Daily Routine, Day 2

Continue the routine from day 1. Add skin brushing; before a shower or bath is ideal. Add the Seven Tigers Plu, Tibetan Five Rites, or Sun Salutations to your morning sadhana. Addtaking two Trifal capsules just before bed. ( If constipated go up to four capsules after first 2 days of taking two.) Sweat for 10–20 minutes a day (exercise, steam, sauna, Amethyst BioMat, Epsom salt bath)

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RECIPE OF THE DAY

Squash with Ginger Soup

Day 3 Usually it takes three to four days to really settle into the cleanse. By now, you may be feeling some detox symptoms such as fatigue, headache, loose bowels, or moodiness. If you are, hang in there; it will clear up in a day or two. It’s the innate intelligence of your body ramping up to clear toxins and finding a new way to create energy without the use of stimulating toxins and “crapola”! If you are feeling no symptoms of detox, lucky you! You may later, or you may sail through and just feel better as we go along. TLC Daily Routine, Day 3

Continue the routine from day 2. Add external oleation (after dry brushing, oil your skin with coconut or sesame oil before a shower or bath). Practice conscious eating with all of your meals. Begin a media cleanse; you’ll continue it through day 21.

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RECIPE OF THE DAY

Cleansing Quinoa Soup

Day 4 Today you should be getting into the groove of drinking plenty of water and detox teas. You will be peeing your way to health! You should also be sensing a flow to your routines beginning to emerge. There will always be obstacles. Just do your best! TLC Daily Routine, Day 4

Continue the routine from day 3. Practice foot rolling upon rising and before bed. Use a neti pot (nasal rinsing) in the morning. An ideal time is during your morning shower. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Tridoshic Veggie Stir-Fry

For Review Only Foot Rolling

Ayurveda explains that the feet are the negative pole of the body. This means that your feet can accumulate physical, mental, and emotional stress and toxicity. Foot rolling is an easy and powerful way to energize your body and reduce stress. It also feels wonderful. Like the tongue, the soles of the feet have specific points that reflect the entire body. The basic idea is that the heel correlates with the lower torso of the body, the middle portion of the foot correlates with the digestive organs, and the upper portion of the foot correlates with the upper part of the body including the lungs, heart, and head. Additionally, the inner part of the foot, from the heel to big toe, correlates with the center of the body, or spine. For detailed information, its easy to find foot maps online. Stimulating these points increases blood flow and energy to all of the organs and tissues of the body. Since the organs also store emotional energy, foot rolling releases emotional stress. To roll your feet you will need either a wooden foot roller, which can be found in most health food stores, or a hard ball such as a golf ball or new tennis ball. Personally, I find foot rollers to be easier to use. Keep your foot roller or ball near your bed. When you wake up and just before bed, slowly roll one foot then the other, using a comfortable yet firm pressure against the roller.

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A sensitive area can mean that there is some physical or emotional stagnation in the correlating organ system. Foot rolling is a great way to work out these tension causing stagnations. Be sure to breathe slowly and deeply, especially in those sensitive areas. If you do, you will feel a sense of calm and openness and a reduction of pain and tension after foot rolling. Done every day, foot rolling is a great way to give yourself a brief yet potent acupressure treatment that cleanses the organs of your body and calms and nourishes your nervous system and mind.

Day 5 Now you are getting in the flow of the cleanse. Sometimes it may feel like it’s hard and a lot to do. It is! But it is so worth it! Today we add a real kitchari recipe. Kitchari is a balanced and gently cleansing food from ayurveda. Each spice in this dish has medicinal value, and it is a perfect protein. In the evening, you can add extra water to your kitchari to make it soupy. Please be sure to move your body every day: Sun Salutations, Tibetan Five Rites, Seven Tigers Plus, walking, swimming, jogging, rebounding, interval training . . . it’s all good.

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TLC Daily Routine, Day 5

Continue the routine from day 4. Experiment with a kitchari recipe. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Basic Kitchari

Day 6 Eat clean, think green, and live the dream! You are likely beginning to feel some significant shifts in your body. Some people will feel more energetic, while others will still be detoxing and not feeling the positive energy shift. It’s common, at this point, to feel mentally more peaceful and stable, even if your physical energy has not yet increased. It will, in time, as your body reaches a new level of homeostasis. Have a wonderful day 6! There are no big changes to the routine today; just keep going and stay on track. TLC Daily Routine, Day 6

Stay steady!

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RECIPE OF THE DAY

Light Quinoa Stir-Fry

Day 7 You have finished one week of the cleanse. At about this time, toxins that have settled in the tissues, organs, and extremities begin to release and make their way back to the stomach and intestines. Therefore, it is very important that you are eliminating well. You can use magnesium oxide or triphala to boost your elimination tomorrow, which will be perfect timing! TLC Daily Routine, Day 7

Continue the routine from day 6. Take 400–800 mg magnesium oxide or 2000 mg triphala, if needed, to support elimination. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Mung Dal

Phase 2: Simplifying with Kitchari For Review Only

Phase 2 utilizes the principle of mono diet. Mono diet is when one particular dish is eaten for a period of time. It is used primarily to take the burden off of the digestive system. Doing so not only allows your digestive system to rest and repair, but also encourages your body to heal from structural and immunological challenges. Kitchari is a cleanse-friendly mono diet that is simultaneously easy to digest, nourishing, and gently detoxifying. Kitchari is easy to make, so it also helps to simplify your cleanse daily routine, which, in our busy lives, is important. Phase 2 encourages a daily smoothie as well, which is also nourishing and detoxifying.

Day 8 Today, we continue on our journey of eating clean, breathing well, and seeing life a little more clearly! We begin to go deeper into the cleanse. For the next seven days we will be emphasizing eating the ancient ayurvedic cleansing dish known as kitchari. We also begin three days of the optional liver flush, which is highly recommended in the spring. (See page [x-ref ] for details.) Be sure to add lots of green veggies and try the various recipes. Don’t hesitate to adjust them and add to or subtract from the spices to suit your own tastes. Have a great day!

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Continue the routine from day 7. If you are doing the liver flush, begin it today; you will continue for three days. Do the flush before breakfast but after scraping your tongue, and be sure to follow it with a cup of peppermint or dandelion tea. Eat kitchari throughout the day. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Kitchari with Cauliflower and Peas

Day 9 Now that we are getting deeper into the cleanse, it’s time to keep it as simple as possible: simple diet, simple recipes, easy digestion. All are important parts of cleansing. By now you are likely feeling pretty groovy and mentally calmer than you have perhaps in years. Keep doing your best even if you are not perfect. For the next few days continue the kitchari and greens, and go for the liver flush to take it deeper! Remember to go deeper in your sadhana too.

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Continue the routine from day 8. Continue the liver flush. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Kitchari with Sweet Potatoes and Peas

Day 10 We are almost halfway through the cleanse! Now is the time to honestly check in with yourself about the media cleanse. Are you spending less time on your cell phone and the internet? Are you avoiding television, newspapers, and the radio? Are you limiting your media consumption to only what is necessary? Reduce media and meditate more! It’s your life. Don’t waste time! TLC Daily Routine, Day 10

Continue the routine from day 9. This is the last day of the liver flush. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Quinoa-Amaranth Kitchari

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Day 11 I think, by now, we can say that you are an official cleanser. You are deep into it now. You’re thinking about your life and your health may be shifting. It’s a great time to recommit and really connect to why you are doing this. Try to stay focused, and do your best. If you do, then this cleanse will have a positive influence for the rest of your life. Keep going with the kitchari and greens. This is a great time to do the TLC ayurvedic detox. Go for it and detox deeply!. (See page [x-ref ] for details.) TLC Daily Routine, Day 11

Continue the routine from day 10. If you are doing the ayurvedic detox, start it today with 2 teaspoons of melted ghee or coconut oil. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Calming Kitchari

Day 12 Okay, you may be getting tired of kitchari and are starting to fantasize about all kinds of foods. Now is the time to really focus on mindfulness while you are eating, and to practice conscious eating with even more awareness. Breathe, chew, and relax while you eat today. Make eating as close to a meditation as you can. Remember, all these spices you are using have wonderful medicinal effects on every organ of your body. Appreciate the moment!

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Continue the routine from day 11. Continue the ayurvedic detox with 4 teaspoon of melted ghee or coconut oil. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Cool-Headed Kitchari

Day 13 Wow, day six on kitchari. By now, your kitchari creativity should have kicked in. There are lots of ways to make it. If you are going crazy with kitchari, great. If you’re wanting a soup or a leafy green dish instead, no problem. Trust your body! Please focus on moving your body, rolling those feet, eating consciously, and media cleansing. Is your mind more peaceful?

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Continue the routine from day 12. Continue the ayurvedic detox with 6 teaspoons of melted ghee or coconut oil. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Basic Kitchari

Day 14 Wow! Cleansing for two weeks—daily smoothies, liver flush, ayurvedic detox, meditation, exercise, kitchari, and simple clean food. This is the last day of kitchari! You might be tired of it by now, but remember, part of cleansing is simplifying your life, which includes simplifying your diet and routines. By the way, how is the tongue scraping and foot rolling going? What have you noticed? If you are doing the ayurvedic detox, today is the last day, which means that tonight you’ll do the purgation. TLC Daily Routine, Day 14

Continue the routine from day 13. Finish the ayurvedic detox with 8 teaspoons of melted ghee or coconut oil in

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the morning and the purgative castor oil treatment (see page [x-ref ]) in the evening. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Warming and Clearing Kitchari

Phase 3: Alkalizing Super Greens By now you have given up all “off the cleanse” foods. Amazing! Not only is this cleansing, but it also resets your taste buds and prepares you for phase 3’s opportunity to detox even deeper—clearing stored pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, heavy metals, parasites, unhealthy bacteria, etc. This is done by continuing TLC smoothies, herbs, and supplements along with eating leafy greens and veggies—naturally high in phytonutrients that are rich in immune supporting and alkaline forming minerals, antioxidants, and antimicrobial plant alkaloids. During phase 3 remember to entirely avoid all animal products including eggs, avoid sugar including raw honey (stevia and berries are okay), and do not over cook veggies. Eat an abundance (as much as you want) of leafy greens, TLC friendly veggies, lemon or lime water, and alkaline forming foods. Remember, if this feels to be too much, continue as you are, eating kitchari and

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simply avoiding the “off the cleanse” foods. I promise. You will still have a very successful cleanse!

Day 15 Day 15 begins phase 3’s deeper detox. You have come so far! By now your taste buds no longer crave addictive and disease forming foods. Take advantage of this by eating as much fresh produce as possible. During warmer weather, eat plenty of raw salads and veggies. In the winter, it’s better to warm your veggies by lightly sautéing or steaming them. Remember, the daily TLC smoothie will give you more than sufficient protein so you can concentrate on eating your soups and more alkalizing forming foods. TLC Daily Routine, Day 15

Continue the routine from day 14. Emphasize greens and green dishes, such as soups. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Cleansing Broccoli-Fennel Soup

Day 16

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Today, we are introducing more greens into our diet with TLC-friendly salads and soups. If it is cold outside, it is best to have any raw salads combined with a warm dish. At least have some warm ginger-fennel tea with your meals. Be sure to drink plenty of alkalizing lemon water during the day. TLC Daily Routine, Day 16

Continue the routine from day 15; stay steady! RECIPE OF THE DAY

Salad Dressing/Veggies Topping

Day 17 Wow, what a journey you have all been on! Continue on with all you are doing. Keep moving your body, and do more sadhana each day, even if you think you don’t have time. Do try some of the alkalizing recipes recommended this week. They are simple and good. If you are not satisfied, you can add tofu or tempeh, or even add some kitchari. You may go through a little more detoxification at this point, or you may just be cruising. Make sure your elimination is good. If you need help in that department, add more chia seeds and magnesium. Remember, it’s about feeling your best. Go for it!

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Continue the routine from day 16; keep flowing with the cleanse. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Lemon/Lime Cilantro Dressing

Day 18 Officially, we have only four more days on the actual cleanse protocol. Now is a great time to assess how you are doing and feeling. It is also the time to redouble your efforts for the last few days. Take it in deeply, and continue to make the changes you really wanted to make. You are worth it. Your health is worth it. Your life is worth it. Continue to remove the obstacles that impede your well-being! TLC Daily Routine, Day 18

Continue the routine from day 17; keep going deeper! RECIPE OF THE DAY

Cauliflower-Coconut Soup

Day 19

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You may now be realizing that it is possible to live on a primarily plant-based diet, and that it’s possible to eat more lightly than you had thought possible. You may also be realizing how overly stimulating and toxic so many of our “normal” foods really are. Getting back to basics, simplicity, and natural tastes has such a beneficial effect on both the body and the mind, not to mention the spirit. Today let’s focus on appreciating the simple things in life, conscious eating, and remembering to breathe! TLC Daily Routine, Day 19

Continue the routine from day 18; remember to keep eating consciously. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Creamy Avocado-Broccoli Soup

Day 20 The cleanse is winding down to its final phase. Hold on, though . . . we have to do this mindfully and slowly. Eat really well today and think about all the areas of the cleanse that you would like to integrate into your life. This is a window of opportunity to make some real changes. When we change how we eat, it changes us in very real ways, including how we feel and how we think. Please consider these things deeply!

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Continue the routine from day 19. RECIPE OF THE DAY

Miso Soup

Day 21 Congratulations! You have arrived at the official final day of the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse. Today, eat whatever you want as long as it is TLC friendly. By now you certainly know what that means. Be mindful, open, and creative, and yes . . . chew well! Think of today as an ending and as a beginning. You are beginning the cycle of integrating what you have learned and experienced during the cleanse into your life. Go slow. Respect this transition time by staying clear and mindful. Your body, mind, and soul may be more tuned in now than they have been in a long time, and perhaps more so than ever. Let your innate wisdom guide your choices and actions. TLC Daily Routine, Day 21

Continue the routine from day 20. This is the official last day of the cleanse . . .

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and the first day of the TLC lifestyle for life! RECIPE OF THE DAY

Raw Asparagus Soup

Phase 4: Conscious TLC Reintegration Days 22 through 28 represent the fourth and final phase of the cleanse, when you slowly withdraw from the cleanse protocol and focus on integrating its lessons into your daily life. This last week is hugely significant! Now is a good time to confer with a TLC practitioner, or any qualified natural health practitioner, to help identify optimal next steps so that you can maintain the benefits of the cleanse. The degree to which you “relax” TLC dietary and lifestyle practices depends on how good you really want to feel, your current level of health, and how much you want to protect your future well-being. TLC Daily Routine, Days 22–28

Maintain the “on the cleanse” diet. Slowly (if at all) introduce “off the cleanse” foods.

Continue taking whatever supplements you still have. I strongly recommend that you continue your sadhana . . . for life!

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In terms of reintroducing foods, introduce only one “off the cleanse” food at a time over a three-day period. The biggies that need the most caution are wheat, dairy, sugar, tuna, swordfish, and red meat. For some people, nightshades, coffee, and alcohol may be of concern. Remember, there is no good reason (and there are plenty of bad reasons) to go back to refined foods, GMOs, sugar, inorganic wheat, red meat, and dairy. The TLC recipes will continue to serve you well. Now is a good time to explore other recipes. With the education and experience you have received, you’ll have an eye for spotting TLC-friendly recipes. This week is very important. Go Slowly. Honor yourself and your process. Be in your power. Don’t feel pressured to go right back to eating “off the cleanse,” unhealthy foods on a regular basis just because the people around you are doing it. Be your own health advocate, and share your knowledge, experience, and light with the world. It needs you! Thank you for allowing me to join you on your journey toward health, harmony, and happiness. May the balanced lightness you now feel pervade all your days. Namaste—my deep respects to you all!

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23 Cleansing through the Seasons Nature provides the ideal harvest for each season to keep you strong, healthy, energized and focused. John Douillard, The Three Season Diet

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EACH SEASON CARRIES with it unique qualities that affect both our physiology

and our mental state. Skillfully adapting to seasonal influences through optimal dietary choices and lifestyle practices positively affects our well-being from season to season. It also empowers the Total Life Cleanse. Seasonal wisdom makes your cleanse not only more effective but also more meaningful, as you acknowledge and participate in the rhythms of the natural world. Unfortunately, seasonal influences are most often ignored. This is a detriment to their effectiveness in both cleanses and everyday life. Tapping into the wisdom of nature profoundly enhances the benefits of cleansing and your overall well-being. People heal better, cleanse better, and feel so much better when their cleanse protocols and daily routines fall in line with the seasonal patterns of nature. As an example, the Total Life Cleanse program used to encourage raw juicing and cool, raw, alkalinizing green soups for all cleanses, regardless of the season. In the winter, however, only a few hot pittas (fire-type people) happily cooperated. Most TLC participants were already running a bit cold due to the freezing winter temperatures in New England, and they became too cold and uncomfortable to benefit from and enjoy cold soups.

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Digestive power is influenced by the seasons. In a healthy person, the process of digestion creates heat in the body. During the winter, cold foods can interrupt the internal heating process. Therefore, in the winter it is important to ingest warm fluids and foods. It’s also necessary to eat a sufficient amount to stay warm. Generally speaking, a raw juice fast in the winter in New England is not beneficial. Once we realized that cold, raw foods were not conducive to the seasonal pattern in winter, we began to tailor our cleanse protocols to the season in which they were done. In the Total Life Cleanse, we recommend that you follow the Daily Routine Guide of chapter 22. Tailor these recommendations according to the season you are in, as described in this chapter. Remember that these seasonal patterns influence not only the cleanse but your entire life. You will derive great benefit from integrating these tips for seasonal living into your everyday life. By living and cleansing in harmony with the season, you will find immediate improvements in your energy, mood, and sense of well-being.

Tips for the Fall

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During the fall, the temperature starts to drop and your body begins to protect itself from heat loss. Skin tends to lose some of its luster, and this trend continues into the winter. The loss of vitality is due to colder temperatures. When the outside temperature drops, your body protects itself from heat loss by constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to its extremities—not just the fingers and toes but also the skin—to conserve internal heat supplies. With less blood flowing to its surface, the skin takes on a dry and lusterless appearance. In nature, trees experience something similar: when the weather turns cold, they pull their sap (essence) into their core—their roots—causing the leaves to dry up and fall. Constricted blood vessels may also cause an increase in blood pressure. The innate intelligence of the body responds by stimulating the kidneys to release fluid from the blood by pouring it into the urine. While this brings blood pressure down, the internal water loss may cause dryness and dehydration. Additionally, after a summer of heat and sweat, fluid loss can cause trace mineral electrolyte deficiency. To counter this tendency, be sure to drink plenty of liquids during the fall. Sour and salty tastes are also beneficial. Smooth muscle tissues that control the digestive organs, including the colon, can become sluggish when the temperature drops. The colon is very sensitive to cold and stress—causing it to tighten and contract. This is why people tend to struggle with gas

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Cleansing through the Seasons 341

and constipation more so in the fall. Fiber and herbs to prevent fall gas and constipation include chia seeds and triphala. Irregularity of dietary and lifestyle habits cause problems in the fall more than during any other season. Irregular habits increase vata (nervous system), energetic, and mental distress. Skipping meals, irregular mealtimes, staying up too late, working too much, and skipping exercise and meditation create stress and deficiency conditions. Wearing yourself out in the fall often results in compromised immunity during the winter. To combat this, important self-regulating routines to keep in mind for the fall include:

Regular mealtimes Regular sleep times Regular exercise times Regular recreation times Regular meditation and sadhana times In the fall, we have a greater tendency to reflect—possibly stirring up grief and regret (which can be healing). Fall is a time for inspiration, introspection, and new ideas. For these reasons and those outlined above, cleansing, meditation, and other sadhana practices are most beneficial in the fall. The movement of blood and prana from your extremities toward your core also increases blood flow to the brain, contributing to increased mental alertness and reflection. Relaxation and taking downtime free up energy—helping the body maintain immune strenghth and prepare for the challenges of winter. Keeping the nervous system stable through the fall is the number one tool for maintaining strong immunity and well-being in the winter. The TLC sadhana practices will be extremely helpful for this. Also consider ashwagandha, which is ayurveda’s most important herb for managing anxiety, improving sleep, supporting the adrenal and thyroid glands, and balancing vata (nervous system) conditions. Beneficial mental practices for the fall season include:

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Meditation/sadhana Introspection Therapy Opening up to a friend Warm, sour, oily, salty, and heavy foods are most nourishing and helpful for supporting the body in the fall. These include:

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Lemons Miso Cultured vegetables Ghee Cooked apples All squashes Sweet potatoes Beets Carrots Almonds Sesame oil for moistening skin Warming spices help increase warmth and circulation, as do heat treatments. Try:

Cinnamon Ginger Turmeric Ashwagandha Amethyst BioMat Hot baths Saunas

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Warming foods, tonifying herbs and spices, along with regular and nourishing activities support the most successful lifestyle and cleanse experience during the fall.

Tips for the Winter The body responds to winter’s cold temperatures and increased dampness by directing its energies inward even more so than in the fall. In the winter, our energy is drawn toward our deepest core. It is because of this that our reserves are not only most drawn upon but also needed. Due to lack of sunlight and the interiorization of our energy, there is a tendency in winter for many to become mildly depressed. This can be exacerbated by lack of fresh air, constant exposure to dry and recirculated indoor air, lack of exercise, and the emotional and dietary stressors, especially excess sugar, that often come with the holidays. All of these factors impact our mood and immune system. Therefore, winter cleansing

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and dietary and lifestyle practices are best focused on conserving energy, which includes getting plenty of sleep, supporting a healthy mood, and strengthening immunity with appropriate dietary and lifestyle practices. Winter is a a great time to support the adrenal glands with adaptogenic herbs and whole foods, support your mood with TLC sadhana practices, minimize immune and energy depleting toxins and sugar, and to get plenty of rest. Specific herbs and nutrients that support mood and sleep, such as ashwagandha, 5Htp, and passionflower, can be extremely helpful. Circulation can become sluggish in the winter months, causing your extremities (feet and hands) to get cold. To stay warm, keep your blood moving. Exercise is one of the most effective ways to stay warm and improve circulation. When exercising during the winter, go hard enough to break a sweat on the forehead and in the armpits. This will help disperse the heavy, cold dampness that accumulates deep in the body and mind during the mid- to late winter. Dry brushing and external oleation help a lot to minimize poor winter circulation issues as well. The Amethyst BioMat, saunas, hot Epsom salt baths, and hot fluids are all helpful at this time to maintain warmth and healthy circulation. During early winter digestion may suffer, ohwever, it slowly strengthens as the body adjusts to the internally directed warmth. But to help get us to that point, we need to use warming digestive spices and eat nourishing and satisfying foods. During the winter, allow yourself to eat larger amounts of food, but not too much. Cooked food is best; limited raw and not cold. Especially avoid cold dairy products and refined sugar as they weaken the immune system, clog the lymphatic system, increase phlegm, and stagnate the channels of elimination. Ice cream is a big no-no during the winter! Also be sure to cook your beans, which can be drying, with extra water and mineral rich whole salt to prevent winter’s drying influence. Traditional hot chai tea—which includes ginger, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper, and raw honey—is a nourishing and balancing tea for winter. It can be made with organic black or green tea and with nut milks instead of cow dairy. There are plenty of premade formulas available, but be sure to choose ones without added sugar and cow dairy. The primary tastes to focus on in winter are salty, sweet, and sour.

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Salt (whole) heats the body and brings minerals deep into the body’s tissues. Sweet foods open up tissues and nourish and counteract the dryness of winter. Sour foods stimulate digestive fire. Nourishing foods for the winter months include:

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Avocados Bananas Beets Brown rice Citrus including lemons, limes, grapefruits, and oranges Ghee Kimchi Nuts Raw nut milks Sesame oil Sweet potatoes and yams Winter squash Warming digestive spices to add to your cooking and teas include:

Black pepper Cumin Ginger Turmeric

For Review Only Tips for the Spring

As spring emerges, the freeze of winter thaws. The hard, frozen land gradually softens and dampens. Seeds that were frozen in the soil awaken and begin their struggle toward the surface. The body also thaws. Stored energy within begins to rise. Activity increases as we shed the sedentary influence of winter. Spring is a most pivotal season. Many traditions see it as the opportune time for rebirth. When we don’t take advantage of spring cleansing, we lose out on a healing window of opportunity. How we eat and live in the spring directly influences our vitality, health, and enthusiasm for life in the following three seasons to come. Spring is a time often associated with allergies, as trees are blooming and pollen takes flight. For many, the sniffling and sneezing begins. As our energy begins its spring journey outward, away from the digestive tract, we may experience low digestive fire and poor lymphatic movement, which contribute to allergies as well. Due to its damp tendency, spring is associated with a kapha imbalance, which translates to increased phlegm production. Nasal rinsing with a neti pot or other device, as explained in chapter

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20 (page [x-ref ]), is excellent for clearing congestion and can work miracles for spring allergies. By decreasing kapha foods (mucus-heavy fatty foods) and sedentary lifestyle habits, as well as adding anti-kapha foods and warming herbs, we can minimize or even eliminate spring allergies. The best herbs and nutrients to cut through spring phlegm and stagnation and support elimination and detoxification are:

Amla Black pepper Ginger Nettles Dandelion root Triphala Tumeric It is essential to move your body in the spring. Every day, clear your lymphatic system with brisk exercise such as rebounding, walking, hiking, or biking. (Even stationary machines are helpful.) It’s a great time to increase lung capacity with interval style exercise—just twelve minutes, five days a week will do the job! The Sun Salutations, Tibetan Five Rites, and Seven Tigers Plus are especially beneficial in spring because they:

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Move prana Increase lung capacity Stimulate liver function Improve circulation In the spring, our diet is meant to lighten up as leafy greens, fresh fruit, and vegetables gradually come into season. It is the most powerful time to cleanse. The body loves to, because this is when the body naturally melts accumulated fat. Toxins are stored in fat cells, which tend to accumulate during the winter months. As they naturally begin to release with the spring thaw the liver can become burdened with breaking down and clearing these toxins. Spring, then, is both the natural time to cleanse, ridding the body of excess toxins and the ideal time to lose weight, as the body is ready to give up its fat stores. When we do not cleanse or eat appropriately in the spring, we end up feeling irritable. Damp and heavy foods such as dairy and sugar can also leave us feeling heavy, lethargic, and depressed. Additionally, we will not lose the few extra pounds of body

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fat that we may naturally have gained in winter, and we may even continue to gain weight. Since spring is such a pivotal time for our health and the most powerful time to cleanse, it is especially important to minimize or eliminate specific food groups. They are:

Dairy Sugar Watery vegetables including cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoes Heavy watery fruits including bananas, melons, avocados, coconuts Nuts (due to their high fat content) Added oils for cooking If there is ever a time to eat low fat, it’s in the spring. When we avoid eating fat in the spring, the body utilizes its own stored fat for energy production. Doing so contributes to efficient weight loss and detoxification. This process is unique to the spring season alone. Focusing on consuming foods with bitter and astringent tastes, which have drying and astringing qualities, such as seasonally appropriate leafy greens like dandelion greens, beet greens, and arugula will effectively counter spring’s dampness. Ideal foods to eat in the spring include:

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Leafy greens including arugula, beet greens, dandelion greens, and collard greens Cabbage Endives Kale Broccoli Brussels sprouts Radishes Chilies Berries Cherries Lemons Non-gluten grains Oleation and dry brushing are also excellent spring practices as they support lymphatic drainage, which is essential for spring’s natural tendency toward detoxification and weight loss. The tea recipe below is also excellent for melting body fat as well as activating agni and clearing ama. When sipped regularly throughout the spring along

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with following recommended spring dietary and lifestyle practices, loss of weight and feeling great is assured.

•Ama Cleansing Ginger Tea 1 quart water 1 tablespoon raw honey Juice of 1 fresh lemon or lime Pinch of cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger

Warm the water, then add the honey, lemon or lime juice, ginger, and cayenne pepper and stir well. Sip throughout the day.

Tips for the Summer Summer is the fullest expression of the seasons. Nature’s energy ascends from spring into early summer and peaks in midsummer. Now nature bursts into full bloom, expressing its beauty and maturity, evidenced by the fully manifesting flowers, leaves, fruits, vegetables, and sun shining heat of the day. Similarly, human beings tend to be more emotionally expressive during the summer. They are also more physically revealing, showing off their beauty with bright clothing—and less of it! During the summer, we are meant to enjoy plenty of social time with loved ones and friends. Ayurveda recommends taking in and sharing lots of joy, love, human and divine connection, and healthy pleasures during the summer. The accumulated warmth of the sun (including vitamin D) and joy that we internalize during the summertime becomes a reserve of inner warmth and light that carries us through the cold and less social winter months. However, the summer months also tend to aggravate pitta and the fire element. This can lead to heat-related conditions such as:

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Irritability Agitation Skin inflammation and rashes High blood pressure Headaches Acid indigestion

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Heat exaustion Insomnia Body odor Excessive perspiration Ayurveda reveres the head, recognizing that it’s never good to overheat the head and best to keep it cool. After all it houses your all-important brain and senses. Heat rises, and the head, brain, and senses are vulnerable to heat during the summer. When you literally keep your head cool, your mind will stay cool too. If your head feels hot, try this head cooling, summer ayurvedic tip: hold cool water in your mouth and at the same time splash your face with cold water. The cool water in the mouth is essential; it is believed that splashing your face with cold water without holding cool water in your mouth will cause heat to rise to the head as a response to the cold splash. The water in the mouth “captures” the rising heat, which allows the cold splash to pleasantly cool your head. This is a simple but powerful technique to keep you and your head cool! You can also rinse your feet with cool water before bed. Ayurveda says, “cool feet, cool head.” Other cooling tips for summer are to stay hydrated and add cooling mint and cucumber to your water, to use cooling coconut oil for external oleation instead of warming sesame oil, and to place a drop of a cooling essential oil like rose, sandalwood, jasmine, or lavender on your forehead and temples to cool your mind and senses. Some heating foods to avoid or minimize in the summer are:

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Dairy products Meat Spicy foods Fried foods Alcohol In order to get through the summer without depletion from heat and excess dryness, we benefit from consuming kapha (watery) foods. TLC-friendly summer foods are sweet, juicy, and cooling. When you cleanse in the spring, you’ll pleasantly find that your appetite in the summer is naturally moderate. You’ll crave an abundance of raw and lightly cooked fruits, veggies, and whole grains and generally lack interest in heatproducing meat. Great foods for summer include:

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Cucumbers All fresh fruit in season, especially coconut and watermelon Steamed greens Colorful salads Watercress Endives Mung beans Basmati rice Absorbing the heat of summer, in body, mind and spirit, helps us stay warm all winter long.

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24 Details on the Top Fourteen “Off the Cleanse” Foods A NUMBER OF FOODS and substances are categorized as “off the cleanse.” This

chapter details why they are eliminated and offers TLC-friendly alternatives. Plenty of science, logic, and thought have gone into deciding which foods and substances are best avoided. You deserve to know. TLC dietary recommendations help cleanse and rejuvenate your body, mind, and soul. Unlike many diets that are narrowly focused on a single purpose (such as cleansing the colon, lowering cholesterol, cleansing the liver, eliminating allergies, balancing blood sugar, supporting immunity, or weight loss), the TLC program naturally fulfills all of these purposes and can be applied for the entirety of your life with good results. The diet is nourishing and detoxifying and is a way of eating that reduces:

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Allergens Stimulants Pesticides and herbicides Heavy metals Additives and preservatives Trans fatty acids Carcinogens GMOs Sugar and refined carbohydrates Excessive protein 350

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Details on the Top Fourteen “Off the Cleanse” Foods 351

It’s designed to promote:

Health and wellness Calmness and awareness Enjoyment and satisfaction Ease of digestion and improved elimination Better appearance and radiant skin Improved nutritional status Good energy and ideal body weight Blood sugar balance Decreased pain Overcoming food addictions Overcoming neuroses and compulsions Clearing the palate and improving taste Clarity on how specific foods affect us The TLC goal: a higher quality of life in body, mind, and soul. While TLC recommends eliminating particular foods from the diet (these are the “off the cleanse” foods), it can become neurotic to pigeonhole specific foods as bad. Almost any real food can heal or harm, depending on its quality, how it is eaten, how much of it is eaten, when it is eaten, and who is eating it. Any food that we frequently eat in significant amounts can, over time, create imbalances and even show up as a food sensitivity. While this is especially true of the “off the cleanse” foods, it can be true even with some “on the cleanse” foods. If you eat the same leafy green plant on a daily basis for many months at a time, no matter how nutrient-packed that plant is, it’s possible to develop a sensitivity to it, or even an imbalance in terms of certain alkaloids, nutrients, tastes, or energies. Avoiding the “off the cleanse” foods gives your body a chance to recalibrate, balance, and heal. Additionally, avoiding these overly stimulating and processed foods cleanses the taste buds, revealing the natural tastiness of whole foods.

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Top 14 “Off the Cleanse” Foods

Coffee Dairy Canola, soybean, and corn oil Meat Eggs

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Genetically modified foods Wheat and gluten-containing foods Alcohol Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup Canned foods Fish: tuna, bluefish, swordfish, and farm-raised fish Inorganic foods Nightshade vegetables Processed and refined foods

Coffee Cleanse Alternatives

Green tea Yerba mate tea Any other herbal tea Any TLC-friendly tea

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Supplements to Enhance Mental Clarity

Ashwagandha Bacopa Ginkgo Ginseng Gotu kola Rhodiola Tulsi Tyrosine

Coffee is a potent substance with a vast array of phytonutrients. Like many plants, herbs, fruits, and seeds, it has its medicinal benefits. However, it should be respected for its addictive quality and powerful impact on the body. Regular or excessive use of coffee has a variety of negative and anti-cleanse effects. Caffeine, one of the main alkaloids in coffee stimulates the adrenal glands, which control the “fight or flight” response. Coffee is stimulating, so it serves as a source of energy for many people—but it’s not real energy. When overused by someone with depleted energy (weak adrenals and kidneys), it contributes to what Chinese medical practitioners call deficient kidney chi, or low vital energy.

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Kidney chi, which governs the adrenal glands, is involved in the production and release of many important hormones that help our body manage stress, such as norepinephrine and cortisol. Coffee stimulates the release of these hormones but does nothing to replace them. It can speed up the heart rate, tighten the muscles, and cause anxiety. Coffee can deplete the body of essential minerals, especially magnesium. The adult body contains over twenty grams of magnesium, much of which is found in the skeleton. The majority of the remaining magnesium can be found in the muscles and inside cells.1 Magnesium is necessary for converting carbohydrates and fats into cellular energy. It is also is critical for making new DNA and proteins that aid in cellular functioning, neurological functioning, and tissue development. Structurally, magnesium is important for the health of the bones and cells—often even more so than calcium. It also regulates the functioning of muscles and nerves and is responsible for helping muscles relax, which is needed more than ever these days. Many people have deficient or low levels of magnesium, relative to calcium, as measured by hair mineral analysis tests. A low magnesium-to-calcium ratio actually prevents optimal calcium metabolism. Patients with this pattern often drink at least three cups of coffee a day and have extremely tight muscles, especially in the neck and shoulders. Reducing or eliminating coffee often helps these patients eliminate neck and shoulder pain. Coffee is a diuretic. Diuretics cause magnesium, along with other alkaline minerals such as calcium, potassium, and sodium, to be released through the urine. That mineral loss can accelerate bone loss and lead to osteoporosis. Coffee can upset blood sugar levels and increase cravings for sugars and refined carbohydrates. It does this by stimulating the adrenal glands, which then stimulate the liver to release glucose into the bloodstream. Then the pancreas secretes insulin so that the glucose can be utilized by cells. When this pattern occurs too frequently, hypo- and hyperglycemia can result and can be complicated by insulin resistance. Coffee’s stimulating effect on the adrenal glands also causes the blood vessels to contract and can increase blood pressure. Coffee has a strong and aromatic bitter flavor that tends to overwhelm our sense of smell and taste. Having a ensitive sense of smell and taste helps us make good wholefood choices and enjoy subtle flavors. In this way, coffee can detract from our enjoyment and interest in a healthy diet. Caffeine also blocks GABA from binding to its receptor sites. GABA, a neurotransmitter found in the brain and gastrointestinal tract, plays a major role in calming the mind, regulating mood, and managing stress. It is the substance responsible

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for the pleasant, calm, blissful feeling of deep meditation. Most of us need more of that! In the gastrointestinal tract, GABA regulates the smooth flow of peristalsis. Green tea has caffeine but it also has theonine, a phytonutrient that increases GABA and GABA synthesis. Green tea thus has both calming and energizing qualities. Coffee, on the other hand, only energizes.

But Are There Positives to Coffee? Yes, absolutely! Coffee has lots of antioxidants. In fact coffee is sometimes said to be the greatest source of antioxidants in the American diet—but that says more about the general poor quality of the American diet than about coffee’s nutritional benefits. The caffeine in coffee blocks adenosine receptors. One of the primary actions of adenosine is to help us relax or become sleepy. This is one of the ways in which coffee prevents fatigue. Caffeine also stimulates the release of many of the major neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, which improves mood; acetylcholine, which improves muscle activity and memory; and serotonin, which is relaxing and supports a good mood.2 Some studies indicate that coffeeincreases longevity, while others claim the opposite. It probably depends on the individual. Some people are genetically more capable than others of efficiently clearing caffeine from their bodies. Those with a primarily vata dosha would do best to avoid coffee. From the TLC perspective, habitually using coffee or caffeine to bypass low energy and make up for a poor diet and lifestyle can be harmful. When overconsumed, it functions more like a drug than a medicinal herb or food. So many people today are anxious, stressed, tight, and overstimulated. Coffee can aggravate these common conditions, ultimately causing nutritional, physical, and mental depletion. These are the main reasons why we eliminate coffee during the cleanse. Masking low energy leads to greater depletion. Most coffee addicts who cleanse are surprised to find that, within a week or so, they feel significant improvements in their energy without coffee.

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Dairy Cleanse Alternatives

Organic nut milks Hemp milk Rice milk Coconut milk Ghee Coconut oil

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Some people believe that dairy was never meant for human consumption; they point to the fact that dairy is one of the most common food allergens and has been linked to numerous diseases. Others, like traditional ayurvedic practitioners, believe that dairy can be a healthy and nourishing food. How can we reconcile these opposing views? It’s simple: the milk of ancient ayurvedic times had health-promoting properties, while today’s commercial and even organic raw milk does not. The Vedic culture honored the cow as sacred. She was treated like family, loved, well taken care of, and never slaughtered, even when she stopped giving milk. Her fresh milk was valued as an extremely nourishing sattvic food with health benefits for the body as well as the finer tissues in the brain, which are said to help us understand the higher principles of life. The modern-day bhakti yoga master A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami once said: Cow’s milk is particularly essential for developing the finer tissues of the human brain so that one can understand the intricacies of transcendental knowledge.3

The milk of Vedic times came from peaceful, happy cows and was raw, organic, and grass fed, with a protein structure similar to that of human breast milk. Practically none of these properties apply to the milk available today. The purity of mother’s milk depends the quality and health of her blood. The biochemical quality of her blood is determined not only by her diet and degree of toxic exposure, but also her emotional state. This is true for both humans and animals. Almost all modern dairy cows live miserable, extremely stressful, andunhealthy lives. Their milk is pasteurized and homogenized, and the products made from it are highly processed. It is vastly different from the milk of Vedic times, and that, I believe, is the reason why modern dairy should be eliminated—or at least drastically reduced—in our diet.

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Dairy Allergies and Sensitivities Modern dairy (especially milk) can be a major cause of distress and disease. From a qualitative perspective, dairy is heavy and damp, which can clog the pranic channels to the head, leading to congestion, mental fogginess, and heaviness of the limbs. Its mucusforming quality aggravates the lungs, ears, lymphatic system, sinuses, and stomach. Milk increases kapha, which in excess can result in cysts, tumors, and growths, especially in the fatty tissues of the body. I often find that patients who have chronic lung, sinus, and allergy conditions ingest a lot of dairy products. This includes young children who have chronic ear infections. In these cases, dairy must be completely eliminated.

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Though ayurveda considers milk (or at least the high-quality milk of Vedic times) to be a highly nutritious food, in that tradition milk is consumed warm, with mucusdecreasing and digestion-supporting spices such as cardamom, ginger, and turmeric. Milk today not only is of poor quality but is usually drunk cold, which exacerbates its mucus-forming tendency. Many people are also intolerant of or sensitive to lactose, or milk sugar. Lactose is found in both dairy milk and breast milk, and the body uses the enzyme lactase to break it down. Babies tend to make a lot of lactase to help them digest breast milk. If our body does not make sufficient lactase, we cannot digest lactose and it ferments in our intestines, leading to gas, cramping, and loose bowels. Casein, one of milk’s main proteins, also poses a challenge for many people’s digestion. In my practice I have found that around 75 percent of those people who are sensitive to dairy are actually sensitive to casein, not lactose. Casein is also a potential contributor to a range of diseases. In his book The China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell explains that casein is a promoter of cancer growth: Cancer, like every other biological event—good or bad—begins with genes. In the case of cancer, gene(s) that give rise to cancer either may be present when we are born or, during our lifetimes, normal genes may be converted into cancer genes by certain highly reactive chemicals. . . . The chemicals that create these cancer genes are called “carcinogens.” Most carcinogens of years past have been those that attack normal genes to give cancer genes. These are initiating carcinogens, or initiators. But, more recently, carcinogens also may be those that promote cancer growth. They are promoting carcinogens, or promoters. Our work showed that casein is the most relevant cancer promoter ever discovered.4

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In support of Campbell’s findings, two large Harvard studies have shown that men who regularly drink milk have a far greater risk for prostate cancer than men who generally do not drink milk.5 Clear signs of sensitivity to dairy are:

Excess mucus production Feelings of heaviness Mental fog Intestinal gas and bloating Loose bowels

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Chronic sinus infections Lung and ear problems Eczema

Cheese Is Addictive Since cheese is processed to express out all the liquid, it’s an incredibly concentrated source of casomorphins—you might call it dairy crack.

Dr. Neal Barnard

The casein milk protein is digested, it gets broken up into peptide fragments inside the gut. One of the prominent peptide fragments is casomorphin. Casomorphin is a naturally occurring opiate. Opiates, like morphine, create euphoria, bliss, sleepiness, calmness, and in some cases depression, and they are addictive. Cheese is basically milk that’s been condensed and cultured. It has a far higher concentration of casomorphins than milk. Each time we eat cheese we get a hit of casomorphins, which bind to opiate receptors in the brain. That’s most likely why cheese lovers “love” cheese so much—it’s literally addictive!6 Some people would argue that, as far as addictions go, cheese pretty harmless. Relatively speaking, it is. However, cheese is heavy and damp. It creates a lot of mucus, clogs the skin pores and arteries, dulls the brain, and tends to cause achiness in the muscles and joints. For these reasons, we eliminate all dairy cheese during the Total Life Cleanse. In fact, due to its addictive quality and its generally negative health impact, including its potential carcinogenic action, we recommend eliminating commercial cow’s milk cheese from the diet for life.

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More on the Casein Factor Casein is one of the main proteins in human breast milk—and breast milk, we know, is the perfect food for babies. So why is the casein in cow’s milk such a problem for humans? It turns out that the problem is linked to the genetics of the cows producing the milk. Eighty-five percent of milk is water. The rest is protein, lactose, fat, and other nutrients. The protein portion is 80 percent casein and 20 percent whey. Casein comes in different forms, however, each just slightly different from the others. Two of those forms found in milk are of particular significance: A1 beta-casein and A2 beta-casein. A2 beta-casein is very similar to the casein found in human breast milk and appears to be compatible with the human digestive tract and physiology. Current research indicates that this is not true of A1 beta-casein. It is just dissimilar

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enough to the casein found in human breast milk to be incompatible with human digestion. Thousands of years ago, for reasons unknown, much of the casein in northern European dairy herds mutated from A2 beta-casein to A1 beta-casein. Beta-casein is formed from a chain of 209 amino acids. The mutation involved the sixty-seventh amino acid in the chain, which changed from proline to histidine. As it turns out, that tiny change has had a huge effect. A1 beta-casein may be the most significant cause of dairy’s ill effects and the reason why so many people are sensitive to it.7 Black-and-white cow breeds like Holstein and Friesian tend to carry A1 and A2 in equal proportions. Due to their capacity for milk production, they produce the majority of cow’s milk in northern Europe and the United States. Jersey cows and southern European breeds tend to have more A2 than A1. Guernsey cows and Indian breeds primarily carry A2 beta-casein. When we digest dairy containing A1 beta-casein, one of the peptide fragments we get is beta-casomorphin-7, or BCM-7. A2 beta-casein rarely produces this peptide. The BCM-7 has some real problems. It has been linked to slowing bowel transit time (constipation), inflammation in the intestines, allergies, leaky gut, mucus formation, type 1 diabetes, heart disease, autism, lethargy, addictions, and other mental disorders. All of these conditions can also contribute to a wide variety of other conditions.8 Dairy farms around the world are beginning to seriously look into the A1 and A2 beta-casein factor. Some are in the process of transitioning to breeding cows that contain only A2 beta-casein.

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What about Ghee? Lactose and milk proteins like casein and albumin are the most common causes of dairy allergies and sensitivities. Ghee is clarified butter, and the clarification process removes all of the proteins and lactose. This makes ghee a TLC-friendly substance. It tastes great, is versatile, has health benefits, and is hypoallergenic. In a perfect world, ghee is a perfect cooking medium and an excellent carrier for medicinal herbs. However, to be truly TLC-friendly, ghee must be organic and raw, and it must come from happy cows. Ghee can be extremely helpful for people transitioning to a plant-based diet. It has a satisfying flavor, and ayurveda notes that ghee has an energetic quality that helps people lose their taste for meat. This has been my experience with TLC participants and patients who wanted to gradually shift to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Ghee is shelf stable. Due to its lack of milk solids, ghee won’t turn rancid at

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room temperature (like butter does), and it retains its flavor and purity even without refrigeration. Ghee has a high smoke point (the temperature at which heated oils begin to smoke and generate harmful free radicals) of nearly 485°F, which is higher than that of all cooking oils except coconut. That is much higher than ordinary butter’s smoke point of 350°F.9 Ghee kindles the digestive fire, or agni, and stimulates the secretion of stomach acids to aid in digestion. In contrast, other fats and oils can slow down the body’s digestive process and feel heavy in the stomach. Ghee is rich in the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, which are critical to bone, brain, heart, and immune system function. It also assists the body in assimilating these essential nutrients from other foods and herbs. Ghee from grass-fed cows contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid that supports the immune system, promotes fat loss, and has been shown to slow the progression of some types of cancer and heart disease. Ghee is mostly composed of shortchain fatty acids such as butyric acid, which is believed to help prevent cancers and tumors. Ghee also helps restore the integrity of the gut lining (it reduces leaky gut), reduces inflammation, and has antiviral properties, so that it benefits those with gut disorders like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.10 Reducing inflammation in the gut is an essential part of real healing and is vital for a successful cleanse. The body makes efficient use of the short-chain fatty acids found in ghee to create energy. This is also partly true for coconut oil. Other fats must first be broken down into short chains before the body can use them. Generally speaking, this is why both ghee and coconut oil are easy to digest and will not cause fat gain unless overused. Ghee is a saturated fat and has 123 calories and 38 mg of cholesterol per tablespoon. However, I have never found ghee, when used moderately in the context of a wholefoods plant-based diet, to ever raise a person’s cholesterol levels or weight.11 There are those in the vegan movement who are adamantly opposed to the use of animal products. The suddha (pure) ayurvedic perspective is to never kill animals or use animal flesh for food. However, dairy products are considered healthy and nonviolent—if the cows are raised humanely, never sold for slaughter, and affectionately cared for until they naturally die. The environmental condition of Earth is such that the current animal food industry is destroying the planet. It is for this reason, as well as the current hideous treatment of dairy cows on commercial farms, that I no longer choose dairy for myself, nor do I promote its use during or after the Total Life Cleanse. There are many people, however, who are not ready or interested in taking the full vegan approach. For them, ghee can be an extremely effective superfood.

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Canola, Soybean, and Corn Oil Cleanse Alternatives

Coconut oil Ghee About 90 percent of all soybean, corn, and canola oil presently available comes from genetically modified crops. These oils do not tolerate heat very well. When heated to a high temperature, they become dangerous trans-fatty acids. Trans-fatty acids are toxic fats that damage cell walls and have been associated with cardiovascular disease. For example, all modern vegetable oils go through the processes of refining, bleaching, and degumming using high temperatures and toxic chemicals to do so. Canola oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, it has been touted a health food. However, since it becomes rancid when it’s exposed to oxygen and high temperatures, it has to be deodorized, destroying much of the omega-3 fatty acids and turning them into trans-fatty acids.12 Both ghee and coconut oil are better alternatives. They have a high heat tolerance, and their manufacture doesn’t require high heat, chemical processing, or deodorization.

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Cleanse Alternatives

Organic tofu Organic tempeh Beans (especially mung beans, which are easiest to digest) Nuts and seeds Plant-based protein powders Whole-foods, plant-based diet Meats of any kind—organic or not, grass fed or grain fed, local or mass market—are off the cleanse. By the time we get to phase 3 of the cleanse, even the most dedicated carnivores are often pleasantly surprised to experience how good it feels to eliminate meat. An important TLC principle is to minimize stress on the digestive system. This means eating foods that are easy to digest, assimilate, and eliminate. Meat takes a long time to digest, has numerous acidic by-products that add stress to the kidneys and intestines, and slows down the detoxification process. This is the main physical reason we eliminate meat on the cleanse.

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Ayurveda affirms that red meat builds tissue very quickly, but it is a low-quality protein source. In contrast, plant proteins build higher-quality tissue, though perhaps slightly more slowly. A well-rounded whole-foods, plant-based diet provides plenty of protein. Meat is also considered to be tamasic—creating dullness, heaviness, and insensitivity when ingested. Most of the red meat available these days comes from cows that are miserable and unhealthy, whose diets consist of GMO corn and whose flesh is tainted with antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides. TLC promotes the cultivation of compassion for both humans and animals. Cows are gentle, calm, kind creatures. The amount of suffering perpetuated on this planet by the mass slaughter of cows can’t fully be comprehended or estimated. Participating in the business of eating meat requires us to shut down a part of our naturally compassionate mind and heart. Meat, according to ayurveda, is tamasic—in the mode of ignorance. For those who presently eat meat, I recommend giving it up, as an experiment, for the entire cleanse. Going meat-free often brings greater clarity in body, mind, and soul. After the cleanse, you will have the freedom to decide for yourself, based on your new understanding and experience, whether you want to continue eating meat.

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Heart Disease

Red meat (processed red meat, specifically) may increase your risk for heart disease. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed more than twenty studies and found that eating just fifty grams—about half the size of a deck of cards—of processed red meat per day increased the risk of heart disease by 42 percent. Processed red meat includes any smoked, cured, or salted meat, such as hot dogs, bacon, salami, luncheon meats, and sausage.13 Furthermore, the fat and iron in red meat can increase oxidative stress and inflammation within your body, which can also contribute to heart disease and stroke.

Cancer Recent research has found that red meat and processed meat may significantly increase the risk of certain types of cancer, such as stomach, pancreatic, prostate, colorectal, and esophageal cancers. In an analysis of more than eight hundred studies looking at the cancer-causing properties of red and processed meats, researchers found a 17 percent increase in risk for colon cancer per one hundred grams of red meat consumed and an 18 percent increase in risk with fifty grams of processed meat consumed; they ultimately concluded that red meat and processed meat are “probably carcinogenic to humans.”14 When red meat is cooked at high temperatures or processed in certain ways,

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carcinogens can form. Ingesting these carcinogens with your food increases your risk of developing cancer. Although foods other than meat can form these same carcinogens, researchers believe that the heme iron in meat significantly increases carcinogen formation. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, limiting your consumption of red meat to eighteen ounces per week and avoiding processed red meat will greatly reduce your cancer risk.15 Many people are finding that they are fully satisfied by eliminating meat altogether.

Type 2 Diabetes Studies have shown that a diet heavy in red meat increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers examining data from two large studies found that eating one hundred grams of red meat daily increased the risk of type 2 diabetes by 19 percent. Processed red meat posed an even greater threat, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes by 51 percent when subjects consumed only fifty grams per day. The study concluded that you can decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes by replacing red meat with nuts, lowfat dairy, or whole grains, all of which decreased the risk by approximately 20 percent when substituted daily.16

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Mortality

Research clearly shows associations between high red meat consumption and increased risk of mortality. One 2012 study revealed a 13 percent increased risk of all-cause mortality for subjects who consumed one three-ounce serving of red meat per day. One serving of processed red meat related to a 20 percent increased risk of all-cause mortality. The evidence also shows that consuming one serving of red meat per day significantly increases your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease or cancer. Conversely, researchers estimated that replacing one serving of red meat per day with a serving of another food, such as fish, poultry, or nuts, would actually decrease your risk of mortality by up to 22 percent.17

Eggs The cleanse alternatives listed above for meat are also sutible for eggs. Eggs are eliminated from the cleanse for a variety of reasons. They are typically valued as a good source of protein and fat. Some recommend moderate use due to their high cholesterol levels and raise concerns regarding cooking with sufficient heat due to their common contamination with salmonella. Additionally, eggs are extremely

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rich and dense foods, and such foods are naturally contraindicated during a cleanse. Other cleanse concerns are that chickens efficiently bioaccumulate toxins in their tissues, especially their eggs. Daily egg eating has been linked to increased risk of prostate, breast, colon, and bladder cancers This may be due to the concentration of LDL cholesterol and toxins, such as dioxin and PCB’s, frequently found in eggs.18 From an ayurvedic perspective, eggs, like meat, are tamasic—creating lethargy and lack of will and impeding spiritual consciousness. They create heaviness and phlegm in the body and stagnate the blood. Ayurveda does not accept eggs as a beneficial food. Commercial eggs are unnaturally produced with hormones and fed GMO soy and corn. Their unclean and crowded environments require large amounts of antibiotics to manage disease. All this is torturous to the chickens and the disease, toxins, and tamasic energy gets passed on to humans.

Genetically Modified Foods We are at a very dramatic point right now, not only in the history of food which is so important and the future of food, but also in the future of democracy. Food has become the turning point whether we are going to have counties, cities, states to be able to say, “No, we don’t want this technology. It creates super weeds. It destroys our export market. It destroys our organic market. No, we don’t want that.” And we have the right to say that, or “Yes, we want labeling. We have the right to know.” We are going to see whether that democracy will survive or whether the corporations will be able to squelch it and destroy it. That is the very dramatic times that we are living in right now.

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Andrew Kimbrell, Your Right to Know: Genetic Engineering and the Secret Changes in Your Food


Organic foods At the time of the writing of this book, heated debates are happening all across the United States and many parts of the world. While the majority of people want labeling that clearly identifies GMO foods, the largest GMO seed and food producer on the planet, Monsanto, continues to fight hard to get its way. Monsanto is spending

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millions to prevent GMO foods from being labeled as such, even though 90 percent of Americans support the labeling of GMOs. While its financial power is far greater than that of the grassroots organizations that oppose it, increased awareness and change are in the air.19 GMOs—genetically modified organisms, or genetically modified foods—have never been sufficiently tested for their long-term safety, and many practitioners of natural healing, including myself, are finding that their regular consumption is involved in many modern-day maladies. Over 90 percent of sugar beets, soybeans, cotton, and yellow corn grown in the United States comes from GMO crops.20 Researchers have found strong correlations between the spread of GMOs and the recent dramatic increase in food allergies, gluten sensitivity, intestinal issues, and blood sugar issues such as insulin resistance. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine, in a review of studies, found that animals fed the same GMOs that are in our diet had reproductive disorders, immune system problems, gastrointestinal problems, accelerated aging, organ damage, and even dysfunctional regulation of cholesterol and insulin. When these animals were removed from a GMO diet, they improved.21 Health care practitioners all over the country are finding similarities in their human patients. This is pretty serious stuff !

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What are GMOs?

Genetic modification of food crops has been used for numerous purposes. It began with the genetic modification of seeds, such as soy, so that produce could grow better even in herbicide-poisoned soil. One of the main herbicides used by agribusiness giant Monsanto is Roundup; its primary active ingredient is glyphosate. Glyphosate Jeffrey Smith, a leading spokesperson on the dangers of GMOs, author of Seeds of Deception, and producer of the film Genetic Roulette, says: The herbicide glyphosate (Roundup) does not destroy plants directly. It rather cooks up a unique perfect storm of conditions that revs up disease-causing organisms in the soil, and, at the same time, wipes out plant defenses against those diseases. The mechanisms are well documented but rarely cited.22

Monsanto then figured out how to genetically modify soy, corn, and other food crops with genes from viruses and bacteria so that they could survive applications of glyphosate. These Roundup Ready crops, as they are known, are custom-designed to grow in fields that are regularly treated with a chemical that kills beneficial soil organisms, chelates minerals out of the soil so that they are unavailable for plant growth,

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breaks down into long-lasting toxic residues in the soil, and has other plant- and soildamaging effects. The question remains, to what extent does glyphosate impact the optimal survival of human beings and animals? A Brazilian study found that female rats fed GMO soy for fifteen months showed significant changes in their uterine and reproductive cycles, compared to rats fed organic soy or those given no soy. It seems the combination of glyphosate, genetic modification, and soy is a perfect storm for hormonal disturbances.23 Glyphosate is also a strong antibiotic and, in the human digestive system, weakens the tight junctions of intestinal cells. This means that it likely destroys the healthy bacteria in the gut while compromising the integrity of the gut lining. By now we know what this means: poor digestion, leaky gut, inflamed tissues, and an increase in autoimmune diseases. One of the bacteria used to genetically modify much of our GMO foods is Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), an organism that produces proteins that destroy insects by exploding their stomachs. There is some concern that the Bt biopesticide action may harm the human digestive system by attacking gut cells and healthy gut flora and even permanently altering the genes of our bacteria. The destruction of intestinal microflora has numerous serious repercussions. Research has shown that the Bt toxin persists in the gastrointestinal tract of rats for weeks after exposure.24 We hope that world leaders will soon understand (as most of their citizens do) the potential dangers of consuming foods that have been genetically manipulated. Some already do, as many countries are formally recognizing these dangers. America, as it often does, is dragging its feet due to financial ties. However, awareness of the dangers and injustices regarding the use of and labeling of GMOs is building quickly. The most common GMO foods in the United States are corn and soy. Other common GMO foods are beet sugar, canola oil, cotton, papayas, yellow squash, and zucchini. Note also that animals fed GMO corn and soy make GMO meat! For now, foods that are labeled as 100 percent organic are non-GMO. Therefore it is now, perhaps more so than ever, the time to eat organic!

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Wheat and Gluten-Containing Foods There is no single dietary protein that has become more of a trigger for neurological dysfunction and neurological autoimmunity than gluten.

Dhatis Kharrazzian, DHSc, DC, Why Isn’t My Brain Working?

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Amaranth Basmati and brown rice Buckwheat Millet Quinoa Other non-gluten-containing organic grains Wheat has become a controversial and troublesome grain. It is widely overconsumed in our society and has become the most common source of food sensitivity and allergic symptoms. It is also the most common base for low-quality, highly processed foods filled sugar, dairy, and refined carbohydrates. Gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, and triticale, is a gluey, sticky protein that can damage the intestines by causing inflammation and weakening the tight junctions of the intestines. Weak junctions and inflammation cause leaky gut. Leaky gut contributes to autoimmune disorders, neurological disorders, brain fog, thyroid, and hormone imbalances—common in those who are sensitive to gluten. Most inorganic wheat is sprayed with glyphosate before it is harvested. As explained earlier, glyphosate also significantly weakens the tight junctions of the intestines, making the wheat and glyphosate combination a dangerous cocktail! I find it interesting, and many of my colleagues agree, that patients who are gluten intolerant in the United States are commonly able to tolerate wheat in France and Italy. We suspect that this is due to a difference in the wheat itself along with it not being exposed to glyphosate. It is estimated that varying degrees of gluten intolerance impact over 30 percent of the population. From that group, it is estimated that 90 percent of people suffering from thyroid imbalances, autoimmune conditions, and inflammatory conditions are intolerant to gluten.25 Common symptoms of wheat/gluten sensitivity are:

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Physical fatigue Mental fatigue and inability to focus Irritability Memory loss Feeling gassy and bloated Skin conditions (eczema, acne, rashes) Alternating constipation and diarrhea

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Sinus congestion Allergies Impaired immunity (lots of colds, et cetera) Joint pain Mobility issues I have found, through muscle response testing and IgG blood spot food sensitivity testing, that the gliadin component of gluten is most often responsible for common wheat sensitivities. Gliadin is not found in the gluten of all other grains. Quite frequently I find that patients who are sensitive to wheat are not sensitive to other gluten-containing grains. This indicates that their problem is related specifically to gliadin. I’ve witnessed the health of many people—from young children to older adults— significantly improve after they eliminated wheat and gluten-containing grains from their diets.

Wheat and Ayurveda It has not always been this way. As is the case with modern dairy, modern wheat is not the same food that it was in ancient times. Modern wheat has been hybridized numerous times to increase its output, ease of use, and ability to handle insects. Ancient wheat, or einkorn, has only fourteen chromosomes, while modern wheat has fortytwo. Ancient wheat was revered in ayurveda as the heaviest, most densely nutritious grain.It was said to nourish the tissues, boost energy, and enhance physical strength and endurance. Wheat had a fine reputation for thousands of years—until we tinkered with it! Ayurveda highly recommends wheat for imbalanced vata conditions like muscle weakness and nervous system stress. However, for those with a kapha imbalance like obesity or sluggishness, ayurveda recommends only moderate wheat consumption. Too much wheat is known to cause weight gain and may increase the amount of mucus in the body—both kapha conditions. From the perspective of ayurveda, wheat is a nourishing yet heavy grain. Poor digestion, weak agni, dietary abuses, gut inflammation, and even aging make it difficult to digest. Even in its ancient form of einkorn, it is one of the more difficult grains to digest. Now more than ever, wheat has become a challenge to digest—especially since it was deranged through the modern processes of hybridization and carries a heavy load of glyphosate. While wheat was once in the class of superfoods, it has been demoted.

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More on Modern Wheat

In his best-selling book Wheat Belly, William Davis, M.D., elevates the awareness of the problems with modern wheat. He explains that, in the 1960s and 1970s, wheat was hybridized (not genetically modified) to change its height and the turnover rate of the plant in order to increase yield. Davis claims that, by the late ’70s, this change had fully entered the food chain and dramatically altered the gliadin protein in gluten. Davis says: Gliadin of 2012 is different from the gliadin of, say, 1960, by several amino acids, part of the genetic transformation of wheat introduced to increase yield-per-acre. Gliadin is degraded to a collection of polypeptides called exorphins in the gastrointestinal tract. Exorphins cross the blood-brain barrier and bind to opiatereceptors to induce appetite, as well as behavioral changes, such as behavioral outbursts and inattention in children with ADHD and autism. . . . The high-yield, semi-dwarf strains of wheat, invented in the 1960s and 1970s, were introduced to North American farmers in the late 1970s, who adopted it over the next decade. By 1985, virtually all wheat farmers were growing this high-yield strain. (Can you blame them? Per-acre yield increased about 10-fold, provided sufficient nitrate fertilizer was applied.) Enrichment in the glia-alpha-9 genetic sequence provokes celiac disease. Nearly absent from the wheat of 1950, nearly all modern semi-dwarf wheat contains this genetic sequence. Is it any wonder why the incidence of celiac disease has quadrupled?26

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Hybridization and the resulting changes in genetic structure are not the only problem with modern wheat. Another is deamidation, the process of using enzymes or acids to make gluten water-soluble (which it normally is not) so that it softens and mixes better with other foods. While deamidation makes wheat easier to use in food preparation, it has a negative impact on the immune system. Research has found that the deamidation of wheat creates substances that cause the immune system to be highly reactive.27 Though its negative effects on the gut are well known, gluten causes even more problems for the neurological system. Research shows that, among other things, gluten triggers nervous system transglutaminase autoimmunity. In simple terms, this means gluten causes the body to create antibodies to transglutaminase enzymes. These are enzymes that help bind proteins and are involved in the digestion of gluten in many tissues of the body. Transglutaminase is found in the intestines, skin, nervous

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system, and brain. An autoimmune reaction to transglutaminase disturbs digestion, weakens the intestinal lining, decreases nutritional absorption, and causes skin disorders, neurological issues (problems with movements), and disorders with brain function.28 Molecular mimicry can also be a problem. In a person who is sensitive to gluten, the body’s immune system produces antibodies to gluten. The protein structure of gluten happens to have similarities to nervous system tissue. Due to the similarities, in some people the immune system may end up making antibodies to its own nervous tissue and brain when they eat gluten. If they eat gluten regularly, these people can experience an autoimmune attack on their own nervous tissue and brain. Researchers have found that gluten cross-reactivity leading to autoimmune issues can cause balance and motor control issues as well as anxiety.29 In my experience as a practitioner, I have found modern-day wheat, in all its forms, to be one of the most aggravating and addictive foods in our diet. I find that it often triggers low mood, brain fog, joint pain, weakened immunity, skin problems, and an assortment of digestive problems, and modern research bears this out.30

Considering Other Forms of Wheat

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Many people ask if organic sprouted wheat is better. It is definitely a more wholesome way of consuming wheat. However, for a person who has a gluten or gliadin sensitivity, sprouted wheat will still be problematic, as it comes from the same hybridized seed. A small number of farmers are now growing older forms of wheat. For some people, these types of wheat do not appear to cause these same problems as the modern-day variety. These ancient wheats include:

Einkorn Emmer Kamut Spelt Einkorn was originally cultivated in what is now known as Iraq. It is one of the oldest known grains still available in the world today. It has a dense, sticky quality, so it’s not going to make a light, fluffy cake, but it will nourish your body for sure. Many people who generally can’t eat modern wheat do okay with this grain. Emmer originates from Mesopotamia and likely is a hybrid of einkorn. It is the wheat glorified and spoken of in the Bible. In Italy, where it’s popular, it’s known as farro. It has a strong protein profile and makes softer dough than einkorn. It also has

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a different gluten structure than modern wheat, so some people with wheat sensitivity find that they do okay eating emmer. Spelt, a hybrid of emmer, is more commonly known and used more widely than the other ancient wheats. It has less gluten than modern wheat, and its taste is hardy and good but without the softness of modern wheat. Spelt is also heavier and has more protein and fat than modern wheat. Some people, but not all, with gluten sensitivity are able to tolerate spelt. Kamut is an ancient relative of wheat with Egyptian origins. It has more gluten than the other ancient grains but less than modern wheat. It is also quite high in protein. Kamut tends to be less aggravating for those with gluten intolerance. In summary, all forms of wheat are heavier and more difficult to digest than other TLCfriendly grains. Therefore, all forms of wheat and other gluten-containing grains are eliminated during the leanse. For many people this elimnation is a life-changing experience, during which they notice significant improvements in their health, energy, and state of mind. It is important to note that many of the gluten-free products available today use a lot of processed ingredients, potato starch and other refined thickeners, and sweeteners, which are not recommended for the TLC diet.

For Review Only A Note on Lectins

Lectins found in wheat can contribute to wheat intolerance. Lectins are protiens found in some grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits. They are part of a plant’s natural defense against microorganisms, pests, and insects. Those who already have a sensitive digestive tract can be sensitive to lectins—causing bloating, gas, inflammation, and even compromised immunity. The following are ways to significantly reduce lectins and their effects. • Soak grains and beans in water for twelve hours before cooking. Change the water four to five times and be sure to discard the water and rinse the grains or beans before cooking. • Cook at high temperatures for at least fifteen minutes. Pressure cookers work well to minimize lectins. • Sprout and ferment your grains and beans.

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Stacy’s Story: Eliminating Wheat Stacy was an eighteen-year-old high school student and took the cleanse with her mom. She had suffered a head injury while playing soccer, which resulted in chronic head and neck pain. To make matters worse, she had allergies, digestive issues, and immune issues that aggravated her headaches. Muscle response testing showed that Stacy clearly was intolerant to wheat—and to gliadin specifically. At first she was reluctant to let go of wheat, but the test inspired her to try hard to eliminate wheat during the cleanse. It was very challenging for her, as wheat was a staple in her diet and was always included in her social gatherings with friends. Almost immediately, though, her headache pain decreased. During the cleanse, their frequency diminished by 80 percent. Additionally, her stuffy nose cleared and many of her body aches resolved early on. It was hard for Stacy to stay away from wheat, and she struggled with wanting to be “normal” around her friends. She experimented with eating

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wheat after the cleanse, but some of her symptoms immediately returned. Eventually, she accepted the reality of her wheat sensitivity because every time she ate it, she suffered. Eliminating wheat during the cleanse made it clear to her that it was harmful for her.

The last time I saw Stacy, she was vibrant, energetic, and back to playing soccer. Her headaches, digestive distress, and stuffy nose were completely gone. She was a happy young woman who was fully at ease with being a wheat-free eater.

Alcohol Cleanse Alternatives

Smoothies Calming herbs and herbal teas Kava GABA 5-HTP Tulsi tea Resveratrol

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Alcohol has little to no nutritional value. Even organic red wine, which has been touted for its resveratrol, a powerful healing phytonutrient, has very little active amounts. Therefore, alcohol is really more of a recreational substance than a food. The cardiovascular health benefits attributed to it, mostly from red wine, are generally negated by its many adverse effects. Resveratrol alone does have numerous health benefits. Among other things, it:

Protects the endothelial lining of the arteries Reduces oxidative stress Blocks inflammatory processes Improves mental function Promotes oral health Interrupts cancer cell replication May enhance longevity Reduces the muscle wasting associated with diabetes and cancer31 For those who want the health benefits of resveratrol, it is found in high amounts in the Chinese herbs polygonum and astragalus, and some is found in cacao. High-potency capsules or powdered forms are also available. Otherwise, to get the same benefits, you would have to drink a lot of wine! From an ayurvedic/Chinese medicine perspective, alcohol increases heat in the body, sedates the mind, aggravates the heart, and inflames and congests the liver. Data suggests that alcohol abuse increases our chances of getting cancer.32 In women, alcohol increases the incidence of not only fibroid tumors and endometriosis but breast cancer as well.33 This is likely due to its disturbing impact on the liver, which controls the smooth flow of chi, or prana, in the body. When disturbed by toxins and physical or emotional stress, the liver functions less efficiently. Lumps, masses, tumors, and “cells gone mad” can be the result of a stressed and toxic liver. Alcohol is often used for its calming effect. Some people use it to relax after work or to fall asleep. Unfortunately, many people end up suffering from alcohol-induced insomnia. While alcohol can be sedating and cause sleepiness, it puts stress on the liver. The liver’s biological time of day is between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. This time span is when the liver will work to clear alcohol from the blood. Most people who drink at night tend to wake up between these hours, often finding it difficult to go back to sleep. Breaking the habit of an evening wind-down glass of wine or cocktail can drastically improve sleep quality. Learning to relax and unwind is an important human skill. Overuse of alcohol interrupts our ability to truly learn how.

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There are numerous lifestyle practices (sadhana practices), natural herbs, and nutrients that have calming effects without stressing the liver or manifesting addictive qualities the way alcohol does.

TABLE 24.1. NATURAL RELAXANTS RELAXANT

DETAILS

GABA

Calms mental activity, decreases anxiety, assists the brain in going into an alpha (calm and blissful) state of mind, is helpful for those who have a hard time falling asleep

5-HTP

Calms emotions, enhances feelings of well-being, makes serotonin, a neurotransmitter that supports peaceful mood and restful sleep, is especially helpful for those who wake up in the middle of the night and have a hard time falling back asleep

Kava

Calms emotions, stimulates GABA metabolism, has a powerful antianxiety effect, is a very effective muscle relaxer

Tulsi Tea

Calms the nervous system, nourishes the adrenal glands, reduces the effects of physical and psychological stress, supports immunity, strengthens lungs

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Meditation is perhaps the most helpful skill we can learn to manage stress, decrease anxiety, and cultivate inner peace. By becoming confident in our ability to achieve inner calm through meditation, we will be far less inclined to depend on alcohol.

Sugar and High-Fructose Corn Syrup Cleanse Alternatives

Stevia Raw honey Fruit Refined sugar has virtually no nutritional value, but it is the most popular drug of choice to elevate mood and spike energy levels. It is too bad that the long-term effects are just the opposite. Sugar is known to:

Trigger stress hormone production Upset blood sugar levels Contribute to hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and diabetes Foster nutritional depletions

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Create unhealthy food cravings Cultivate unhealthy yeasts and parasites Trigger emotional and energetic depression Increase the risk of obesity Suppresse immune function (it decreases leukocyte activity)34 Deplete vitamin C in the body Impair liver function Be extremely addictive In addition, modern-day sugar often comes from GMO sugar beets, and some is refined with “bone char”—that is, cow bones. Therefore it is neither organic nor vegan! Sugar causes obesity and disease when regularly consumed in high doses. One twenty-ounce commercial soft drink can have over seventeen teaspoons of sugar. Many people consume two of these daily! It’s estimated that our ancient ancestors consumed about twenty teaspoons of sugar per year. Even twenty-five years ago we consumed only four teaspoons a day, versus our twenty-two teaspoons today.35 Both sugar and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a common commercial sweetener, are dangerous at these high amounts. Never before have we exposed our bodies to this much sugar. However, it is important we know that HFCS and cane sugar are not biochemically identical and are not processed in the same way by the body. HFCS is a man-made food product. It is not a naturally occurring substance, however much its manufacturers would like us to think so. It is extracted from corn stalks and is highly concentrated, resulting in a sickly sweet refined compound that is quite different from real sugar. Sucrose, or table sugar, is made up of two tightly bound sugar molecules—glucose and fructose—in equal amounts. When we eat sugar, the enzymes in the digestive tract break down sucrose into its components (glucose and fructose) so that they can be absorbed into the body. This takes time and some effort by the body. HFCS also consists of glucose and fructose, but in a chemically unbound form. Being unbound, HFCS does not need to be broken down, so it is instantly absorbed into the bloodstream. HFCS also has a slightly higher fructose-to-glucose ratio. These distinctions are significant. When glucose is rapidly absorbed, it triggers big spikes in insulin. Fructose is sweeter than glucose, and when it is rapidly absorbed, it goes directly to the liver, which triggers fat production, often in the form of cholesterol and triglycerides. This is why HFCS can be a major cause of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, liver scarring, and liver damage.36

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Due to these factors, regular consumption of HFCS can lead to metabolic changes that encourage:

Fatty liver disease Weight gain (especially around the belly) Uncontrolled appetite Blood sugar issues Diabetes Heart disease Cancer Dementia Neurological disorders Brain fog High doses of unbound fructose have been shown to cause an explosion of energy in the gut that disturbs and weakens its lining. This disturbance is another contributor to the common but serious modern-day problem of leaky gut and the associated problems of food allergies and inflammation. Again, according to ayurveda, leaky gut is responsible for the early stage of practically all disease.37

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What about Raw Sugar?

Raw unrefined sugar is not the same as pure white refined sugar. Raw sugar is made directly from the sugarcane plant. It contains trace minerals, nutrients, and even some antioxidants. Refined sugar is devoid of all nutritional value; it is entirely empty calories. While we avoid all forms of sugar coming from sugarcane or sugar beets during the Total Life Cleanse and I don’t recommend eating it after, it is still important to know the difference.

What about the Sugar in Fruit? Fruit is naturally sweetened by fructose, but in a bound form in which the fructose is part of a complex of nutrients, including fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. When fructose hits your liver fast and in large amounts, as it does in the form of HFCS, it can have dreadful consequences. However, when it enters your liver slowly and in small amounts, as it does with whole fruit, then your body is far better able to handle it. The human body is well adapted to the small amounts of fructose found in nature. Fruit does not, in any way, exhibit the same harmful biological effects as HFCS. It is healthy, naturally detoxifying, great for your immune system, and loaded with

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phytonutrients. However, it is best eaten alone, and especially without fat. Fatty and toxic cells are the problem, not fruit! But just as other sugar can cause insulin issues, so too can fruit. When our cells are healthy, they respond beautifully to the sugar in whole fruit. It is important, however, to avoid drinking fruit juices. Juices have high concentrations of fructose and generally no fiber. Without that fiber, the fructose will enter the bloodstream too quickly, which can then be harmful. Modern fruit does tend to have more fructose than the fruit our ancestors ate. This is due to modern hybridization processes aimed at making the fruit taste sweet. For this reason, TLC recommends being mindful of your fruit intake and being sure to eat at least twice as many veggies as fruits in a day. We also recommend eating fruits with lower levels of fructose, like berries. Limiting Garlic and Onions Garlic and onions are both rajasic and tamasic, and are forbidden to yogis because they root the consciousness more firmly in the body.

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Dr. Robert E. Svoboda

Garlic and onions are not officially “off the cleanse” foods, but there are good reasons to limit them. The Total Life Cleanse is intended to bring more clarity and calm into our lives. As previously explained, all foods have unique qualities and are categorized according to dosha (vata, pitta, and kapha) and guna (sattva, rajas, and tamas.) Garlic and onions increase pitta, or the fire element within the body. They are classified as rajasic and tamasic, which means that they increase the qualities of passion and ignorance. According to ayurvedic nutrition, garlic also interferes with the upper chakras, especially the brow chakra, which facilitates intuition and higher perception. Rajasic and tamasic foods are minimized during the cleanse because they stimulate the nervous system and hinder the calming effects of meditation and sadhana practices. Some TLC recipes do include garlic and onions, as it seems to be difficult for some people to eliminate them completely. Many people have superb cleanses while keeping moderate amounts of garlic and onions in their diet. A precious benefit of cleansing is the mental peace that comes from eating sattvic foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, non-gluten grains, legumes, coconut oil, and ghee. Experiment with eliminating garlic and onion

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for at least one week during the cleanse. Some cleanse alternatives are ginger (for taste as well as intestinal and anti-inflammatory benefits), hing/ asafetida (for taste as well as intestinal and immune benefits), pau d’arco (for intestinal and immune benefits), and probiotics (for intestinal and immune benefits). It may sound strange that a spice can so strongly impact the mind and consciousness, but we’ve found this to be quite true. You may not notice the impact until you remove garlic and onion from your diet. Upon reintroduction, there tends to be an acute awareness of their mentally stimulating effects. However, garlic and onion do have health benefits; they are: • Antimicrobial • Beneficial to the cardiovascular system • Cholesterol-decreasing factors • Supportive for gallbladder detoxification • Helpful in eliminating small parasites and worms • Helpful in eliminating candida overgrowth The Total Life Cleanse makes use of the medicinal benefits of garlic dur-

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ing the liver flush, which helps clear the bile ducts, remove harmful yeast and microbes, and support liver and gallbladder function. Aside from the liver flush, TLC recommends eliminating garlic. The Benefits of Hing, or Asafetida Hing, also known as asafetida, is considered to be the Indian equivalent of onion and garlic. It has a potent, rich flavor somewhat similar to that of garlic, and it also has potent medicinal properties, surpassing those of garlic. It does not, however, have the same overstimulating and tamasic qualities of garlic and onion. Hing is a powerful digestive aid. It cleanses the bowel flora of unhealthy bacteria, worms, and parasites, eliminates gas and bloating, and inhibits yeast overgrowth. It also can help break up impacted fecal matter in the intestines, which is an important TLC benefit. Many of the TLC kitchari recipes call for hing. It is commonly used along with ginger, cumin, cardamom, coriander, and turmeric, both for taste and for their numerous health-promoting properties. In cooking, hing should always be sprinkled in a bit of hot ghee or coconut oil, as it is a resin and needs to melt in order for it to be properly dispersed. Only a pinch or two is needed.

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Canned Foods Cleanse Alternatives

Fresh produce Frozen produce (in moderation) The cans used for canned foods often contain aluminum, a toxic heavy metal. It can leach into the foods in the cans and, when we ingest those foods, have serious negative impacts on our bodies and brains. Additionally, most cans are lined with bisphenol A (BPA), an industrial plastic sealing and hardening industrial compound. Food manufacturers use BPA to protect food from direct contact with metals, metal corrosion, and bacteria. Like aluminum, however, BPA can leach into the food it contains, and in the body BPA functions as an endocrine disruptor. Other protective coating products used in canned foods are similar. These disruptors—along with those in plastics, pesticides, and so on—can have longterm impacts on human health. Research suggests that endocrine disruptors in males may decrease sperm count and cause abnormalities in reproductive organs. In females, they may cause problems with fertility, early puberty, and premature menopause.38 Eating canned foods occasionally will unlikely cause heavy metal toxicity and hormonal disruptions. However, if you have a leaky gut, you will be more impacted by any toxins that enter your system. Additionally, precooked foods in cans tend to be denatured and lack vital energy. All in all, it’s best to avoid canned foods and plastic bottles with BPA and other chemical coatings. If you are purchasing precooked packaged foods, it is best to use ones sold in cartons, which tend to contain less or no BPA.39

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Fish and Shellfish: Especially Tuna, Bluefish, Swordfish, and Farm-Raised Fish Cleanse Alternatives

Vegetarian essential fatty acid and protein sources The ocean and the fish that live in it are in trouble. The ocean is our largest source of life, yet it is also the largest dumpsite on the planet. Fish and all other forms of sea life are in serious danger, not only in terms of their long-term survival, but also in terms of their own individual health. Living in a toxic environment, they themselves become toxic. Our fishing practices are no longer sustainable. Not only are we catching fish faster

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than they can replenish, but there is a large percentage of “unwanted kills” that go along with each large net catch. These include dolphins, whales, and sharks. The bottomtrawling practices that many fishing vessels use destroy seafloor habitats. Some fish, such as tuna, are at greater risk than others due to human demand for food and fish oil supplementation.

Mercury and Fish Mercury is a neurotoxin, meaning it can have detrimental effects on the nervous system. Mercury toxicity is believed to be a possible cause of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’slike diseases of the brain, heart irregularities, and even some cancer. Mercury exposure generally comes from four sources: fish, mercury containing dental fillings, vaccines, and coal burning (which causes mercury vapors that end up in our oceans and lakes). Eating fish is the greatest source of mercury toxicity today, far greater than that of mercury fillings. Contamination of the ocean’s waters with mercury is a growing problem. The dark-fleshed, fatty, large fish toward the top of the food chain, like tuna and swordfish, who eat smaller fish, accumulate heavy metals in their flesh. When we consume them, those toxic metals are passed on to us. In the hair analysis charts I have done over the years, I have consistently found that those who eat fish more than twice per week almost always have high levels of mercury. During the cleanse we eliminate all fish and shellfish. To maintain health, it is becoming necessary to eliminate or significantly minimize eating fish to avoid potentially dangerous levels of mercury. This is critically true for pregnant mothers and children. If, after the cleanse, you choose to eat fish, be sure to eat small fish very low on the food chain, such as sardines.

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Farmed Fish What about farm-raised fish? Some say it’s the wave of the future; however, there are some very serious problems with farm-raised fish! Farm-raised fish are sometimes touted as the answer to plummeting wild fish populations and growing toxicity of our oceans, but farmed fish are generally sickly creatures. They have more fat but contain less of the healthy omega-3 oils that most people look for in their fish. Due to their confined living conditions, they are challenged with lice, bacteria, and other diseases. Thus they are regularly treated with large doses of antibiotics, which are passed on to us. Farmed fish are fed concentrated fish pellets that also contain GMO foods and high levels of industrial toxins. Their flesh thus contains antibiotic residues, mercury, pesticides, and chemical toxins. As an example, the typical pinkish color of wild salmon comes from their ingestion

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of krill, which are very high in omega-3 oil. Farmed salmon, who are not fed krill, lack the pink coloration and high omega-3 content. They are given the synthetic chemical canthaxanthin to make their flesh look pink and healthy. The pigment is toxic and can discolor our eyes; it is not legal in Europe but is in the USA.40 In addition, waste products (especially pesticides and antibiotics to slow the infestations of sea lice) from farm fishing are highly toxic and polluting for our oceans and water systems, contributing to the problem they are intended to solve.41 It is clear that farm fishing is not a healthy or sustainable solution to toxic wild fish and overfishing problems. A Note on Chewing Gum Most chewing gum is not only high in sugar, HFCS, or fake sugars such as aspartame (a neurotoxin), but gum chewing increases the release of mercury into the saliva in people who have damaged mercury amalgams. It can also be a neurotic habit. To be safe, during the cleanse we recommend eliminating gum chewing.

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Outside the cleanse, xylitol-sweetened gum, which has antibacterial benefits for the mouth and gums, can be chewed occasionally as a treat. Be aware that in some people xylitol causes gas and intestinal discomfort.

Inorganic Foods Whole food nutrition begins with sun, water and fertile soil.

Dr. Royal Lee, founder of Standard Process

Cleanse Alternative

Organic foods Conventionally grown inorganic foods, especially meats, have high levels of GMOs, hormones, herbicides, fungicides, antibiotics, and pesticides, all of which have cumulative and synergistically harmful effects. One inorganic apple typically is contaminated with over thirty pesticides. Pesticides tend to accumulate in fatty tissue and can stay in the body for many years. In fact the carcinogenic pesticide DDT, which has not been used for many years in the USA, is still found in the breast milk of American women.42 Pesticides have been linked to:

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Cancer Leaky gut Alzheimer’s disease ADHD Immune disorders Neurological problems Food allergies Endocrine (hormonal) imbalances Much of the soil in conventional farming is contaminated not just with pesticides but also with antibiotics. The antibiotics come from the waste of farm animals and are absorbed into our water and soil, and thus our food. They subsequently destroy gut flora, weaken our digestive systems, and cause food intolerances. Additionally, excessive exposure to antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance in microorganisms. This means that when you really need them, antibiotics won’t be effective! Studies conflict about the nutritional differences between conventionally grown and organically grown produce. The nutritional content of a plant has everything to do with the quality and nutritional profile of the soil in which it grows. Not all organic farms have optimal soil, but their crops will contain less pesticide than those from conventional farms. Common sense, backed by science, clearly shows us that eating organic is better for our lives, our livers, and our planet! The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established an organic certification program that requires all organic foods to meet specific standards. Any farmer or food manufacturer who labels a product as organic must be certified by USDA inspectors as meeting these standards. (Producers who sell less than $5,000 a year in organic foods, however, are unable to obtain this certification.)

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TABLE 24.2. CLASSIFICATIONS OF ORGANIC CLASSIFICATION

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STANDARD

100% Organic

Made entirely from organic materials

Organic

At least 95% organic materials, remaining ingredients must be approved by USDA

Made with Organic Ingredients

At least 70% organic materials; cannot use the organic seal

Non-organic

Less than 70% organic materials; cannot be labeled as organic or use the USDA organic seal43

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Eating produce from locally grown organic farms supports them as well as the health of local communities. Eating inorganic foods supports companies that use toxic chemicals that contribute to the destruction of the environment and the health of its inhabitants. Get to know your local farmers and find out their philosophy on growing food. If quality and purity are important to them, the benefits will go to you. These days, there are large farms owned by conventional and GMO farmers that also sell organic produce. They produce organic crops not because they agree with the organic philosophy but with profits in mind, knowing they can appeal to the organic market. There’s nothing wrong with making a good living. However, it is preferable to get food from those who care about real food and understand its relevance to health and environmental wellness. Lastly, the consciousness of the farmer is transferred into food, so get to know your food sources as much as possible!

Nightshade Vegetables Cleanse Alternatives

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All non-nightshade veggies

During the Total Life Cleanse we generally avoid nightshades. These are plants from the Solanaceae family. They include:

Eggplants Tomatoes White potatoes Bell peppers Chile peppers Goji berries Tobacco Ashwagandha While they clearly offer the body a variety of phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals, nightshades can also be a cause of inflammation for sensitive individuals. This is due to the alkaloids they produce. The alkaloids in nightshades serve as natural pesticides, protecting the plants from insects. Some nightshades have more alkaloids than others. For instance, green bell peppers contain a lot more alkaloids than red bell peppers. This is why we allow red peppers

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during the cleanse, especially for people do not suffer from chronic aches and pains. Similarly, tomatoes and potatoes may cause trouble only for people who are sensitive to the nightshade alkaloids. Conversely, some nightshade plants have such high levels of alkaloids that they are extremely toxic, such as tobacco and deadly nightshade, which produces small, poisonous berries. Nightshade alkaloids may aggravate preexisting inflammatory conditions such as:

Fibromyalgia Arthritis Muscular and joint pain Inflammatory bowel disease Nightshades eaten in excess can also aggravate a vata or pitta constitution, which would contribute to gas, bloating, and inflammatory conditions. While not everyone has sensitivities to nightshade alkaloids, we recommend that you eliminate them from your diet for the first two weeks of the cleanse. That way, when you bring them back in, you will be able to tell if you are sensitive to them. Nightshade sensitivity generally manifests as stiffness, aches, and pains. The ayurvedic herb ashwagandha is a nightshade with very low alkaloid levels. Though of course it’s possible to be sensitive to it, most people find that its healing properties far outweigh any detrimental influences. Note that when a potato turns green and begins to sprout, the green color and sprout have a much higher concentrations of solanaceae alkaloids than the rest of the potato. Be sure to cut off the sprouts and green parts of the potato before cooking it.44

For Review Only Processed and Refined Foods

Cleanse Alternative

Real foods! The word “processed” often causes confusion. Let’s clarify. In one sense, most of the food we eat is processed to some degree. Apples are cut from trees and ground up to make applesauce. Vegetables are generally trimmed, chopped, or diced before we eat them or cook them. Even rice can be ground up and used to make rice cereal. This is a form of mechanical processing. There is, however, a huge difference between the mechanical processing of food and chemical processing. If a food has no added man-made chemicals and has

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not been handled in a way that strips it of its nutrients, it is still real food. Foods that have been chemically processed—made from ultra-refined ingredients, chemically treated ingredients, or artificial chemicals—are “processed” foods. These foods usually have been stripped of their nutrients, and often a few isolated synthetic nutrients have been added back in. Processed and refined foods are generally high in sodium, sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup. They are usually inorganic, come from GMO farming methods, and are scientifically designed with chemical flavorings that our taste buds become addicted to. Processed foods and refined foods—high in refined carbohydrates, low in real nutrition, high in toxic chemicals, low in fiber, high in trans fats—aggravate a variety of health conditions, irritate the intestines, and are the source of numerous food allergies and sensitivities. Nature is intelligent. Whole foods contain hundreds of known and unknown vitamins, enzymes, minerals, nutritional co-factors, and micronutrients that assist the body in fully utilizing its macronutrients (fat, carbohydrates, and protein). When we strip food from its whole state, nutrients are lost and our bodies suffer from the loss. Nutrients work synergistically, depending on each other for balanced and integrated cellular function. This is why studies show that isolated nutrients taken in high doses— in contrast to whole-food full-spectrum nutrition—are not as effective and may even lead to negative health consequences.45 Like people, food has life energy (prana) and innate intelligence (buddhi). When we process food, it loses its prana and buddhi, thus weakening the prana and buddhi in our own body and mind. For the Total Life Cleanse and for life, plant-based whole food is the safest and best way to truly improve health, quality of life, and even longevity.

For Review Only Food is the greatest medicine.

Hippocrates

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25 TLC Recipes EACH OF THE FOLLOWING TLC-friendly recipes compliment and nourish your

cleanse experience. While they do correspond to specific days, it’s fine to be flexible and try any recipe on any day. Note that many of the kitchari recipes and those that emphasize greens are timed appropriately. However, they are all a suitable for all four of the TLC phases. Additionally, feel free to use your own recipes—as long as they are TLC-friendly. At the end of the chapter our TLC chef, Sahaj Kaur, shares a number of her yummy soup, salad, and smoothie recipes that can be enjoyed at any point during the cleanse.

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•Day 1: Bok Choy/Cabbage Ginger Soup Ginger helps stimulate the production of digestive enzymes and can help ease the gas, bloating, and cramping associated with poor digestion. It also helps reduce inflammation and congestion everywhere in the body. This light soup has powerful cleansing effects and can be used any time during the cleanse, on its own or as a base for other soups. It’s a great one to learn and experiment with in the early stage of the cleanse. 2 quarts vegetable stock or water 1 tablespooon Bragg Liquid Aminos 2 cups uncooked wild rice, basmati rice, or quinoa 1 cup diced bok choy or Chinese cabbage 4 carrots, cut into strips 1 small onion, sliced, or ¼ teaspoon hing (asafetida) 5 slices fresh, peeled ginger root Pinch of salt Fresh chopped cilantro

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Combine the stock and liquid aminos in a large pot. Add the rice, bok choy, carrots, onion, ginger, and salt. Bring just to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

•Day 2: Squash with Ginger Soup A nourishing, cleansing, immune-supporting, and energizing soup. 1–2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil 2 medium carrots, chopped 2 medium onions, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 acorn squash, peeled and chopped 1 large piece (3 to 4 inches) ginger root, grated Water Celtic sea salt Minced parsley, for garnish

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Heat the ghee in a large pot until hot. Add the carrots, onions, celery, and garlic and sauté until soft. Add the squash and ginger, along with enough water to cover all the vegetables. Simmer for 30 minutes or pressure-cook for 12 minutes. When all the vegetables are thoroughly cooked and soft, puree the soup. Add water as desired for creaminess. Season to taste with salt, then immer for at least 10 minutes. Serve garnished with parsley.

•Day 3: Cleansing Quinoa Soup A satisfying, high-protein veggie soup. 1–2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil 2 large onions, chopped 2 large leeks, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 5 cloves garlic, chopped 3 carrots, cut into 1½-inch matchsticks 1 large red bell pepper, chopped 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas 2 large red potatoes, diced

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TLC Recipes 387

½ medium butternut squash, skin and seeds removed, diced ½ small head cabbage, coarsely chopped 1 cup uncooked quinoa 1–2 teaspoons ground cumin 8 cups water Celtic sea salt

Heat the ghee in a large pot. Add the onions, leeks, celery, and garlic and sauté for several minutes, until the celery is translucent. Add the water, then add the carrots, red pepper, peas, potatoes, squash, cabbage, quinoa, and cumin. Stir well and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt to taste in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

•Day 4: Tridoshic Veggie Stir-Fry A balancing, tasty, all-veggie ayurvedic dish. 1–2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil

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2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 teaspoons black mustard seeds 1 pinch hing (asafetida)

2 teaspoons ground turmeric 1½ cups water

1 cup fresh or frozen green peas 1 cup diced carrots 1 cup diced red potatoes 2 cups green beans or asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

Heat the ghee in large heavy skillet. Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and hing. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the turmeric. Stir well. Then add the water and all of the vegetables. (If you are using frozen peas, add them later, when the veggies are nearly cooked.) Cook, covered, until the veggies are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the kefir (if using), coriander, and salt, stirring well. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for another 15 to 20 minutes.

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•Day 5: Basic Kitchari This traditional ayurvedic kitchari dish is cleansing, nourishing, a perfect protein, and delicious. You can use more or less water than what is called for to adjust its consistency. 2 cups white basmati rice 1 cup split yellow mung dal 8 cups water 2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 pinch hing (asafetida) 1 small handful cilantro leaves ¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt

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1-inch piece fresh ginger root, grated

Rinse the rice and mung dal together until the water runs clear. Put the rice and mung dal in a pot and add the water. Simmer, covered, until the rice and mung dal are tender. (If you want to add vegetables, do so when the rice and mung dal are about two-thirds done cooking.) Heat the ghee in a separate saucepan. Add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and lightly toast until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add the ground coriander, ground cumin, ground turmeric, grated ginger, and hing, and briefly stir. Stir the spice mixture into the rice and mung dal, along with the salt. Add the cilantro leaves before serving.

•Day 6: Light Quinoa Stir-Fry Quinoa is a nutritionally dense, high-protein, nutty grain. 1 cup quinoa 2 cups water ¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt, plus more to taste 1–2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil 1 large onion, sliced, or ¼ teaspoon hing 1 red pepper, diced

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TLC Recipes 389

4–6 cloves garlic, minced, or ¼ teaspoon hing 2 red potatoes, boiled until tender and diced ¼ cup minced parsley or cilantro ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

Rinse the quinoa for several minutes in a strainer. Combine the water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a rapid boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until all the quinoa has absorbed all the water and the grains become translucent and pop open, 15 to 20 minutes. Heat the ghee in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add red pepper and garlic and sauté until tender. Add the potatoes, parsley, and ginger, and sauté for a few minutes more. Fold in the cooked quinoa and sauté until heated. Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving.

•Day 7: Mung Dal A traditional ayurvedic soup, mung dal complements any meal and is the perfect counterpart for rice or quinoa—together, they contain all of the essential amino acids.

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1 cup whole green mung beans 5–6 cups water

2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 5 curry leaves, fresh or dried

1 small handful cilantro leaves, chopped ½ teaspoon ground turmeric 1 pinch hing (asafetida) ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt

Rinse the mung beans in two changes of cold water. (Soak them in water overnight if beans tend to give you gas.) Then combine the beans with 4 cups of the water in a large pot. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir the beans occasionally to prevent sticking. Add 1 cup of water to the pot and continue to cook until the beans are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Heat the ghee in a small pan until it is hot, but not smoking. Add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the cumin seeds and toast until they are brown, which takes a minute or two. minutes. Add the curry leaves, cilantro, turmeric, and hing and stir well. Stir the spice mixture into the beans.

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Add a bit more water, if you like, depending on how thick you want the soup to be. Bring to a boil and let boil for 2 minutes, then stir in the salt and serve.

•Day 8: Kitchari with Cauliflower and Peas Kitchari week begins! Nourishing, cleansing, and delicious! 7 cups water 2/³ cup split yellow mung dal 1–2 jalapeños, seeded and minced 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1½ teaspoons minced or finely shredded fresh ginger root 1 cup white basmati rice or quinoa 1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces ¾ cup fresh or frozen green peas 1–2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds

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½ teaspoon hing (asafetida)

2½ teaspoons Celtic sea salt

Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Combine the water, mung dal, jalapeños, turmeric, and ginger in heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the mung dal begins to break down. Rinse the rice well and add it, along with the cauliflower, to the mung dal. Bring the mixture back to a boil, stirring frequently. Add the peas (if they are fresh; if they are frozen, add them toward the end of the cooking time). Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer until the rice and cauliflower are cooked and the kitchari has thickened. Stir the pot every so often to keep the rice from sticking. While the rice and cauliflower are cooking, heat the ghee in a small frying pan until it is hot, but not smoking. Add the cumin seeds and fry until they darken slightly. Add the hing, stir, and remove from heat. When the kitchari is done, add the spice mixture and stir in the salt and cilantro (if using). The consistency of the kitchari should be that of a thick stew. You can adjust the amount of water according to how thick you like it.

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TLC Recipes 391

•Day 9: Kitchari with Sweet Potatoes and Peas 2/³ cup split yellow mung dal 7 cups water 1½ teaspoons minced or finely shredded fresh ginger root 1–2 jalapeños, seeded and minced 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 cup white basmati rice or quinoa 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces 1–2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds ½ teaspoon hing (asafetida) ¾ cup fresh or frozen green peas 2½ teaspoons Celtic sea salt Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Combine the water, mung dal, jalapeños, turmeric, and ginger in heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the mung dal

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begins to break down.

Rinse the rice well and add it, along with the sweet potatoes, to the mung dal. Bring the mixture back to a boil, stirring frequently. Add the peas (if they are fresh; if they are frozen, add them toward the end of the cooking time). Reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer until the rice and sweet potatoes are cooked and the kitchari has thickened. Stir the pot every so often to keep the rice from sticking. While the rice and sweet potatoes are cooking, heat the ghee in a small frying pan until it is hot, but not smoking. Add the cumin seeds and fry until they darken slightly. Add the hing, stir, and remove from heat. When the kitchari is done, add the spice mixture and stir in the salt and cilantro (if using). The consistency of the kitchari should be that of a thick stew. You can adjust the amount of water according to how thick you like it.

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•Day 10: Quinoa-Amaranth Kitchari This is a higher-protein, lower-glycemic-index kitchari with quinoa and amaranth instead of rice. It’s great for those who find rice too starchy or with blood sugar issues. You can make it entirely with quinoa if you prefer. ½ cup amaranth ½ cup quinoa ½ cup split yellow mung dal 1–2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon ground coriander ½ teaspoon hing (asafetida) 4–5 cups water ½ teaspoon ground turmeric 2 cups of chopped leafy greens, such as arugula, beet greens, or kale ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt

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Rinse the amaranth, quinoa, and mung dal well.

Heat the ghee in a large pan. Add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and cook until the mustard seeds start to pop. Add the coriander and hing, fry for a few seconds, and then quickly add the amaranth, quinoa, and mung dal, 4 cups of water, and the turmeric. Let the mixture boil gently until the water is almost entirely absorbed. Mix in the leafy greens. Remove from the heat, stir in the salt, and let stand covered for 20 minutes.

•Day 11: Calming Kitchari This kitchari recipe reduces vata, as it has calming and nourishing effect. 6–7 cups water ½ cup split yellow mung dal 1–2 jalapeños, seeded and minced 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 cup white basmati rice 2 cups diced veggies (choose two vegetables from the list below) 1–2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil

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TLC Recipes 393

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves 2 pinches hing (asafetida) 2½ teaspoons Celtic sea salt

Combine 6 cups of the water with the mung dal, jalapeños, ginger, and turmeric in a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer until the mung dal begins to break down. Rinse the rice and add it to the mung dal. Bring back to a boil, stirring frequently, then add your vegetables of choice, cover and let simmer until the rice is cooked and the kitchari has thickened. Stir every so often to keep the rice from sticking While the rice and mung dal are cooking, heat the ghee in a small frying pan until it is hot, but not smoking. Add the mustard seeds and fry until they begin to pop. Add the cumin seeds and fry until they darken slightly. Add the cardamom,

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cinnamon, cloves, and hing, stir well, and remove from the heat.

When the kitchari is done, add the spice mixture and stir in the salt. If you like, adjust the consistency of the kitchari with additional water.

Calming Kitchari Vegetable Choices

Asparagus Beets Carrots Leafy greens Sweet potato Or use any of these vegetables in moderation:

Broccoli Cauliflower Celery Potatoes Peas Zucchini

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•Day 12: Cool-Headed Kitchari Cool-Headed Kitchari has spices that calm pitta or the fire element. It’s great for reducing excess inflammation and irritability. 6–7 cups water 1 cup split yellow mung dal 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 cup white basmati rice 2 cups diced veggies (choose two vegetables from the list below) 1–2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 1 teaspoon ground coriander

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2 pinches hing (asafetida)

2½ teaspoons Celtic sea salt

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine 6 cups of the water with the mung dal, ginger, and turmeric in a heavybottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer until the mung dal begins to break down. Rinse the rice and add it to the mung dal. Bring back to a boil, stirring frequently, then add vegetables of choice, cover and let simmer until the rice is cooked and the kitchari has thickened. Stir every so often to keep rice from sticking. While the rice and mung dal are cooking, heat the ghee in a small frying pan until it is hot, but not smoking. Add the mustard seeds and fry until they begin to pop. Add the cumin seeds and fennel seeds and fry until they darken slightly. Add the cardamom, coriander, and hing, stir well, and remove from the heat. When the kitchari is done, add the spice mixture and stir in the salt and fresh cilantro. If you like, adjust the consistency of the kitchari with additional water.

Cool-Headed Kitchari Vegetable Choices

Asparagus Broccoli Bitter leafy greens

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TLC Recipes 395

Cabbage Cauliflower Celery

•Day 13: Basic Kitchari See the recipe for day 5 on page 388 [x-ref].

•Day 14: Warming and Clearing Kitchari This kitchari has healing benefits for the lungs and is great for boosting immunity during the winter season. 6–7 cups water 1 cup split yellow mung dal 1–2 jalapeños, seeded and minced 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 cup white basmati rice

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2 cups diced veggies (choose two vegetables from the list below) 1–3 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves 2 pinches hing (asafetida) 2½ teaspoons Celtic sea salt

Combine 6 cups of the water with the mung dal, jalapeños, ginger, and turmeric in a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer until the mung dal begins to break down. Rinse the rice and add it to the mung dal. Bring back to a boil, stirring frequently, then add your vegetables of choice, cover and let simmer until the rice is cooked and the kitchari has thickened. Stir every so often to keep rice from sticking. While the rice and mung dal are cooking, heat the ghee in a small frying pan until it is hot, but not smoking. Add the mustard seeds and fry until they begin to pop. Add the cumin seeds and fry until they darken slightly. Add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and hing, stir well, and remove from the heat. (continued on page 396)

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When the kitchari is done, add the spice mixture and stir in the salt. If you like, adjust the consistency of the kitchari with additional water.

Warming and Clearing Kitchari Vegetable Choices

Artichoke Asparagus Beet greens Beets Bitter melon Broccoli Brussels sprouts Burdock root Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Celery Chiles Cilantro (added once the kitchari cooked) Fennel Green beans Kale Kohlrabi Leafy greens Leeks

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•Day 15: Cleansing Broccoli-Fennel Soup This cleansing soup supports optimal digestion and liver detoxification. 2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil ¼ teaspoon hing (asafetida) or 1 large onion plus 4–6 cloves garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed 1 large head broccoli, chopped, with a handful of florets set aside Feathery fennel tops from one bulb fresh fennel (include the bulb) 6 cups water Celtic sea salt Chopped scallions, parsley, or red bell pepper, for garnish

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TLC Recipes 397

Heat the ghee or coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed medium pot. If you are using onion and garlic instead of hing, add it now and sauté until the onion is translucent. Otherwise, add the hing and fennel seed and fry for a few seconds. Add the broccoli, holding back the handful of florets, and add the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup until very smooth. Add salt to taste, and stir in the remaining florets. Simmer for 10 minutes, then taste and adjust the seasonings. Garnish with parsley, scallions, or red bell pepper strips.

•Day 16: Salad Dressing/Veggies Topping Use this yummy and nutritious dressing on any TLC-friendly vegetable, legume, salad, or grain dish. I like it on a salad of arugula, romaine, spinach, soaked almonds, olives, soaked sunflower seeds, avocado, chickpeas, and other cleansefriendly veggies. ½ cup almonds ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil

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¼ cup nutritional yeast

1½ tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos 1/8 teaspoon hing (asafetida) Juice of ½ lemon ¾ cup water

Combine the almonds, olive oil, yeast, liquid aminos, hing, and lemon juice with half of the water in a blender and process until smooth. Add more water until the dressing reaches your desired thickness.

•Day 17: Lemon/Lime-Cilantro Dressing This cleansing dressing can be used in the same way as the one above. 2 cups cilantro leaves ½ cup water 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced ½ green chile with seeds (optional) 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice 1 teaspoon mustard powder or seeds (continued on page 398)

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½ teaspoon hing (asafetida) Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 6 tablespoons flaxseed oil

Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a blender and process until smooth. With the motor running, pour in the oil and process until smooth.

•Day 18: Cauliflower-Coconut Soup The next two recipes are inspired by Shelley Redford Young, author of Back to the House of Health and Back to the House of Health 2. Besides being an alkaline food, cauliflower also supports heart health, strengthens the immune system, is protective of the colon, and supports healthy cholesterol levels. Fresh coconut milk is full of lauric acid, which makes it great for the immune system, being antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antiviral. It is also beneficial for energy production and weight loss! This recipe is ideal for phase 3 of the Total Life Cleanse, though it is beneficial anytime.

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1 whole fresh cauliflower chopped

1¼ cups unsweetened coconut milk 1 cup water

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, or coconut oil ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves Pinch of salt Pinch of ground cayenne pepper

Steam the cauliflower until slightly soft, about 10 minutes. Combine the steamed cauliflower with the coconut milk and water in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the lime juice, oil, and most of the chopped cilantro. Season generously with the salt and cayenne and process for another few seconds. Warm the soup as desired; keeping it under 118°F keeps it in the raw range, but during the winter you may want to heat it. In spring and summer, keep it cool! Garnish with the remaining cilantro.

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TLC Recipes 399

•Day 19: Creamy Avocado-Broccoli Soup This is another tasty alkaline soup that is excellent for phase 3 of the cleanse. 2 cups vegetable broth 2–3 spears of broccoli, chopped 1 small avocado, peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped 1 red pepper, seeded and roughly chopped 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped Celtic sea salt or Himalayan black salt Cumin, hing (asafetida), basil, fresh cilantro, or your favorite spices 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Heat the vegetable broth in a large soup pot. Add the broccoli. Transfer the broth and broccoli to a blender. (Work in batches if you must.) Add the avocado, red pepper, and celery and puree until the soup is creamy. (You can thin the soup with some water if desired.) Season to taste with salt and spices. Garnish with cilantro. Serve warm. Delicious!

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•Day 20: Miso Soup

Miso is fermented, and its probiotic properties restore beneficial bacteria to the intestines and aid digestion. It is a good vegetarian source of vitamins, minerals, and all the essential amino acids. It also contains lots of antioxidants. It makes a great base for any soup recipe. 1 package (about 2 ounces) dried seaweed 2 cups water 1 container (about 6 ounces) organic tofu 2 tablespoons crushed fresh ginger root 2 tablespoons unpasteurized miso ½ cup chopped cilantro ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, fresh

Soak the seaweed in the water for 15 minutes. Then transfer the seaweed with its soaking water to a blender. Add the tofu, ginger, and miso, and process until smooth. Pour the soup into a pot. Stir in the cilantro and lemon juice. Gently heat the soup to your desired temperature; to preserve the probiotics, the temperature should never be so high that when you put your finger into the soup, it feels uncomfortably hot. Serve warm. This recipe should make about two bowls . . . yum!

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•Day 21: Raw Asparagus Soup This is a yummy alkalizing soup that supports the kidneys and their excretion of acid waste—it’s a great cleansing soup. 2 teaspoons ghee or coconut oil 2–3 pinches hing (asafetida) 12 medium stalks asparagus (or 17 thin stalks) 1 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional) 1 cup water 1 lemon, peel and seeds removed 2 teaspoons dried dill 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

Heat the ghee in a small pan. Add the hing, sauté for a few seconds, and then remove from the heat. Break off the tough ends of the asparagus and break the stalks into pieces for the blender (the stronger the blender motor, the bigger the pieces can be). If you

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have the inclination and time, save the tips and dice them for a garnish.

Combine the asparagus pieces with the hing blend in a food processor or blender. Add the parsley, water, lemon, and dill. Blend well. Then add the avocado and blend again until the soup is smooth and creamy. Add the salt, blend, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Warm slightly, or heat well in winter. Sprinkle any diced asparagus tips you may have reserved on top. You can also use some lemon slices for a fancy garnish.

•Asparagus Avocado Soup (Warm Version) 12–14 medium stalks asparagus 4 cups hot water 1 avocado, peeled, pittted, and roughly chopped Salt (I like Himalayan black salt) Freshly ground black pepper

Break off the tough ends of the asparagus. Place the stalks in a steamer over boiling water and steam until slightly tender. Combine the asparagus in a blender with the hot water. Add the avocado and blend. Season with salt to taste.

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TLC Recipes 401

Days 22–28: TLC-Friendly Foods Eat any of the TLC-friendly recipes above, or choose from Sahaj Kaur’s recipes below. Sahaj Kaur’s super-cleansing, nutritious, delicious, and refreshing TLC-friendly soups, salads, smoothies, and juices can be added to your cleanse protocol at any time. Sahaj Kaur is a yogi-chef. She integrates a healthy balance of cooked and raw foods in her recipes and loves to share her experience and wisdom with others. One of her teachers, Yogi Bhajan, was an expert in ayurveda and healing with plant-based foods. Her gratitude for his guidance is readily apparent in her profound and compassionate ability to share the knowledge he imparted to her. Sahaj Kaur would also like to acknowledge with gratitude Betsy Bragg, her son Tom Lindsley, and his two children, Jane and Ray, for teaching her “raw cuisine.” For more information on Sahaj Kaur and her services, go to http://sahajkaur.com.

•Green Soup For this delicious raw soup, you’ll need a high-speed blender. 2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped

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2 cucumbers, roughly chopped

½ box (2–3 ounces) organic baby greens ¼ cup dulse

8 ounces vegetable broth, or 1 tablespoon white miso paste mixed in 8 ounces of water Sea salt to taste Pinch of black salt ¼ teaspoon ground coriander ¼ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Warm slightly, if you like, for serving.

•Millet with Avocado 4 cups water 1 teaspoon coconut oil ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric (continued on page 402)

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1 cup millet 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped Nama shoyu

Pour the water into a teapot and bring to boil. While you are doing that, heat the coconut oil over medium heat, add the turmeric, and and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the millet and stir to coat it with the mixture of oil and turmeric. Add the boiling water, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat, cover with a loose-fitting lid, and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can add a little water if the millet begins to stick. Once millet is finished, add nama shoyu and avocado.

•Celery Juice This juice is great for drinking alone or it can also be the base of raw green soups. 1 bunch celery

Juice the celery in a juicer.

•Yogi Bhajan’s Detox Juice

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8 ounces carrot juice

8 ounces celery juice

8 ounces cucumber juice

Combine the juices, mix well, and drink.

•Pineapple-Cilantro-Lime Smoothie 1/³ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped Juice of ½ lime (or to taste) Pinch of black salt ½ ripe pineapple, roughly chopped 6 dates, pitted ¼ jalapeño pepper (optional) ½ slice of raw turmeric or ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder 1 cup water

Combine the cilantro with the lime juice and salt and massage well (see page [x-ref]). Transfer the cilantro mixture a high-speed blender, add the remaining ingredients, and blend.

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TLC Recipes 403

Mango-Parsley-Lime Smoothie 1/³ bunch parsley, roughly chopped Juice of ½ lime (or to taste) Pinch of black salt 1 ripe mango, roughly chopped 6 dates, pitted ¼ jalapeño pepper (optional) 1 inch raw turmeric 1 cup water

Combine the parsley with the lime juice and salt and massage well (see page [x-ref]). Transfer the parsley mixture to a high-speed blender, add the remaining ingredients, and blend.

•Steamed Asparagus and Bok Choy with Tahini-Tarragon Sauce

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

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6 stalks baby bok choy

Tahini-Tarragon Sauce

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon 1 tablespoon raw tahini 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root ¼ teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon lemon juice 3 drops liquid stevia sweetener

Combine all the ingredients for the tarragon sauce in a high-speed blender, and blend until smooth. Steam the asparagus and bok choy until tender, about 10 minutes. Place the hot vegetables on a platter, and pour the tahini-tarragon sauce over them.

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•Asparagus with Basil Pesto 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 12 stalks of asparagus, chopped into bite-size pieces ¼ cup water

Basil Pesto 1 cup fresh basil leaves ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup soaked or sprouted pumpkin seeds 1 clove garlic or a pinch of hing (optional) 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the pesto, combine the basil, ¼ cup olive oil, pumpkin seeds, garlic, and lemon juice in a high-speed blender, and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large pan. Add the asparagus and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the water, cover, and let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the aspara-

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gus is tender-crisp. Transfer the asparagus to a bowl and spoon the pesto over it.

How to Massage Greens Massaging greens like kale, parsley, and cilantro is a raw way of “cooking” them, unlocking their nutrients and making them available to you! If you’re working with sturdier or larger greens like kale, strip the leaves from the stems, stack the leaves, and cut them into thin ribbons. Combine the greens in a large bowl with lemon or lime juice and salt (usually Himalayan pink salt or Celtic gray salt), and massage with your hands until the leaves turn dark green. They should look “cooked.”

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Conclusion IN A WAY, I CO-CREATED the Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse for my first son,

Joshua. I wanted to take part in creating a better world for him. I wanted to do my best to set an example, with love and not force. I wanted this information to be at his fingertips, in his conscious awareness, and part of his day-to-day reality. I wanted this awareness to be normal for him, even in a world that saw differently. As I write this final chapter, the timing could not be more perfect. The Total Life Cleanse was created shortly after Josh’s birth in 1996. Josh will be going to his first year of college next weekend. This very day, he finished a pre-college cleanse that we did together, along with a best friend. I know that the essence of the principles outlined in this book are a part of him. I trust that he will take them with him into the future, integrate them into his life, and contribute to making this world a better place. Once, when Joshua was very young, I told him, “One day, I’m going to write a book.” He was curious and excited. I went on to tell him, simply, in the best way I could, a little bit about the TLC book idea. His beautiful face and deep blue eyes beamed at me with such sweet pride. As my heart blasted open, I knew that one day this book would be birthed. Co-creating the Total Life Cleanse with my partner, Dr. Kevin Gregg (whose daughter was best friends with Josh), has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my practice. It allowed us the freedom to learn, create, express, teach, improve results, help others, and fulfill our dharma—for ourselves and for the planet. The opportunity to educate, guide, and inspire many people over the years has taught me a great deal about myself and my students, as well the inherent strong will and goodness of humanity. There were many times when students would express doubt about their ability to follow the cleanse or make important health-related changes. In the early days, I would become doubtful and concerned for those students. Some were eating gobs of candy

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and cookies, gulping soda, drinking four to eight cups of coffee a day, and eating meat and cheese from fast food restaurants. I questioned their will as well as their ability to handle the potential physical and mental detox effects. Kevin and I believed that if students just showed up to class, or at least listened to the recordings in a timely way, they would learn, grow, and benefit from the cleanse. This turned out to be true. We discovered, again and again, that if given a chance, people are stronger, more capable, and more intelligent than they are often given credit for. With success after success, we realized that the Total Life Cleanse impacted people’s lives in ways far beyond our initial expectations. Quantum shifts in awareness, as well as dietary and lifestyle practices, continued to occur. We found that most people want to heal, want to change for the better, and want to connect more deeply to themselves, even if they are not aware of it. The cleanse created a safe new paradigm and support system for that change to occur. People who went through the cleanse often came back to tell us that TLC was one of the most foundational and transformational events of their lives. From the beginning, our intention was to use the best of modern nutritional science within the context of ancient wisdom principles. In this way, TLC was never just about cleansing organs and eliminating toxins. It was, and still is, about improving the quality of our lives and connecting more deeply to ourselves and to the life energy that moves in all things. For these reasons, it has always been an honor and blessing to support others through the cleanse process and beyond. I feel fortunate to be able to fulfill my dharma in this way. I hope that this book will inspire many people to continue to transform the way they eat, live, think, and love. Planet Earth is in precarious times. World violence, toxins in food, and serious environmental concerns are at an all-time high. Our political and medical systems are a mess. However, more than ever, many people are reevaluating outmoded ways of eating, thinking, creating, relating, and living. There is a collective evolution of consciousness occurring all over the planet. People are finally realizing that the food we eat—how we plant it, nourish it, protect it, grow it, harvest it, and eat it—has far-reaching effects. I firmly believe that our current individual and global food choices will have a far greater impact on the direction and health of this planet and its inhabitants than any other decisions we make. My hope is that this book and the principles it inspires can play a small but important role in this imperative and inevitable evolution. Ancient sages foresaw that the conditions of this age would be most challenging. Yet many high souls from all traditions are presently walking on this Earth. A common

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thread uniting them all is the principle of ahimsa—that is, compassion or nonviolence. Ahimsa is not a weakness. It requires courage, fearlessness, and strength. Now, perhaps more so than ever, our every action speaks volumes. Our world needs healing, our countries need healing, our land needs healing, the air and water need healing, the animals need healing, our families need healing—we need healing. Each time we choose ahimsa in the way we eat, communicate, work, serve, and love, health, healing, peace, kindness, forgiveness, love, and affection will ripple out to all levels of existence. The Healing Essence Total Life Cleanse is not just a brand of detox program. It is a process of cleansing those things that obstruct the expression of our very essence. Please take all the principles—especially the ones that inspire you the most—and fulfill the deepest potential of your sacred human life. In closing, we end with these ancient yet pertinent words from the sacred Mahabharata from India: अि हंसा परमो धरम् ः

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Ahimsa is the highest dharma.

अहि सं ा परमॊ धरम् स तथाहि सं ा परॊ दमः। अहि सं ा परमं दानम अहि सं ा परमस तपः। अहि सं ा परमॊ यज्ञस तथाहि स्म ा परं बलम। अहि सं ा परमं मि त्रम अहि सं ा परमं स खु म। अहि सं ा परमं सत्यम अहि सं ा परमं शर तु म॥

Ahimsa is the highest dharma. Likewise, ahimsa is the highest selfcontrol. Ahimsa is the best of gifts. Ahimsa is the highest discipline. Ahimsa is the highest sacrifice. Likewise, ahimsa is the greatest strength. Ahimsa is the best of friends. Ahimsa is the greatest happiness. Ahimsa is the highest truth. Ahimsa is the best of teachings.1

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Useful Resources for the Total Life Cleanse YOU CAN FIND LIVE and online programs and information about the Total Life

Cleanse at at www.totallifecleanse.com as well as through Healing Essence Center, www.healingessencecenter.com. The author’s websites also provide many of the food, herbal, and health products recommended throughout the book including Herbal Facefood (a pure, potent skin care product) and molecular hydrogen at www.healingessencecenter.com/store and Amethyst BioMats and water ionizers and filtration systems at www.jonathanglass.thebiomatcompany.com.

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Whole Food Nutrition and Chinese and Ayurvedic Herb Resources

Mega Food, www.megafood.com Innate Response, www.innateresponse.com Banyan Botanicals, www.banyanbotanicals.com Ayush Herbs, www.ayushherbs.com Feed Yourself Better, www.feedyourselfbetter.com (great for raw unpasteurized almonds) Evergreen Herbs, www.evherbs.com Mind-Body-Spirit Practices

Pure Bhakti, www.purebhakti.com (bhakti yoga) Self-Realization Fellowship, www.yogananda-srf.org (meditation) Music of Yoga, www.musicofyoga.com (kirtan music by Sudevi Dasi and Kishori Mohan) Soul Culture Yoga School, www.jaishreeyoga.com/scys/ (yoga teacher training) 408

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Cutting Edge Nutritional and Health Information

Mercola, www.mercola.com Nutrition Facts, www.nutritionfacts.org The Food Revolution Network, www.foodrevolution.org Vaccines Revealed, www.vaccinesrevealed.com Resources for Health Tools and Supplements

PM-International, www.pm-international.com/us/shop/ (nitric oxide nutritional support— TriNOgen—and other high quality nutritional support) Restore, www.restore4life.com (intestinal healing) Aulterra EMR Protection Pack, www.aulterra.com (wireless and cell phone protection) 23andMe, www.23andme.com (DNA testing) SmartDNA, www.smartdna.com.au (DNA testing) Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes

The Hare Krsnas, www.harekrsna.com/practice/prasadam/recipes/recipes.htm Debra’s Natural Gourmet, www.debrasnaturalgourmet.com/category/videos/ PETA, www.peta.org/recipes/

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Resources on Environmental Toxins and Issues

Environmental Working Group, www.ewg.org Eartheasy: Solutions for Sustainable Living, www.eartheasy.com (non-toxic easy to make cleaning products) Profound Guides: Astrologers, Palm Readers, Psychic Mediums, and Intuitives

Michael Geary, Vedic Astrologer, www.michaelgeary.co.uk Vernon Mahabal, Master Palmist, www.palmistryinstitute.com Jade Sol Luna, Master Eastern Astrologer, www.asterianastrology.com Katherine Glass, Master Psychic-Medium, www.katherineglass.com Radha Sundari Dasi, Vedic Brighu Oracle Reader, contact the author for more info at [email protected] Leaders in the Vegetarian, Vegan, and Plant-Based Food Movement Search their names online to find information, books, videos, and programs offered by them.

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410 Useful Resources for the Total Life Cleanse

Dr. T. Colin Campbell Dr. John McDougall Dr. Joel Fuhrman Dr. Dean Ornish Dr. Robert Young Dr. Pam Popper Dr. Bruce Canvasser Anthony William (medical medium)

Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn Dr. John Barnard Dr. Michael Greger Dr. Michael Klaper Dr. Gabriel Cousens Dr. Will Tuttle Dr. David Frawley

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Notes 2. OUR MODERN CONDITION 1. Honor Whiteman, “One in Two People Will Develop Cancer in Their Lifetime,” Medial News Today, February 4, 2015, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288916.php. 2. Elaine Shannon, “Breast Cancer Fund Study Finds Strong Cancer-Chemical Link,” Environmental Working Group, February 9, 2009, www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2009/02/breastcancer-fund-study-finds-strong-cancer-chemical-link#.WZtzb3eGP-Y. 3. “Agriculture and Development: Human Health,” Green Facts, www.greenfacts.org/en/ agriculture-iaastd/l-2/5-health-and-agriculture.htm. 4. Joseph Mercola, “Worms Produce Another Kind of Gold for Farmers,” Mercola, January 17, 2013, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/17/vermicompost-improves -plant-growth.aspx. 5. Joseph Mercola, “New Analysis Concludes Organic Food Really Is Healthier, Mercola, July 29, 1014, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/07/29/organic-food-healthier .aspx. 6. The Farming Systems Trial (Kutztown, Penn.: Rodale Institute, 2011), http://rodaleinstitute .org/assets/FSTbooklet.pdf. 7. “Toxic Chemicals,” National Resources Defense Council, http://www.nrdc.org/health/toxics .asp. 8. Bryan Walsh, “The Perils of Plastic,” Time magazine, April 1, 2010. 9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, 2009 (CDC, 2009). 10. Deborah Burnes, “Putting It on Your Skin Does Let It In: What’s in Skin Care and How It Affects Your Health,” Huffington Post, June 21, 2012, www.huffingtonpost.com/deborahburnes/skin-care_b_1540929.html. 11. Deborah Burnes, “Putting It on Your Skin Does Let It In: What’s in Skin Care and How It Affects Your Health,” Huffington Post, June 21, 2012, www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah -burnes/skin-care_b_1540929.html.

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12. Curt DellaValle, “Rethinking Carcinogens,” Environmental Working Group, July 16, 2015, www.ewg.org/research/rethinking-carcinogens. 13. Z. Y. Zhao, L. Liang, X. Fan, et al., “The Role of Modified Citrus Pectin as an Effective Chelator of Lead in Children Hospitalized with Toxic Lead Levels,” Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine14, no. 4 ( July 2008): 34–38. 14. Joseph Mercola, “Death from Prescription Drugs: The New Epidemic Sweeping Across America,” Mercola, October 26, 2011, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive /2011/10/26/prescription-drugs-number-one-cause-preventable-death-in-us.aspx. 15. “Cardiovascular Disease,” Dr. Fuhrman, www.drfuhrman.com/disease/HeartDisease.aspx.

3. TOXINS 1. T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell, introduction to The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health (Dallas: BenBella, 2005). 2. Warburg quoted in R. A. Brand, “Biographical Sketch: Otto Heinrich Warburg, PhD, MD,” Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research 468, no. 11 (2010): 2831–32. 3. Peter Tatchell, “The Oxygen Crisis,” TheGuardian, August 13, 2008, www.theguardian. com/commentisfree/2008/aug/13/carbonemissions.climatechange; Mark Fischetti, “The Great Chemical Unknown: A Graphical View of Limited Lab Testing,” Scientific American, November 1, 2010, www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-great-chemical-unknown/; Environmental Working Group, Executive Summary, August 2003, ewg.org; Kim Risley, “Who Was Dr. Otto Warburg,” The Natural Road, March 29, 2011, www.thenaturalroad. com/2011/03/who-was-dr-otto-warburg/. 4. Christopher Matthews, “Livestock a Major Threat to Environment,” FAO Newsroom, November 29, 2006, www.fao.org/Newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html. 5. Cristina M. Vilaneuva, Kenneth P. Cantor, Joan O. Grimalt, et al., “Bladder Cancer and Exposure to Water Disinfection By-Products through Ingestion, Bathing, Showering, and Swimming in Pools,” American Journal of Epidemiology 165, no. 2 (2007): 148–56, http:// aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/165/2/148.abstract. 6. Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, “Study Reveals How Ionising Radiation Damages DNA and Causes Cancer,” (e) Science News, September 13, 2016, https://esciencenews.com/ articles/2016/09/13/study.reveals.how.ionising.radiation.damages.dna.and.causes.cancer. 7. Catharine Paddock, “Drugs in US Drinking Water,” MedicalNewsToday, March 10, 2008, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/100038.php. 8. Laura Beans, “Silent Killers: The Danger of Plastic Bags to Marine Life,” Eco Watch, August 6, 2013, www.ecowatch.com/silent-killers-the-danger-of-plastic-bags-to-marinelife-1881783599.html. 9. Jonathan Benson, “Study: Pesticides, Toxins Can Absorb Directly into Crops through Soil,” Natural News, April 4, 2011, www.naturalnews.com/031949_pesticides_toxins.html.

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10. Suzie hall and Sam Lipman, “Polluted Orca: How Chemicals Are Killing the World’s Killer Whales and What Can Be Done,” Orca Aware, August 19, 2016, http://bdmlr-orcaaware. blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/polluted-orca-how-chemicals-are-killing.html. 11. University of Minnesota Academic Health Center, “Fast Food Intake Increases Risk of Diabetes and Heart Disease in Singapore,” Science Daily, July 2, 2012, www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2012/07/120702210214.htm. 12. James F. Tracy, “Looming Health Crisis: Wireless Technology and the Toxification of America,” GlobalResearch, July 8, 2012, www.globalresearch.ca/looming-health-crisis-wirelesstechnology-and-the-toxification-of-america/31816. 13. Joseph Mercola, “Is Your Electric Blanket Safe?” Mercola, February 24, 2009, http://articles. mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/02/24/is-your-electric-blanket-safe.aspx. 14. Jean Gallick, “Are Smart Meters Really Dangerous?” Earthcalm, March 28, 2013, www .Earthcalm.com/are-smart-meters-really-dangerous. 15. “Five Things to Know about Triclosan,” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, September 2, 2016, www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm205999.htm. 16. Vanessa Cunningham, “Ten Toxic Beauty Ingredients to Avoid,” Huffington Post, November 12, 2013, www.huffingtonpost.com/vanessa-cunningham/dangerous-beauty-products_b_4168587. html; Paul Fassa, “The Cancer-Causing Sunscreen Protection Racket,” Natural News, June 22, 2014, www.naturalnews.com/045676_sunscreen_cancer_vitamin_D.html. 17. “Teflon and Perfluorooctanoic Acid,” American Cancer Society, January 5, 2016, www.cancer. org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/teflon-and-perfluorooctanoic-acid--pfoa. 18. Aly Cohen, “Ten Toxic Household Items You Should Throw Away Now,” Everyday Health, August 5, 2014, www.everydayhealth.com/columns/health-answers/toxic-household-itemsshould-throw-away-now.

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4. BODY BASICS AND THE ESSENTIALS OF THE BEST DIETS 1. “Number of Cells in the Human Body,” Inofomory.com, March 4, 2010, www.numberof.net /number-of-cells-in-the-human-body-2/. 2. “Life Span of Different Cells of Human Body,” World of Biology, www.worldofbiology. com/2016/01/life-span-of-different-cells-of-human.html. 3. “Clinical Studies and Optimal Breathing,” Optimal Breathing Mastery, www.breathing.com /articles/clinical-studies.htm#Mounting Evidence. 4. Mark Sircus, “Dr. von Ardenne on Cancer, Inflammation, and Oxygen,” Dr. Sircus, February 26, 2014, http://drsircus.com/medicine/dr-von-ardenne-on-cancer-inflammation-and-oxygen. 5. “Sialy Protein Intake Per Capita,” ChartsBin, http://chartsbin.com/view/1155. 6. Reed Mangels, “Protein in the Vegan Diet,” Vegetarian Resource Group, From Simply Vegan, https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.php. 7. Caroline Thompson, “List of Functions of Magnesium,” LiveStrong.com, July 16, 2011, www .livestrong.com/article/494159-list-of-functions-of-magnesium/.

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8. “NIH Human Microbiome Project Defines Normal Bacterial Makeup of the Body,” National Institutes of Health, June 13, 2012, http://nih.gov/news/health/jun2012/nhgri-13.htm. 9. “RESTORE’s Protection of Tight Junctions from Gluten,” New Earth Dynamics, April 2014, https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0354/2789/files/White_Paper_Gluten2.pdf ?1451. 10. Tari Haahtela, Stephen Holgate, Ruby Pawankar, et.al., “The Biodiversity Hypothesis and Allergic Disease: World Allergy Organization Position Statement,” World Allergy Organization Journal 6, no. 1 (2013): 3, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3646540;16; Anthony Samsel and Stephanie Seneff, “Glyphosate’s Suppression of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Amino Acid Biosynthesis by the Gut Microbiome: Pathways to Modern Diseases,” Entropy, 15 (2013) 1416–63, https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0354/2789/files/Glyphosate_damage_ to_the_system.pdf. 11. “Modern Medicine May Not Be Doing Your Microbiome Any Favors,” Fresh Air, National Public Radio, www.npr.org/2014/04/14/302899093/modern-medicine-may-not-be-doingyour-microbiome-any-favors; Sandro Drago, Ramzi El Asmar, Mariarosaria Di Pierro, et al., “Gliadin, Zonulin, and Gut Permeability: Effects on Celiac and Non-Celiac Intestinal Mucosa and Intestinal Cell Lines,” Scandinavian Journal of Gasttroenterology 41 (2006): 408–19, https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0354/2789/files/Gliadin_zonulin_and_gut_ permeability-_Effects_on_celiac_and_non-celiac_intestinal_mucosa_and_intestinal_cell_ lines_Scandinavian_Journal_of_Gastroenterology_April_2006.pdf ?1448. 12. Al Bush, “The Metal Theory of Alzheimer’s Disease,” Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 33, no. 1 (2013): S277–81. 13. Michael Greger, “Cancer, Interrupted: Garlic and Flavonoids,” NutritionFacts.org, January 28, 2013, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/cancer-interrupted-garlic-flavonoids/.

For Review Only 5. THEORIES OF HEALTH AND DISEASE

1. “Louis Pasteur vs. Antoine Béchamp and the Germ Theory of Disease Causation—1,” LaLeva. org, May 14, 2004, www.laleva.org/eng/2004/05/louis_pasteur_vs_antoine_bchamp_and_ the_germ_theory_of_disease_causation_1.html. 2. “Louis Pasteur vs. Antoine Béchamp and the Germ Theory of Disease Causation—1,” LaLeva. org, May 14, 2004, www.laleva.org/eng/2004/05/louis_pasteur_vs_antoine_bchamp_and_ the_germ_theory_of_disease_causation_1.html. 3. “Louis Pasteur vs. Antoine Béchamp and the Germ Theory of Disease Causation—1,” LaLeva. org, May 14, 2004, www.laleva.org/eng/2004/05/louis_pasteur_vs_antoine_bchamp_and_ the_germ_theory_of_disease_causation_1.html. 4. Helena Tlaskalová-Hogenová, Renata Štěpánková, Hana Kozáková, et al., “The Role of Gut Microbiota (Commensal Bacteria) and the Mucosal Barrier in the Pathogenesis of Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases and Cancer: Contribution of Germ-Free and Gnotobiotic Animal Models of Human Diseases,” Cellular and Molecular Immunology 8 (2011): 110–20, www. nature.com/cmi/journal/v8/n2/full/cmi201067a.html.

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6. THE UNIVERSAL BENEFITS OF A PLANT-BASED DIET 1. Gabriel Cousens, Conscious Eating, 2nd ed. (Berkeley, Calif.: North Atlantic, 2000), 315. 2. “Proof in the Pink? Meat Treated to Give It Fresh Look,” ABC News, November 14, 2007, http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Consumer/story?id=3863064. 3. Virginia Livingston-Wheeler with Edmond G. Addeo, The Conquest of Cancer: Vaccines and Diet (San Diego, Calif.: Livingston Foundation Medical Center, 1984). 4. Neil Wagner, “Fight Antibiotic Resistance—Organically,” The Doctor Will See You Now, September 14, 2011, www.thedoctorwillseeyounow.com/content/infections/art3435.html. 5. Steve Boyan, “How Our Food Choices Can Help Save the Environment,” EarthSave, www. Earthsave.org/environment/foodchoices.htm. 6. Douglas N. Graham, The 80/10/10 Diet: Balancing Your Health, Your Weight, and Your Life One Luscious Bite at a Time (Key Largo, Fla.: Foodnsport, 2006). 7. Michael F. Jacobson, “Six Arguments for a Greener Diet: How a More Plant-Based Diet Could Save Your Health and the Environment. Chapter 4: More and Cleaner Water” (Washington, D.C.: Center for Science in the Public Interest, 2006). 8. Timothy F. Flanders, Bevin Cohen, Thomas E. Wittum, and Elaine L. Larson, “A Review of Antibiotic Use in Food Animals: Perspective, Policy, and Potential,” Public Health Reports 127, no. 1 ( Jan–Feb 2012): 4–22, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3234384/. 9. “Agricultural Waste Management Field Handbook,” USDA: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Part 651, https://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/viewerFS.aspx?hid=21430. 10. “Risk Assessment Evaluation for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations.” Environmental Protection Agency, 2004. 11. Boris Worm, Edward B. Barbier, Nicola Beaumont, et al. “Impacts of Biodiversity Loss on Ocean Ecosystem Services,” Science 314 (November 3, 2006) www.ioos.noaa.gov/wp-content /uploads/2015/10/worm-et-al.pdf. 12. “Discard and Bycatch in Shrimp Trawl Fisheries” in FAO: Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, www.fao.org/docrep/W6602E/w6602E09.htm. 13. Marisa Bellantonio, Glenn Hurowitz, Anne Leifsdatter Grønlund, Anahita Yousefi, and Might Earth, “The Ultimate Mystery Meat: Exposing the Secrets behind Burger King and Global Meat Production,” Mighty Earth, www.mightyearth.org/mysterymeat/. 14. “Indonesia: Palm Oil Expansion Unaffected by Forest Moratorium,” USDA: Foreign Agriculture Service, June 2013, www.pecad.fas.usda.gov/highlights/2013/06/indonesia/; Rhett Butler, “Amazon Destruction,”. Mongabay.com, January 2017, https://rainforests. mongabay.com/amazon/amazon_destruction.html. 15. Gordon Eshel, Alon shepon, Tamar Makov, and Ron Milo, “Land , Irrigation, Water, Greenhouse Gas, and Reactive Nitrogen Burdens of Meat, Eggs, and Dairy Production in the United States,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111, no. 33 ( June 2014): 11996–12001, www.pnas.org/content/111/33/11996.full.

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16. “Solutions for Deforestation-Free Meat,” Union of Concerned Scientists, June 2012, www. ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/stop-deforestation/solutions-for-deforestation-freemeat.html#.VTsdbSFViko. 17. “Agriculture and Health Policies in Conflict: How Food Subsidies Tax Our Health,” Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, www.pcrm.org/health/reports/agriculture-and-healthpolicies-unhealthful-foods. 18. “USDA Livestock Slaughter 2012 Summary,” The Beef Site, April 23, 2013, www.thebeefsite. com/reports/?id=1929. 19. Chris Masterjohn, “The Truth about the China Study,” Cholesterol-and-Health.com, www. cholesterol-and-health.com/China-Study.html. 20. T. Colin Campbell, “Excerpts from ‘The China Study,’” Raw Living Foods Lifestyle, March 14, 2010, http://rawlivingfoods.typepad.com/1/2010/03/excerpts_from_t-1.html. 21. T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell. The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health (Dallas: BenBella, 2005). 22. Tara Chantal Silver, “Evidence Shows Activity and Plant-Based Diet Lowers Cancer Risk, Even Later in Life,” American Institute for Cancer Research, March 9, 2011, www.aicr.org/press/ press-releases/Evidence-Shows-Activity-and-Plant-Based-Diet-Lowers-Cancer-Risk-EvenLater-in-Life.html. 23. Michael Greger, “Animal Protein and the Cancer Promoter IGF-1,” NutritionFacts.org, February 14, 2013, http://nutritionfacts.org/2013/02/14/animal-protein-and-igf-1/.

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8. AYURVEDA, GOD, AND THE FIVE GOALS OF LIFE 1. The Home of Ayurveda, http://homeofAyurveda.org/tag/origin/. 2. Simon Haas, The Book of Dharma: Making Enlightened Choices (n.p.: Veda Wisdom, 2013). 3. Alvin Powell, “Children Need Touching and Attention, Harvard Researchers Say,” HarvardGazette, April 9, 1998, http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/1998/04.09/ChildrenNeed Tou.html. 4. “Philosophy and Religion Should Be Combined,” Krishna.com, www.krishna. com/%E2%80%9Cphilosophy-and-religion-should-be-combined%E2%80%9D. 5. “Lord Caitanya’s Tattva: Acintya-bhedabheda-tattva,” Hare Krsnas, www.harekrsna.com/ philosophy/bmgs/caitanya/tattva.htm. 6. Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura, “Life of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu” (1896), PureBhakti.com, www.purebhakti.com/mission/bhakti-is-love-mainmenu-75/799-life-of-sri -chaitanya-mahaprabhu.html.

14. THE CHINESE FIVE ELEMENTS 1. Kathleen Raven, “Study Suggests New Approach to Explain Cancer Growth: Low Oxygen Levels,” UGA Today, http://news.uga.edu/releases/article/study-suggests-new-approach-toexplain-cancer-growth-low-oxygen-levels/.

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2. “Clinical Studies and Optimal Breathing,” Optimal Breathing Mastery, www.breathing.com/ articles/clinical-studies.htm. 3. “Leading Causes of Death,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/nchs/ fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm. 4. “Learn about Dr. Esselstyn, the Hearth Health Innovator,” Vegan Nutritionista, www.vegannutritionista.com/esselstyn.html. 5. Julie Corliss, “Eating Too Much Added Sugar Increases the Risk of Dying with Heart Disease,” Harvard Health Publications, www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-too-much-added-sugarincreases-the-risk-of-dying-with-heart-disease-201402067021. 6. “Excess Sugar Linked to Cancer,” ScienceDaily, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02 /130201100149.htm. 7. J. E. Nestler, M. A. McClanahan, J. N. Clore, and W. G. Blackard, “Insulin Inhibits Adrenal 17,20-lyase Activity in Men,” Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 74, no. 2 (February 1992): 362–67, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1730815; “Xenoestrogen and Decreased Fertility in Men and Women,” Natural Health for Fertility and Pregnancy, www. natural-health-for-fertility.com/xenoestrogen.html.

15. THE THREE QUALITIES OF THE SOUL AND OF NATURE

For Review Only

1. “The Meaning of the Word Guru,” Kheper, www.kheper.net/topics/gurus/etymology .html. 2. Edward Bach, Heal Thyself: An Explanation of the Real Cause and Cure of Disease (Oxon, U.K.: Bach Centre, 2009) www.bachcentre.com/centre/download/heal_thy.pdf, 7 and 11.

16. DOSHAS AND GENES 1. “All About the Human Genome Project,” National Human Genome Research Institute, www. genome.gov/10001772/all-about-the--human-genome-project-hgp/. 2. “Help Me Understand Genetics,” Genetics Home Reference, http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/ handbook. 3. Pamela McDonald, The Perfect Gene Diet: Use Your Body’s Own Apo E Gene and an IntegrativeMedicine Approach to Treat High Cholesterol, Weight Problems, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s . . . and More! (Carlsbad, Calif.: Hay House, 2010), 10. 4. Pamela McDonald, The Perfect Gene Diet: Use Your Body’s Own Apo E Gene and an Integrative-Medicine Approach to Treat High Cholesterol, Weight Problems, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s . . . and More! (Carlsbad, Calif.: Hay House, 2010); Personal correspondence with Margie Smith. 5. Bruce H. Lipton, The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter and Miracles (Carlsbad, Calif.: Hay House, 2008).

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418 Notes

17. KARMA, REINCARNATION, AND THE KARMA CLEANSE 1. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, “The Commentaires on Bhagavad-gita,” http://bhaktivinoda. com/the-commentaries-on-bhagavad-gita/. 2. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, “The Difference between Offensiveness and Weakness of Heart,” PureBhkati.com, www.purebhakti.com/resources/harmonistmonthly/90-year-6/1397-the-difference-between-offensiveness-and-weakness-of-heart.html. 3. “Spiritual World,” Krishna.com, www.krishna.com/topic-term/vaikuntha-see-also-spiritualworld. 4. Ian Stevenson, European Cases of Reincarnation Type ( Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2003).

20. TOTAL LIFE DETOX 1. “The Effects of TV on Your Brain,” Applied Neuro Technologies, November 20, 2012, http:// appliedneurotec.com/neuroscience/effects-of-tv-on-your-brain/. 2. “What Are REM and Non-REM Sleep?” WebMD, www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/ sleep-101.

21. SADHANA

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1. C. Cotman, N. Berchtold, and L. Christie, “Exercise Builds Brain Health: Key Roles of Growth Factor Cascades and Inflammation,” Trends in Neuroscience 9 (2007): 464–72. 2. Noah St. John, “Afformations: A New Twist on Positive Affirmations,” Noah St. John.com, http://noahstjohn.com/afformations-and-positive-affirmations/. 3. “Kali Yuga,” Krishna.com, www.krishna.com/info/kali-yuga. 4. “Melody Modulates Choir Members’ Heart Rate,” Science News, http://mail.esciencenews. com/articles/2013/07/08/melody.modulates.choir.members.heart.rate. 5. Mary Kurus, “The Five Tibetan Rites: Exercises for Mealing, Rejuvenation, and Longevity,” www.mkprojects.com/pf_TibetanRites.htm. 6. “Energization Techniques,” Paramahansa Yogananda, www.yogananda.com.au/pyr/pyr_ ee.html. 7. Joseph Mercola, “This Interval Training Infographic Helps You Pick the Right Workout,” Mercola, June 21, 2013, http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/06/21/ interval-training.aspx. 8. Datis Kharrazian, Mastering Brain Chemistry, seminar manual for licensed practitioners, April 2015. 9. “NASA Rebounding Report,” ReboundAir, https://rebound-air.com/nasa_rebounder_mini_ trampoline_report/.

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24. DETAILS ON THE TOP FOURTEEN “OFF THE CLEANSE” FOODS 1. Adam Cloe, “Can Coffee Deplete Magnesium?” LiveStrong.com, www.livestrong.com/ article/447467-can-coffee-deplete-magnesium. 2. “Caffeine and Neurotransmitters,” World of Caffeine, http://worldofcaffeine.com/caffeineand-neurotransmitters/. 3. Srimad Bhagavatam 3.5.7, Bhaktivedanta VedaBase, https://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/3/5/7. 4. T. Colin Campbell, as quoted in Kathy Freston, “A Cure for Cancer? Eating a Plant-Based Diet,” The Blog on Huffington Post, November 24, 2009, updated November 17, 2011, http:// www.huffingtonpost.com/kathy-freston/a-cure-for-cancer-eating_b_298282.html. 5. J. M. Chan and E. L. Giovannucci, “Dairy Products, Calcium, and Vitamin D and Risk of Prostate Cancer,” Epidemiologic Reviews 23, no. 1 (2001): 87–92. 6. “Addiction to Cheese Is Real Thanks to Casomorphins,” YumUniverse, http://yumuniverse. com/addiction-to-cheese-is-real-thanks-to-casomorphins/. 7. Keith Woodward, Devil in the Milk: Illness, Health, and the Politics of A1 and A2 Milk (White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green, 2009). 8. Keith Woodward, Devil in the Milk: Illness, Health, and the Politics of A1 and A2 Milk (White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green, 2009). 9. Lindsey Gremont, “5 Ways Ghee Is More Awesome than Coconut Oil,” Homemade Mommy, www.homemademommy.net/2013/10/5-ways-ghee-is-more-awesome-than-coconut-oil. html. 10. Vanessa Romero, “9 Health Benefits of Ghee,” Healthy Living How To, http://healthyliving howto.com/1/post/2015/02/9-health-benefits-of-ghee.html. 11. Vanessa Romero, “9 Health Benefits of Ghee,” Healthy Living How To, http://healthyliving howto.com/1/post/2015/02/9-health-benefits-of-ghee.html. 12. Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, “The Great Con-ola,” Weston A. Price Foundation, July 28, 2002, www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/the-great-con-ola/. 13. Renata Micha, Sarah K. Wallace, and Dariush Mozaffarian, “Red and Processed Meat Consumption and Risk of Incident Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes Mellitus,” Circulation 121 ( June 1, 2010): 2271–83, http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/121/21/2271. full. 14. “Recommendations for Cancer Prevention,” American Institute for Cancer Research, www.aicr.org/reduce-your-cancer-risk/recommendations-for-cancer-prevention/ recommendations_05_red_meat.html?referrer=. 15. V. Bouvard, D. Loomis, K. Z. Guyton, et al., “Carcinogenicity of Consumption of Red and Processed Meat,” Lancet: Oncology 16, no. 16 (December 2015): 1599–600. 16. Steven Reinberg, “Red Meat Linked to Increased Diabetes Risk,” WebMD, www.webmd.com/ diabetes/news/20130617/red-meat-linked-to-increased-diabetes-risk. 17. An Pan, Qi Sun, Adam M. Bernstein, et al., “Red Meat Consumption and Mortality: Results

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from Two Prospective Cohort Studies,” Archives of Internal Medicine 172, no. 7 (2012): 555–63, http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1134845. 18. Erin L. Richman, Meir J. Stampfer, Alan Paciorek. “Intakes of Meat, Fish, Poultry, and Eggs and Risk of Prostate Cancer Progression,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 91, no. 3 (2010): 712–21. 19. Just Label It, www.justlabelit.org/. 20. “How Much of Our Food Is Genetically Modifies,” GMOanswers.com, August 14, 2015, https://gmoanswers.com/ask/how-much-our-food-us-genetically-modified-1. 21. “Genetically Modified Foods,” American Academy of Environmental Medicine, https://www. aaemonline.org/gmo.php. 22. “Monsanto’s Roundup Triggers over Forty Plant Diseases and Endangers Human and Animal Health,” National Health Federation, January 20, 2011, https://www.thenhf.com/hfnmagazine/health-freedom-articles/2011-articles/21monsanto-s-roundup-triggers-over-40plant-diseases-and-endangers-human-and-animal-health. 23. Flávia Bittencourt Brasil, LavíNia Leal Soares, Tatiane Silva Faria, Gilson Telles Boaventura, Francisco José Barcellos Sampaio, and Cristiane Fonte Ramon, “The Impact of Dietary Organic and Transgenic Soy on the Reproductive System of Female Adult Rat,” The Anotomical Record, March 19, 2009, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.20878/full. 24. A.Wilcks, B. M. Hansen, N. B. Hendriksen, and T. R. Licht, “Persistence of Bacillus thuringiensis Bioinsecticides in the Gut of Human-Flora-Associated Rats,” FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology 48, no. 3 (December 2006): 410–18. 25. Mark Hyman, “Gluten: What You Don’t Know Might Kill You,” DrHyman.com, http:// drhyman.com/blog/2011/03/17/gluten-what-you-dont-know-might-kill-you/. 26. William Davis, “Mind Games, Man Boobs, and Muffin Tops,” Wheat Belly blog, www. wheatbellyblog.com/2012/06/mind-games-man-boobs-and-muffin-tops/. 27. V. Leduk, D. A. Momeret-Vautrin, L. Guerin, M. Morisset, and G. Kanny, “Anaphylaxis to Wheat Isolates: Immunochemical Study of a Case Proved by Means of Double Blind, PaceboControlled Food Challenge,” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 111, no. 4 (April 2003): 897–99. 28. M. Hadjivassiliou, M. Maki, D. S. Sanders, et al., “Autoantibody Targeting of Brain and Intestinal Transglutaminase in Gluten Ataxia,” Neurology 66, no. 3 (February 2006): 373–77, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16476935. 29. M. Hadjivassiliou, “Immune-Mediated Acquired Ataxis,” Handbook of Clinical Neurology 103 (2012): 189–99. 30. David Jockers, “How Gluten Can Affect Your Brain, Gut, and Skin,” Epoch Times, www. theepochtimes.com/n3/784228-how-gluten-can-affect-your-brain-gut-and-skin/. 31. Stephen Sinatra, “The Health Benefits of Resveratrol,” Dr. Sinatra, www.drsinatra.com/thehealth-benefits-of-resveratrol.

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32. “Alcohol Alert,” National Institute on Alchol Abuse and Alcoholism, http://pubs.niaaa.nih. gov/publications/aa21.htm. 33. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, “Why Drinking Alcohol Is Linked to Breast Cancer,” ScienceDaily, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423162245. htm. 34. “Sugar and Immunity,” Ask Dr. Stoll, http://askwaltstollmd.com/articles/sugarimm.php. 35. Robert H. Lustig, “What You Need to Know about Sugar,” Time magazine, December 27, 2012, http://ideas.time.com/2012/12/27/what-you-need-to-know-about-sugar/. 36. Duke University Medical Center, “High Fructose Corn Syrup Linked to Liver Scarring, Research Suggests,” ScienceDaily, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100322204628. htm. 37. Julie Wahlers, “High Fructose Corn Syrup, Fructose, Corn Syrup—Poison by Any Other Name,” Natural News, www.naturalnews.com/048354_high_fructose_corn_syrup_ aspartame_leaky_gut.html. 38. “Endocrine Disruptors,” National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, May 2010, www.niehs.nih.gov/health/materials/endocrine_disruptors_508.pdf. 39. Cindy Jones-Shoeman, “Avoid Overexposure to Aluminum,” Natural News, www.naturalnews. com/029903_aluminum_toxicity.html; Joseph Mercola, “BPA Is Fine If You Ignore Most Studies for It,” Mercola, March 25, 2015, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/ archive/2015/03/25/health-risks-bpa.aspx. 40. Josh Axe, “The Dangers of Farmed Fish,” Dr. Axe, http://draxe.com/the-dangers-of-farmedfish/. 41. “Pesticides,” Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/human.htm. 42. “Public Health Statement for DDT, DDE, and DDD,” Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, September 2002 (updated January 21, 2015), www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs. asp?id=79&tid=20. 43. “Certified Organic Label Guide,” Organic.org, www.organic.org/articles/showarticle/ article-201. 44. “Nightshade Vegetables: Is the Tomato Toxic?” Raw Food Health, www.raw-food-health.net/ Nightshade-Vegetables.html. 45. Robert Thiel, “Food Antioxidants Are Superior to Isolated Antioxidants,” Doctors’ Research, www.doctorsresearch.com/articles1.html.

For Review Only

CONCLUSION 1. “The Mahabharata in Sanskrit, Book 13, Chapter 117,” as translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883–1896), Internet Sacred Text Archive, www.sacred-texts.com/hin/mbs/mbs13117.htm.

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422

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424 Index

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Index 425

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426 Index

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428 Index


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432 Index


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434 Index


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UNCORRECTED PAGE PROOFS Not For Resale

Total Life Cleanse A 28-Day Program to Detoxify and Nourish the Body, Mind, and Soul JONATHAN GLASS, M.Ac., C.A.T. A comprehensive guide to the integrated detox of body, mind, and spirit • Presents a practical 28-day plant-based program, divided into four cycles, to initiate and maximize physical, mental, and spiritual detoxification • Integrates the ancient wisdom of yoga, Ayurveda, and Traditional Chinese Medicine with naturopathic principles and contemporary nutritional science • Provides plant-based smoothie and meal recipes, tips on liver health and healthy elimination, exercise and yoga practices, breathing and meditation techniques to address toxic thought patterns, and Karma/Forgiveness cleansing rituals

For Review Only

Integrating the ancient wisdom of yoga, Ayurveda, and Traditional Chinese Medicine with naturopathic principles and contemporary nutritional science, Jonathan Glass, M.Ac., C.A.T., presents a practical 28-day program, divided into four cycles, designed to initiate and maximize detoxification of your body, mind, and spirit from the harmful effects of the modern lifestyle. Glass reveals the interconnectedness of what we consume, both mentally and nutritionally, emphasizing that cleansing of the body alone will offer only a temporary solution if we do not also apply the same cleansing principles to our thoughts and actions. He provides delicious plant-based smoothie and meal recipes, step-by-step instructions to resolve blockages and stagnation in the physical or emotional body, including tips on liver health and healthy elimination, guidance on how to cleanse the proliferation of toxic thought patterns in the mind, as well as outlining a supportive Karma/Forgiveness cleanse ritual to detoxify the spirit. He explains how the soul is encased in five coverings, known as Koshas, and details how to harmonize all five Koshas through a plant-based diet, exercise, yoga, breathing techniques, and meditation/introspective practices. Citing wisdom from teachers he has revered over the years and sages past and present, as well as teachings from the Vedas and other ancient texts, Glass reinforces that how we eat, think, and live directly impacts our health in body, mind, spirit, and our relationships. He also shows how the principles of the Total Life Cleanse inherently support the environment. By empowering you with a new way of thinking, seeing, and being, the Total Life Cleanse program allows you not only to heal yourself by changing your life patterns but also to heal others, as we foster a deeper connection to the life that surrounds us and ultimately the universe. Jonathan Glass, M.Ac., C.A.T., is a master acupuncturist, certified Shuddha Ayurveda therapist, and herbalist who has served on the faculty of the New England School of Acupuncture and The Dharma Institute of Yoga and Ayurveda. An advocate of group-supported transformational programming, he has been in private practice since 1987 and co-founded the Healing Essence Center with his wife. He lives in Concord, Massachusetts. Healing Arts Press • ISBN 978-1-62055-691-7 • $24.95 (CAN $31.50) Paper Also available as an ebook • 448 pages, 8 x 10 • 32 black-and-white illustrations Rights: World • Health/Detox

January 2018

Total Life Cleanse

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