Fall is finally here, and before you know it, the air will be colder and plants will lose their leaves in preparation for winter. You too can prepare for this important seasonal transition by strengthening your digestion, your immune system and your overall health with a gentle fall cleanse.

While fresh, light foods, such as melons, peaches, cucumbers and tomatoes are abundant in the summer, we often indulge in greasy picnic food, barbecued meats and late nights as well. These fun summer habits can take a toll on our health though, making the shift into the fall season feel especially heavy. The importance of a fall cleanse is that is allows us to shed unnecessary pounds and toxins, promote good digestion and support the immune system into the “cold and flu season”. By eating light yet nourishing, plant-based meals that include beneficial spices and herbs, and incorporating proper supplementation, we can prepare ourselves for the change in seasons. A fall cleanse supports this transition because it frees our system of stagnant “wastes” and blockages, and gives us the extra vitality we need during winter for digestion and warmth.

Powerful Herbs for Digestive Health
Strong digestion and regular elimination are vital for overall health. When old waste moves slowly through the body, it creates discomfort and stresses the digestive system. Especially during the colder months, it’s critical that your digestive process retains its heat, flow and movement. Supplementing with herbs and extracts prized for their ability to promote digestive health will thus be of great benefit during your fall cleanse as you prepare for the change in seasons. Numerous Ayurvedic botancials and spices are renowned for igniting the vital “digestive fire” and improving overall digestive capacity. Herbs commonly used in Indian cooking include cardamom, fresh ginger, cinnamon, fennel, cumin, and turmeric. These medicinal spices are very nourishing and cleansing, providing and abundance of antioxidants and other beneficial compounds for digestive and overall health.

Tips for Detoxification Support
To further strengthen digestive health during a cleanse, avoid meat and dairy, instead opting for beans, legumes, and vegetables. The nutrients and added fiber in your diet will assist with cleansing and elimination, leaving you feeling lighter and more energized. Also, be sure to drink six to eight full glasses of filtered water a day (this can include caffeine-free teas). Drinking lots of fluids not only helps you to stay hydrated and alert, but also helps the body to flush out toxins and keep your digestion moving.

To deepen and enhance your cleanse, it’s important to include specific detoxification formulas made with botanicals, nutrients and extracts which clear toxins and heavy metals from your circulation and support your organs of elimination. For information about EcoNugenics complete detoxification kits, click here.

Letting Go: Physically, Mentally and Emotionally
A seasonal cleanse will help you release accumulated “waste”—and this is a task that encompasses not just your physical body, but your emotional and mental facets as well. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Fall season relates to the large intestines, the lungs and to unresolved emotions. As such, the Fall season is the perfect time of year to practice one of the most important aspects of a successful cleanse: the process of “letting go” on a physical, mental and emotional level.

On an mental/emotional level, one strategy for letting go is to develop your own antidotes to negative emotions and thoughts. For example, if you have a lot of anger, it’s important to acknowledge it in a nonjudgmental way, but then work to cultivate sympathy. If you are feeling overwhelmed by grief, you can acknowledge it with love and compassion, and then work to cultivate joy. Seasonal cleansing can be very effective in helping to release your emotions and not hold onto negative thoughts and feelings when they arise. Part of this process on a physical level involves strengthening your digestion and keeping things moving, so you’re not holding on to old, unprocessed waste. In this way, even a light simple cleanse can help to physically and emotionally renew your health and vitality.

Full Spectrum Digestive Health
To assist your digestion and promote healthy elimination during a cleanse, add Integrative Digestive Formula to your program. This comprehensive formula integrates key ingredients from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tibetan and Ayurvedic modalities, and modern western science. Integrative Digestive Formula promotes long term digestive health while also improving occasional digestive discomfort. The 19 herbs and nutrients in Integrative Digestive Formula can help with occasional acid indigestion & sluggish digestion, assist in digestion & nutrient absorption, and support the small intestine. Renowned digestive herbs such as pomegranate seed, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) work synergistically with the whole formula to support a healthy digestive system, during a seasonal cleanse and all year round.*

Learn more about the multiple health benefits of Integrative Digestive Formula!