The Kitchari Cleanse Instructions
During the three-day cleanse, you will be eating a simplified diet of oatmeal and kitchari. This diet is substantive enough that you can maintain your essential responsibilities while resetting the digestive system, supporting the elimination of toxins, and balancing vata, pitta, and kapha.
Freshly prepared foods are best, so you'll want to cook your oatmeal, kitchari, and teas fresh each day—at whatever time works best with your schedule.
While you'll want to avoid eating leftovers from previous days, it is acceptable to prepare all of your food for the day in the morning, if that works for you. Garnishes such as cilantro chutney and sesame seed chutney can usually be kept for several days without issue.
It is not uncommon to experience mild reduction in bowel movements during a cleanse. If your bowel movements slow in frequency or volume, or if your stools become more difficult to pass, please see our resource on how to rebalance elimination.
Healthy elimination is critical to the detoxification process, so it is best to be proactive about relieving any discomfort as soon as you are aware of it.
The Diet
Breakfast. For the first meal of the day, you can choose between eating kitchari or simple oatmeal.
Lunch and Dinner. For the other two meals of the day, eat kitchari. You can add a little melted ghee, fresh coriander chutney, and sesame seed chutney to ensure that your system stays well-lubricated and that you continue to enjoy all six tastes in your diet.
Veggies & Sides. If the monodiet is causing a sense of deprivation, you can try steaming your vegetables and serving them as a separate side dish, garnished with a little melted ghee, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Or, have a side of 1/2 avocado with lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt.
Morning Routine
Wake Up Early. Rise early enough to give yourself a spacious and relaxed morning.
Scrape Tongue and Brush Teeth. Upon waking, scrape your tongue with a tongue cleaner and brush your teeth with a natural formula like Tooth Powder.
Drink Hot Water. Sip 8–16 ounces of hot water to cleanse the system and to awaken the digestive capacity.
Do Some Gentle Exercise (optional). Slow, gentle movements will support cleansing; more than that can be counterproductive. Consider walking, tai chi, qigong, or gentle yoga such as vata-pacifying yoga (which is appropriate during a cleanse). This is not a time to push yourself physically.
Take a Bath or Shower. Use a natural soap only where needed (ideally not all over the body).
Prepare Food and Teas. After that, you'll want to have plenty of time to prepare your breakfast, kitchari, and teas for the day without undue stress.
Throughout the Day
Eat at Consistent Times. If possible, have breakfast between 7–8 a.m., lunch between 12–1 p.m., and dinner between 5–6 p.m. Allow at least three hours between meals, and eat enough at each meal to feel satisfied without overeating.
Eat Dinner Early. Try not to eat after 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. at the latest.
Avoid Snacking Between Meals. If you need a little something extra, you can enjoy some fresh fruit or a few raw nuts.
Stay Hydrated. Drink at least 8–12 cups of room temperature, warm, or hot fluids each day to ensure adequate hydration and to help flush toxins from the system. Ideally, most of your fluids should be taken between meals. Appropriate fluids include water, CCF Tea, rehydration tea, and detox teas like Detox Digest. Drink as much of any of these as you like.
Evening Routine
Take Triphala. About a half hour before bed, steep 1/2 teaspoon Triphala powder in a cup of freshly boiled water for ten minutes. Cool and drink. Or, take two Triphala tablets with a glass of warm water.
Retire for the Night by 10 p.m. Sleep is the body's best time to detox so be sure to get plenty of rest throughout the cleanse.
A Supportive Lifestyle During Your Cleanse
Keep your activities as quiet and mindful as possible.
Surround yourself with things that you find uplifting and nourishing.
Minimize stress and exposure to frantic or disturbing environments.
If intense emotions arise during or after your cleanse, greet your emotions with compassion, observe them with detached awareness, and allow them simply to move through—honoring yourself in the process.
Rest as much as possible. You can ensure that the bulk of your energy is devoted to cleansing by minimizing the number of resources that your body allocates elsewhere.