With the trend of avid yoga fanatics growing year on year, Anil Singh, wellness expert at Zighy Bay in Oman, shares with us the benefits of a yogic detox on holiday.
With the trend of avid yoga fanatics growing year on year, Anil Singh, wellness expert at Zighy Bay in Oman, shares with us the benefits of a yogic detox on holiday.
There is a Sanskrit verse in ancient Ayurvedic text that defines health as:
Samadosha, samaagni cha, samadhatu, mala kriyah | Prasannaatmaindriyamanahswasthaitiabhidhiyate ||
Health is defined as balanced state of doshas - Vata, Pitta and Kapha, balanced digestive or metabolic fire, balanced nourishment of all tissues, balance in the excretion or waste disposal through urine, stool and sweat. Having a pleasant soul, balanced senses (all five of them) and a balanced state of mind.
If all these are in an individual, then he/she is considered a healthy person. Any disruption or any 'imbalance' from this balanced state is called illness. Most imbalances happen because of accumulation of toxins and most of the toxins enter our body through food, drinks, the air we breathe and emotions or thoughts that are fed into our mind.
Modern science now believes that the cause of degeneration, decay and premature ageing lies in free radicals in the body, which are created as a result of accumulation of toxins in the body. This overrules the earlier concept of germ theory. According to this theory, accumulation of toxins in our bodies creates free radicals. Free radicals are created by the kind of food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink and our emotional pulls and pressures, certain hormones are secreted that have a tendency to leave behind toxins.
Free radicals are dysfunctional molecules (they have a missing electron). These are highly unstable molecules and in an attempt to regain stability they devour electrons from surrounding molecules. This creates more damaged molecules and in a cascading effect, this leads to damaged cells and this causes degeneration and speeds up aging process.
With the accumulation of toxins taking place all the time, it is necessary to find a way to get rid of the toxins from the body to restore normal functions to the body. Otherwise, this can result in various health disorders and life threatening diseases. In fact, most of the degenerative diseases such as hypertension, arthritis, diabetes, immunity disorders, strokes, arteriosclerosis, and heart ailments may happen due to these factors.
Zighy Bay's wellness expert Anil Singh shares his thoughts about the benefits of a yogic detox
Patanjali (the father of Yoga) in Yoga Sutra describes the purpose of Yoga practices as eliminating physical and mental impurities or toxins to achieve a true sense of wisdom. Until toxins are in energy channels and discreetly disposed from one’s body, one cannot attain a supreme state of health.
Our bodies carry out this detoxification process naturally. Tears, sneezing, mucus, sweat, menstrual blood, urine and faeces are all nature's way of detoxifying your body. If we can find a way to keep these working in an optimum manner, we should be able to free our body from the accumulation of toxins and thereby illnesses.
Yoga methods and techniques offer precisely these effects and restore the body’s natural detoxification process. It is surprising that ancient yogis knew of these effects thousands of years ago and have practiced methods which are proven to maintain optimum health.
Hatha Yoga fulfils detoxification through the practices of Asanas (Yoga poses), Pranayamas (Breathing techniques), and Shatkriyas. While Pranayamas create the right vibration in the cells by working on energy flows, Asanas and Kriyas free up blocks and obstacles in the flow of this energy and effectively prevent diseases and ageing.
Practice your yoga poses on the outdoor yoga pavilion at Zighy Bay
1. Start the day with drinking 2 glasses of warm water and fresh lemon instead of coffee or tea, have a walk around the neighbourhood or your local park and give your body a little “wake up call”. It will help to move your bowels easily.
2. The body is made up of 70 per cent water and it needs around 6 to 8 glasses a day to keep it hydrated and help flush out toxins and maintain healthy water level.
3. Cut down on alcohol and caffeine. These can increase oxidative stress and dehydrate the body.
4. Proteins are perhaps the least important in the food group when it comes to detox. Therefore, efforts should be made to minimize proteins. Most proteins can actually be acquired from consuming leaves and flowers (broccoli, artichoke etc.).
Explore the nutrient-rich menu at Zighy Bay
5. Animal Based Proteins: Grass Fed Whey Protein Powder, Goat or Sheep Whey Protein, Water Buffalo Whey Protein. Whey protein contains a significant amount of Glutamine, which in the short term can heal gut mucosal lining cells.
6. Prefer plant based fats: Olive oil, Coconut Oil, Coconut Meats, Coconut Creams, Red Palm Fruit Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Macadamia Nuts, Avocados, Avocado Oil and Sesame Oil.
7. Mushrooms provide the real key in Detoxification. They are a rich source of protein, they have multiple resistant starches and complex sugars that dramatically impact the immune system, simultaneously quenching inflammation while empowering the immune system to seek and destroy pathogens and cancer cells.
Discover the breath-taking views on the secluded beach at Zighy Bay
8. Avoid soy, beans, rice and lecithin in vegetables such as the nightshades: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potatoes; cucumbers, pickles and zucchini.
9. Avoid junk and processed foods. Avoid heavy protein diet during dinner by eating less meat, dairy and sweet food. This will give your digestive system a good rest.
10. Eat lots of fresh and green vegetables and whole fruit instead of fruit juice, especially berries, pears, plums and apples, as this will help you to reduce sugar level and provide fibres. It will keep your energy levels stable too.
Yogic Detox alleviates digestive problems and tones the liver and other digestive organs and glands. It strengthens the immune system, reduces excessive mucus and purifies the blood, improved circulation of the blood and lymphatic systems. Additional benefits include increased levels of energy, more clarity and quieter mind. Removes blockages from the Nadis (Energy channels) and purifies all chakras.
The ultimate goal is to detoxify the body and mind in a controlled and safe manner and resting the digestive system through sensible eating of whole foods.
This is a guest blog post by Anil Singh, wellness expert at Zighy Bay in Oman. If you would like to book a holiday at Zighy Bay, enquire online here, talk to one of our Travel Specialists on 0203 397 8891 or email us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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