All my friends go on fasts. I’ve tried fasting with them, but unsuccessfully! I’d like to follow a detox plan. Could you guide me with a simple one, please?

— Rasika P

In India, fasts have a traditional aura and detoxification is a descendant, a relatively new technique. That is why you must be clear as to what you’ll gain from it. Advantages of detoxification are as follows: While a fast slows metabolism, detox eases it, and gives the body a gentle break from overload without starving it. It stimulates key body-enzymes to flush out toxins. It doesn’t need will power as much as an open mind, cooperative taste buds, and a willingness to abstain from processed, fatty, sugared foods and refined flour. You can exercise moderately while on a detox plan, but don’t work out during a fast. I suggest a two-day detox plan on these lines.

Breakfast: Fruit; green tea; baked beans

Lunch: Raw vegetable salad; whole wheat bread

Tea: Green tea or spinach smoothie; roast channa (if hungry)

Pre-dinner: Fruit

Dinner: Raw vegetable salad; whole wheat chapatti ; oil-free moong -sprout curry.

Drink 10-12 glasses of water. Have moderate helpings of whole grain and pulse preparations. Snack only on fruit. Remember your good intentions for your well-being all along. It’s not about deprivation but giving yourself the freedom of great health and high energy levels.

I have a choice - to join a gym or a yoga class, as two of my favourite colleagues have done so respectively. Thus, I’ll have conducive company wherever I join. I’m inclined towards the yoga class, but while I can develop muscles in the gym, I cannot do so in yoga. What should I do?

— Sailesh M

Listen to your heart and join the yoga class for now. You can switch to the gym later on if you wish. True, doing yoga won’t make you look muscled. A yoga-practitioner’s body looks natural, even soft. But the ‘softness’ is not of weak muscles — it is one of resilience and flexibility. It is neither flabby, nor does it sag. It is firm. Yoga strengthens muscles by stretching them. When tensed, they become steely too. Traditional yoga believes in natural development of the body. Learn to read your body’s rhythms and make the asanas your own. Don’t compete with others, complete yourself.

By the end of a working day, I’m so wound up that I find it hard to relax. What should I do?

— Mani

Many people find it difficult to relax. That’s because we believe that relaxing is about lying down. Lying down helps, but not fully — if the mind is not relaxed, the body can never relax completely. The secret is to make your mind quietly say relaxing words to your body. Then, the mind too relaxes, lulled by its own soothing words.

Lie down comfortably with/ without a pillow. Turn the palms of your hand upward — it indicates a ready mental receptivity. If that’s not comfortable, let your palms lie downward or sideways. Ensure your head, neck, spine and legs are aligned in a straight line.

State your intention: “I am about to relax completely.” The body gets this message clearly.

Close your eyes. Inhale and tense the entire body, and keep tensing it to the maximum. Then, exhale through the mouth, literally letting your breath explode, and allow the body to relax to the maximum and go limp. Do this twice. Certain parts of the body are tighter than others. This step helps the blocked tension to flow out of spots. This unblocking is a prelude to complete relaxation.

Lie still and peacefully. Become aware of your stomach rising as you inhale and falling as you exhale. Keep watching this rhythm. You will feel a soothing calm spread all over your body. If there are no thoughts — excellent! If thoughts are still racing around, say silently, “I give up all my thoughts. I give in completely to full relaxation.”

Continue being still and watching your breath. Now you’re ready for the Empty Space Meditation. Become aware of the empty space around your body, and that space spreading in your room and beyond…

Next, bring your attention to your feet. Visualise them vanishing gently into the empty space… Visualise your legs, hips, abdomen, back, arms, shoulders, chest, neck, face, head, brain disappearing beautifully into emptiness. Feel yourself releasing from your brain all thoughts, all emotions until you are afloat in space, in emptiness…

When you come out of this trance, not only will you feel utterly relaxed, but there will be a sweet smile on your lips.

The writer is co-author of the book Fitness for Life

Queries may be sent to life@thehindu.co.in.

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