Gentle At-Home Panchakarma Cleanse

Introduction

Panchakarma is an ancient Ayurvedic detox practice. Traditionally it’s done under practitioner supervision, but you can do a gentle at-home version that gives your digestion and mind a reset — without the harsh purgation or enemas.

This guide is a 4-day cleanse (1 preparation day + 3 cleansing days) with recipes, shopping list, exercise suggestions, and even filming tips if you want to document your journey.

Core Principles

• Eat warm, light, easy-to-digest foods (mainly kitchari, soups, and stewed fruit).
• Drink warm water and herbal teas (especially CCF tea = cumin + coriander + fennel).
• Avoid processed foods, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, heavy proteins, and raw salads.
• Add self-care: gentle yoga, stretching, oil massage (abhyanga), warm baths, journaling, and art.
• Keep life stress low — think of it as a mini-retreat at home.

Shopping List

Fresh produce

• Apples (6–8), pears (3–4)
• Carrots (4–5), courgettes (3), green beans (200g)
• Sweet potatoes (2), pumpkin/butternut squash (1 small), broccoli (1 head), spinach (200g)
• Celery (4–5 stalks), ginger (large piece), garlic (optional), onions (2 optional)
• Lemons/limes (4–5)

Grains & legumes

• White basmati rice (1.5–2kg)
• Split yellow mung beans (1–1.5kg, soaked before use)

Spices & pantry

• Turmeric powder, cumin seeds, coriander seeds/powder, fennel seeds
• Cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, black pepper, bay leaves, rock salt
• Mustard seeds (optional)

Oils & fats

• Ghee (if tolerated) or coconut/olive oil

Fruits, nuts & seeds

• Dates (8–10 Medjool or 15 small soft)
• Pumpkin or sunflower seeds (200g)
• Bananas (2, optional), papaya (1 small, optional)

Herbal support

• Triphala powder (for gentle evening cleanse)
• Ginger tea bags or fresh ginger
• Licorice or tulsi tea (optional)

Self-care

• Sesame or coconut oil (for massage)
• Epsom salts (optional bath soak)

Daily Routine Overview

• Morning: Warm water with lemon/lime, light yoga/stretching, optional sesame oil massage + shower.
• Meals: Stewed fruit for breakfast, kitchari for lunch, vegetable soup or lighter kitchari for dinner.
• Afternoon: Herbal teas, optional small snacks (dates, soaked seeds).
• Evening: Warm bath, journaling/art, Triphala drink before bed.
• Exercise: Walking, gentle yoga, breathing practices. Avoid HIIT, heavy lifting, or intense cardio.
• Work: Keep it light. Use the time for reflection, creativity, or slow projects.

Day-by-Day Cleanse Plan

Day 0 – Preparation

• Meals: light vegetable soups, rice + veg, stewed fruit.
• Avoid coffee, alcohol, sugar, processed food.
• Evening: Triphala before bed.

Day 1 – Cleanse Begins

• Morning: Stewed pear with cinnamon.
• Lunch: Classic kitchari (rice, mung, carrots, courgette, beans, spinach, turmeric, cumin, coriander).
• Afternoon: CCF tea, 1 date + seeds.
• Dinner: Vegetable soup (broccoli, sweet potato, celery, bay leaf, fennel).
• Evening: Walk, journaling, Triphala.

Day 2 – Deep Cleanse / Mini-Fast

• Morning: Stewed apple with cinnamon.
• Lunch: Soupy kitchari (rice + mung with pumpkin + zucchini).
• Afternoon: Herbal teas only (skip snacks if doing mini-fast).
• Dinner: Light veg broth OR very small kitchari.
• Evening: Gentle bath, Triphala.

Day 3 – Settling In

• Morning: Stewed pear + a few soaked seeds.
• Lunch: Kitchari with sweet potato, beans, spinach, tsp ghee/coconut oil.
• Afternoon: Herbal tea, 1 date if hungry.
• Dinner: Veg soup (courgette, broccoli, ginger, coriander, fennel).
• Evening: Creative activity, Triphala.

Day 4 – Transition (Rejuvenation)

• Morning: Stewed apple OR banana with cinnamon.
• Lunch: Kitchari with courgette + carrot + spinach, add avocado slice.
• Afternoon: Herbal tea, seeds.
• Dinner: Quinoa + lightly cooked veg, drizzle of tahini or olive oil.
• Evening: Reflection, no Triphala tonight.

Recipes

Stewed Apple/Pear

• Chop 1 apple/pear, simmer with ½ cup water, cardamom, cinnamon, (optional raisins) until soft.

Kitchari (2–3 servings)

• ½ cup rice + ½ cup mung dal (soaked), 4–5 cups water
• 1–2 tsp ghee/oil, cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander, fennel, ginger
• Add 1–2 cups veg halfway through, cook soft + soupy.

Vegetable Soup

• 2–3 cups veg (carrot, courgette, celery, spinach, pumpkin)
• 1 tbsp oil, cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander, bay leaf, water to cover
• Simmer until soft, blend lightly if desired.

CCF Tea

• ½ tsp cumin + ½ tsp coriander + ½ tsp fennel seeds
• Simmer in 2 cups water for 5–10 mins, strain, sip warm.

Filming Your Cleanse (Optional)

If you want to document this as a raw journey:

• Consistency: Film check-ins in the same spot each day (natural light by a window, tripod at eye level, medium close-up).
• Check-ins: Morning (intentions), Lunch (food prep + feelings), Evening (reflection).
• Angles: Mix diary shots with overhead cooking, close-ups of steam/tea/spices, and lifestyle shots (journaling, walking, art).
• Mood: Keep lighting warm and soft. Add timestamps or say “Day 2 Morning” on camera for clarity.
• Editing: Combine diary clips with b-roll for flow. Choose cozy, calm music — or lean humorous/ironic if that matches your style.

Final Notes

This cleanse is not about restriction — it’s about simplifying food, routine, and stimulation so your body and mind can reset.

• You’ll still get protein (mung + rice = complete protein).
• Replace almonds with pumpkin or sunflower seeds if preferred.
• After Day 4, reintroduce foods slowly: lentils, oats, quinoa, light proteins, more fruit.
• Avoid jumping straight back into coffee, meat, or processed food.

Think of it as giving yourself a mini retreat at home. Gentle food, gentle movement, and space for creativity.