Do you have some reset program FAQ? We got you! Our founder, Mithalee, answers some of the most common questions below. We also highly recommend adding this consultation call with Ayurveda Coach, Muneera, to help you maximise the potential of these few days.
A: As a daily coffee drinker myself, I resonate with this question deeply. In fact, I will admit that whenever I do the Reset, the biggest impact for me isn’t actually the curbed sugar cravings or more energy, but the feeling of accomplishment of taking a break from my caffeine addiction. It is only temporary! If you have been hitting caffeine really hard (2 or more cups a day), I would strongly recommend weaning yourself off or down starting the week prior to doing the reset. Coffee is highly acidic, can disrupt your gut health and fatigue your adrenals so it is really, really helpful to take a break from it a couple of times a year. As one of my Ayurveda teachers says, “It is like a nuclear blast for your gut”.
So, my gentle but firm suggestion is to please try your best to avoid coffee for the 4 or 7 days. I usually give myself the option to have green tea, which I KNOW is not the same thing, but caffeine withdrawal headaches are no joke so do what you gotta do. If you really don’t think you can forego coffee, I would suggest: cutting down to a cup, definitely adding milk heating with cardamom (this helps to balance out the “hot and dry” qualities of coffee) and not consuming it on an empty stomach. All the best.
A: Yes, this is what is recommended. Ayurveda focuses a lot on freshness, so much so that in most cases it is actually healthier to buy a meal, like a soup or stew, from a restaurant because it is freshly made as opposed to eating days old, reheated home-cooked leftovers. While I completely understand this is impractical for most of us to do regularly, the Reset is a good short period to employ best practices.
If you have a Monday – Friday lifestyle, try starting the Reset on a Saturday so that you’ve got the hang of it over the weekend and the remaining days during the working week will be easier. Using a slow-cooker or thermos to keep the khichdi you cook in the morning hot through the day is a great hack you can use to avoid reheating. However, as with all things, be easy on yourself and if you have to reheat it or eat leftovers just express gratitude and try not to feel guilty. This Reset is all about being kind to yourself.
A: Ah, ghee. The ultimate Ayurvedic superfood. If you’re not used to consuming ghee, start with dolloping your khichdi with ½ tsp at first, working your way up to 1 – 2tsp. So long as you feel good after eating it, it is not too much. Ghee really helps your body’s tissues detoxify and provides deep nourishment. If you have some leftover after the Reset, feel free to use it in lieu of butter or cooking oil in your regular cooking.
A: Shorba Bone Broths are intended to be sipping broths, so all you need to do is heat it up and add salt according to your taste. If this does not sound appealing to you, try adding fresh or dried herbs, spices such as 1/8th tsp turmeric and a few grinds of black pepper, a squeeze of lime or lemon. If, like many customers, you’re mostly plant-based and aren’t used to the taste of meat, you can try cooking your khichdi using broth instead of water, either substituting all the water with broth or a mix of the two. I find the broth provides a certain depth and richer mouthfeel to the khichdi but the meat flavour isn’t very pronounced once it gets absorbed by the rice and lentils and flavoured with the spices.
A: In Ayurveda, the change of seasons is regarded as an especially good time to reset. Our digestive abilities change with the seasons so it is very beneficial to do this Reset before we transition to consuming different foods. Having said that, because this Reset is so gentle you can take advantage of it anytime you feel called to. Generally if you have been in a rut of eating a lot of junk food, or are recovering from an illness, finding yourself reaching for sweets more often, or want to recalibrate. Our digestive fire is strongest during the winter though, which means our appetites can be strong then too so perhaps deep winter is not ideal.
As for the time of month, anytime works. Also, this Reset is great to do over a menstrual period because it allows your body more energy to put towards the cycle than digesting heavy foods.
In terms of the week, if you have a Monday – Friday lifestyle, try starting the Reset on a Saturday so that you’ve got the hang of it over the weekend and the remaining days during the working week will be easier.
A: After the Reset, you could choose to continue eating khichdi for one meal a day for a while – it could perhaps even become a part of your regular menu especially on days when you’re craving something wholesome and comforting. Be mindful of introducing very hot, spicy and oily foods right away. It may seem a bit jarring to your system after 4-7 days of eating simple, light meals. Try using
