Follow the nutritional guidelines (see here) and try out some of the suggested recipesToday you will start a daily practice of Sun Salutations, breathing practice and meditation that you will continue to do throughout the 12-Day Plan. The Sun Salutation stimulates the entire musculoskeletal system as well as many of the internal organs and is a great way of starting the day as you mean to go on. See the chart on here to show you how the regime of yoga asanas gradually builds up over the 12 days of the Plan.
Follow the nutritional guidelines (see here) and try out some of the suggested recipes
Drink hot lemon water first thing in the morning
Do your Mind Body Cleanse Practice (see below)
Try skin-brushing
Drink freshly squeezed juices
Drink plenty of water
Make sure you’ve booked your colonic hydrotherapy sessions for the Power Phase – if you need it
Start using your journal to record thoughts and feelings.
When you do your yoga practice first thing in the morning, make sure that you practise on an empty stomach – especially before the twisting poses (see here). If you usually feel hungry on waking up, take liquid nutrients such as a high-quality greens powder (‘Gorgeous Greens’, see here), or something small and light without too much fat or protein, which can slow digestion.
I like to have a greens powder drink (‘Georgeous Greens’) before an early morning practice and a smoothie afterwards. If my yoga session is later in the morning I tend to have a smoothie beforehand.
If you are doing yoga later in the day, eat full meals two to four hours before your practice. This time will vary from person to person, but your practice should not interfere with the digestive process. For people with a speedier metabolism, have a small snack, such as some nuts or a piece of fruit, an hour before yoga to provide you with a steady source of energy fuel.
Within an hour of your yoga session, take a good source of protein along with vegetables to replace vital minerals, rebuild muscle and stoke the metabolic fire.
Try Ujjayi (or ‘victorious’) breathing whenever you practise yoga asanas. You will find it both energising and relaxing. This style of breathing calms the heart and mind and soothes the nervous system. The Ujjayi pranayama technique also stimulates the vagus nerve, which triggers your nervous system into rest-and-relaxation mode. This is why Ujjayi is a great technique to use if you are feeling stressed and it is very useful if you suffer from IBS-related disorders.
The sound of Ujjayi breathing is created when you gently constrict the opening of your throat to create some resistance to the passage of air. If you gently pull your breath in on inhalation and gently push it out on exhalation against this resistance you can create a well-modulated and soothing texture to your breath, like the sound of ocean waves rolling in and out.
Try to find a brief pause at the top of the inhalation and at the end of the exhalation. This will let you feel patience in your breath and allow your mind to ride on its surface.
It is important to remember that the key to Ujjayi breathing is relaxation and the action of Ujjayi naturally lengthens your breath. You will need to make a small effort to produce sound, though too much effort creates a grasping quality and a grating sound. Generally, you will find the inhalation more challenging, so begin by practising on the exhalation, where there is a natural letting-go.
To practise the inhalation, focus on creating a soothing and pleasing sound that feels unhurried and unforced. Work on your Ujjayi breathing sitting in a relaxed cross-legged position. Imagine sipping the breath in through a straw. If the suction is too strong the straw collapses and you will need to use great force to suck anything through it. Once you master Ujjayi breathing while sitting, the challenge is to maintain the same quality of breathing throughout your asana practice.
Try to maintain the length and smoothness of the breath as much as possible. Once you find a baseline Ujjayi breath in a pose that is not too strenuous, try to maintain that quality of breath throughout the practice. Some asanas require great effort and you may begin to strain in your breathing. This means you may be pushing yourself too hard. Use that feedback as a guide; if you start to strain, it may be time to come out of the pose and rest.
Practising Ujjayi breathing is a way of harnessing the mind and body, using the breath as a vehicle for taking attention off your normal thought patterns and refocusing it on the physical details of practice.
The breath has a purpose on the physical level as well; you can stretch more deeply into the poses and, as you begin to move more and the practice becomes more rigorous, it becomes harder to maintain a steady, even Ujjayi breath. You may start to breathe through your mouth and your breath may become shallower and more ragged.
Maintaining a steady Ujjayi breath is hard work but it has great benefits – enhancing the purification and nourishment of each and every cell and having a positive effect upon your lungs and heart, as your breath will naturally become deeper and faster with increased effort.
THE GENTLE BREATH
Ujjayi breath is very gentle.
It is not necessary to breathe loudly or aggressively. Ideally, the Ujjayi breath is soft in nature and volume. While the sound will be audible to someone close by, it’s not necessary for the sound to fill the whole room! The quality of the Ujjayi breath is not measured in volume, but in length and steadiness. Rather, bring your awareness to the constancy that this breath gives you. Evenness of breath will give you evenness of temperament.
UJJAYI BREATH BENEFITS
Quietens the brain
Slows and smoothes the flow of breath
Calms the digestion
Start with 5–8 minutes of practice. Gradually increase to 10–15 minutes.
Standing firmly and evenly on both legs helps increase your awareness of your body and forms an important foundation for the other asanas.
Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskara)
The Sun Salutation is an important building block in yoga as it combines a number of key poses. For the first Sun Salutation of the day, take a few extra breaths in each pose to allow your body to warm up.
As you progress through the various phases of the 12-Day Plan, you will find that other key poses are added to your practice.
Make sure that you do a home-practice every day. The only day you can skip is when you attend a full yoga class. However, some people like to do the Sun Salutation every morning, whether they are planning on going to a class or not – it really helps to set you up for the day.
There are a couple of variations on the ancient Sun Salutation sequence (version A and version B – see below). Both versions include modifications of the breath.
This dynamic set of 12 asanas encapsulates the essence of yoga – it’s great cardio workout and is effective for toning the body all over.
In its complete form, the Sun Salutation should be done with sequenced breathing (see here):
Practise 12 rounds on either side, alternating your right and left leg. This will help you zip through the rest of the day with a high that is incomparable. And you will find that you can complete 12 rounds (24 sets, meaning 288 asanas!) in 10–15 minutes as you become more physically fit, your metabolism increases for the duration of the day; as does your ability to get toned!
Traditionally, Sun Salutation is best performed outdoors, facing east.
You should not practise the Sun Salutation if you suffer from high blood pressure, coronary artery diseases, or if you have had a stroke, as it may overstimulate or damage a weak heart or blood-vessel system. You should also be very careful if you have a bad back. If you have a slipped disc or sciatica try a less-vigorous sequence, but take advice from an expert.
Your body should now be sufficiently warmed up for some further poses.
Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)This pose helps to relieve lower back pain and it is an excellent twist for the spine and gut. It stimulates your internal organs, including the liver and gall bladder, and it improves metabolism and circulation through your digestive organs. Whether you are suffering from constipation or IBS, this pose promotes calm within the intestines.
Stay in this pose for 6–7 breath cycles.
If you have a heart condition, practise against a wall, keeping your top arm on your hip
If you have high blood pressure, turn your head to gaze downwards in the final pose
If you have neck problems, don’t turn your head to look upwards but continue looking straight ahead and keep both sides of your neck evenly long.
If you cannot comfortably touch the floor with your bottom hand or fingertips, support your palm on a block or against your shin.
If you feel unsteady in the pose, brace your back heel or the back of your torso against a wall.
Stimulates the abdominal organs and improves digestion
Helps relieve stress
Stretches and strengthens the thighs, knees and ankles
Stretches the hips, groins, hamstrings, calves, shoulders, chest and spine
Relieves backache, especially through the second trimester of pregnancy
Therapeutic for anxiety, flat feet, infertility, neck pain, osteoporosis and sciatica.
A partner can help you learn how to move into this pose properly. Ask them to stand in front of your forward foot, facing you. Inhale your forward arm up, parallel to the floor. Your partner can grasp your wrist and wedge their big toe into your forward hip crease. As you exhale, have your partner pull on your arm and push into your hip crease, stretching the underside of your torso.
Revolved Three-angle or Triangle Posture (Parivritti Trikonasana)The benefits of the Revolved Triangle are similar to the Triangle, but are even more potent. Though this pose may be difficult it is excellent at stimulating the liver in its cleansing and detoxification function as well as stimulating all the internal organs and regulating digestion. In Revolved Triangle (with head blacked out in the diagram/chart) there is a twist and forward extention, as well as balancing qualities, whereas Triangle Pose is a straightforward side extension.
If you are a beginner, keep your head in a neutral position, looking straight forward, or turn it to look at the floor. If you are more experienced, turn your head and gaze up at your top thumb. From the centre of your back, between your shoulderblades, press your arms away from your torso. Bring most of your weight onto your back heel and your front hand.
Stay in this pose anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Exhale, release the twist, and bring your torso back to upright with an inhalation. Repeat for the same length of time with your legs reversed, twisting to the left.
If you have a back or spine injury, only perform this pose under the supervision of an experienced teacher. Or avoid doing it altogether. Also avoid this pose if you have low blood pressure or suffer from migraines.
One of the most common problems with this pose is keeping your back heel grounded, which makes the pose very unstable. There are various ways to deal with this. First, you can just work towards pressing through the heel (and open the back-leg groin) even though it’s off the floor. Second, you can do the pose with your back heel wedged against a wall, which gives you something to push into. Or, you can raise your back heel on a lift and work to gradually lower the lift until your heel stays on the floor.
This pose stimulates the abdominal organs and is good for constipation and digestive problems. It strengthens and stretches the legs, hips and spine, opens the chest to improve breathing, relieves mild back pain, stimulates the abdominal organs and improves your sense of balance.
Pranayama (Kapalabhati)Although strictly speaking a Kriya technique (see also here), Kapalabhati is a breathing technique used specifically to promote cleansing. The intake of oxygen makes the blood richer and renews the body tissues, while great quantities of carbon dioxide are eliminated. Kapalabhati massages the internal organs, stimulates digestion and elimination and removes stale air and toxins from the lungs. It energises the central nervous system and brings mental clarity and alertness. This practice also helps to tone the abdominal muscles that support the internal organs.
Kapalabhati is a purely diaphragmatic breath and consists of alternating short, sharp exhales generated by powerful contractions of the lower belly. This allows air to be pushed out of the lungs. In Kapalabhati inhales are spontaneous and generated as automatic responses to the release of the contraction of the diaphragm, which allows air to be drawn back into the lungs.
Stimulates digestion and activity of the abdominal viscera, so the exercise can be good for constipation
Cleanses the sinuses and lungs
Strengthens the diaphragm, intercostal and belly muscles
Stimulates the brain with a good supply of oxygen
Enriches the bloodstream and improves circulation
Clears the mind.
Always practise on an empty stomach
Make sure you take sufficient pauses to inhale deeply and redress carbon dioxide and oxygen levels
Take extreme caution if you have high blood pressure or vertigo
Don’t do the exercise at all if you suffer from anxiety, epilepsy, hyperventilation, weak lungs, heart trouble or if you are pregnant
Stop immediately if you begin feeling dizzy, irritable, angry or in any way uncomfortable.
Corpse Pose (Savasana)After you have completed your Sun Salutation asana and Kapalabhati pranayama, remain for 2–5 minutes in Corpse Pose (Savasana).
This pose is good to try at the beginning, middle or end of a session to help you relax, rest, restore, reflect, observe change and counterpose. It helps you to come into the moment and promote inner focus and awareness.
This pose is a semi-supine position and an alternative to Savasana. It’s good if you have lower back problems.
Many people say that meditation is the most powerful and life-changing aspects of the 12-Day Plan, both physically and mentally. The meditation practices are simple techniques, but they are not necessarily easy to do or to incorporate into your life. When you start meditating, setting aside the time to do so requires effort and dedication. But rest assured that incorporating meditation into your life brings you benefits that increase over time. So, remember, when you practise meditation think of it as being like building a deposit account that you can draw on in times of need.
Find a good teacher
Try to find a meditation class taught by an experienced practitioner; it can really help to learn with others and also to ask questions and get answers from someone who knows the territory.
Don’t meditate on too full a stomach
Before breakfast is a good time. If you’ve just eaten, your body is using its energy to digest your food: you are more likely to become sleepy.
Be realistic about your meditation pose
Unless you’ve done a lot of yoga or are naturally flexible, getting into and sitting in a lotus position for 20 minutes may be problematic. However, you don’t need to sit in full lotus to meditate. Kneeling on cushions or sitting on a chair is fine. Be as comfortable and upright as you can.
Make some clear time
Choose a time to meditate when you really do have a bit of undisturbed time and can relax, even if it’s just for five minutes. Turn off your phone. Do what you can to let go of outside demands and take an undisturbed space for yourself.
Find a quiet place, free from distraction
If you decide you’d like to meditate regularly, it can really help to sit in the same place each time and create a special atmosphere there, perhaps with a candle, flowers and a picture that inspires you. This does not have to be a large space; the size of a yoga mat will be enough.
Warm up a little beforehand; chill out a little after
Prepare to sit with some stretches for the hips and easing out of stiff shoulders, give a bit of kindly attention to any tense places. Finish meditating in time for a cup of tea or just a minute’s gazing out of the window before you go on with your day’s activities.
Let go of expectations
Have faith in yourself and maintain your sense of humour. There are all kinds of meditation experiences, just as there is a huge spectrum of human experience – from serene to grumpy, ecstatic to bored, blissfully clear to distracted. Don’t judge yourself as having ‘good’ or ‘bad’ meditations. Being aware of whatever is going on is what counts.
Celebrate your progress!
Meditation is conducive and supportive of positive change in your life, but be gentle with yourself – you may not become ‘enlightened’ overnight. Some old habits die hard, but by bringing awareness to them and cultivating an increasingly positive emotional attitude towards yourself, you can achieve great things.
Meditation: One to TenMeditation occurs when the space in between your thoughts increases. Designate just two minutes on your first day, graduate to three on your second day, then five minutes on your final day.
Find a comfortable place to sit, on a chair or on the floor
Allow the natural breath to settle.
Bring your attention to your navel.
Observe the gentle expansion of your breath on the inhalation.
Observe the contraction of the breath back towards your spine on the exhalation.
Continue to observe the breath without forcing it.
When your mind wanders, as it inevitably will, bring it back to the breath. Count each breath until you get to ten and then begin again at one. Repeat. Make sure that you set a time limit to begin with. You can use a stopwatch if you like.
THIS PART OF 12-Day Plan is straightforward. Eliminate all of the ‘No’ foods and introduce foods from the ‘Yes’ section in The Food Rules chart on here.
During the 12-Day Plan we have provide you with a menu guide so you always know what you should be eating. Try the following mouth-watering recipes. There is no need to go hungry when you are avoiding foods like meat, dairy products and gluten-free products. Here are some delicious, filling and comforting recipes for the 12-Day Plan. I have included summer and winter dishes, so there will be plenty to keep you sustained all year round.
The real beauty of the 12-Day Plan menu guide is that all the meals are delicious, easy and quick to prepare. You can save any extra servings to eat the next day. Make sure that you have some good containers in your cupboard, so that you can easily transport your meals into work.
Wheat-Free, Sugar-Free Muesli
This simple recipe has become the mainstay of breakfast mueslis since my India days. It’s easy to prepare and can last for ages if you keep it in a good airtight storage container.
4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
100g puffed buckwheat
100g puffed amaranth
100g quinoa flakes
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp ground almonds
2 tbsp raisins or sultanas
6 chopped dates
1 tbsp berries, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Method
Mix all ingredients together in a large storage container with a lid. Serve with oat milk, rice milk, almond milk or water. You can help yourself to it during the 12-Day Plan.
Warm Butternut and Pinenut Salad with Cranberries
This is a tasty salad with a superb balance of texture, taste and colour. It’s easy to prepare and very satisfying.
2 servings
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
200g butternut squash (peeled, cubed)
1 red onion (small, halved and thinly sliced)
2 tbsp cold-pressed virgin olive oil
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
175g baby spinach
40g dried cranberries
185g cooked quinoa
35g toasted pine nuts
Method
Summer Tagine
Definitely worth the wait, this delicious tagine will vanquish all thoughts of being on a detox!
2 servings
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1kg vine tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped
250g green beans, blanched and cut into 2cm pieces
175g podded broad beans, blanched and peeled to remove tough outer skin
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp runny honey
To garnish:
35g toasted walnuts, chopped
1 medium lemon, cut into wedges
Method
Cinnamon Fruit Porridge
This simple breakfast dish is a great alternative to the muesli you’ve already tried, especially on cold winter mornings.
1 serving
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
80g millet and 80g buckwheat flakes or 80g gluten-free porridge oats
1tbsp ground cinnamon
Any fruit, chopped, grated or whole
Handful of mixed seeds such as sesame or pumpkin
Raw organic honey or organic maple syrup
Almond, rice or oat milk
Method
Eat leftover Summer Tagine (see here) from last night, with:
Beetroot and Pomegranate Salad
Beetroot and pomegranate? Not an obvious choice, you might think, but this combination is a winner!
2 servings
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
3–4 medium beetroots
30g fresh coriander leaves
154g pomegranate seeds
For the dressing:
2–3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp walnut oil
1–2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Method
Gluten-Free Mushroom ‘Barley’ Soup with Buckwheat
This is a wonderfully hearty and healthy soup, which does not make you feel tired and lethargic afterwards, unlike most gluten-based soups.
Raw buckwheat works as a replacement for many different types of grains, and in this case it works well as a replacement for barley.
2 servings
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
3 carrots
50g celery leaves
180g fresh mushrooms
1 litre (1¾ pint) bouillion powder
80g untoasted buckwheat (light green/tan colour, not brown)
2–3 bay leaves
½–1 tsp garlic powder
Pepper
Method
Gluten-Free Bircher-Style Muesli
I just love this breakfast. I had to get into the habit of remembering to soak the nuts and seeds overnight, but once I started it became second nature. It only takes a couple of minutes to put everything into a bowl and fill with water.
1 serving
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
6 almonds
6 pecans
1 tsp pumpkin seeds
1 tsp sunflower seeds
1 small medium apple/pear
1 tsp cinnamon
Method
Tip the mix into a bowl, add a swish of honey and almond milk and breakfast is done.
Avocado and Chicory Salad
Avocado and chicory works wonderfully well together and is absolutely delicious. It’s very easy to prepare too.
1 serving
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 fresh chicory
½ celery stick, chopped
Handful of grapes
½ avocado, sliced
½ apple, chopped
Mandarin slices
50g alfalfa sprouts
Method
Baked Sweet Potato and Borlotti Bean Stew
Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidant vitamins betacarotene and vitamin E, both of which are required to keep the immune system functioning and to keep the skin in good condition. When topped with the rich, thick bean stew, all thoughts of cleansing will vanish!
2 servings
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 large sweet potato
olive oil
1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 large red onion, diced
50g mushrooms, sliced
200g tomatoes
200g borlotti beans
Method