The Everyday Playbook Intro Cleanse Blog April 2026

The Everyday Playbook: An Intro Cleanse Without Turning Your Life Upside Down

When most people hear the word “cleanse,” they immediately picture green juice, headaches, hunger, no coffee, and a week of misery.

No thank you.

And when I say prep for cleanse...I think colonoscopy prep :-)

Neither of those things is happening here.

Many people either never start, quit halfway through, or end up disappointed because the cleanse felt too extreme to be sustainable or the description itself was a deterrent.

A true cleanse is not about starving yourself, surviving on liquids, or dropping five pounds in a week.

A cleanse is about supporting the body’s natural detoxification systems.

Your body already has a purification system built in. The liver, kidneys, digestive tract, skin, lymphatic system, and lungs are working for you every day. The goal is not to force your body to detox. The goal is to support the systems that are already trying to do their job.

This week, instead of diving headfirst into a full cleanse, let’s prepare the body.

Think of this as the warm-up before the workout.

In Ayurvedic medicine, preparation matters. Small, gentle changes often work better than drastic ones because they are easier to maintain and less stressful on the body.

Here are four simple “pre-cleanse” practices that can help you feel lighter, calmer, less bloated, and more connected to your body before beginning anything more structured.

1. Bitter Ghee or Regular Ghee in Hot Water

In Ayurveda, bitter ghee is often used before a cleanse because it is thought to help stimulate digestion, support the liver, and encourage the body to release stored waste products.

If bitter ghee sounds a little too intense, regular ghee is perfectly fine, even coconut oil. Remember, the goal here is just to do something, not a complete overhaul.

Try stirring 1 teaspoon of ghee into a mug of warm or hot water in the morning.

Why it may help:

• Warm liquids can stimulate digestion and help get the digestive system moving

• Ghee contains butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that may support gut health and reduce inflammation

• Healthy fats help stimulate bile flow, which plays an important role in digestion and elimination

• Taking a quiet moment in the morning before coffee, screens, and chaos can help calm the nervous system

2. Ayurvedic Oil Massage

Ayurveda often uses self-massage, called abhyanga, as a way to support circulation, calm the nervous system, and help the body feel grounded.

This can be as simple as massaging warm sesame oil, coconut oil, or almond oil onto the skin before a shower.

You do not need to spend an hour doing this.

Five to ten minutes is enough.

Why it may help:

• Massage may improve circulation and lymphatic flow

• Touch and massage can help reduce cortisol and improve feelings of calm

• Oil on the skin can improve the skin barrier and help reduce dryness

• Slowing down long enough to care for yourself can help reduce stress, which supports digestion, sleep, and recovery

3. Ginger and Baking Soda Bath

This may sound a little “twigs and roots,” but stay with me.

A warm bath with ginger and baking soda can be incredibly relaxing.

Add:

• 1/4 cup baking soda

• 1/4 cup epsom salt

• 1/4 cup tablespoons ground ginger

• 5-7 drops of essential oil (optional - use lavender or rosemary)

• Hot water

Why it may help:

• Warm baths can improve circulation and help relax muscles. Here, we are going for the sweat!

• Ginger may promote a warming effect and support circulation

• Baths before bed may help improve sleep quality by helping the body relax

• Baking soda may help soften skin, create a soothing effect and bind with toxins

Soak until you sweat! Spend a few minutes to allow your body to sweat. Last night I had some extra time so threw on one of my yoga class playlists, list a candle and sweated it out! This is not a long soak - maybe 10 minutes at most. Rinse off when done - and now may be a good time to do the oil massage.

4. Digestive Teas

Digestive teas are one of the easiest ways to support digestion without feeling like you are “on a cleanse.”

Good options include:

• Ginger tea

• Peppermint tea

• Fennel tea

• Chamomile tea

• Turmeric cinnamon tea, even if your kids insist it tastes like a brew of twigs, leaves, and roots

Why they may help:

• Ginger may help reduce nausea and improve digestion

• Peppermint may help ease bloating and indigestion

• Chamomile may support relaxation and sleep

• Warm beverages can encourage hydration and slow people down enough to tune into their hunger and fullness cues

Last night, I made a DeTox tea by Yogi Tea that contains a host of ingredients like sasparilla, cinnamon, ginger, licorice, burdock, dandelion and a few other roots that I had after the bath, after the oil.

Felt fantastic, by the way. Honestly, 20 minutes spent on these activities as opposed to sitting on the couch doing not these...pretty significant difference.

Small changes are powerful. Choose one practice. Choose two if you are feeling ambitious. Try all four if you want.

Next week, we will build on this with an actual structured cleanse that still feels realistic, flexible, and possible for real life.

Follow the socials this week for more info and tips to support your prep!