3 Day Wellness Program

There is no perfect way to live or eat. The only perfect lifestyle is the one that suits you and your health. However if you have been struggling to kickstart a healthy lifestyle or confused about where to begin with or feel like you need a change from your already healthy lifestyle, here’s what an ideal day around your mind, body and soul health should look like. This program aims at aligning your mind, body and soul. If followed with belief and faith, it can help lower your acidity, inflammation, stress and at the same time boost your immunity, gut health, energy, elevate your mood and make you feel lighter. This is a max. 3-day program. Give it a try and let us know how you feel.

Upon wake up–

12 rounds of diaphragmatic/ breathing + 1 positive affirmation

Procedure:

1. Sit with back straight.You can even assume a cross-legged seated pose (sukhasana) and gently close your eyes.
2. As you settle and steady your breathing, take a slow and deep inhale through your nose. Note that your tummy should rise as you inhale. Visualise your tummy as a balloon that inflates as we blow in air.
3. Hold and retain your breath for 3 seconds.
4. Slowly exhale and let the tummy fall. Visualise your tummy as a balloon that deflates as we release air.
5. This is one count. Do 12 counts in total.

After that –

10-12 mins of Oil pulling

Procedure:

1. Take about 1-2 tbsp. cold pressed coconut oil and put it in your mouth.
2. Swish it around for around for 10-12 mins or more.
3. Spit out the oil, rinse mouth and brush your teeth. 

After 5 mins –

1 tsp – 1 tbsp. virgin coconut oil or cold pressed virgin coconut oil
+
Lemon ginger water – 750ml – 1 L

(You could consume 250 ml of lemon ginger water too and rest 250 ml/ 500 ml /750 ml could be plain lukewarm water.  Use fresh ginger juice – grate ginger and squeeze the juice and fresh lemon juice)

After 10-15 mins –

1 – 2 tbsp. of Rice kanji  

How to prepare: Take about 2 tbsp. of cooked white rice (hand pounded preferably). Put it in a mud/clay or steel bowl and cover it with water. Cover and leave it overnight in a cool dry area (not refrigerator). The next morning, eat the rice and drink the water.

After 30 mins – 45 mins –

1-2 seasonal and whole fruits + handful of assorted nuts + 1 tbsp. seeds (pumpkin/sunflower/sesame/watermelon)
*Nuts and seeds should be unsalted and overnight soaked.

Around Mid day

1.5 hour before lunch –  

500 ml to 1 litre  – Jeera, Ajwain, Star Anise water

Procedure:  Take about a little more than a litre of water. Add 1 tbsp. jeera, 1 tsp ajwain, 1-star anise to it. Bring it to rolling boil. Allow it to cool.  Strain and finish 1 litre.

(jeera = cumin seeds, ajwain = bishops weed)   

30 mins before lunch –

 1 cup Fresh ginger tea (Take about 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, mash or grate and add it to 2 cups of water. Allow it to boil until it reduces to half .  Note : No tea leaves to be added to this tea.)

OR

2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar ( with the mother)  mixed in 250-300 ml water 

Lunch–

Yellow moong dal + rice kichadi with lots of veggies + few raw cucumber, carrot sticks.

OR  

1 bowl of cooked vegetables + 1 bowl of simple dal + 1 small bowl of rice / cooked millets /1-2 jowar or bajra rotis + few raw cucumber, carrot sticks. 

30 mins after Lunch –

1 glass of jeera, ajwain, fennel tea with a dash of Srilankan / Ceylon rolled cinnamon powder

*Add 1/4th tsp ajwain+1/2tsp jeera+ 1/2tsp fennel to two glasses of water. Allow it to boil and reduce to half. Strain and add a dash of cinnamon powder

5 mins before tea time–

12 rounds of diaphragmatic breathing.

Procedure :

1. Sit with back straight.You can even assume a cross-legged seated pose (sukhasana) and gently close your eyes.
2. As you settle and steady your breathing, take a slow and deep inhale through your nose. Note that your tummy should rise as you inhale. Visualise your tummy as a balloon that inflates as we blow in air.
3. Hold and retain your breath for 3 seconds.
4. Slowly exhale and let the tummy fall. Visualise your tummy as a balloon that deflates as we release air.
5. This is one count. Do 12 counts in total.

Tea & Snack time –

1 whole, seasonal fruit + handful of assorted nuts + 1 tbsp seeds + 1 cup herbal infusion tea / plain black tea /white tea / green tea.

*Nuts and seeds to be soaked and unsalted. *Avoid adding any milk or sugar to tea. *A herbal infusion could be peppermint / lemongrass/ rooibos/ hibiscus or any.

1.5 hours before dinner–

500ml to 1 Litre of fennel and lemon water with a dash of turmeric

*Take about little more than a litre of water, add 1 tsp fennel seeds and wait for it to rolling boil. Strain and allow it to cool. Add a few drops of lemon juice and a dash of turmeric. Sip slowly 

30 mins before dinner –

1 cup Fresh ginger tea
*Take about 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, mash or grate and add it to 2 cups of water. Allow it to boil until it reduces to half .  Note : No tea leaves to be added to this tea.

OR

2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar ( with the mother)  mixed in 250-300 ml water

Dinner –

A large bowl of soup + one bowl of cooked / steamed / stir fry / sautéed veggies in cold pressed coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil.

* For soup : Take about a tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet. Saute 1-medium sized onion, 2-3 garlic cloves – chopped or minced, pinch of black pepper, 2-3 medium sized sliced tomatoes. This is the base of the soup. Over and above this, you can add any other vegetable of your choice except potato.   

*For stir fry/ cooked/steamed/ sautéed : Prefer cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage as base. To this you can add any vegetable except potato.

* Can you olive oil only if lightly cooking.

End meal with –

1 glass of jeera, ajwain, fennel tea with a dash of Srilankan / Ceylon rolled cinnamon powder

*Add 1/4th tsp ajwain+1/2tsp jeera+ 1/2tsp fennel to two glasses of water. Allow it to boil and reduce to half. Strain and add a dash of cinnamon powder

Before sleep –

1 cup sleep infusion tea

*Take 2 cups of water and add 1 tsp fennel seeds, a dash of cinnamon,  ¼ tsp nutmeg powder, ½ tsp dried tulsi leaves (optional). Allow it to boil and reduce to half.  Strain and sip slow.  

End your day with –

15-20 rounds of Left Nostril breathing +  Write 3 things you are grateful/thankful for.

*Note : Left nostril breathing can be of two types : Chandra Bhedana  and Chandra Abhyaasa.  The one described below is Chanda Bhedana ( inhale from left nostril and exhale from right nostril ).  On the other hand, Chandra Abhyaasa means inhale from the left as well as exhale from the left. Both methods are fine.  

Procedure :

1. Sit with back straight.You can even assume a cross-legged seated pose (sukhasana) and gently close your eyes.
2. As you settle and steady your breathing, rest your left palm on your left knee, moving your right hand towards the nose.
3. Using the right thumb, close your right nostril.
4. Inhale slowly through your left nostril.
5. After a deep inhalation, hold the breath inside and close your left nostril with your right ring finger.
6. Pause for a few seconds. Release the right thumb and exhale slowly through the right nostril.
7. After a complete exhalation, again close your right nostril with the right thumb while releasing the right ring finger on the left nostril.
8. Repeat step 4, 5, 6.
9. Perform 15-20 cycles and then release the right hand to the right knee.
10. Ease back into normal breathing.

Please make a note of the following points for best benefits  : 

1. This program is for max 3 days. 3- days is a good time for your body to express benefits of this wellness plan.
2. Guidelines on nutrition :

• Please sit down while consuming fluids. Avoid gulping down. Sip slowly.
• If 1 litre of liquid at a time is too much, feel free to adjust to whatever you are comfortable with.
• Please use pink Himalayan salt and cold pressed oils for all food preparations. Olive oil to be used only for light heat cooking.
• Soak your lentils, nuts and seeds well ( lentils – 14-16 hours, nuts/seeds – 6-8 hours ).
• Avoid usage of any plastic bottles or containers. Use glass / stainless steel / clay.
• Practice Vitamin “O”during main meals :

Take 5 – slow and deep breaths before you start to eat.  Exhale should be longer than your inhale. This will help you re-centre, bring your focus to food and alkalize your body.  Repeat the same at the end of the meal.  Also take deep breaths in between bites.

• Chew every bite extremely well, until slurry like consistency.
• Eat mindfully and avoid distractions or multi-tasking while eating. Devote a minimum of 20 mins to each meal. This will help control your portions.
• Eat in silence. Avoid disturbing or loud conversations during mealtime. Don’t forget to bless and offer gratitude before and after your meal.
• Avoid drinking water in-between meals.
• Do not under eat or over eat. Eat more if you are hungry, but don’t over eat nor starve.
• If you don’t need carbs (grains, millets) at lunch feel free to avoid and increase veggies and lentils instead.
• A lot of options can be carried to workplace. Try to make it work for you.
• Prefer whole, local and seasonal vegetables. Peel skins of carrot and cucumber.
• Avoid outside meals and alcohol/smoking during these 3 days.
• Prefer drinking tea/concoctions as is, without honey / jaggery. At the max, you can add a dash of raw honey to your evening tea.
• Avoid lying down immediately after meals. Leave a gap of minimum 2 hours between your dinner and bedtime.

3. Guidelines on sleep :

• Maintain good sleep hygiene. Aim for 7-8 hours of good quality deep sleep.
• Avoid all gadgets / electronics and turn off wifi/routers one hour prior bedtime.
• Practice 15-20 cycles of left nostril breathing to relax your body.
• Practice gratitude ( 3 things you are grateful for) so you can end your day on a happy and grateful note.

4. Guidelines on exercise :

• Try to keep yourself active these 3-days. Find a way to sweat, exercise or atleast achieve 10,000 steps. Good circulation is important for your body to be able to transport nutrients across all parts of your body.
• Some exercise recommendations are : sun salutations, Tabata, planks, jumping jacks, stair workout, walking, floor core exercise, swimming, cycling, dance.  Customise it according to your health.

5. Guidelines on mental health :

• Stay mindful these 3 days. Observe how your body responds as you go through this. Mind over matter.
• Think positive thoughts, laugh and spend time realising how blessed you are
• Take deep breaths in between your day whenever a stressful thought seeps in.
• You can also take up meditation during this program. Apps like Calm, Insight timer, Headspace will help.
• Refrain from complaining.
• Practice acceptance and letting go.

6. Relevant links:

The power of diaphragmatic breathing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97jt4yBBdfM
The natural sleeping tablet ( left nostril breathing) :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9yXRGQjrfE
Are you chewing your food, right?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMU9TNHvhyY
The art of drinking water: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqPdjaol08Q

DISCLAIMER :

1. This program is not meant to replace your current medications or a clinical diet that you are on.
2. If you have a medical condition, please speak to your medical professional before beginning.
3. Those on restricted water intake, SHOULD NOT do this without your doctors permission.
4. For diabetics – Please follow the plan as per your sugar readings.
5. Pregnant and lactating mothers, please make an informed decision with your doctor before beginning.

—————– All the best! —————

Luke Coutinho

From a pimple to cancer, our You Care Wellness Program helps you find a way Talk to our integrative team of experts today  18001020253  info@lukecoutinho.com