I always dreaded a colonoscopy but today, I embraced it as a “cleansing mechanism”

We all dread the thought of a colonoscopy—the prep, the procedure, the inconvenience. I recently went through the process, but with a different mindset. The outcome surprised me.

In the days leading up to the procedure, I had mild congestion, sniffles, and sneezes despite my healthy routine. As a physician and Ayurveda practitioner, I wondered if my indulgences during the cold winter months had impacted my gut health. After all, the gut is the foundation of well-being. Hippocrates said, “All disease begins in the gut,” and modern research shows a troubling rise in colon cancer among younger adults—even those in their 20s and 30s.

I prepared carefully for the colonoscopy: light meals, clear fluids, and the dreaded bowel prep. It was rough, no sugar-coating that, but a few sips of La Croix grapefruit water helped me push through. And because I’d eaten lighter foods during the week and had been following an Ayurvedic diet for a few months, the prep was more manageable than I expected.

Prep Tips for a Smoother Colonoscopy

1. Limit Heavy Proteins: Avoid meats like chicken, lamb, and beef, which take longer to digest during the week before your procedure.
2. Add Lentils: Lentils are an easily digestible protein, packed with nutrients, and adding lentils with rice form a complete and digestible protein.
3. Cook Your Veggies: Skip raw salads; opt for lightly cooked vegetables to aid fuller digestion.
4. Sip Warm Herbal Teas: Warm lemon water or herbal tea enhances digestion, this is my go-to option.
5. Rethink Yogurt: Ayurveda recommends lassi over plain yogurt to ease digestion. Simply add water to yogurt, and enhance with your favorite spices, ideally sweet but salty if you prefer, blend and drink.

The procedure itself was smooth, and I woke up feeling… amazing. My congestion had vanished. I felt light, energized, and clear-headed. Why? Detoxification.

In Ayurveda, this is the removal of ama, or toxins. My gut-brain axis felt reconnected (so many creative ideas were flowing through my mind); my body had essentially undergone a mini Panchakarma, the Ayurvedic detox practice that cleanses the body seasonally.

The experience reinforced my commitment to Ayurvedic principles for gut health. We fear colonoscopies, but this one left me grateful for the reset I needed as we end the winter season.

“The greatest medicine of all is teaching people how not to need it.” – Hippocrates

I make Eastern medicine accessible to the Western world, bridging knowledge for better, healthier lives.