Cleansing/Detox

A Clean Body is a Happy Body

We are exposed to harmful pollutants all the time, whether we are aware or not. These pollutants come from environmental toxins, household products and other chemical contaminants in non-organic/highly processed foods. They wreak havoc on our bodies, tax our digestive systems, bringing about metabolic/hormonal disorders, weight gain and various ailments. Constant fatigue, skin breakouts, body odor, mental fog, abdominal bloating/gas – these may be some of the signs that a proper cleanse and nourishment is needed.

Your body has natural, excellent abilities to combat toxins through the liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymphatic system, and skin. However, when you experience toxins in excess – especially so in this modern world (think of pesticides, chemicals, heavy metals, etc) – your body’s detox mechanisms struggle to keep up. Other factors like chronic stress, physical inactivity, lack of quality sleep, can totally devastate your body’s natural detox system, making it even harder to remove toxins from the bloodstream efficiently.

Why Cleanse? It is the perfect opportunity to allow your body to “start from scratch” by helping it to eliminate toxins effectively and be more ready to absorb nutrients from your daily diet. Your body functions like an engine, where you will need to get rid of impurities so that the engine can run smoothly again.

Figuring out which foods are best for a “cleanse” can be tricky. Here are our recommendations for effective cleansing:

1. Eat a variety of fiber-rich foods

A key role of fiber is to aid in the elimination of toxins. Whole fruits, vegetables, whole-grains (e.g. quinoa, brown rice, millet), nuts and seeds (e.g. chia seeds, sacha inchi seeds) are fiber-rich foods that are also rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help the body carry out its detoxification and cleansing functions.

Try to meet the daily recommended 25-35g of dietary fiber. While seeking to increase your intake of fiber-rich foods, do note to do so gradually at each meal, over a period of weeks, to prevent bloating, cramps or gas. Drink MORE water (at least 8-10 glasses a day) as you add fibre to your diet; fibre needs to absorb water in order to work effectively. Otherwise, you will end up with constipation.

We recommend chia seeds soaked in warm water, with lemon juice added in the morning, for a simple, effective detox drink.

2. Eat plenty of veggies—especially green leafy vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables and leafy greens are especially good detoxifying vegetables. Chlorophyll, a nutrient found in green vegetables, helps the body (and liver) to detoxify effectively, increases blood oxygen levels and purifies blood cells. We highly recommend Moringa Leaf Powder as a powerful detoxifying agent and an all-rounder superfood providing all the vitamins and nutrients your body requires. Matcha, which is also high in chlorophyll and fiber, is another great detoxifier.

3. Get probiotic and prebiotic foods

Good gut health starts with prebiotics, a type of fiber that feeds the good bacteria in your gut called probiotics. Probiotics can be gotten from fermented foods such as tempeh, miso, sauerkraut, kimchi, brine pickles, plain yogurt and kefir. Probiotics work hand in hand with prebiotics to build a healthy gut flora. For prebiotic foods, we recommend yacon syrup, dried yacon, chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke,garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, bananas, oats. The prebiotic effects from yacon roots is much stronger than the rest mentioned above due to the higher concentration of FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) in yacon roots.

4. Drink lots of water

Drink lots of fluids. Consume adequate amounts of clear, sugar-free, caffeine-free fluids to stay hydrated and to function properly. Our body relies on adequate hydration for several body functions like body temperature control, circulation, bowel function and flushing out waste and toxins from your body. Pure water is the obvious choice for hydration but remember, water can also be found in other beverages and even in your foods. Nevertheless, as much as we can, we should always avoid alcohol, sugary/sweetened beverages and caffeinated beverages.