Detox time?

I constantly get asked about detoxing.  How often…which approach…how to get the most from it?  This is why I was so excited to conduct last Sunday’s Digestive Health and Detox health seminar.  This post compliments the health talk but does not contain all info covered.  To stay updated on the monthly seminars, be sure to sign-up for the monthly newsletter (to the right of the article).  Special thanks to experienced Nutritional Consultant, Sosan Hua, for her support and guidance.

Reasons to consider a cleanse:

• Boost metabolism → short-term weight loss or to kick-start a long-term weight management program
• Digestive irregularities → constipation, poor appetite, bloating/gas, etc
• Poor/altered immune function→ frequent colds, allergies, etc
• Low energy → fatigue, lethargy, mental grogginess, lack of focus, etc
• Reset eating habits → get back into healthy eating habits
• Improve skin/hair/nail health → nurture beauty and health from the inside out

Before you decide on conducting a cleanse, consider the following:

• What are you trying to accomplish?
  • Reset bowel function, allergies, joint pain, boost immunity, etc
  • This will dictate which approach is best suited and how the cleanse can be fine-tuned
• Time/energy willing to dedicate?  Cost/benefit?
  • Elimination diet is the gold standard, in my opinion, but is time/energy demanding and requires some degree of guidance; for more information on this, speak to your Naturopathic Doctor
  • Mixed reviews on blood food sensitivity test → recent evidence disputes this test’s efficiency → this test may tell you more about what foods you eat a lot of, rather than what you may have a sensitivity to
  • Detox cleanse kit most cost effective and realistic for general population → these kits, when containing the appropriate ingredients in appropriate amounts (to actually see a benefit) and provided the process is supported with the appropriate practices, can help you reach one or more of the goals listed above
    
• Supportive practices?
  • Before cleanse
    • Meal planning and preparation → without this, you are setting yourself up for failure
    • Weaning off caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, recreational drugs, sugar, and processed foods → in order to cut-out these products during the cleanse, it helps to start the weaning process the week before; beware of withdrawal
  • During cleanse
    • Cut out or at least minimize caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, recreational drugs, sugar, and processed foods
    • Increasing fluid intake → slightly steeped green tea can be included here
    • Plant based diet (ideally hypoallergenic)
    • Avoid skipping meals
    • Sufficient sleep
    • Sauna/steam, foot bath, yoga, mild-moderate intensity exercise, meditation
    • Be aware of aggravations → not unusual to initially feel worse before feeling better
  • After cleanse
    • Pick 1-2 new healthy habits to carry forward → this is my personal goal for you
    • Avoid binging
    • Pay attention to aggravations as you reintroduce foods/lifestyle habits → cleansing can facilitate a heightened level of body awareness; take advantage of this by paying attention to how different foods make you feel
• If you have a medical condition or are generally unsure about this process, seek the guidance of a Naturopath or Nutritional Consultant

Supplements to support you between detoxes:

• Demulcent → Aloe juice (natural flavour)
  • Soothes and protects digestive tract lining
• Anti-inflammatories → Fish oil, OPC-3
• Tannins → OPC-3
  • Help “tighten” gaps in small intestine cells
• Cleanse → NutriClean

Spotlight on Ultimate Aloe:

• Supports a healthy digestive tract
• Supports a strong immune system
• Promotes absorption
• Helpful with constipation
• Low sugar content
• Concentrated formula
• No additives

Spotlight on NutriClean detox kit:

Indications:

• Helps maintain digestive health
• Cleanses the colon
• Promotes growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon
• Helps to cleanse and detoxify the liver
• Provides fuel for cells lining the small intestine
• Promotes immune health
• Supports healthy nutrient absorption

Some of the ingredients (this cleanse works on various body systems to allow for a holistic effect):

• Appetite → gentian, peppermint, anise
• Liver → milk thistle, black walnut
• Gallbladder → Oregon grape
• Digestion → yellow dock, hyssop, rhubarb, buckthorn, rosemary, cascara (senna), fennel, fiber
• Kidney → dandelion, goldenseal
• Small Intestine → glutamine
• Large intestine → pre/probiotics
• Digestive tract lining → licorice
• Antioxidants → N-acetyl cystein, green tea
• Immune support → shizandra chinensis
• Blood cleanser → red clover
• Anti-inflammatory → turmeric
• Cardiovascular support → ginger, barberry, hawthorn

For more information on ULTIMATE ALOE or if you’re ready to try the NUTRICLEAN detox, please contact me.