Happy 2016!! How did you come through Christmas and New Years? Did you manage to walk the line? 😉
We know a number of people who didn’t, and are now swearing they’re not drinking for a month… and some that stayed rolling with the party vibe of summer, with the plan to “hit February and Feb-Fast”, get clean and focused for 2016, by detoxing and only eating salad!
Love it, the lament of the end of every festive season…
With that in mind, our detoxing guru Sara Canney has designed the Urban Detox Program, designed specifically for busy people and diverse lifestyles.
It’s a program you can complete in the comfort of your own home, whilst juggling work and life commitments. Whether you wish to try a 3-day cleanse, or go a full week (or beyond), Sara’s unique programs can be catered to your specific needs.
Check out our Urban Detox Programs here!
To get the full benefits of the detox, physically and emotionally, we always recommend clearing the diary for a few days. This allows you to do the essentials, but have a bit more space to stay attentive to your body and mind during this process.
If you love the idea of flushing the festivities, but feel you have too much on that can’t be put to the side at the moment…
Here are a few easy things you can do to start cleansing your body – little things done each day can make a big difference!
(Stay tuned for Part II, as we explore more about the effects of balancing acid and alkaline in your body and how critical this is to feeling your best.)
8 Easy Ways To Start Cleansing Your Body
1. Eat your greens!
Green veggies are full of alkalising nutrients and best eaten raw or very lightly steamed, so make sure that every day you include a good amount of greens (and reds, yellows, oranges, pinks) in your diet. By increasing your fruit & vegetable intake, you can give yourself a great base (alkaline joke 😉
Choose fresh, seasonal vegetables for your good health
Remember – fresh, seasonal and raw or lightly cooked is best, and there are so many ways to combine ingredients, seasonings, dressing, fresh herbs and cheeky additions to your salads – it’ll take you ages to get bored. I have a number of great sources to direct you to for inspiration!
If you get tired of chewing (yes, sometimes those salads can be hard work) then juice. It’s easy, accessible and really refreshing.
Grab a fresh fruit or veggie juice once a day to immediately increase not only your nutrient profile and hydration but also alkalise at the same time! You’re only limited to seasonal variety and your imagination.
Juicing at home allows you to control the source of your produce which is ideal, but do what you can. Some great combinations include:
Spinach, parsley, carrot, lemon, ginger and beetroot
Kale, carrot, celery, lime & mint
Watermelon, mint & pear
Apple, lemon & mint
Orange, beetroot, turmeric & lemon
The possibilities are endless…mix it up!
A selection from Home Pressed Juices
One of my favorite juicing options if you don’t have a juicer at home is to pop into Home Pressed Juices to grab a couple of their delicious concoctions. I also do a one day juice fast with them whenever I’m super busy or feeling a little sluggish…it’s the perfect pick-me-up.
You can order online for delivery too!
They are my preferred juicing company for the Urban Detox Program – you can see their full menu and details via the HomeJuice website (http://homejuice.com.au).
2. Drink Green Smoothies
Add a green smoothie to your daily repertoire. My folks thought I was crazy when I suggested this to them, but they’re now more hooked than I am!
Start with one part greens to two parts fruit if you’re more of a sweet tooth, but as you get used to the taste of the greens, you can shift the ratio to include more greens.
Some of my favourite combinations include:
Citrus Kick
Your daily dose of vitamin C, with a bit of tang to wake up your system.
1-2 oranges or a pink grapefruit
1/4 lemon (minus peel but with a little white pith remaining)
1 banana
1 kiwifruit
2 big handfuls of spinach (it’s an easy green to start with but choose any your prefer)
Water (or coconut water)
Blend and serve. I like to add some ginger to mine, and a couple of ice cubes on hot days. too.
Berry Blend
To make the most of summer fruits!
1 cup of berries (choose your favourites)
1 banana
1 orange
2 handfuls of spinach
Fresh mint, to taste
Water and/or ice cubes
You can start with slightly less water, and add more to taste depending on whether you prefer a thicker or thinner smoothie.
Grapefruit Green Smoothie via The Minimalist Baker
Other additions that are delicious and a great nutritional booster might include:
1 tbsp of chia seeds (packed with essential fatty acids, protein & selenium)
1 tbsp LSA (a mix of ground linseed, sunflower & almond meal*)
1 tsp of slippery elm powder (soothing fibre with mucilage and a pre-biotic that feeds the good bacteria in your gut)
1-2 tsp of goji berries
1 tbsp of coconut oil
Dash of cinnamon
*remember to store LSA in the fridge once ground, and if you don’t grind it yourself make sure to buy from somewhere that stores it in the fridge. The oils go rancid quickly after the nuts and seeds are ground, so keeping them cool helps to prevent this.
3. Add Chlorophyll to flush your system
Chlorophyll helps the cells of the body heal and regenerate (via Renewed Living)
Chlorophyll is also known as ‘plant blood’ and is similar in essence to human blood, except we have iron in the middle of the cells whereas plants have magnesium. It helps to flush acid from the tissues and blood, while the magnesium supports the nervous system, assists with energy production and works as a great muscle relaxant.
Chlorophyll also helps to soften impacted faecal matter in the bowel, making it easier to shift out of the body. I use it a lot in detox programs and as part of a protocol with clients doing a series of colonics.
It’s an easy addition to your routine: simply add 20ml (low dose) – 40ml (regular dose) in 1-2L of water and sip it throughout the day. You can also add it to coconut water or fresh juice if preferred.This will be hugely helpful in ridding some acidic waste from your body. It also has a natural deodorising effect.
Be mindful when you take it – it’s better to start at the lower dose and work your way up. The detoxing effect may lead to some reactions – these might include headaches, nausea or even loose bowels. But keep in mind it’s part of the toxins releasing from your body!
4. Enjoy the benefits of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)
Raw ACV is a fabulous and super easy way to shift some acidic waste. You can use it as a delicious tangy base for salad dressings, or simply have 1-2 teaspoons in a small glass of warm water first thing in the morning to kickstart your day.
ACV is pretty handy, it will alkalise your body systemically but for a person with low stomach acid (think of that nauseous sensation after eating fatty or richer foods) take a dose of ACV, it will increase your stomach acid and assist with the digestive process. ACV has been known to help with countless health conditions from bad skin and constipation, arthritis, candida and other infections.
Try it today! Depending on your palate you might prefer to start at 1tsp and work up to 2tsp.Organic ACV is best and is widely available in supermarkets and health food stores.
5. Stay hydrated
We all know this…drink water! Lots of it – aim for 2 litres a day.
Staying hydrated will allow your body to naturally flush acidic waste from your body. Be it via the skin (sweat it out!), the kidneys or bowel, we need to be well hydrated in order to release this waste effectively.
Look for an alkaline water to make a real impact. Alkalife water, an alkaline water filter for your home, or simply adding a squeeze of lemon juice or a pinch of celtic or himalayan pink salt to your water are great options. As mentioned above, Chlorophyll will be even better!
Water: an integral part of our wellbeing
Ideally, our bodies are 60-70% water… and as all my clients can attest, I’m a bit water obsessed. Such a simple thing to be hydrated, but SO important.
Remember – you want to be the grape, not the sultana!!
6. Reduce stress
Stress is hugely acidic and a very common factor in many people’s lives.
When people hear “stress” they often think of emotional stress and it being negative. Please don’t make the mistake of presuming that you don’t get stressed just because you aren’t tearing your hair out and shouting at the world.
Stress doesn’t have to feel ‘bad’ – some people love what they do, despite their job or life being hectic, crazy, demanding, with long hours, much juggling of people and deadlines, They still LOVE it.
But.
Physiologically they are in a total stress response, and this always leads to an acid state in the body – which makes way for inflammation in the body.
So balance your stress. Meditate. Get on the yoga mat, stretch, focus, breathe and release. Go fishing. Whatever floats your boat…but do it.
For more guidance, speak to your naturopath about a program to help rebalance an overworked nervous system and adrenals.
7. Try adapting your food choices
If you don’t have time for a full detox, then try this:
For one week, leave red meat, dairy, sugar, processed carbs, caffeine and alcohol out of your diet.
Instead, load up your days with the aforementioned greens – salads, smoothies, juices and some light protein: fish, organic chicken, edamame, tofu, quinoa…lots of options!
Anyone can do a week – and you might just find at the end of it that you want to do a second week 😉
It helps immensely to plan your week. Make sure you do a big shop and have everything you need in the kitchen.
Don’t shop hungry.
Any sweet treats or savoury snacks in the cupboard or fridge? If you know you lack the willpower to ignore them after a big day at work? Give them away, or get rid of them… Make them unavailable before you start your week (and no, I don’t mean binge on them the night before!!)
8. Colon Hydrotherapy
Another option for accelerating the flushing of the festivities… is colonics.
Gut health: the essential foundation for wellbeing
Colon hydrotherapy has become increasingly popular as a way to rejuvenate the digestive system. If you’re feeling bloated, tired, sluggish, craving sugar and even a bit unmotivated to start the clean up you really do need, a couple of colonics with our experienced therapists might be just what you need to get you on track.
You can read more about Colonic Hydrotherapy here.
Remember, the key to a healthy balance in your body is not rocket science – but to put these simple steps into action does require some discipline. Take it one day at a time, allow for slip-ups here and there, and enjoy the journey!
Sara Canney, Naturopath / Colonic Hydrotherapist
Sara has worked with some of the best international colonic hydrotherapists in Australia and overseas. Her articles have been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine, Australian Natural Health and other widely recognised publications. With a wealth of knowledge, her specialty and passion is for detoxing, and healing the digestive system.
