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Your 10 day, natural detox guide www.nutralife.com.au NL268 Naturopathic Advice Line Freephone 1800 888 964 What are toxins? Every day our body comes into contact with a cocktail of toxic substances able to cause harm. These toxins take multiple forms, some obvious (such as those found in cleaning products, smog, cigarette smoke and industrial chemicals); some not so obvious (such as the invisible pesticides and herbicides found on unwashed fruits and vegetables, and the invisible chemicals disguised as additives in pre-packaged foods). And even though our body is constantly working to remove these toxic substances from our system before they have a chance to do any harm, without healthy organs of detoxification (including your liver, kidneys, small intestine, large intestine and lower bowel), our internal processes of eliminating toxins may not work as well as nature intended. Sub-optimum elimination means damaging toxins may spend a longer time in the body. How do toxic substances enter and leave the body? A toxin’s journey Step 1 Toxin entry – toxins enter your body either through the air you breathe (via your lungs), the food you eat (via your digestive tract) or your skin (via the surfaces you touch). Step 2 Toxin transportation – once absorbed, a toxin is transported via the bloodstream to the liver. Step 3 Toxin breakdown – on arrival at the liver, most toxins are processed by a myriad of enzymes and antioxidants, and rendered non-toxic. Step 4 Toxin removal – once rendered non-toxic by the liver, these previously toxic materials are able to be safely removed from the body via the kidneys, (in the urine), the skin (through your sweat) & the bowel (in your faecal matter). 2 Giving your liver a break Your diet goes a long way to dictating the health of your liver. This means if you eat a lot of processed foods high in fat and sugar, or drink alcohol regularly, or consume caffeine daily – over time your liver can become stressed, fatigued or over-burdened. The most common signs of an overworked liver include indigestion following a meal (especially if the meal is high in fat), poor skin condition (due to toxic overload), digestive discomfort (including nausea, flatulence and foul odours from poorly digested food matter fermenting in your digestive tract) and bad breath (also a sign you are not digesting your food properly). Another nasty side effect when your liver is overworked are the severe, long lasting hangovers you experience from over-indulging (in alcohol, sugar laden foods, fatty foods or all of the above). Detoxification programmes – are they necessary and how do they work? A healthy liver works to properly recognise, filter and remove toxins from the body. An unhealthy or ‘sluggish’ liver on the other hand, combined with other poorly functioning digestive organs, can slow the removal of toxins from the body. The more time toxic compounds spend in your body (particularly in the digestive tract), the more likely they are to cause harm over the long term. But, as luck would have it, the liver is the only organ in the human body able to regenerate itself – meaning if you supply it with proper nutrition and restrict its exposure to toxins, your body is able to regenerate new, healthy cells to replace those destroyed by toxic overload. By giving your liver a break from your usual routine and excluding toxic foods and environmental toxins that would normally travel through the organ to be digested and excreted by the body, you re-charge the organ, allowing it to restore itself to good health. This can be further enhanced if you add to your diet liver supporting foods and herbal medicines, some of which work to encourage the development of new, healthy liver cells. The aim of a well balanced detoxification programme is to give your body a break from taxing nutrients (alcohol, caffeine, refined sugars, refined carbohydrates and processed trans-fats) that can affect the function and health of the liver and digestive system, while at the same time, using herbs and nutrients healing and restorative to the organs. 3 Supporting natural processes of detoxification In order to encourage the movement of toxins from your system during your detoxification programme, a number of dietary changes, along with the consumption of liver and digestive supporting herbs and nutrients, are recommended. These recommendations will help rid your body of toxins, and also help to limit any side effects experienced as these toxins make their way out of your body. The following herbs and nutrients are recommended to support the liver in its removal of toxins: Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) This herb supports processes of detoxification in the body, and assists in the regeneration of new, healthy liver cells. B Vitamins These vital nutrients are necessary for converting carbohydrates into energy. B vitamin deficiencies are especially common in those with a diet high in sugar (often also high in processed foods), caffeine and alcohol. Many B vitamins (including B1, B2 & B3) are key in various enzyme-rich detoxification pathways in the liver. Magnesium This fundamental mineral supports the production of a key antioxidant known as Glutathione, that works to support the liver in its removal of toxins from the body. Herbs to support healthy digestion The following herbs and nutrients are recommended to support healthy digestion: Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinalis radix) Known for its bitter character, dandelion root is often used as a caffeine free substitute for coffee due to its similar taste and flavour. Due to its bitter nature, Dandelion root exerts a cleansing effect on the liver, and also helps to support the health of the gall bladder. Burdock (Arctium lappa) Bitter in its taste, Burdock works to support healthy digestion by encouraging saliva and bile flow, in order to ready the body for food. Traditionally linked to the stimulation of bitter receptors found in the mouth, in modern times the use of this herb has extended to its powdered, tabulated or encapsulated form due to the discovery of bitter taste receptors in other areas of the digestive tract. Taken during a detoxification, Burdock works to ensure digestion is robust and strong. Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmara) Used as a natural antacid, meadowsweet works to reduce the symptoms of heartburn and indigestion in people who suffer discomfort following a fatty or alcohol laden meal. 4 The benefit of a healthy bowel The health of your bowel is vital as it works to support the removal of waste products from your body. In order to perform this function, the bowel relies on the correct balance of two key nutrients – fibre and water. Without adequate fibre, waste products are not able to make their way through the bowel for elimination. Adequate hydration is essential to support the effective and timely elimination of waste products. An imbalance of these nutrients may slow the process of waste removal from the body and, in some cases, result in constipation. During a detox, restoring the health and elimination function of the bowel should be a major focus to support the effective removal of toxins. Nutrients & herbs to support a healthy bowel The following herbs and nutrients are recommended to support your bowel during your natural detoxification programme: Flaxseed powder, pectin and psyllium husk powder are beneficial sources of soluble fibre. Flaxseed and Psyllium work to ‘bulk’ the stool. Psyllium also helps to ‘brush’ clean the walls of the intestines, acting as a broom for your digestive tract. Pectin is a soluble fibre well known for soothing the gut, and is sourced from the skins of apples. Aloe vera, inner leaf gel is used to soothe and protect the walls of the digestive tract. Aloe vera works by forming a thin, gel like layer on the wall of the bowel to protect the underlying tissue from damage. It supports a reduction in the irritation of bowel tissue, as well as in helping already damaged bowel tissue to heal. Marshmallow root (Althea officinalis) is a herb useful for inflammation and irritation of the digestive tract. Its restorative action soothes the digestive tract to support healthy elimination during the detoxification process. Glutamine is a beneficial amino acid that works as a tissue healer to support the healing of digestive tissues damaged by poor diets. Glutamine is used for healing a leaky gut that in susceptible individuals can be caused by consuming aggravating foods, such as dairy and wheat. 5 Changing your diet during your detox The following dietary changes are recommended to support your liver and bowel during your natural detoxification programme: Drink adequate water: without water (at least 2L of water a day), your body cannot flush toxins through the liver for detoxification, nor properly remove toxins through the skin, urine or stool. In fact, without adequate hydration, fibre is not able to do its job of bulking the stool, and waste products may be left to linger in the bowel, causing digestive discomfort and disrupting proper elimination. Signs you are not drinking enough water include hard, difficult to pass stools, constipation and dark yellow coloured urine. Reduce caffeine intake: for many of us, the most difficult part of a detoxification programme involves giving up our daily coffee/s. Even for the short-term, this can be difficult as headaches, nausea, and withdrawals are often experienced on the first couple of days of a detoxification. The best way to side-line these symptoms is by drinking adequate water to prevent dehydration and supporting the liver with detox herbs such as Milk thistle. Remember that tea and chocolate also contain caffeine, so these will need to be limited or excluded. Reduce alcohol intake: when you consume alcohol, your liver, kidneys and brain are affected by the dehydration it causes, which often results in the cloudiness and headache felt the next day. Adding insult to injury, alcohol also causes a deficiency in some key B vitamins necessary for proper liver detox processes to occur. It is therefore essential you replace both water and B vitamins not only during your detoxification process, but also on your recovery days following a big night out. Reduce salt intake: salt is hidden in many pre-packaged and processed foods, meaning we often consume more than we think. Salt affects our level of hydration in the body (and therefore our processes of elimination), particularly if you don’t hydrate with water regularly, you drink too much dehydrating coffee and alcohol or, you have a diet low in hydrating fruits and vegetables. Reduce pre-packaged and processed foods: pre-packaged and processed foods often contain added salts and sugars. These ingredients are combined with foods to preserve their stability and flavour as they sit on the shelf. When it comes to detoxing though, these foods can do more harm than good. The best rule of thumb when it comes to choosing foods during your detox is if it comes in a packet, 9 times out of 10 you probably should not be eating it. 6 10 day cleansing programme – dietary plan The following programme is recommended for use when undergoing a detox plan. 5 BREAKFAST CHOICES Choose one of the below breakfasts each day you are on the programme. 5 LUNCH CHOICES Choose one of the below lunches each day you are on the programme. Breakfast 1 Lunch 1 Smashed avocado on toast -Smashed avocado on gluten free toast -A cupful of mixed strawberries, blueberries & melon Chicken with greens -¼ free range chicken, greens (spinach, steamed broccoli and snow peas) - Lemon and olive oil for dressing 1 cup of herbal tea 1 cup of herbal tea Breakfast 2 Lunch 2 Wholefood muesli - Grated apple - Gluten & fruit free muesli - ¼ cup almonds -¹/³ cup almond milk Fish with salsa - 1 tin salmon or tuna -2 cups of mixed baby spinach, tomato and avocado - Lemon juice and olive oil dressing 1 cup of herbal tea 1 cup of herbal tea Breakfast 3 Lunch 3 Poached egg with greens - A free range poached egg - 1 cup baby spinach, avocado -½ cup cooked quinoa/ brown rice mix Apple, pear & walnut salad -Apple, pear & walnut salad, with spinach leaves - Lemon juice and olive oil dressing -± ½ cup steamed chicken - ± ½ cup almonds 1 cup of herbal tea 1 cup of herbal tea Breakfast 4 Lunch 4 Baked beans from scratch -Home-made baked beans* with gluten free toast Healthy Caesar salad -1 x poached egg with -1½ cup spinach leaves, kale and avocado -A handful of walnuts 1 cup of herbal tea 1 cup of herbal tea Breakfast 5 Lunch 5 Egg omelette with greens -Free range egg omelette with sautéed mushrooms - 1 cup baby spinach, avocado -½ cup cooked quinoa/ brown rice mix Lentil pasta with greens - Lentils with fresh tomato sauce* - Gluten free pasta -1 cup greens (spinach, steamed broccoli and snow peas) 1 cup of herbal tea 1 cup of herbal tea 7 Meals are interchangeable, and can be repeated throughout the week. Ingredients can be substituted for any others on the ‘Foods to eat’ list on previous pages. 5 DINNER CHOICES Choose one of the below dinners each day you are on the programme. 5 SNACK AND SMOOTHIE CHOICES Choose one to two of these as snacks each day on the programme. Dinner 1 Snack 1 Brown rice, chickpeas and veggies - ½ cup of cooked brown rice -½ cup cooked potato, pumpkin, with steamed greens -½ cup chickpeas, sautéed with olive oil and flat-leafed parsley Banana & honey protein smoothie - 30g pea & rice protein powder - ½ frozen banana - ¼ cup coconut yoghurt - ½ tablespoon honey - 200ml almond milk Dinner 2 Snack 2 Stir-fry tofu with mixed veggies - ½ cup (100g) tofu - 1 cup with mixed vegetables -Tamari, garlic, ginger and chilli to taste - ½ cup brown rice Crudités and homemade hummus -Carrot and celery sticks -¼ cup hummus* Dinner 3 Snack 3 Salmon with greens - Salmon steak - 1 cup steamed green vegetables - 1 cup of cooked gluten free pasta - Olive oil and lemon juice to dress Crackers and hummus - 8 rice crackers with - ¼ cup hummus* Dinner 4 Snack 4 Lentil & brown rice salad - 1 cup lentils and brown rice -1½ cup baked sweet potato, pumpkin and steamed green vegetables - A squeeze of lemon - 1 tbsp tahini Yoghurt and nuts -Coconut yoghurt with almonds Dinner 5 Snack 5 Chicken with quinoa greens -¼ free range chicken -½ cup quinoa and mixed steamed green vegetables Berry protein smoothie -30g pea & rice protein powder -½ frozen banana -¼ cup frozen berries - 200ml almond milk *Please refer to recipe on page 18 8 9 During detoxification choose dairy alternatives to give your body a break from digesting dairy proteins. Fried foods: French fries, potato wedges Other grains: Limit corn Foods to limit or avoid High sugar fruits: Dried fruits Most gluten-containing grains: Wheat, barley, rye and triticale Foods to limit or avoid Refined carbohydrates: White flour White rice Sugar Processed foods, such as soft drinks, cakes, biscuits, lollies Vegetable oils: Cow dairy alternatives: Almond milk, oat milk or soy milk Coconut yoghurt Goat milk, goat milk yoghurt or sheep milk yoghurt Cow dairy: All cow dairy for the course of your detoxification Exclude cheese, milk, ice-cream, cream, sour cream, yoghurt Foods to limit or avoid Meat and seafood: Seafood, such as shellfish Processed meats, such as ham, salami, bacon & prosciutto Foods to limit or avoid High fibre, high nutrient vegetables: Processed and poor quality oils: Green leafy vegetables such as baby spinach, bokchoy Canola (unless organic) and kale Mixed vegetable oils, such as Crisco. Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage Foods to eat Easy to digest fruits: Pears, apples, bananas, lemons, pawpaw Berries, including blueberries & strawberries Oranges, limes & lemons, in water & as a salad dressing live oil O Foods to eat Meat, fish and poultry During detoxification, animal proteins support blood Meat and fish: sugar level balance. Easy to digest proteins are chosen, Lean, organic, free range chicken & pork to give the digestive system a break from more difficult to Oily fish, such as tuna & salmon digest sources. Lean, organic lamb & kangaroo Foods to eat Dairy and dairy alternatives Fruit and vegetables Generally speaking, fruits and vegetables function to provide fibre, hydration and a range of vitamins to the body. During detoxification, fibre and hydration are even more important, to help clean and revitalise the digestive system. Foods to eat Breads, grains and cereals During detoxification, it is important to provide your body Complex, low/no gluten carbohydrates: with slow burning, high fibre energy, and reduce foods Brown rice, brown rice pasta Spelt bread & pasta high in simple sugars. Quinoa, including puffed Amaranth, puffed Giving your digestive system a break from wheat & other Millet, puffed or cooked Sprouted breads Oats gluten containing grains is also beneficial. Natural sweeteners: Stevia A little honey or rice bran syrup Nutritional recommendations during detoxification 10 Beverages During detoxification, proper hydration is one of the best ways to support the health of your liver and encourage healthy elimination of waste products through your kidneys and bowels. Choose natural, sugar free, caffeine free alternatives alongside plenty of water to increase your chance of a healthy and happy detox. Sauces, spices and condiments Herbs and spices add flavour to foods, often without the extra salt and sugar found in many condiments. Fermented foods are a great addition to your diet during detoxification, as they provide beneficial pre-biotics to the gut. Herbal teas: For detoxification, choose milk thistle (Silybum marianum), nettle (Urtica dioica). To calm your digestive system, choose ginger (Zingiberis officinale), peppermint (Mentha piperita), chamomille (Matricaria recutita) For antioxidant support, choose green tea (Camelia sinensis) Freshly extracted fruit & vegetable juices: Choose green vegetables, including kale, celery, cabbage, parsley Also include carrots, beetroot and ginger Pineapples, green apples, lemons and oranges are also able to be used in small amounts Liquids to drink Filtered water: Include naturally sparkling mineral water Add some lemon, orange or lime juice to your water jug; alternately, add a handful of washed berries, for a sweeter flavour. Condiments: Naturally fermented alternatives such as tamari, miso, and sauerkraut Seeds: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds Foods to eat Herbs and spices: Spices such as black pepper, ginger, cinnamon Fresh herbs, such as basil, coriander, thyme, oregano, chilli, garlic Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas (whole or as hummus) Beans, such as kidney beans, butter beans, black beans, borlotti beans, cannelloni beans Consider soy, as tofu or tempeh Foods to eat Nuts, seeds and legumes During detoxification, nutrient dense nuts, seeds Nuts: and legumes provide healthy fats, plant fibre, Unsalted almonds, walnuts and brazil nuts slow burning complex carbohydrates and easy to Almond milk, as a dairy alternative digest proteins. Nut butters, choose almond, brazil nut, cashew Pre-packaged fruit juices: Such as those found in the refrigerated area of your supermarket or corner store Diet soft drinks: Containing aspartame, phenylalanine Sugary drinks: Soft drinks, such as cola and lemonade Pre-packaged fruit juices Condiments: Soy sauce Tomato sauce, bbq sauce Any condiment containing sugar, salt or fruit as main ingredients Liquids to avoid Coffee & tea: Exclude all café and instant coffees Exclude all caffeinated teas, including English breakfast, Earl Grey Foods to limit or avoid Salt: Table salt Adding salt as you cook Foods to limit or avoid Nuts: Limit peanuts and macadamia nuts 11 Date: ___/___/___ Day 2 Date: ___/___/___ Day 3 Date: ___/___/___ Day 4 Date: ___/___/___ Day 5 Breakfast: Breakfast: Breakfast: Breakfast: Lunch: Lunch: Lunch: Lunch: Dinner: Dinner: Dinner: Dinner: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snacks, juices and smoothies are to be consumed mid-morning, mid-afternoon or late afternoon, to keep you satisfied until your next meal. Maximum 2 per day. Before bed: Herbal supplements to support bowel health Dinner: Before dinner: A glass of warm, filtered water with the juice of half a lemon. Any vitamin or herbal supplements to support detoxification process. Lunch: Before lunch: A glass of warm, filtered water with the juice of half a lemon. Any vitamin or herbal supplements to support detoxification process. Breakfast: Before breakfast: A glass of warm, filtered water with the juice of half a lemon. Any vitamin or herbal supplements to support detoxification process. Date: ___/___/___ Day 1 Dietary plan template 12 Date: ___/___/___ Day 7 Date: ___/___/___ Day 8 Date: ___/___/___ Day 9 Date: ___/___/___ Day 10 Breakfast: Breakfast: Breakfast: Breakfast: Lunch: Lunch: Lunch: Lunch: Dinner: Dinner: Dinner: Dinner: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snack: Snacks, juices and smoothies are to be consumed mid-morning, mid-afternoon or late afternoon, to keep you satisfied until your next meal. Maximum 2 per day. Before bed: Herbal supplements to support bowel health Dinner: Before dinner: A glass of warm, filtered water with the juice of half a lemon. Any vitamin or herbal supplements to support detoxification process. Lunch: Before lunch: A glass of warm, filtered water with the juice of half a lemon. Any vitamin or herbal supplements to support detoxification process. Breakfast: Before breakfast: A glass of warm, filtered water with the juice of half a lemon. Any vitamin or herbal supplements to support detoxification process. Date: ___/___/___ Day 6 Handy recipes Baked beans serves 6 Ingredients 500g dried beans, cannellini or haricot 2 red onions, peeled & chopped 4 sticks celery, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 x 400g canned tomatoes, chopped 2 tbsp rapadura or dried cane sugar 1 tbsp tamari 1 tsp English or Wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp paprika 2 sprigs rosemary 1 pinch sea salt 1 pinch black pepper 2½ cups water Instructions Prepare ingredients. Place ingredients in an ovenproof casserole dish with lid and season. Stir to combine and cover tightly. Turn your oven on to 140°C and bake overnight for approximately 7-8 hours. Beans should be soft and the sauce should have thickened. Add more water if desired and stir well. Hummus Serves 6 (¼ cup serves) Ingredients 1 can chickpeas 2 tbsp tahini Juice of one lemon 2 tsp garlic powder (or to taste) Paprika and olive oil (for serving) Salt and pepper (to taste) Directions Drain chickpeas. Add to food processor with other ingredients. Blend until smooth. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to one week. 13 Hints and tips Start with a clean slate By removing any tempting treats from your office desk and home pantry the week prior to your detox, you give yourself a better chance of resisting temptation and maintaining your willpower to stick with your healthy detox programme. Couple your pantry clean out with a visit to your local health food store and farmers market, and you are well on your way to a successful (and easier) detox experience. Don’t forget to ask your significant others and friends to keep the treats away from you for the 10 days of your detox... or better yet, join you! Start on the weekend For some people, the first few days on a detox programme can be the hardest. As you rebound from the caffeine, sugar or other foods you eat on a daily basis, you may have lower energy than usual as well as an increased need to use the bathroom on those first few days. But don’t be alarmed, every detox diet starts this way, but within a few days (and with plenty of hydration and healthy food) you will be feeling much better. Work your way there If you want to lessen the impact of going cold turkey, reduce your coffee and/or alcohol consumption over time, the week before your detox begins. So, if you normally have four coffees a day, step down to three for a few days, then two, then one. For added benefits, as you drop your coffee, increase your water. NL290 Food is mostly habitual Human beings are habitual by nature. And believe it or not, many of us eat the foods we eat due to the habits built in childhood, rather than how we feel. Many find that a detox is the first time they start to notice how what they are eating affects their body. Take note, and build these positive experiences back into your normal diet when your detox is done. 14