Detox

I was at the mall the other day looking for something nutritious to feed my body after a 16 hour long fast and I settled on a ‘detox smoothie’. End result: I found my way to the bathroom 🚽in a hurry shortly thereafter and you know what? I felt brand new! Before you scramble for a box of laxatives or overpriced commercially sold smoothies let me explain the process.

Detox - What is it?
Detox is the process of removing toxins from the body. It’s an ejection process that can be done through sweat, urine or poop. The toxins are primarily introduced via your diet (processed foods, commercially grown foods that are bathed in pesticides & alcohol).

What are the benefits?
Reduced inflammation, elevated energy levels, mental clarity & some weight loss (and better digestion) from the absence of processed food & an improved relationship with the toilet🚽. Anyone that’s ever been constipated can attest to the feeling of relief (both physically and mentally) once congestion has cleared.

How can you do it?

• Water💧is your friend. The more the better. 40mls per kg of body weight is a good place to start. Consider topping it off with a slice or two of lemon🍋. Stay away from coffee and sodas. 
• Alcohol🍷🍺is your enemy. I have acquaintances that drink every day. If this my dear reader is your life story as well then you need to make an adjustment. I’m not telling you stop ndiwe muntu mukulu but press pause for a bit & give your body a break.
• Sugar (in excess) is poison. It’s commonly found in your store bought juices, ketchups, canned food & cereals. More on this here.
• Fast. Fasting helps your body reset and allows you to rest from constant processing action of the food & drink consumed. More on this here.
• Consume fresh fruits (berries, lemon, apples etc.) & green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale etc. Throw some carrots in 🥕there as well. Additionally, you may look to include some ginger, cinnamon, garlic and turmeric where possible. Melissa Supermarket is a great one stop shop for all these things. Umoyo has all the seed options.

Sample Detox Smoothies
Easiest way to do this is through juicing and/or blending. So, you need to drink your food. Blend with plain water or unsweetened almond milk and note that the order of the smoothies listing below is of no significance.

1st detox smoothie - 1 cupful of chopped spinach (or any other green leafy vegetable),
1 cup of chopped beetroot, 1 cup of chopped pineapple 🍍, 1 tablespoon of flax seeds, 1 tablespoon of honey🍯 

2nd detox smoothie - 2 stalks of celery, 1 handful of blueberries, 1 handful of strawberries 🍓, 1-2  bananas🍌, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, 2 tablespoons of stevia or cinnamon

3rd detox smoothie - 2 stalks of celery, 1 cucumber🥒, 1-2 apple🍎🍏, 2 carrots🥕, 1-2 tablespoons of honey (to neutralize the celery), handful of ginger

4th optional basic detox smoothie - half lemon 🍋& 2 cucumbers🥒blend topped off with some mint leaves and ice❄ for a cool, refreshing taste.

5th optional basic detox smoothie - cinnamon, ginger & carrot🥕 

How often should you do it?
As often as you feel you need. Duration typically lasts from 1 day to 3 or more days. If you’re not supplementing with a fast or going at it the whole day then take any of these smoothies first thing in the morning. I personally do an all day smoothie detox once a week on weekends.

Who’s it best suited for?
Whoever feels like they need it. Assess your own energy levels and general sense of well-being. 

Conclusion
Your body’s pretty good at self regulating and cleansing but giving it a little help doesn’t hurt so please consider giving your body a bath 🛁🧼  on the inside every now and then.


*This blog complements my last one on overcoming gas issues. Read it here.