Contrary to popular belief, detoxification is not about starvation.

Detoxification, for many, is a synonym to starvation. In reality, it is the process of cleansing the toxins from one’s body – through proper dieting, or through necessary external substances. Detoxification helps the body get a new life, increase one’s ability to stay fit, and strengthen our immunity to deal better with external aggressions.

Detox⁵ directs towards the restoration of the gut flora, flushing the toxins that accumulate in fat storages, rejuvenating  internal organs, and purifying the lymph and blood, removing the waste while providing the body with the necessary nutrition needed. The body should as much as possible be provided with prebiotic, probiotic (Activa Symbiotic¹¹ range is gastro-protected and contains the main strains including infantix, a strain found to help with IBS), plenty of water, and easy to digest food that wouldn’t strain the digestive system.

A Mindful Diet – The Primary Path To Detoxification

To support vitality, proper hygiene and good eating habits support natural detoxification of the body

• When possible, choose organic produce – foods produced by methods comprised of organic farming, practices that strive to foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Eat fresh vegetables and their juices, whole fruits and berries, seeds of some plants, sprouted grains, and seaweed – also rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Wheatgrass has become the new health food for those looking for a detox diet

• As a healthy practice, try to replace mindless carefree snacking with a detoxifying smoothie, made by yourself – see recipe below.

• If you can, coffee in the morning can replaced with green tea, which is rich in antioxidants

• Include regular consumption of fibres in your diet with foods like legumes, leafy vegetables, and whole grains, to help bowel functions and bind the wastes as they go through the colon

• Incorporate superfoods rich in healthy Omega 3 fatty acids such as salmon, tuna, avocado, walnuts, almonds, olive oil, and flax seeds¹

• Reduce as much as possible the consumption of simple carbohydrates like white sugar flour and fatty fried foods. They slow down digestion and are not rich in nutrients

• Avoid preserved or processed food, sugary drinks rich in added sugar or High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), alcohol, and tobacco as they contain substances that clutter our body²

• Natural herbs like dandelion⁷, turmeric⁸, milk thistle, cypress, hydrangea root, and gravel root can be used as home-medicines rather than taking OTC pills and NSAIDs³

• Spices can be very powerful for liver detoxification. Turmeric is known to have anti-cancer properties, cumin and ginger help digestion and support absorption of nutrients and minerals. All these spices help kill bacteria and speed up metabolism hence stimulating the digestion process. Spices like cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, ginger⁹, fennel, black pepper, and clove, when used in our diet act as cleansers⁴