I once did a 3 day juice detox. The hunger was maddening: for dinner on the first day I caved and cooked a curry, on the second I bought fish and chips, and on the final day I gave up entirely and supplemented my juices with toast every couple of hours.
Needless to say it was not at all a success and I finished the process feeling less healthy than when I started.
But I really appreciate the need to take a break to let our bodies heal and recover after we put our digestive systems under extra pressure, particularly after Christmas where we all totally over-indulge and then usually suffer as a consequence.
Which is why my friends from Ortis are here today to talk about how to detox in an altogether easier way: no furtive curry eating, no restricting, no all-encompassing hunger. Read on to find out more…
It’s that time of year again. The time when we make all sorts of promises to ourselves to live better, be healthier and look after ourselves more. While the festive season is fun, it can put your digestive system under increased pressure, affecting how you feel both inside and out. Instead of starting the new year fighting fit and ready for the challenge, we often find ourselves feeling a little lacking in energy, a tad bloated, a little run down, with dull skin and a generally feeling of being under the weather: not how we saw the year starting out. Cue the solution to all of these things….. yep, the New Year detox!
As with any kind of diet advice, there are so many different options out there that it can be difficult to know what is genuinely going to help. Will I need to head off to Thailand for two weeks and ingest nothing but clay? (yes that’s actually a real thing), or do I need to give up any kind of solids and live off juice for the foreseeable future? Will it be torturous for the next few weeks while I try and adjust? It seems to be that the more extreme the changes are that we make in the New Year, the less likely we are to stick to them, which can leave us feeling even worse. So what is the solution?
The fact of the matter is that we are already detoxing all the time. Our body is pre-programmed to cleanse, detoxify and absorb all the nutrients we need. (our bodies really are incredible) A healthy digestive system will help you to feel the effects of your ‘healthy new year’, and beat the party season bloat, increase your much-needed energy levels, lift the ‘foggy’ feeling and help your body digest nutrients and get rid of waste. Which all lead to a better functioning and happier feeling you!
Nutritionist Tautvile Sliazaite explains;
“We have heard the saying: “We are what we eat” – I think this should change to: “We are what we are able to digest”. Even if we eat the best raw, organic foods, as part of your health boosting plan we can’t absorb the nutrients we need if our digestive system is not working effectively. Every stage of the digestive process is important, chewing foods well makes it easier for the next stage to break the particles down. Having enough stomach acid and digestive juices help us absorb the nutrients from food. Eating foods that are rich in fibre will help to nourish good bacteria, which help us absorb nutrients, as well as helping to keep movement through the bowls healthy and regular.”
SO here are some top tips to help support your body’s natural digestion and detox this New Year and beyond to help support you in your healthier and happier 2018.
Be mindful when you eat – eat your food sitting down, focus on smelling, tasting and chewing foods properly to ensure food particles can be properly broken down and that you have the right digestive juices available
Don’t flush your foods with liquids – drinking liquids with food may dilute digestive juices, which can lead to impaired digestion of proteins and fats
Stop snacking – this might sound strange, especially because we have been encouraged to eat several small meals a day in the last decade. However, our digestive system was never intended to be digesting foods all the time. Rather choose 3 decent sized meals per day and have at least 3 hours between your meals
Choose ‘real’ foods – a diet filled with vegetables, meat and eggs for protein, good fats from olive oil, nuts and fish will contribute to better digestion
Increase the amount of fibre you eat – as we have recently learned 5 a day is not enough, the latest recommendation is to eat 10 portions of vegetables and fruits a day, leading to consuming about 7-8 portions of vegetables and 2-3 portions of fruits. Don’t mistake fruit juices for the real deal – they don’t have any fibre.
Reduce/avoid processed foods – fast foods and sugary treats
Make sure to drink enough water between your meals – at an average of 8 glasses per day
Have a varied diet – this helps you to get all of the different nutrients and improve digestive health
Make your own dressings – a healthy home-made salad dressing or sauce using organic unpasteurised apple cider vinegar, olive oil and mustard seeds is a great combination to help support the digestive function
Support your body’s natural detox with Ortis Pureplan Detox – If you are looking for a trusted, affordable and fuss-free way to reboot your digestive system then Ortis Pureplan Detox is a great option.
This organic 10-day plan helps cleanse the body from the inside out, to help improve digestion and liver and kidney function.
It contains a super-charged blend of 8 different plant extracts which help support the bodies detoxification process. These include:
- Artichoke and birch, which support liver function
- Dandelion, green tea and birch, which support the cleanse and detox function of the kidneys
- Tamarind, a natural source of fibre which promotes intestinal transit
- Fennel, which supports digestion
- Wild pansy, which contributes to a clear complexion
Simply dilute 15ml into 1.5 litres of still mineral water and drink throughout the day for a minimum of 10 days. Also reduce (or avoid altogether) caffeine, sugar and alcohol during the detox and increase intake of water and fresh fruit and vegetables.
Pureplan Detox £14.35, 150ml. Available from Holland and Barratt, Tesco. Visit www.ortishealth.co.uk or email info@bbihealthcare.co.uk for more information on where to buy.
Thank you to Ortis for working with MTT!
