Annalise Braakensiek On To Detox Or Not To Detox?

Spring has sprung, which brings me great joy.  Winter solstice is behind us, the days are getting longer, the weather is on the warm up, and languid beach days are not too far away….yay!

It also means donning bikinis, singlets and shorts rather than jeans and coats and snuggly over-sized jumpers.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say I want to look good, and feel healthy, fit, happy and vibrant, not insecure about rocking my bikini on the beach. During winter I’ve been doing lots of delicious gluten free Love Lunch recipe testing (which I’ll share with you in upcoming months), and in doing so, I’ve also eaten MUCH more than usual.

For almost a year, unable to train, or practice yoga because of chronic fatigue and a slipped disc, I needed lots of rest and healing. All I could manage was sleeping, holistic treatments, cooking and eating. The outcome? I gained an extra 8kg, (albeit a very healthy organic and delicious 8kg) and I wanted to say good riddance to them, as I did the accumulated stuff that seemed to have magically appeared in my cupboards.

I wanted to spring clean my body, wardrobe and house.

Much is said for and against cleansing and detoxing – I can only write from my own experiences. Why cleanse or detox? Is detoxing a challenge? Absolutely. Worth the challenge? Absolutely. Detoxing improves skin, sleep and digestion, increases energy, reduces bloating and headaches, makes my eyes sparkle and produces clearer thinking.

Detoxing totally lifts the brain fog.

We can easily slip into bad habits – which are unfortunately much more difficult to slip out of! A well organised detox program is a fab way to switch back to good eating habits. The more often I detox and cleanse, the better my eating habits get and the healthier I feel – not just during and immediately after the detox. Detoxing improves my mood and energy so much that it’s worth the commitment!

Tips and tricks

Detox methods have varying levels of success and severity. I have tried a myriad, for a myriad of reasons. I did a four month elimination diet due to severe stomach pain and bloating; it turned out I was allergic to wheat (this was long before I discovered Bicom, which can determine allergies in one hour and reverse them in subsequent sessions…if only I’d known about Bicom then!).

I’ve done liver and kidney cleanses, fasting, various detoxes and juice cleanses. Detoxing is one of the most frequently asked questions I get, so I figured it’s time to share my detox experiences, tips and tricks with you all.

Firstly, I suggest consulting a naturopath, dietician or professional prior to detoxing, because what works for some won’t work for others; everyone has different predispositions.

I consulted Louise Cavanough, Nutritionist, BHSc Nutritional Medicine at Health Space who specialises in stress, anxiety and mood, digestive health, food intolerances, cleansing and detoxification, weight loss and fatigue (including chronic fatigue).

I already ate a healthy, balanced diet but Louise helped me fine tune it to achieve more energy and to lose weight I’d gained during months of inactivity. She advised I was well enough to embark on a detox program to kick-start my ‘spring clean’, after which I’d return to a low carb, high protein diet until I lost the rest of my unwanted kilos, and once that was achieved, return to my usual healthy diet and exercise routine.

Two months ago I completed Jana Haupt’s Core Method 10-day detox program. Jana is a yogi and PT with degrees in sports science and psychology and a diploma in diet and nutrition. Her 10-day detox is based on a healthy approach to rapid weight-loss, to lose fat, reduce bloating, and accelerate detoxing to achieve overall well-being.

Jana supplied a specially formulated combination of herbs and supplements: Spirulina, Chlorophyll, Aloe Vera, Maca, B Pollen, Clay, fat metabolising tea and recipes. Her detox program also includes 7 x 55 minute training sessions, interval training and restorative and power yoga sessions.

I found it really wonderful to have the hands-on support, literally, and extra motivation of doing a detox this way including a training program. I achieved amazing results. I lost 4kg, a dress size, and I hardly struggled during it (as I have on others) and I felt absolutely fantastic afterwards, and have kept the kilos off.

I’ll definitely be doing her program if ever I put on excess weight again. I still do her circuit classes regularly.

Three weeks to a new you

My favourite and most effective ‘off-the-shelf’ option (available online) is Dr. Junger’s 21-day cleanse program, which follows a simple daily structure to return your body’s natural ability to heal itself.

Committing to 21 days rather than 10, 7, 5, or 3, is clearly a challenge, socially more than anything else (imagine yourself at a wedding sipping on your smoothie and swallowing supplements?! Yup, I’ve done that!).

So I’d suggest committing during a month when you can give it your all. It’s worth it. I promise. I initially did this cleanse to get my gut healthy after contracting some nasty bugs in Mexico which destroyed my healthy stomach bacteria.

Remember 80% of serotonin is produced in our stomachs, so I wanted to get my system back to functioning at its best. It did me wonders. I didn’t do this cleanse for weight loss, solely for health purposes. It was so effective I’ve done it several times since. I didn’t feel hungry or irritable, as he supplies 63 supplement packs, 42 shake packs, a recipe guide so I could cook amazing lunches within the food groups he advocates (with which I fully concur).

After the 21 days, my skin looked better than ever, my mood lifted, my eyes were the clearest they have ever been. My tummy was no longer sore or bloated. Alejandro Junger also suggests regular (daily if you can whilst detoxing) infra-red saunas, which I LOVE and do regularly, whether detoxing or not. He also has a seven-day cleanse which is a fab alternative if you can’t commit to the 21 days.

I don’t recommend the Lemonade Master Cleanse I tried years ago, because it didn’t make me feel good (during or after). Nor do I recommend juice only detoxes, I’ve tried six different types, and I don’t get such results from them as with Clean, Dr Joshi, or The Core Method.

I feel dizzy, hungry, and can’t function properly if I’m only drinking juices. I prefer to have one healthy meal at lunch time, juice for breakfast and dinner. Remember if you  choose to do a juice cleanse, be mindful of the sugar content in some juices.

The next detox I’m going to do is with Mariana Diniz – Herbal Medicine and Lifestyle advice Director of Naturopathy and Nutrition at Health Space, being a naturopath who specialises in detoxing amongst other things, she will give me specialised herbs and a detox program for precisely what my body needs…. and now my disc has healed, I can practice yoga and Pilates again at my favourite school Body Mind Life ( yippee!) and call upon my personal trainer Christa Nicola to work with me to garner the best health and wellness results.

Clean living is the key

If a naturopath, dietician, The Core Method or Clean is too expensive, I recommend starting with a period of clean and disciplined eating.

Avoid sugar, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, wheat, yeast, preservatives and meat for 10-14 days and eat plenty of organic vegetables, nuts and seeds, and protein such as non-gmo tofu, legumes and organic free range eggs and sustainable fish if you’re not vegan.

Begin each day with hot water and lemon to kick start your metabolism, and drink plenty of purified room temperature water throughout the day. Get 3 infra red saunas a week or more if you can, and I’d also suggest reading about Dr Joshi’s 21-day detox. His guidelines are based on Ayurvedic medicine. I’ve done his 21-day cleanse many times and it’s pretty much how I live my life now. Because it feels good to feel good!

Lastly, please remember, if you drink coffee and eat sugar or processed foods, (even if you only drink coffee) you’ll most likely get headaches, feel irritable and lethargic until the toxins start to dissipate, so be gentle and kind on yourself and ALWAYS listen to your body.

Happy healthy spring-cleaning your body, mind and souls my lovelies!

The Carousel thanks Annalise Braakensiek for her article.