Increase vitality with our detox guide

One of the main needs of our body is effective elimination, this process is often called detoxification. The process of detoxing can help to reduce chronic disease, improve energy levels and reduce or maintain weight, all of which helps to support optimum health and vitality.

During the holiday period, we often indulge in less nutritious meals and often increase our alcohol and caffeine consumption. During this celebration time, we may also find we move and exercise less. This makes New Year a great time to rest and renew with a detox.

 

Signs your body may be in need of liver support (detox)

When your liver has experienced additional loads of substances that sabotage and over-load your systems (often referred to as toxins), you may notice you feel more:

• Fatigue
• Feelings of depression and anxiety
• Susceptible to colds, flu and tummy bugs
• Heightened feelings of stress
• Overheating/hot flushes
• Weight gain
• Sugar cravings 
• Dark circles under the eyes 

If you’re feeling sluggish, unhappy or uncomfortable with your weight, cleansing your body through detoxification might make all of the difference for the year ahead. Your liver is a key helper to burn fat as an energy source. The better your liver is functioning, the easier it is for you to balance your body composition and lose fat.

 

Benefits of a natural detox

Undertaking a detox can produce a wide range of physical, psychological and cognitive benefits, including:

• Facilitating weight loss
• Improving blood pressure
• Enhancing psychological health
• Circadian rhythm (sleep cycle) recalibration, helping to reduce levels of stress and improve sleep quality 
• Actively preventing the onset of some diseases
• Gaining more perspective on your lifestyle

These are just a few of the main benefits of detoxing. How often you should cleanse your liver will depend on your unique health circumstances and lifestyle.

To determine whether a detox will be right for you, speak to our team about how our detox retreat could transform your wellbeing. Alternatively, you might like to follow our at-home detox guide below.

 

Gwinganna detox guide

Detoxing is so important for supporting your body to be well and healthy. By following our Gwinganna detox guide, you can support your body to improve its natural phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification pathways, encouraging optimal liver function, improved elimination and increase vitality.

Choose certified organic foods as they have no residual pesticides and herbicides which need to be processed by the liver, plus they contain more nutrients.

Anything green will keep your liver clean so eat plenty of plant-based foods, including a variety of coloured fruits and vegetables, particularly leafy greens and other bitter foods such as dandelion (great to drink in tea). Vegetables are key to a healthy liver.

Avoid caffeine consumption for a few weeks or a month as it puts stress on your adrenal system and increases your glucose production, which adds to what your liver has to process. If you choose to include caffeine after your detox, aim to have no more than one coffee a day or simply no caffeine after midday as a minimum. It is a good idea to take a break from caffeine for a few days every month and always avoid energy drinks. Also remember, chocolate contains caffeine (cocoa contains 230mg per 100 grams!)

Have a few weeks or a month with no alcohol. Whilst we enjoy the social aspect of drinking, once consumed it is converted to ethanol by the body and the liver has to prioritise removing this poison (which can interfere with the liver dealing with other toxins in our system). Toxins that do not get eliminated are cycled back into the bloodstream. This can often mean our body is dealing with toxins for longer, affecting the quality of our sleep and making us feel more sluggish with less energy.

When and if you reintroduce alcohol into your life, ensure you include alcohol-free days. Ideally, choose two to three consecutive days per week for optimal liver function. Stick to the recommended daily allowance of 100ml of alcohol per serve and a maximum of two standard drinks per day. Always avoid drinking alcohol on an empty stomach as it is absorbed straight through the stomach’s lining.

Stay hydrated by drinking one and a half to two litres of water a day, or around eight glasses. Both our kidneys and our bowel need adequate water. Herbal teas can be added to assist your systems to cleanse.

Green smoothies are a great way to increase your intake of vegetables that aid the detoxification process. Choose water, coconut water, coconut milk or almond milk as alternatives to cow’s milk. Try to use at least half a cup of anything green and leafy for maximum benefit, such as kale stalks or spinach. Spirulina or chlorophyll are also ideal additions.

Choose juices using mostly vegetables. We suggest no more than one to two serves of fruit and 600mls of juice per day maximum.

Antioxidants are best sourced through consuming whole, plant-based foods. Not only do antioxidants have anti-ageing properties, they are also anti-inflammatory and help to combat disease. A wide range of colourful vegetables provides us with a wide range of antioxidants.

Nutrients that are key to assisting the liver’s detoxification processes and help through times of stress are B vitamins, zinc and magnesium. With the pace of our modern lifestyle, it is sometimes necessary to supplement. Make sure to choose practitioner range products only available from a qualified practitioner (often available in health food stores and some pharmacies).

Avoid refined sugars and foods containing trans-fatty acids (such as deep fried and baked food). Not only do they add little in the way of nutrients, they also place additional load on the liver.

Turmeric is a wonderful liver tonic because it is alkalising, anti-inflammatory and scientific evidence suggests that it can help protect against cancer. Add to your smoothies, stir-fries and soups, or slice up and use in hot water for a homemade herbal tea option.

Regular movement will help keep your lymphatic system flowing efficiently and increase toxin elimination. Remember, it’s just as important to move throughout the day as it is to do some form of exercise.

Aim for seven - eight hours of sleep every night. Our body does so much repairing and restoring while we are asleep, and we need to prioritise quality rest to help support its restoration.

Choose natural or organic skincare as everything that we put on our skin is absorbed into our bloodstream. If we’re putting chemicals on our skin, they are sent on to the liver to be processed, adding to its load. Decrease your chemical exposure by choosing natural or organic skin products. Avoid parabens, formaldehyde and synthetic fragrances in particular.

Reduce the use of plastic throughout your home, particularly in the kitchen. Opt for glass storage containers instead of plastic ones. If you do use plastic containers, always hand wash them as the plastic is likely to soften in the high temperature of a dishwasher.

Replace chemical cleaners with natural ones. Eucalyptus and tea tree oils are both naturally anti-bacterial and work wonderfully as cleaning agents. Alternatively, choose an eco product that’s based on natural ingredients instead of harmful chemicals.

 

Gwinganna Detox Retreat 

With a focus on adrenal restoration, gut health and liver function, our 7 night detox retreat is ideal for those looking to slow down, rest and renew their body through detoxification.

This retreat experience has more inclusions than any other stay at Gwinganna and has been confirmed for its validity in maintaining optimum wellness, addressing lifestyle imbalances and actively preventing disease by a study done with Australia’s RMIT University.

Find out more about our transformative detox retreat and reserve your place to experience the many benefits of detoxing at our dedicated wellness retreat.

 

Read the full RMIT University Australia and Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat study highlights.