Loaded with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, high-quality protein and plant nutrients, these little seeds used to be best known in the West for growing chia pets. But research has shown they can prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and lower blood fats. (Eur J Clin Nutr, 2010; 64:436-8; Br J Nutr, 2009; 101:41-50). Include them in smoothies, salads, soups and more for a crunchy, low-sugar filler. They’re also a high-fibre treat for ‘good’ gut microbes.

This spice is a zero-calorie fat-burning powerhouse. One US Department of Agriculture (USDA) study showed that just ¼ tsp of cinnamon daily lowers blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in type 2 diabetes. Int J Food Sci Nutr, 2012; 63:380-6

It also blocks glucose absorption and enhances the uptake of sugar in the blood by insulin. Other research has shown that it slows stomach-emptying to reduce after-meal blood sugar spikes. Nutr Clin Pract, 2010; 25:85-7

Plus, cinnamon has antimicrobial properties that work against a number of pathogenic gut microbes.
BMC Complement Altern Med, 2013; 13:275

Scientist at the School of Food Science at Washington State University studied the gut microbiome profiles of obese and lean lab rats before and after they ate apples, and found that every variety of apple they tested had the ability to normalize the imbalanced gut flora of obese rats. The tart green granny Smith, highest in the non-digestible fibres that the gut flora thrive on, showed the greatest benefit.

It is normal to pass gas on average of 10-15 times per day. Regular pumping movements and gentle abdominal massage, along with probiotics and digestive enzymes can all be helpful in relieving constipation

A sympathetic response when eating will reduce our ability to digest and absorb your food effectively.

To improve HCL production, mix 1tsp of apple cider vinegar into water and drink 10 minutes before eating meals.

A simple tip that anybody can do is having a fresh hot lemon drink first thing in the morning before food will help give a little clear out and support the liver. Making sure that people are drinking the appropriate levels of water. An easy gauge is multiplying body weight in kg by 0.033 and that will give you the litres that you should drink per day.

Encourage patients to eat appropriate levels of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables, broccoli, kale, cauliflowers. Aim for variety in the colour of the fruits and vegetables.

Also look at foods which will help support the pathways such as good sources of glutathione – asparagus, watermelon, broccoli, papaya and avocadoes all help to produce glutathione. Include bitter foods within the diet like dandelion greens, bitter melon, mustard greens. Using things like Swedish bitters will help with digestion and also with liver function and add in things like turmeric, garlic, onions into cooking.

Often our current lifestyle choices can create quite a few problems in our body’s overall optimal function: we have raised stress levels, a diet that is high in sugar, poor quality fats, processed foods; therefore the diet is low in key nutrients. Add in a lack of exercise and such lifestyle abuses will affect the delicate balance of the body systems and can lead to congestion or sluggishness in the detoxification pathways.

We have widespread instances of hormonal problems, fatigue, muscular aches, headaches, etc. which will lead to imbalances. We misuse medications, antibiotics, hormonal medications such as the oral contraceptive pill, we have poor digestion, poor bowel movements so we have inadequate elimination of toxins through the digestive tract, reduced liver and kidney function and all these things will contribute to increased levels of toxicity.

The actual overall period of time spend on a detox could vary from anything such as ongoing supportive good lifestyle choices, that can go on forever, to where you could just do a one-day juice and bone broth fast that will just help give the body a rest and a bit of a clean out, to a specific practitioner- lead cleanse that could vary from days to weeks.

You can improve somebody’s overall diet, and that in itself will help support and cleanse the body detox systems, however if somebody is going for a specific cleanse approach for detoxification then that will be more challenging on the body and the overall level of time will be shorter than somebody eating for general supportive detoxification processes.