Detox 101

After months of cold weather, minimal movement, and meals that give your insides a hug – most of us are guilty of a little over indulgence throughout the Winter.

So we figured, that being Spring, it was the perfect time to turn our attention to the one home that really does hold a lifetime of clutter… our bodies.

1. PURIFY – Tea time anyone?

The liver is the body’s detoxification HQ, so what better way to kick start a Spring clean out than optimising the two liver detoxification phases? Let’s quickly breakdown the nitty gritty…

Phase 1: The initial liver detoxification phase is responsible for making metabolites (broken down substances) more reactive. Oxygen is added to the molecules and toxins, meaning they can actually cause oxidative damage to the body if not passed through to phase 2 efficiently.

Phase 2: This next phase is where those toxic, reactive constituents have water molecules added to them, so they are now harmless to the body ready for elimination!

Certain herbs have been well indicated in supporting these pathways, as they modulate phase 1 and speed up phase 2. Three of our SWIISH favourites include:

• Milk thistle tea

• Dandelion root tea

• Artichoke leaf tea

2. CLEANSE – Is H20-verated?

Before your scroll past after reading yet another “drink more water” suggestion… just pause for  one quick second!!

Weird request, but can you just pinch the top of your hand (on the fleshy part) for a moment… How quickly did your skin bounce back in place when you released? If it took longer than 1 second, that’s a strong indication that you may be dehydrated! In fact, approximately 75% of adults are actually dehydrated. Insane but true.

For every 1kg of body weight you need 33mL of water, minimum. Time to check how much you should be having!

Infusing your water with a handful of herbs, fruits, and vegetables takes your detoxification to the next level. Depending on what your body needs, the following are our favourite water infusions:

1. Alkalisewith cucumber & celery water

2. Detoxifywith grapefruit and mint water

3. Refresh with orange and lemon water

3. DIGEST – Breathe in, breathe out

We always talk about bitter foods for enhancing all those digestive enzymes, but believe it or not simply breathing is just as effective.

The most inflammatory thing we do to the body every day is eat. To make matters worse, we now eat while our body is stressed and on the go – and of course in “fight or flight mode” what’s the last thing on your body’s mind? Digestion.

Diaphragmatic breathing is sort of a fancy term for deep breathing, explained (if you’ve ever been to a yoga class) as a breath that expands the belly without the chest rising. Studies have proven that taking just 5 deep belly breaths right before you eat switches the body into the “rest and digest” parasympathetic nervous system, meaning that you can metabolise all the nutrients from that colourful salad you’re eating!

4. DETOX – The New SWIISH Tamarind Superfood Powder

As the newest member of our SWIISH wellness range, the DETOX Tamarind Superfood Powderdoes exactly what the name suggests… detoxifies.

There is a little part of your brain known as the pineal gland, responsible for releasing melatonin (the sleep hormone). In Australia, fluoride is a mineral added to our water supply to prevent tooth decay. The problem is that excess fluoride in the body can accumulate in the pineal gland, hindering melatonin production!

Tamarind is part of the legume family and helps enhance fluoride clearance. Cleansing and detoxifying the pineal gland will have a beneficial effect on:

– Sleep (particularly in conjunction with SLEEP Superfood Powder)
– Energy and thyroid function
– Hormone production (particularly female sex and reproductive hormones!)
– Mood stabilisation

– Blood pressure

How do you take DETOX?

Twice a week on consecutive days, mix 1 teaspoon of DETOX Powder into 1 cup (250 ml) of cold water, then stir and enjoy. Alternatively, you can add it juices or smoothies – it’s just up to your personal preference!