One of the key needs of a healthy body is effective elimination. 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 winter, we might be having more heavy meals and warm desserts such as puddings, plus our alcohol and caffeine consumption may increase. We might notice we haven’t moved our bodies as much as we normally would when it is warmer outside also. This makes winter and ideal time to rest and renew with a detox.
When your liver has experienced additional loads of toxins, it may be expressed to the rest of your body in the form of:
- Fatigue
- Feelings of depression and anxiety
- Falling ill often
- 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 a positive difference. Guests at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat often call the Gwinganna Detox a ‘delicious detox’ and say they feel so much better than they have in years.
Benefits of a natural detox
Undertaking a detox can produce a wide range of physical, psychological and cognitive benefits, including:
- Facilitating weight lost
- 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. To secure your focus week on detox, Speak to the Gwinganna team about how their detox retreat could transform your wellbeing.
Gwinganna detox guide
Detoxing is so important for supporting our bodies to be well and healthy. By following this guide, you can help detox your body, encourage optimal liver function 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 fruits and vegetables, particularly leafy greens and other bitter foods such as dandelion. These are key to a healthy liver.
Reduce caffeine consumption as it puts stress on your adrenal system and increases your glucose production, which adds to what your liver has to process. Aim to have no more than one coffee a day or no caffeine after midday. Try to take a break from coffee for a few days every month and always avoid energy drinks.
Have alcohol-free days for 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. 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 included in daily water intake.
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 great additions.
Choose juices using mostly vegetables. We suggest no more than one to two serves of fruit and 600mls 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 products from a qualified practitioner.
Avoid refined sugars and foods containing trans-fatty acids. Not only do they add little in the way of nutrients, they also place additional load on the liver.
Turmeric is a great 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 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, Gwinganna’s 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 Australia’s RMIT University.
Find out more about Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat’s transformative detox retreat and reserve your place to experience the many benefits of detoxing at their picturesque retreat.
