The fact you are reading this shows you are considering implementing a detox. This is probably the best decisxion you have made for yourself this week and we have put together a guide to help you on this journey.
What is a detox ?
By definition, a detox is a period of time in which an individual abstains from or rids the body of toxic and unhealthy substances. In African holistic health, we believe a holistic detox should include every single thing you ingest, from food, drinks, what you expose yourself to visually, what you put on your skin and any other foreign substance/act that can influence your state of mind, body or spirit. This can be music, sex, company (friends), tv etc.
For the purpose of this particular detox, we will solely focus on what you ingest into your body (food and drink)
During this detox program, the main aim is to replace the food you eat with a well crafted smoothie that will not only serve as your nourishment but also heal your organs whilst cleansing and ridding the body of waste in the form of toxins, fat and excess mucus.
Why do I need to detox?
Considering we live in a world where toxicity is the norm, detoxification is necessary EVERYDAY in one form or the other. In our day to day, we face toxins from the food we eat, drinks we drink, things we put on our skin and even the air we breathe. This constantly puts the body in a toxic state. The worst thing about this is, we have normalized the usual warning signs from our body such as; constipation, acne, excess mucus, body odor, extreme fatigue. These are signs that your body is telling you something isn’t right however, they have been normalized in our society so we constantly ignore these signs. If the body is in a toxic state for too long, this can lead to other major illnesses like auto-immune diseases, cancers and various other mental related issues hence why detox is super IMPORTANT.
Benefits of the Kale smoothie detox
- Weight loss
- Colon cleanse and digestive system health
- Blood cleanse
- Liver and Gallbladder help
- Kidney and Pancreas health
- Hormonal Balance
- Endocrine system health
- Hair, Skin and Nail health
- Improved Cognitive function
- Improved energy
The Kale Smoothie
Why Kale?
Kale is one of the healthiest and most nutritious plant foods in existence It is classified as a cruciferous vegetable, the same family as arugula (rocket), broccoli and a cabbage. Cruciferous vegetables are low-calorie, and rich in folate, vitamins C, E, and K, and fibre.
Kale is loaded with all sorts of beneficial compounds which have powerful medicinal properties.
A single cup of raw kale (about 67 grams or 2.4 ounces) contains (1):
- Vitamin A: 206% of the DV (from beta-carotene)
- Vitamin K: 684% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 134% of the DV
- Vitamin B6: 9% of the DV
- Manganese: 26% of the DV
- Calcium: 9% of the DV
- Copper: 10% of the DV
- Potassium: 9% of the DV
- Magnesium: 6% of the DV
It also contains 3% or more of the DV for vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), iron and phosphorus
This is coming with a total of 33 calories, 6 grams of carbs (2 of which are fiber) and 3 grams of protein. Kale contains very little fat, but a large portion of the fat in it is an omega-3 fatty acid called alpha linolenic-acid.
Given its incredibly low calorie content, high amount of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, kale is among the most nutrient-dense foods in existence.
The Timetable
The 5 day detox will follow the same pattern everyday which includes 2 smoothies a day and a 16 hour fasting period. Kale or Arugula can be used (Arugula is a cruciferous vegetable that shares a lot of the same properties as Kale). I tend to use both.
Each smoothie will contain Kale or Arugula (or both) as the base, then other fruits are added to not only improve the taste but also provide other healing properties. As Kale is full of fibre, it helps keep you fuller for longer so don’t worry about being hungry.
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Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Day 3 |
Day 4 |
Day 5 |
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1st Smoothie (2pm) |
· Kale or Arugula (or both · Blueberries · Banana · Blackberries · Raspberries ·Celery
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· Kale or Arugula (or both · Blueberries · Celery · Mango · Cranberry · Grapes
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· Kale or Arugula (or both · Blueberries · Cucumber · Strawberries · Pear · Watermelon
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· Kale or Arugula (or both · Blueberries · Cucumber · Blackberries · Raspberries · Apple
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· Kale or Arugula (or both · Blueberries · Mango · Blackberries · Grapes · Banana
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2nd Smoothie (10pm) |
· Kale or Arugula (or both · Blueberries · Watermelon · Pineapple · Raspberries · Grapes · Apple
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· Kale or Arugula (or both · Blueberries · Celery · Mango · Cranberry · Pear
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· Kale or Arugula (or both · Mango · Cucumber · Strawberries · Pineapple · Kiwi
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· Kale or Arugula (or both · Blueberries · Cucumber · Blackberries · Mango · Pineapple
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· Kale or Arugula (or both · Blueberries · Water melon · Raspberries · Grapes · Pineapple
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Rules
Kale and/or Arugula must always serve as the base of all smoothies.
The portion of Kale and/or Arugula should account for 50% of your smoothie and the rest of the 50% coming from any of the fruit beneath. Please note, you can add all or pick 2 or 3, as long as the total make up the remaining 50% of the smoothie.
Examples.
EX1. Day 1 – Kale 50% Blueberries 20% Banana 30%
EX2. Day 1 – Kale 50% Blueberries 10% Celery 10% Banana 20% Raspberries 10%
Notice how the amount of fruits picked were different however the portion size balances out with Kale remaining a fixed 50%.
Tips
Please note, this can be challenging for some people so feel free to have an extra smoothie if needed.
If you are new to fasting, ease yourself into it by cutting down the fasting time of 16 hours (10pm – 2pm) and maybe have the first smoothie at 12.
Also note, fasting is very crucial in this detox programme as it allows your digestive system to rest which is when the real cleansing and recycling work begins.