This week we’ve enlisted the help of our superstar dietitian Sylvia to give us some of her favourite tips to help you detox this autumn!

What are your favourite foods that can improve detoxification?

I have to say organic vegetables in general, in any form you can get them; is the first place to start. This seems all too obvious but vegetables help us detox in many different ways. Firstly the fiber in plant foods helps to move our bowels, which is the first port for eliminating junk from the system.

Brightly colored vegetables contain many different kinds of phytonutrients, many of which are known to support our natural liver detoxifying antioxidant systems. Each different plant family seems to have unique detoxifying properties which is why it’s difficult to nail down to just one preferred food.

However I must list favourite foods…

1) Rich green soup using broccoli, leek, garlic, and kale

2) Roast brassicas – roast brussel sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower with garlic and rosemary

3) Bitter leafy salad with a big spoon of herby dairy-free herby pesto – Using bitter leaves such as rocket and watercress and a big handful of sprouts.

Your favourite Detox recipe?

Herb Pesto:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups fresh herbs (1 cup coriander, 1 cup parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, mint)
  • 1 cup leafy greens (kale, spinach, Asian greens etc)
  • ½ cup broccoli sprouts
  • ½-1 small lemon (skin included, scrubbed clean)
  • 1 T turmeric powder, fresh turmeric root, or turmeric paste
  • 1 teaspoon toasted coriander seed
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • Volcanic black salt or Kelp salt
  • Fresh cracked black pepper
  • Optional: 1-2 tablespoons Spirulina (flavour can be very strong)
  • Optional: ½-1 avocado for a creamy consistency

It goes on pretty much anything savoury. A great way to add a pile of nutrients to any plate.

Any non-food related things you like to do to detox?

Get sweaty A deep sweat session is an effective way for drawing toxins such as BPA and heavy metals out of the system, The skin is more equip at dealing with harsh toxic chemicals in preference to going through the delicate urinary system.

Sleep Good sleep is vital. It’s a time when our body go into housekeeping mode to clean up the system for the next day.

According to the TCM body clock, energy for detoxification move through the liver, gall bladder, lungs, and large intestine between 11pm and 7am.

Stretching Stretching helps move and circulate the fluid around our joints and connective tissue that can become stagnate and accumulate cells wastes. We need to move to help eliminate these wastes from tissues and prevent stiffness.

Breathing Diaphragmatic breathing is like an internal stretch for the visceral organ systems. Certain yoga techniques use the combination of stretching and breathing for detoxification.

What are some tips that you give your clients to help them ease into detoxing?

Lots of rest and recovery time Detoxifying can be hard work for the body. You want to have as much energy resources as possible available for the body to effectively eliminate junk from the system.

Drink plenty of water  Drink enough pure water until you can’t drink anymore. The more fluid you pass offers a broader medium for elimination.

Mineral salt and trace minerals Drinking a lot of water and passing urine can also mean losing salt and trace minerals. Add salt and trace minerals to your water to negate urinary and bowel losses.