When it comes to detoxing, there’s no better time than the spring. A season of growth, rejuvenation and regeneration makes it the perfect opportunity to reset your body and cleanse it of toxins.
If you’ve overindulged during the colder, winter months, a fast or detox can get you back on the healthy track and there’s more than one way to do it.
Unsure how to choose the right fast or detox for you? We’ve highlighted four different methods – all offered at Azur Wellness – which will leave you feeling lighter, brighter and more energised before you know it.
What is a Buchinger Fast?
The Buchinger fast is based on methods by Dr. Buchinger. Fasters avoid all solid foods and ingest only vegetable broth, tea, juices and water. The fasting period can last five days or more.
The aim of a Buchinger fast is to reboot your system and strengthen immunity.
You can expect your calorie intake to be approximately 250 per day.
Add saunas and massages to the process to boost the circulation and metabolism.
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What are the benefits of a juice fast?
Green juice is a great way to ensure you get nutrition for quick energy.
When undergoing a juice fast at Azur we suggest three fresh organic vegetable-based green juices during the day and a mineral-rich vegetable broth in the evening.
Green juice is exactly what it says it is. It’s juices extracted from green vegetables. Foods such as spinach, kale, celery, cucumber, and wheatgrass are firm favourites for green juice, but people also add the likes of mint and parsley too.
Green juice is high in chlorophyll too which, in people, aids digestion and helps to detox the liver.
READ: The power of green juice
Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting has become the norm for many people who find the method manageable on a daily basis.
It involves cycling between periods of eating and relatively brief periods of fasting.
A process known as autophagy happens; this is the body’s natural way of cleansing itself of damaged cells so that new, fresh and healthy ones can be generated.
When you don’t eat for 10 to 16 hours, the body also turns to its fat stores for energy.
You may want to start by fasting between 8pm and 8am and gradually increase the number of hours you fast for.
What you eat isn’t set in stone but a healthy, balanced diet packed with whole foods, vegetables, healthy fats and fruit is encouraged.
How to do a plant-based detox
Give your digestive system a break and kickstart cell renewal, regeneration and healing. This method of detox means you take a break from meat and dairy and you’ll feel fuelled, debloated and have more energy too.
Digesting meat can be energy consuming, so take a break and even consider going meat free for a while. It has huge benefits for your health, wellbeing and the environment too.