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Tag: detox supplements australia

How can food help my Menopause Symptoms?

Posted on by venadmin

Are you overwhelmed by the amount of information on managing your menopausal symptoms or confused about which way to go?

I am going to keep it simple for you today and give you my top tips that will help alleviate the main problems.

Firstly though, let’s understand what is happening.

Hot Flushes

As you enter menopause your body begins to produce less oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone, and this triggers many of the symptoms.  Especially the ‘hot flushes’, probably the most widely experienced symptom, and the most annoying.

The body is an ecosystem, and every little thing affects every other little thing.  Nothing happens without there being a downstream effect, and hormonal changes are a good example of this.  When the level of these hormones drop, our temperature regulating hormones are also affected, causing excessive sweating and flushing.

Oestrogens promote vasodilation, heat dissipation and lower body temperature, whilst progesterone and progestins generally have the opposite effect.

Excess body fat

Oestrogen and progestin help regulate body fat storage and as our levels of oestrogen drop this often causes the body to store more fat, especially around our middles.

Dry Skin

Oestrogen helps with lubrication, keeping our skin subtle and moist, and as it declines lots of us notice certain ‘things’ becoming drier.  Another annoying symptom.

Bone mass

Oestrogen also helps with the regulation of bone mass, and as the amount you produce declines, this can lead to osteoporosis (bone thinning).

Changes in Mood

Serotonin, our feel-good hormone, works hand-in-hand with oestrogen to regulate our mood, and yes, you guessed it, as oestrogen begins to decline, so does the level of serotonin leaving us feeling not quite right. Grumpy, cranky and snappy.

So, what can we do to help alleviate some of these symptoms?

  • Avoid alcohol, spicy foods, caffeine, and smoking.
  • Avoid free flowing fats, (olive oil, coconut oil, butter, and veggie oils) and fatty foods.
  • Stay cool, sleep with a fan.
  • Eat cold white potatoes, baked in the oven or air fryer without oil or fat.
  • Take 3 tablespoons per day of flaxseeds – spread throughout the day. We recommend you grind the flaxseeds in a blender or bullet, and you can make two days’ worth at a time but no more as the exposure to air makes them go rancid.
  • Take 1 scoop of the Flourish ‘daily detox’ blend after dinner every night, especially for the hot flushes. This is absolutely THE best antidote.
  • If you are looking for the most optimal outcome then we recommend you take a combination of the ‘daily detox’ and ‘anti-inflammatory’ together after dinner, especially as the whole process of menopause can cause inflammation.

Please visit here for more information on our Daily Detox Blend & Anti-Inflammatory Blend.

Staying Healthy During The Silly Season

Posted on by Tim Ashton

Summer is coming. Now despite its promise of warmer weather, long beach days, and perhaps even some time off work, it still seems to strike fear into our hearts.

The summer months can be a really confronting time – a time of skirts and sandals, sleeveless dresses, shorts, and of course the dreaded bathing suits. A time when we worry that perhaps we were a little too zealous, a little too carefree, with our food choices throughout winter. We may be body positive, but do we feel it?

Trust me, it doesn’t have to be this way! Let’s think again…

Summer brings with it the most wonderful food choices and meals. Exercise and the outdoors are that much more enticing, and we often naturally find ourselves eating a little healthier and feeling a little lighter. If summer is a time for anything, then it’s a time for some sun and some socialising.

But, wait a minute, I see some red flags waiving! Socialising…it’s that one aspect of summer that has the potential to threaten all of our good work and undermine all of our best intentions… It’s party season.

Summer in the southern hemisphere is Silly Season. Parties can be a nightmare when you are committed to a particular diet regime. The food offered at parties? Often ‘gourmet’, regularly deep fried, and rarely meat and dairy free. And don’t get us started on the traditional Christmas lunch. Wholefood, plant-based, oil-free eating? Not so much.

“Oh my goodness! How can I continue to eat healthy when I’m averaging two parties per week?!” It’s a refrain I hear constantly, so here’s a plan of attack:

Tip #1

If it’s a friend hosting the party, try telling them what you require. Keep it simple. I usually tell friends that I have a strict diet regime due to a health challenge, and that I would be more than happy with a salad and a spud. Otherwise I ask whether it is acceptable for me to bring my own food, and just let them know what that food is likely to be. If you say it is for health reasons, no one feels threatened or put-out – and they’re your friend, they’ll understand!

Tip #2

Restaurants. Once again, ring ahead and tell them what you require. Are they able to accommodate your health requirements? All you need is a simple salad, steamed vegetables, potatoes, a lentil or rice dish. Trust me, they will appreciate the forewarning and happily cater for you – especially when you are accompanied by a large group of people – customer satisfaction is good business!

Tip #3

Eat before you go. This is a challenging one. It requires a little organisation and, I’m not going to lie, occasionally leaves you feeling rude or removed from the group. Just remember your priorities. It staves off temptation once you arrive, but also leaves you free to simply enjoy what vegetables and salads may be on offer.

Honour Yourself by using our natural detox

Remember the commitment you have made to yourself to honour your health and healing journey. Personal growth, authenticity, and integrity are some of my key values, which makes sticking to my eating regime non-negotiable.

Enjoy the festive season for the people, not the food, and you’ll be surprised just how wonderful you feel about yourse.

You might also be interested in “The #1 Diet Tip That Will Change Your Life“.

The #1 Diet Tip That Will Change Your Life

Posted on by Tim Ashton

If I could make a single dietary recommendation to people looking to improve their health, it would be to adopt a plant-based diet.

Eating plants has been the best change I’ve made in my diet — plants have made me healthier, stronger, more energetic — and have increased my life expectancy. Of course, the diet itself is simple, but moving away from the standard Aussie diet to a plant-based one can be challenging for  isn’t always so simple for most people.

Changing your diet can be difficult, but in this blog, I’ll share a bit about how to change, talk a bit about why, and what you might eat.

What’s a Plant-Based Diet? 

The simple answer, of course, is that you eat plants. You eliminate animals and (eventually) animal products like dairy and eggs.

The less simple answer is there is an abundance of plant foods that most people never eat, and eating a plant-based diet means you might widen the variety of foods you eat. For example, some of my favourite foods include: Buckwheat as a porridge in the morning, or in place of rice in a salad or savoury dish, Quinoa, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and basically any vegetable I come across.

Why Should You Change to Natural detox?

Changing to a plant-based diet will help you lose weight and reduce your BMI, improve your heart health, stay healthier as you age, improve blood pressure, reverse diabetes, or any other health-related issue.

How to Change

I recommend that if you want to make the change, start small and change slowly. A good plan is to make the change in stages:

Slowly cut out meat. You might try starting with ‘Meatless Mondays’ and then, over time, expanding to other days of the week. Another common idea is to start by cutting out red meat, and then poultry, then seafood, in gradual stages over a few months. There is no rush — do it at the pace that feels right for you. Another important point is that, as you eliminate meat replace with starches and legumes, they will give you all the nutrition you need. Try new foods and explore different products as you make these changes.

Eliminate eggs. After you cut out red meat and poultry, you’ll be pescatarian (seafood). When you eliminate seafood, you’re vegetarian! If you’re eating eggs and dairy, that’s called a “lacto-ovo” vegetarian. You can then eliminate eggs.

Cut out dairy. This tends to be harder for most people. Not because of milk but because of cheese. I hear a lot of people say, “I can’t give up my cheese!” — and I empathise, as this was a sticking point for me too. Try focusing on the things you can eat, rather than the things you can’t.

What to Eat

So, what do you eat when you’re on a plant-based diet that focuses on whole foods? Lots!

A few categories of foods to include regularly:

Beans and other protein. This means the regular kinds of beans, like lentils, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, etc. But it can also mean soybeans, tofu and tempeh.

Nuts and seeds. My favourites include raw almonds and walnuts, along with ground flaxseeds and chia seeds, and hemp seed protein powder. Almond milk is also good. And quinoa — it’s like a grain, but really a seed, and full of nutrition.

Good fats. Not all fats aren’t bad for you — you should just avoid processed fats and oils.    Plants with high amounts of good fats include avocados, nuts and seeds.  However, all plant foods contain some sort of fat in them even lettuce and celery.  Minute amounts but even so, they do contain some.  So you will be getting all the fats you need.

Greens. This is one of the most important and nutritious groups of all. Dark, leafy green veggies are awesome and full of calcium, iron and a ton of vitamins. They also have very few calories, meaning they pack a ton of nutrition in a small caloric package.

Other fruits and veggies. Get a variety — I love berries of all kinds, figs, apples, citrus fruits, peaches, mangoes, bananas, pears, bell peppers, garlic, beets, celery, cauliflower … I could go on all day!  Make sure your plate looks like a rainbow, with many different colours.

Good starches. Starches are king, in a plant-based regime. They offer loads of good nutrients and fill you up.   Sweet potatoes, white and red potatoes, squash, brown rice, sprouted whole wheat, steel-cut oats, among others.

OK, so… are you feeling overwhelmed by all of this? How do you put it together? It’s not that hard once you get used to it. If you’d like help to get started, contact me today.

You might also be interested in “The Flourish Philosophy: Go With Your Gut“.

Pills and Potions: Are they a detox necessity?

Posted on by Tim Ashton

Who else is losing count of the number, combination, and regularity of supplements you should be on, and for what? Vitamin D, but not without C, Fish Oil for this, Rosehip oil for that. Every second friend has found a miracle solution for a condition you didn’t even realise you should be worried about. Suddenly you’re taking the whole alphabet, and the only difference you’re noticing is the added stress of a vitamin regime you can’t seem to stay on top of. Pharmacy shelf, after supermarket shelf, after health store shelf is laden with bottles and packets of products claiming to possess the exclusive ability to detox your body. But do you truly need all these pills and potions to keep your body tip top?

Rest assured, nestled in the right portion of your abdomen – somewhere below your diaphragm but above your stomach – is the best detoxifier know to humankind: The Liver. Everything we eat, breathe, touch, or rub into our skin goes through our liver. It’s working every minute of every day to filter our blood, ridding it of the harmful toxins and chemicals that enter our system daily.

That’s some serious responsibility.

As our body’s primary detox system, it’s critical that we keep this filtering process in the best possible condition. It’s likely to take a significant toll on our body if its function is compromised, risking damage to other critical organs and hastening early aging. 

Do you get headaches, or begin to feel anxious after a single cup of coffee? Do strong smells make you lightheaded? Are you constantly feeling bloated, tired, and foggy? It might be time to do a Liver Spring Clean.

Natural detox and Cleanse, what are they ?

Yes, “detox” and “cleanse” are buzzwords for pills and potion providers, but don’t let that discredit the processes themselves! A little cleanse can go a long way – it can increase your energy, improve the quality of your sleep, help your skin look younger and your joints be stronger, and even help you achieve weight loss.

If you follow these three steps, you can invigorate your body’s natural detox processes, without having to use detox aids.

Avoid Stress (as best you can)

Stress commonly leads to binge-eating, binge-drinking, and even binge-smoking, all of which overwork the liver due to the excessive intake of chemicals. Stress is an unavoidable part of life, but there is a whole spectrum of productive and destructive ways to deal with it, that can in turn help or hinder your long-term health and wellbeing. Next time you’re experiencing stress, try and sweat it out with your choice of exercise. 

Load-Up on Nutrients

Amino acids aid the liver pathways. Cruciferous vegetables, garlic, onions, leeks, and shallots all contain good amounts of sulphur and amino acids, which aid liver pathways and enhance chemical breakdown phases. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties that benefit the liver, so make sure to add a little to your next curry or stir-fry. The list of turmeric’s health benefits goes on and on.

Eat at least five servings of vegetables and three servings of fruits which contain zinc, methionine, and vitamins C and B6 to aid the detox process. Make sure to include lemons, limes, asparagus, grapefruit and beetroot juice in your diet.

Water, Water, Water

An excellent way to detox your liver is to detox your other channels of disposal. The kidneys work in conjunction with your liver by eliminating water-soluble toxins, so keep them well-hydrated with a good ol’ flushing of H2O. “Drink eight glasses of water per day.” – we’ve all heard that advice, but have we all followed through and felt the benefits?

When you’re next receiving the hard-sell on so-called “detox-products” be sure to remember this: your body comes fully equipped with natural, in-built detox systems. A little discipline and a few healthy habits can have you looking and feeling your well-cleansed best, with only yourself to thank.

You might also be interested in “Thyroid 101“.