First and foremost, I need a round of applause for Claudia. A friend of mine and Jarrod's who threw herself into this detox face first. We are now in week two of our intestinal detox and with both diet and supplements she's stuck by it and stayed solid (well, not everything's stayed solid.. TMI?).



When we planned this intestinal detox all three of us decided to participate for different reasons.

I wanted to see a lift in brain fog, an increase in energy and concentration, better moods (Jarrod wanted this for me too haha) and skin which glowed. Jarrod wanted to achieve weight loss, improved digestion, clearer skin and more energy. Claudia was looking to better understand how her mood and energy might change by eliminating processed foods, to see some weight loss, to feel "lighter" and to reach an overall feeling of good health. Now at day #11 all 3 of us can already report positive results and excellent progress as we move into the more "intense" final days. We can't wait to share the final results with you, including how we managed the first week after the detox.



Recently, Jarrod and I have fallen off the health-wagon, well not completely, but i'll admit that my over-worked lifestyle has resulted in frequent coffee, halloumi and sourdough benders. Jarrod and I have been talking about a detox to get us back on track and it wasn't until a trusted friend, well-versed in the world of "detox" suggested we look into Eden Health Food's Intestinal Detox. We did exactly that and with our knowledge of herbs and health we knew straight away that this program was the real deal.



Why Eden Health Foods 2 Week Detox?

The good folks of Eden Health Foods understand that before you undertake any other form of detox, you must first deep clean the body's biggest elimination organ, your bowel. They believe and we agree that "the whole idea of any detox is to purge waste, poisons and toxins out of your body" and that "juice fasting and mild detoxing alone will not remove years of toxic bowel impaction". A detox diet or juice fast combined with colon cleansing herbs such as those featured in IDF1 and IDF2 will result in a much more effective waste and toxin dump (quite literally).



We decided that we would combine the Eden Health Foods Detox supplements with a diet inspired by Lee Holme's book "Heal Your Gut" (more info). This book is our kitchen bible and we have picked a handful of her delicious recipes to further improve our detox results and, quite frankly, offer us an appropriate diet that's not boring or bland (quite the opposite) and can be achieved while working full time.



Ok, so how does this detox work?

Eden Health Foods' 2 Week Intestinal Detox Program is comprised of 4 products, each with a unique function, aimed at effectively cleansing and deep cleaning your colon. IDF#1 and IDF2 are the main formulas vital in performing the cleanse. IDF#1 creates healthy bowel movements and IDF#2 deep cleans the bowel.

The 4 Eden Health Foods products and their main functions are:

1 - Eden Super Food Formula (get maximum nutrition in)

2 - IDF#1 (get maximum waste out)

3 - IDF#2 (deep clean your bowel)

4 - Ultimate Biotic (recolonise with friendly bacteria)



For optimum results you will also need to try and eat as much vegan, organic and most importantly, raw foods during the cleanse as possible. Best results for pulling mucus plaque off your bowel is to complete an organic juice fast during this program.



What's the protocol?

Week 1

- Take 1 serve of Eden Superfood Formula in the morning and continue to do this every day until the tub is empty.

- Take 1 serve of Eden IDF#1 with your evening meal and increase by 1 capsule every day until you have 2-4 bowel movements a day.

- Keep increasing IDF#1 by 1 capsule a day until you have noticed an increase in your bowel movements and have achieved the desired result.



Week 2

- Once your bowels are moving 2-4 times a day you may start to take IDF#2, 1 serve 5-6 times per day atleast half an hour outside of meals.

- Use a little water or coconut water (like 80mls) in a jar with 1 serve of IDF#2, close lid, shake vigorously and drink immediately.

- Follow each serve of IDF#2 with a glass of purified water.

- Continue to use IDF#1 according to the number of capsules needed to keep your bowels moving 2-4 times a day.

- Once the tub of IDF#2 is finished, you may stop using IDF#1 also and start taking ultimate biotic. Also, continue taking Eden Superfood Formula.

- If you're feeling a little bound up or constipated while taking IDF#2 you may increase the serves of IDF#1 to keep your bowels moving 2-4 times a day.



What about the diet?

Below you will find a chart published by Eden Health Foods which aligns dietary choices with the strength of the cleanse.

So, only a mild cleanse can be achieved if you continue to consume meats, cooked foods and processed foods. The strongest cleanse will be achieved on a raw juice diet using 100% organically grown foods. If this is your first detox then a 2 week juice cleanse might be a bit much.. let's be honest, it's a bit much for anyone! Saying that, if you know you can complete a raw juice diet then go for it, you will receive the greatest possible benefits.



When Jarrod, Claudia and I agreed to do this detox, we decided on a diet which aimed to be elemental (liquid: broths, soups, juices, smoothies) but didn't restrict us to only elemental foods. Solid foods and meals were made up of recipes inspired by Lee Holme's book "Heal Your Gut" and some common sense, ie: Salads were in, packet bought dressing and fruit salads were out. Veggies were in, deep fried veggies were out.



These are our non negotiables. The foods which are strictly not permitted during detox.

- Dairy products including cheese, ice-cream, milk and yoghurt.

- All deep fried foods

- Alcohol

- Coffee: including bullet proof coffee

- Sugar: keep fructose (fruit) to an absolute minimal.

- Table Salt (sea salt and pink salt are ok but take it easy)

- Meat including: eggs and fish. Excluding: home made, pasture fed, organic bone broth.

- All Gluten: including wheat, spelt, rye

- Packet and processed foods including: microwave meals, muesli bars, protein bars and powders, packet soups, crackers, rice cakes, biscuits and trail mixes.

- Soy products including: milk, tofu, tempeh, miso soup



What did a typical day in week 1 look like for us?

The day started with freshly squeezed lemon and Mock Red Hill Apple Cider Vinegar in a glass of water.

Breakfast consisted of a green cold pressed juice followed an hour or so later by a green smoothie with Eden Super Food Formula.

At lunch we had Naturis Buckwheat bread (gluten & preservative free) with avocado, baby cos and pink salt or Lee Holme's Slippery Elm Porridge (recipe available in her book: Heal Your Gut) or a green breakfast bowl, as shown in the picture.

For an afternoon snack we either had another green smoothie (without Eden Health Foods Superfood Formula) or sometimes a lettuce wrap with carrot and avocado or sometimes a chicken bone broth or vegetable broth.

For dinner we cooked up a massive amount of Lee Holme's Curried Cauliflower Soup (recipe available in her book: Heal Your Gut) which got us through a few nights, or a bone broth with steamed veggies, or more lettuce wraps.. there are plenty more recipes in Heal Your Gut to ensure you don't get bored of food.

At dinner we took IDF1, increasing each night until we reached 2-4 bowel movements per day.



Be smart with food choices.. you're doing an intestinal detox.. so consume foods that give your digestive system a rest from breaking down hard to digest foods. No sugar!! Drink and drink and drink and drink purified water. All day!!



Thoughts so far from each of us

Beck: My only struggle was cutting out coffee. If you're a coffee drinker, I recommend cutting out coffee at least 3 days before you start the detox. Replace coffee cravings with herbal tea (not black tea, my favourite is The Fitzroy Naturopath blends). The smoothies and cold pressed juices are filling, don't think you're going to starve. Although at day #11 I am SO OVER green anything.

The first thing I noticed was a lift in brain fog and some clearer thinking, also my skin noticeably improved. I even had a few people tell me how fresh I looked. Already seeing results like this is why i'll keep drinking the green stuff!! You'll need to be organised in the sense of taking food or smoothies to work. If you get stuck one day at work, the chances of finding something suitable to eat out is slim to none. If you're in the Eastern Suburbs: Nalini's at Bondi Junction is your treat out!!

Oh and IDF1: i'm taking 6 at night to achieve around 3 bowel movements per day, I think I may even need to take more.



Jarrod: So far, this detox is a walk in the park. I haven't found anything too difficult however I could understand how someone who has never cut out meat or sugar before might struggle. This is actually the best I have felt in a long time due to having such a clean, easy to absorb and digest diet. I've noticed my bloating has gone and i've lost some weight. My skin looks fresh and I have more energy. Too much energy according to Beck haha. The first couple of nights I slept a bit rough but now i'm sleeping fine, even having vivid dreams.

If you decide to do the detox, my tip is to remember movement is medicine. What I mean by that is: if you're starting to feel a bit shitty, get outside in the sun and go for a walk, do some deep breathing, some yoga even.

I've been taking 4-5 IDF#1 to achieve the 4 bowel movements per day.



Claudia: I have had my ups and downs, that's for sure! I guess with it being only the second detox I have ever done it's understandable that i'm finding it a little tougher. Being irritable was pretty common for me in the mornings. Not until the day progressed did I become less irritable. I decided to take on this detox at one of the most stressful times of the year at work.. I didn't really think it through. I quickly learnt that food prep is key, not only to ensure you have a suitable meal at work, but also to give you something to look forward to. Knowing I had a meal coming up kept me out of panic mode.

I have more energy, i'm sleeping really well and friends have said that I have a glow about me. I'm looking forward to eating what I want after this but thanks to this detox I have had a shift in what kinds of food I want to feed my body to feel my best This is one of the best things to come out of this detox.. not to mention, my clothes feel a little looser! Yay!

I've needed around 5 IDF1 capsules to achieve the 4 bowel movements per day.

How can YOU do the detox?

If this sounds like something you could benefit from, the program is available for purchase via our website. If you purchase through our website and use the code: detoxme and you will receive a free SkinFood of your choice (DON'T PUT IT IN YOUR CART.. we will contact you about which one is best suited to your skin in conjunction with the detox), the Eden Health Food program, some recipe cards and direct support from us for the full duration of your detox, just make sure you provide your mobile number or email at check out so we can get in touch. Eden Health Foods Master Herbalist will also be on hand for any further support needed.



Need more information first? Visit our product page here or Eden Health Foods Website here or contact us directly here.

Stay tuned!! There is another blog post coming with details about our second week (where the magic happens) and our final thoughts and tips. If you've decided to take part in the detox, we look forward to supporting you on your journey to clearer skin and better health. Happy detoxing.



Xx

B