Writer and holistic nutrition specialist by day, Jon Yaneff is transforming his life step-by-step with foods and alternative therapies. He began with a visit to a holistic nutritionist. Here, he tries a new eating plan for a body detox.
If you want to get healthy, you need to commit to it. So that’s what I’m doing—with the full realization that it won’t be easy, but I will be worth it.
I’ve worked to improve my digestion and ability to absorb nutrients, heal my intestinal lining, and strengthen my immune system.
Next, my holistic nutritionist Brett Hawes suggested a program called the 10 Day Transformation. I opted for a slight variation of that plan that was 30 days. In those 30 days, I have learned a lot about discipline and variety.
Transformation Time: 30 Days and 30 Nights
Using this nutrition program with a dietary component was smart. I tailored it to suit my needs. The program aims to cleanse, detoxify and drain the body of unwanted waste. It also helps reset metabolism and the way the brain functions, too. Foods that may have been in regular rotation within your diet take a backseat.
Supplements Play a Role
There were five supplements in total within the program. The main component was something called the LOVE Super Meal which is 100% vegan, organic, gluten and dairy-free with no fillers or synthetic ingredients.
This type of meal contains several organic and fermented ingredients, such as rice protein, flaxseed, dandelion leaf, parsley and garbanzo beans. The shakes offer high-quality protein and carbohydrates. The shakes would help keep my body in an alkaline state, which would reduce any inflammation. The high amounts of calories and protein would also help me prevent weakness and weight loss.
The program would have three stages:
1. The first 10 days includes the nutritional shakes. My only real food consisted of the program’s flex foods, which included organic apples, avocados, organic berries, organic cucumber slices and sautéed spinach, broccoli or kale.
2. During the second stage, I would consume two LOVE shakes (with ionic elements) and the fiber and cherry blends. I would also eat the flex foods and one solid meal a day, which would usually be breakfast or lunch. I would reintroduce foods into my diet, and every meal for the next 10 days would contain different foods.
3. The last stage of the program would contain one shake (with ionic elements), one amino acid, and the fiber and cherry blends. Two solid meals would be included, too. This, for me, was likely the most difficult part of the program because I found myself needing to find more variety.
“My Body Was Missing Something”
Overall, I felt good but I found I only had spurts of energy. The shakes would fill me up, especially the lunch shake, and it was as though I had eaten a full meal. Other days I felt like my body was missing something and I needed more energy. For example, if I was more active on a particular day, I really felt as though I needed more fuel. I did know that the plan was for the greater good, so I dug deep and found the discipline to keep on going!
The plus side of such a strict program was learning more about finding variety in my diet and testing my discipline. I enjoy eating organic blue corn chips with guacamole on occasion and this was all completely off-limits. I had to buckle down and stop myself from straying from the program at the beginning; but by the end of my 30 days I realized I was no longer craving any snacks at night. Also, my body had removed about seven pounds in toxins, which had me pretty drained.
I’m definitely glad I followed through with the program and I got the opportunity to try foods I might not have eaten otherwise. I also started going to the gym more to build up my muscle mass.
The program helped clean my body of toxins, something everyone could benefit from. It also helped improve my digestive system, although there is more work yet to do on that front.
What Happens Next
It wasn’t all good news. I got to learn some things about my body that really needed changing. For one, I showed signs of Candida—a fungus in your mouth and gut that can release toxins when it’s overproduced—and parasites. Signs of these conditions include chronic fatigue and digestive issues.
Brett has recommended a Candida/parasite cleanse protocol, which contains a homeopathic Candida remedy, a custom parasite and yeast formula, and a high-quality probiotic.
It’s a good follow-up to the 30-day challenge, because my body is in a healthier state, better able to absorb the nutrients from the Candida diet’s staples of green vegetables and grass-fed meats.
I’m ready! Within the holistic nutrition field, it is a good idea to try different things to see what works for you as an individual. I am happy with the progress I’m making with my health, but it hasn’t been easy. My advice for trying this type of program is to recognize that it won’t be easy, but you’re worth the effort.
