Be The Best Version Of You.
A belated merry christmas and trusting that you had a joyous festive time with family and friends. I’ve just returned from 3 weeks in Queensland which started up at Fraser Island for a wedding, than to Coolum Beach on the beautiful Sunshine Coast to catch up with my sister and family then finally to the Gold Coast to spend christmas with my husbands family. All in all it was a great break away from the norm, especially computers, while soaking up plenty of vitamin D and magnesium.
So it’s a New Year and the festive and holiday season is still upon us. How many of you are feeling sluggish, tired and generally a bit flat. For the first time I think ever, I managed to go away on holiday and keep up my fitness level and not sway too far from the foods that I know make me feel well and give me energy. It happened because I made a decision before I went away and had a basic plan and tools to keep the decision going (more on that later). However for many years before this I didn’t have it together at all. Some of those years were because I was either flat out with illness or trying to recover. Where ever you are at – whether it’s a case of eating poorly and not enough exercise or you have come to the conclusion that there are other things growing in your gut that have taken over (see my story on Candidiasis) here’s a solution that will put you back on track to a A New Year A Better You.
Detox – Detoxification is widely known in the alternative medicine realm. Often used at the beginning of new seasons such as spring but is found in some traditional cultures as being a routine of say once a month. A toxic build up can be caused by many things. Often it’s poor diet and lack of exercise as well as antibiotics and other prescription medicines. A toxic build up can bring about many illnesses and conditions. Often you will notice tiredness, lack of energy, aches and pains as the first signs. Your immune system weakens under excess amount of toxins causing anything from Asthma to Yeast Infections.
There are many natural aids on the market used for detoxification. One of them is Coconut Oil. According to Bruce Fife, author of “Coconut Cures” there are 4 reasons why coconut oil makes such a good cleanser.
1. MCFAs (medium chain fatty acids) in coconut oil kill disease-causing bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. These microorganisms not only cause infection but also often produce toxic byproducts that are carcinogenic or poisonous.
2. Coconut oil is chemically very stable so it functions as an antioxidant protecting against destructive free radicals that are often generated by toxins.
3. MCFAs in coconut oil are used by the body as a source of fuel to stimulate metabolism. As metabolism increases so does the body’s natural mechanisms of detoxification, repair, and growth. Even the immune system is shifted to a higher level of efficiency.
4. Coconut oil neutralizes the harmful effects of many toxins including the deadly aflatoxin.
Coconut Oil Detox
Bruce Fife says:
The Coconut Oil Detox is the most effective method I have seen to rebalance the digestive system and get it functioning normally again. It is far superior to a simple water fast or even a juice fast. Juice fasts, including the Coconut Water Fast, have one major drawback: they contain a lot of sugar. If you are trying to fight a systemic candida infection or an overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria, you don’t want to keep feeding these microbes sugar, which they thrive on…..
While on this fasting program don’t be surprised if you expel from your bowels some awful looking stuff. Your body is cleansing all types of noxious debris.
With coconut oil you have a better source of calories in the form of MCFAs. Unlike juice fasting, these fats do not feed unfriendly microbes, but they do feed the cells and tissues in the intestinal wall and thus promote healing. They also boost energy levels so that we can function normally without any additional food or source of calories.
In this fast you are encouraged to drink plenty of water. You are also allowed to drink sugarless lemonade (see recipe below). Drink as much as you want. In addition to the water and lemonade, you will consume coconut oil.
He recommends between 10-14 tablespoons per day. If you can’t handle this much oil, back off a bit and eat as much as you can. The oil should be consumed throughout the day – not all at once.
He recommends not eating coconut oil after 6 or 7 pm as it gives some people too much energy and they have difficulty sleeping.
The oil can be eaten by the spoonful if you don’t have a problem with it. Make sure you use a good quality virgin cold pressed coconut oil. The other suggestion is to add the oil to the sugarless lemonade and drink it.
2 tablespoons of coconut oil to 1 cup of sugarless lemonade. Drink this mixture every two hours or so throughout the day and you will get your 10-14 tablespoons of coconut oil.
Drink a cup of this mixture first thing in the morning as your breakfast and every two hours until about 6 or 7 pm. You may continue to drink the lemonade or filtered water until you go to bed but do not take anymore coconut oil.
The other alternative is to mix 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil into a 1/4 cup plain, unsweetened preferably organic yogurt. Add 4 drops of liquid stevia to sweeten. Drink some sugarless lemonade afterwards.
During the fast you are allowed to eat a small amount of fresh coconut if you like. Avoid dried and especially sweetened coconut. Limit the amount to just a few ounces per day. Coconut meat is beneficial because it is very high in fiber and feeds the good bacteria in the gut. Coconut meat also provides roughage to help keep the intestines moving and expelling dead bacteria and yeasts. It can also help settle the stomach, which can feel a little queasy with all the oil you are consuming.
During the cleanse you will consume only filtered water, sugarless lemonade, coconut oil, and a small amount of coconut meat – nothing else except plain yogurt if you choose that method. You will feel a little hungry at first but you will not starve or become malnourished.
The cleanse can be done for 3 or 7 days. If you decide to do it longer you may need to seek the guidance of someone experienced in fasting to help you.
If you have serious health problems you may want to check with your doctor before doing it longer. Most people can manage a 3 day Coconut Oil Detox. You may want or need to do several 3 day cleanses.
Important note:
If you know that your diet is poor and has been for awhile then it is recommended that you take 2-4 weeks of preparation. The reason for this is that a poor diet leads to a low nutritional status, therefore having few nutritional reserves.
Here is what is recommended:
Start eating more fresh vegetables and whole grains. (If you already have a diagnosed candidiasis then grains will not be recommended.) Instead stick to proteins, in the form or eggs, chicken, fish and some red meat but mostly vegetables. Have at least 1 salad a day as a main meal. Add at least 1 and up to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil to your diet every day. Eliminate sweets, coffee, alcohol, white rice, white bread and flour products, and junk food. If you do this before the fast you will get better results and have a much easier time.
Another important note:
If you experience intestinal discomfort, naseau, or lower back pain during the fast, eat more salt and make sure you are consuming plenty of water. One sign of needing more salt is if water begins to taste stale or dull rather than refreshing. Use only unrefined sea salt and add a pinch to each glass of water you have.
Healing Crisis
Be aware that many people when fasting for the first time and certainly if you have never had coconut oil before may experience an accelerated form of cleansing. It can sometimes be a range of symptoms or just 1 or 2. Things to look out for is diarrhea, skin breakouts, tiredness and fatigue and nausea. It will pass but this is why it is strongly recommended to start off with smalls amounts of coconut oil first and work up to a bigger quantity.
Sugarless Lemonade
This is a great drink for every day use as well as for detoxing.
- 2 cups of fresh lemon and/or lime juice – approx 8 lemons
- 14 cups of filtered or distilled water
- 1 teaspoon powdered stevia extract
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- Start by juicing the 8 lemons or lime combination.
- Add 14 cups of filtered water.
- Add powdered stevia extract to sweeten the taste.
- Finally add the sea salt.
- Store in the refrigerator
If using this for an everyday drink then decrease salt to 1 teaspoon. The extra teaspoon is for the salt required when fasting.
Stevia is derived from a herb found in South America. It has zero calories and does not feed candida or affect blood sugar.
If you try the detox let me know how you go – hopefully with success! Here’s to a better version of you/us!
After the detox what should you eat first?
Hi Noel, After finishing the detox it’s best to start back on eating fairly light foods and working your way up to more heavy foods. Here’s an example: beginning the next day start with the sugarless lemonade and coconut oil first thing in the morning (mainly to keep in the habit – as this is a great aid to your digestive system on a daily basis) then, depending on what foods you like to eat, try a breakfast of berries, some activated nuts and maybe a boiled egg. Otherwise you could have some steamed green veggies or a nice soup. If you are absolutely famished then by all means eat some protein (fish, chicken, tuna). The most important thing about what you eat after the detox is that you have thought what you are not going to eat. ie: don’t jump back into pizza and chocolate on the first day! Hope that helps. Let me know if you need any more help. Kerry
Will the coconut oil melt in the lemonade?
Hi Joyce,
You will need to melt the coconut oil prior to adding to the lemonade. If you are adding the oil to fridge cold lemonade you will then need to whisk the oil in fairly vigorously. Alternatively, take lemonade out of the fridge and leave on the bench top for the day. That way your lemonade will be room temperature and will not solidify the oil to quickly. I hope that makes sense. Let me know how you get on or if you have anymore questions. 🙂 Kerry
Would you recommend working out during this detox? I work out regularly and was wondering if maybe I should just keep working out but maybe a lighter work out…?
Hi Mariah, The best gauge for how much to work out is how you are feeling. Some people can detox and successfully keep up working out as they do usually. Some people feel the effects right away. To be on the safe side it’s probably good to work out lightly. A good stretch workout, yoga or pilates are good options as is walking. I find swimming is a great exercise to do during detoxes, especially in salt water. Not necessarily doing a lot of laps but a gentle breaststroke. It is an individual thing as detoxes can sometimes make you feel quite lethargic. Personally I wouldn’t intend to stop exercising but to read my body and take each day as it comes. Hope that helps and good luck. Let me know how you go. 🙂 Kerry
Thank you very much! Hopefully I can start it soon and I will let you know how it goes. 🙂
I’m about to get started on my detox. Do you suggest I stop taking my daily vitamins during the cleanse? They are raw but they do contain a lot of fruits. Also should I not be using honey at all during this period?
Hi Jen, Most detox programs recommend that you go off all supplements, unless of course you are using the supplements to support the liver and bowel in cleansing. Honey should be excluded during the detox because of its high fructose and sucrose content as you want to give your body the best chance of cleansing. Hope that helps 🙂 Kerry
Hi Kerry, just wondering if there’s anything you can recommend taking/doing to lessen the effects of the die off? Also, I know you say to stop supplements but should I continue taking a probiotic? Thanks
Hi Kerry, Do you have to use Sea Salt for the lemonade or can you use kosher salt?
Hi Allison, Kosher Salt should be fine. I guess it depends on how chunky the pieces are and how quickly they dissolve. You might want to dissolve the salt in some warm water before adding it to the lemonade. Hope that helps. 🙂 Kerry
Is this safe to do while breastfeeding?
Hi Alli, I would say no for a couple of reasons. You don’t want to risk being dehydrated which can easily happen when you are detoxing not to mention breastfeeding as well. Secondly, while I haven’t breast fed for a long time….my kiddies are not kiddies anymore 🙁 I do remember the insatiable appetite that would occur during those breast feeding years. Are you detoxing because of suspected candida or another condition or is it to boost energy, give you a clean slate? If it’s for either of those reasons than another option would be to try oil pulling or simply taking the maintenance dose of 3 tablespoons of coconut oil per day. Hope that feedback helps.
Can you recommend a good brand of oil?
Hi Tiffany, There are many good coconut oils available both online and in health food stores. I have used both Banaban from Nature Pacific (this one is available through my site – button is on the top right hand sidebar of this article) and Niulife from Kokonut Pacific and love both of them. Another popular one is Tropical Traditions and also Niugini – they should all be available online. 🙂 Kerry
Just started the detox today. I was thinking of adding the yogurt to the coconut oil as it would be easier to get down. Is it ok to have a natrual yogurt which has 6.5g of sugar from the carbs?
Hi Cathryn, If it’s sugar that’s been added to the yogurt then the answer is No, but largely your answer depends on what you are detoxing for. If it’s to kill off Candida then it’s best not to have any dairy as the candida feeds of the dairy sugars but dairy can also be very inflammatory and cause more problems for your gut. Hope that helps. 🙂
Thank you for your reply. The sugar is just from the carbs and not been added so it should be ok then. On my second day of the detox and having to force the coconut oil down now. Before this I used to have 2 or three tablespoons a day and loved it. I had a little natural yogurt this morning but only about a couple of teaspoons.