Simple Nutrition Insights

Fuel Your Body's Natural Detox System

• Leonila • Episode 72

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Unveil the truths behind detox smoothies and their role in supporting our body's natural detoxification processes with Leonila Campos, a registered dietitian committed to debunking myths in the detox industry. Discover why relying on expensive cleanses and supplements might not be as effective as incorporating wholesome ingredients like spinach, kale, and cruciferous vegetables into your diet. Leonila passionately explains how these nutrient-rich foods can enhance your liver's ability to break down toxins, supporting the body's natural detox system. This episode promises to change your perspective on detoxing, encouraging a focus on consistent nutrient intake to fuel your body's everyday functions.

Leonila also tackles common misconceptions about detoxing, such as the need for restrictive liquid diets, emphasizing the importance of a balanced diet that includes a variety of food groups to prevent excess sugar and nutrient imbalances. Learn how smoothies can complement your nutrition rather than act as a quick fix, with a simple recipe you can try at home featuring spinach, mixed berries, banana, chia seeds, coconut water, and ginger. As the episode wraps up, Leonila invites you to participate in upcoming nutrient-rich health challenges to further boost your wellness journey, expressing best wishes for your health and happiness this holiday season and beyond.

You can learn more about the upcoming Challenges by checking out Tower Blendz IG. 

Tower Blendz
Town Blendz IG

Thank you for listening. Please subscribe to this podcast and share with a friend. If you would like to know more about my services, please message at fueledbyleo@gmail.com

My YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0SqBP44jMNYSzlcJjOKJdg

Speaker 1:

Hey, hey everyone. Welcome back to another episode in the Simple Nutrition Insights podcast, the podcast where we break down nutrition trends and give you the facts you need to live a healthier, happier life. I am your host, leonid Acampos, a registered dietitian, and today we are talking about one of the most buzzworthy topics in the wellness world detox smoothies. It's interesting because I actually did an episode on cortisol detox and my feedback on that, so if you haven't listened to it, go back to that episode and check it out. Full disclaimer here. I am recording this episode on Thanksgiving week and so I'm in the US and so my kids are with me. I'm sure you're going to hear them either fighting, crying or rushing into my room for some reason. So, anyway, if you hear them, that's the reason why. Again, we're making it happen here, guys. If you hear them, that's the reason why. But again, we're making it happen here, guys. Whether it's a social media influencer promoting the latest cleanse or a friend raving about a juice fast, detoxing is everywhere. But what does it actually mean, and do smoothies really help with detoxification? Let's find out. I actually did. I'm collaborating with a local business, business when to Tower Blends, here in Fresno. We do a lot of collaborations, right. They are so big in supporting the community and providing services in a safe space for the community, which I love. They are downtown Fresno. I'll make sure to add their information in the show notes, so if you're local or if you travel to Fresno, check them out Again. That's Tower Blends, and so this time around we are collaborating with just creating like a smoothie challenge. They sell smoothies and other delicious food, but they're all about also health and wellness and wholesomeness, and so we came up together with okay, let's see, you know, let's do some research on smoothies and the process of detoxification, right, and we're. They're actually doing a challenge, a 21-day challenge starting in January. They're doing a smaller one, a five-day one. I want to say something in December and they did a three-day one. So it's all smoothies, right, and I help them create the smoothies, right. The recipes and the macronutrient, calorie breakdown and, uh, just like an overall plan, right. So check it out. The challenge is going to be for free, of course. You know you live in fresno and you want them to make your smoothies great. You can absolutely do that, but we also probably are also going to provide the recipes on how to do it yourself.

Speaker 1:

But I really want to focus on just what detoxification is. I want to say that I did a solo episode on that alone, as well as the cortisol detox. But first let's get clear on what detoxification really is. Detoxing isn't about drinking juices, right, or taking supplements to cleanse our body. Our bodies already have their own built-in detox system, and that's our liver, our kidneys, our skin, our lungs and our gut. They all work together to remove toxins and waste products every single day. But here's the thing just like a car runs better with high quality fuel, our body functions better when it gets the nutrients that it needs. That's where smoothies can play a supporting role.

Speaker 1:

The right ingredients can help optimize our body's natural detox processes, right? So these are ingredients, and I want you to understand something the ingredients that I'm going to mention are just the nutrition tips that I'm going to mention. These are things that you can buy at the grocery store, so I don't want you to think that, oh, I can go to I don't know to a supplement store and buy, like all these supplements, right, or I can go, I can take a pill, or I can do these teas that tell me that they're going to detoxify and they're so expensive and, just you know, overpriced, and they're going to give you lots of diarrhea, right? So to core on core, detoxify your body and can potentially dehydrate you. I want you to understand that your body does that every single day, but your body is detoxifying your blood every single day because that's the job of our bodies.

Speaker 1:

Now if we feel that, okay, that is not happening, then we are in trouble, right? So if we start having liver issues because of either alcoholic or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or we start having kidney issues because we have uncontrolled diabetes or uncontrolled high blood pressure, and so our kidneys are now leading to chronic kidney disease or chronic renal failure, kidney failure, or we have a lot of gut issues, right, because we're not giving our bodies the key nutrients that it needs to properly function. So no one tea is not going to detoxify your body for your entire life. We have to give our bodies these nutrients, these building blocks, this fuel, on a consistent basis. So let's keep going.

Speaker 1:

You can see that I get so passionate about these because the supplement industry, specifically the detox industry, is so big. I don't have the specific numbers I can absolutely give you that information, but I see so many companies right that are saying, oh, just take this tea and take these pills and take XYZ and you're you know you're going to detoxify yourself, but that is so expensive. We can do these things right by adding these wholesome foods. Right, you know, if we want to add them in these type of smoothies, we can absolutely do that, and it's in a healthier way. And you know that your body is getting lots of other nutrients right to repair you at a cellular level. So let's talk about specific ways, right, smoothies can help support our body's natural detox system.

Speaker 1:

Let's start with the liver. So the liver is the powerhouse of detoxification. Ingredients like spinach, kale and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower contain compounds that boost the liver's ability to break down toxins. So your liver is one of almost like the first defense of trying to detoxify your blood right. That is either getting rid of alcohol, processing and metabolizing medications or supplements, or whatever you take right food, it goes through the liver and so adding some of these foods right, either in a smoothie or just in general right, adding them in your food, can support your liver health. And again, that's your spinach, your kale, your cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower that can help break down those toxins right and just support your liver overall.

Speaker 1:

The next one is fiber for gut health. Oh, my goodness, I love talking about fiber. I think I'm going to do an episode on just fiber. I don't know if I have done one, but I've done so many but I think it's worth doing another one. Fiber plays such a huge role in our gut health, but also in our cholesterol management, in our blood sugar regulation, in our satiety and that feeling of I had enough to eat, I feel satiated, but that sustainability of eating, of satiety as well. So a lot of toxins are removed through our gut. Our gut is where, if we have our microbes right, our microbiota, and in if we have, if we're consuming no fiber right, those toxins are there. We get rid of them through the stool. If we have constipation right or diarrhea, then there is this biopsies. There's that issue happening there where our gut health is nowhere near to be Fiber-rich ingredients like chia seeds, flax seeds and berries help keep things moving and bind toxins for removal.

Speaker 1:

So these are ingredients that you can also add to smoothies, right, and it's the easiest way usually to add it to a smoothie because you blend it all together and if you have texture issues or, if you have, you know, taste issues. Oftentimes all those ingredients together kind of like work together and you're not really tasting it, right. So I have some clients that say, oh, I don't like chia seeds because of how thick it gets. Right, it absorbs the water, which is essentially what helps with our gut health. Right, that fiber, that soluble fiber, and getting this going and getting this moving. So no problem. Right, we can blend the chia seeds into the smoothie and we don't have to worry about that. Same thing with ground flax seeds, right, and then berries. Berries, so adding them is going to help remove those toxins.

Speaker 1:

But fiber also feeds the microbes in our gut. Right, and it's almost it's, it's definitely a symbiosis that we that we have with microbes in our health. Right, we provide the fuel and the microbes help us to stay healthy. Right, they keep the lining of our stomach and our intestines strong, right, so microbes or bacteria don't go into into the bloodstream. But if we don't provide that, these microbes start to die out or start to eat into the music. It's like this lining, this mucous lining, in our intestines, and so that's when we start to see gut issues. Our microbes need fuel. Right. Provide that fuel by adding some of these foods, because they need that fiber, right, to survive.

Speaker 1:

Okay, antioxidants for cellular protection. I think I can do another episode in just recovering cellular recurring, fueling ourselves to a cellular level. Basically, it means providing those nutrients that every single cell in our body needs to survive. So what does this mean specifically? There are free radicals around our blood, right, that can damage our cells. Antioxidants found in berries, citrus fruits think of oranges and leafy greens, right, like spinach, kale, arugula, fight oxidative stress, making them key players in detox smoothies. Right, so these free radicals think of them as invaders? Right, but they damage the cells, they damage the wall of our cells because of that high oxidative stress. But the antioxidants, right, act as like what is a good analogy? It acts as like a balance, right, it balances things out. It mixes with the free radicals and gets rid of them. Right, and these antioxidants, you can find them in berries, citrus foods, leafy greens and, again, all these foods. You can add them into a smoothie as well, right, if you prefer to have them in a smoothie in the morning and then throughout the day with your other meals amazing, while you're providing your body with amazing nutrients that are helping you at a cellular level.

Speaker 1:

Next one hydration for your kidneys. Oh man, I think I can spend I don't know a couple of hours just going with each organ right and really talking about it like the function and how we can really support that specific organ in so many reasons. But smoothies smoothies made with water, coconut water or plant-based milk right can help our kidneys sufficiently flush out toxins. So the kidneys' role in detoxification is to flush things out. Right, the blood goes through the liver right, gets detoxified there and then goes into these other systems and then into the kidneys right Again, to flush out the toxins. The kidneys, they're almost like the final stop right, the blood is going to go through there. Filter out what it needs to filter out right, keep nutrients, keep protein, keep our electrolytes and get rid of the toxins right through the urine. So our kidneys play absolutely a huge role in acid-base balance and blood pressure regulation, iron right, hemoglobin, um, electrolyte balancing, and so one of the ways to keep our kidneys hydrated, aside from drinking lots, plenty of water right throughout the day as it gets cooler.

Speaker 1:

Right, you can add some non-caffeinated teas. Right, but also in smoothies, right. So if you add, if you are adding water, coconut water, plant-based-based milks into your smoothies. You can keep them hydrated like that, plus your other nutrients that you're adding, like your leafy greens, your berries, because they also provide some water. There, too, benefits. So when we add, like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, they're not only adding flavor, right, but they also have this amazing component that haven't shown to reduce inflammation, which is going to help us help our body stay in balance.

Speaker 1:

Right when this, when we have these higher levels of inflammation, which also contributes to increased cortisol levels and increased oxidative stress, our bodies are working so hard, right, trying to manage all these things. And so if, again, if we don't provide our bodies with that extra support from fuel, right from the food, to be able to manage these issues, we get to a point where our bodies are like, overworked. So think of yourself like when you've worked every single day, right, for months how exhausted, how burned out you are right, our bodies get to that point. Of course, it's not going to be in a matter of months. It's going to take a couple years, several years for that to happen, but you're going to start to feel it, right.

Speaker 1:

Your body is going to give you signs. Keep being fatigued all the time, right, being moody all the time, not being able to sleep very well or have good quality sleep, potential weight gain or even weight loss right, your body is giving you all these signals like, hey, here's an alarm. Right, take care of these, because we're just on the go and we're just focusing on what we need to do today. Or we don't pay attention to our bodies. Right, we ignore those alarms until, like, a lot of alarms that are going off, right, and you're like, shoot, I don't feel so well, and that's when we pay attention. Or if we get to a point where your body's like I can't do this anymore, right, and so now you're getting more of these chronic conditions or this chronic fatigue or these other issues. So we need to pay attention to our bodies, right, we need to provide our bodies this fuel, these nutrients that are going to help us in so many ways. So, add some ginger to your smoothies, add some ginger to your stir fries, some turmeric to your milk, some cinnamon to your oatmeal I don't know, honestly, you can add these powerful and anti-inflammatory components to so many foods, right. You just have to be creative and add them.

Speaker 1:

I also want to take a moment to bust some common detox myths, because I'm sure you have them, I'm sure you've heard of them and I want to make sure that I do talk about them, at least some of them. So the first myth you need to cleanse you with only liquids. Man, this is a good one, and that isn't true. Restrictive cleanses can do more harm than good. Your body needs energy and nutrients to function well. Right? So you know, you might not see a huge negative effect if you do it for one day. Right, but I've heard people that do it for like seven days and I'm like, oh my gosh, this is just bananas. But you don't have to do that, right? Don't think that. Oh my gosh, this is crazy. Why am I doing these? Right, so you don't have to do that.

Speaker 1:

Myth number two detox smoothies work overnight. Nothing works overnight, my friend. Actually, your organs are working 24-7, right, all the time, all day long, so a detox smoothie is not going to work overnight. Right, you have to be able to continue to provide these nutrients on a consistent basis the rest of your life. Right, you have to make these lifestyle changes. If you do it for a short period of time, it is going to work for that short period of time. Once you stop it, then we'll go back to how we were feeling before. So you have to make these changes long-term, a lifestyle change. So, yes, smoothies aren't a quick fix. They are part of a long-term approach to nourishing your body. I want you to remember that right, if you want to write it down, smoothies aren't a quick fix, but they are part of a long-term approach to nourishing your body. Myth number three more is better.

Speaker 1:

Drinking too many smoothies or loading them with too much fruit can lead to excess sugar. Right Intake, and not that the sugar in the fruit is bad. I want you to really understand that too. Sometimes I have patients tell me I shouldn't be eating a lot of fruit, but yet, right, they're eating candy or chocolate. So no, that is not the case.

Speaker 1:

Oftentimes, when we eat too much of something, we're not adding all these other food groups. Why we're eliminating other food groups? Because we're filling up with, like this, one food group. So, um, keep that in mind too. So the balance here is again keeping making sure that even your smoothies are balanced. Right, am I having fruits and veggies? Right, am I having a high, high fiber? Am I having a high protein by adding. Know, if you do Greek yogurt, if you do a plant-based Greek style yogurt right, that is also high protein. Or you're adding a protein powder or collagen powder, right, you keep you satiated for a little longer and also give you some extra energy too. So I'm sure there are other myths out there, but these are the main ones that I want to talk about. If you have more that you're concerned about or that you want to ask me, remember, there is a feature on the Apple podcast where it says send us a text, send me a text there, right, and that's perfect In the show notes.

Speaker 1:

I'm going to add just a quick go-to detox smoothie that you can try. Right, you don't even have to call it a detox smoothie. You can just call it a refreshing smoothie, I don't know. Call it whatever you want to call it, but here's a quick sample right?

Speaker 1:

One cup of spinach, again, for liver support and fiber. Half a cup of mixed berries for your antioxidants, half a banana for your potassium and natural sweetness. One tablespoon of chia seeds for your fiber and omega. One cup of coconut water for hydration and one small piece of ginger for your anti-inflammatory benefits. Blend it up and enjoy it. Right, it's going to give you some hydration. It's so packed with amazing nutrients and this is something that you can add as a snack. If you're like, hey, I want this as my breakfast. Add some protein to it. It's going to help you with acidity and help you to stay satiated for a longer period of time. So add one serving of your favorite protein powder or collagen peptides or collagen powder. Okay, my friend, we talked about a lot of different things in terms of cleanse and detoxes, but, to wrap things up, remember that detoxing is a natural process your body does every day.

Speaker 1:

Smoothies can replace the hard work of your liver and kidneys, but they can give them the nutrients they need to work their best. Think of smoothies as a tasty, convenient way to boost your overall nutrition, not as a magic fix. If you found today's episode helpful, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Share your favorite smoothie recipes with me on Instagram, at nutrition underscore, with underscore Leonila, and if you're enjoying the podcast, please don't forget to subscribe and leave a review. It really helps spread the word. Thanks for tuning into today's Simple Nutrition Insights podcast. Until next time, keep fueling your body with foods that make you feel your best. Body with foods that make you feel your best.

Speaker 1:

As a very, very last closing thought, um, again, if you want to check out those recipes that I created in collaboration with tower blends, follow them on social media. I'm going to add their information on the show notes. If you want to try the challenge right again, the five-day challenge that is coming up in de Again, the five-day challenge that is coming up in December, or the 21-day challenge that is coming up in January, check them out right Again, it's free and it's just another way to add more of these amazing nutrients to our bodies. But if this is something that you've been thinking about and you're like I want to be able to support my kidneys and my liver and my gut health, start adding some of these nutrients I mentioned.

Speaker 1:

If you hate smoothies, don't add it in your smoothies. Add it in other ways that you want to add them, which is there's so many ways to add them. Right, and that is it, my friend. Stay strong, stay healthy and happy holidays. If you celebrate holidays, if not, if you don't, don't worry. Enjoy your time with your family. Stay um, stay healthy. All right, bye, bye, for now.