I did the BioBalance Herbal Detox – Here’s What Happened

As the GM at BioBalance I have tried most products for myself, but the one that I hadn’t got around to trying properly was the BioBalance Herbal Detox Program which is full of wonderful native NZ herbs and plants. Inspired by some of the amazing comments we regularly get from customers– I was determined to give it a go this winter.

My lifestyle is already reasonably healthy (at least I like to think it is). I try and eat clean with lots of fresh fruit and veg, I do eat some meat and fish and enjoy red wine as a wind down at the weekend. I don’t eat gluten (it makes my joints ache and gives me IBS). I have a sweet tooth though, which I usually satisfy with a sweet something with coconut sugar, dates or honey to sweeten things up. I enjoy Mother Nature’s candy in the form of fruit most days or as a special treat once a week- a mini magnum or mini ice cream. (It’s all about the balance right!).

The BioBalance detox program suggests avoiding red meat, potatoes and tomatoes (nightshades), dairy products, sugar and all grains – plus coffee, black tea and alcohol. I had already given up alcohol for a month before I started this detox, as a bit of a social experiment for myself. I don’t drink coffee or tea either (haven’t done for years as too much caffeine gives me the jitters). My daily liquids are usually organic green tea – maybe two – three cups a day and then peppermint, liquorice and other herbal teas, and water. Fizzy drinks don’t really feature in my diet either- unless we are talking some kombucha – or mineral water here and there.

Despite all this apparent “clean living” I felt the need for a bit of a “reboot”. I’m in my mid fourties, I work full time and I’m a busy Mum of twin teenagers. My skin was really dry and I had a bad break out going on for no apparent reason. I felt sluggish and weary at times- and my sleep was not as good as it should be. The changes I made to my diet were not as hard as I thought. The biggest change was the sweet treats, dairy and the occasional slice of GF bread that I enjoyed, and ditching my go to oat porridge for breakfast. This meant eating different things at times than my family.

I found breakfast hard, but changed to omelettes or chia puddings until I found some (expensive but tasty) grain free porridge substitute. I embraced the humble kumara and lunches were leftovers (which saved me a ton of money along with no alcohol). There are a lot of capsules to consume. I ended up splitting the dose in half and doing half first thing and half before bed. This 4 weeks re introduced me to the “miracle” relaxation of a simple Epsom salt and lavender oil bath to soak away the tension and to further help with the detox. I’m more of a quick morning shower kind of person- so a long soak in the bath was very different – and I still enjoy these now.

For me the biggest “challenge” on this program were frequent dull headaches. Whilst they were common visitors- only a few times did they interrupt my day. The sugar cravings were intense too- but after a week they subsided as my tastes changed. Almost as soon as I started I got the tingles of the start of a cold sore again for the first time in decades. It simmered there but thankfully didn’t erupt into anything too offensive to look at. (I don’t think this was connected, maybe just a coincidence). There was no major flushing out of the digestive system and I didn’t feel weak or lethargic very often*. (*Disclaimer: During the first few weeks I was definitely more tired than usual and napping at the weekends, but I didn’t have any major withdrawal or die off symptoms that kept me in bed for a day).

I was expecting to feel absolutely horrible the whole way through- but family and work life on the whole continued as normal for me. I finished feeling less bloated and lighter. My weight has not changed- but this certainly wasn’t about weight loss. My weak point and hardest part of the day was as soon as I got home from work- I am usually starving at this time, and the diet meant I couldn’t have the snacks I usually go to when I am hungry – like a piece of cheese or a slice of GF bread. Out came the nuts or an early dinner.

My skin has improved. I feel less bloated and think this is the reduction in dairy, sugar and no red meat. My sleep was phenomenal, I was sleeping like a teenager for hours at a time, very heavy sleeps- the kind where you wake up with a dead arm and a vivid dream, but feeling like you could leap out of bed with energy. (Seriously how often does that happen). I would recommend this 4 week re boot at any time of the year. I chose Winter as I find it less socially challenging and easier to follow the diet. You could choose to coincide with Dry July if you usually enjoy alcohol – doing the two things at once is a great way to stay motivated and gives you that mid-winter reset.

It’s been good to keep a diary and to read back over my journey, as it has certainly made me aware of some subtle changes going on. I have continued to reduce the dairy and sugar content in my diet, and have further increased the calories coming from plants and whilst I am eating meat again- it is certainly nowhere near as much as before.