Functional Medicine Detox

Functional Medicine Detox

“It is one of the most important things someone could do for their health.”

This is a comprehensive detoxification program that allows your body to reset & remove harmful toxins.

Right away it alleviates the toxic load that builds up in the body over the years. 

Hidden toxicities is one of the #1 reasons for people struggling to regain their health.

Unfortunately in today’s world toxins are unavoidable, even if we choose to live a healthy life. So being proactive in supporting the body’s natural detox systems (that can become congested & overloaded!) is key.

Because if the drain is blocked, everything will back up!

If the toxins have no where to go because of liver congestion or constipation they can get reabsorbed back into the body and stored in our adipose tissue (hello weight gain). 

That’s why it can be so effective for helping:

  • improve energy

  • shift excess weight

  • improve sleep

  • regulate blood sugar & reduce cravings

  • improve mood

  • balance hormones

  • boost immune function

  • improve skin

  • restore nutrient levels

Give your body what needs, and remove what it doesn’t… This puts it in the optimal position to heal & thrive.

Things you need to know

It includes 2 days of fasting. For some people, particularly those who might be experiencing any adrenal fatigue or 'burn out' symptoms, it is better to do the detox without the fasting days. 

It is not advised for anyone over 70yrs to do the fasting days. You can customise it to suit you and what your body needs right now. I can guide you on that if you need.

Including the initial fasting days will be better for the weight loss benefits. When doing it for the first time you could also aim for one fasting day initially and see how you feel.

Who shouldn’t do the detox?

It is not recommended for anyone who:

  • Is pregnant/ breastfeeding

  • Has liver or kidney disease

  • Has gallbladder issues (however many people without a gallbladder have completed it with great success - you need clearance from your doctor first)

  • Has appendicitis

  • Has an eating disorder

  • Has type 1 diabetes

  • Is under 18 years old.

It is always recommend to check in with your doctor/specialist to ensure it’s safe for you, or if you have any concerns whatsoever.

If on any medications, it is important to check that there are no contraindications with any of the detox ingredients. 

Helpful preparation tips

  1. Start reducing caffeine the week before.

  2. Ensure your bowels are moving at least one per day before starting.

  3. Go food shopping before you start the detox.

  4. Plan ahead and draft a meal plan / menu for the week so you have a list of go-to Detox meals.

  5. If you choose to do the fasting days - Day 2 is the hardest. It’s a lot of mind over matter! But don’t just push through if you are not ok.

  6. Fasting is a form of stress on the body so you want to minimise any other stressor while fasting - the less stress the better!

  7. Don’t plan to start fasting on days you have intense work on, or big projects.

  8. Drinking fresh ginger tea while fasting helps take the edge off the hunger. 

  9. Don’t chug your shakes - take it slow!

  10. When breaking your fast try to have something warm & easy to digest like roast veggies or a vegetable soup (as opposed to lots of raw foods).

  11. Be prepared to roast lots of sweet potato & root veggies so you have them on hand for meals as your carbohydrate (since you can’t have grains). 

  12. Hemp hearts are a great source of protein you can use with lunch. Making homemade hummus or a black bean dip is a great option too.

  13. If you need detox friendly recipe ideas, let me know.

  14.  Doing it 70% right is better than not doing it at all. 

Yes, I’m keen!

Let’s do this!

If you’re interested in a short online detox course that comes free with the detox, let me know and I’ll send you the link.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We do not recommend having coffee/caffeine during the detox in order to see the best results. However, if you are not able to give up coffee then having some organic black coffee or caffeinated tea is acceptable in the morning (to avoid withdrawal headaches).

  • We do not recommend eating during the first 2 days in order to give your body the time to remove toxins with out the stress of digesting food. However, if you are not trying to lose weight we do recommend using spinach and blueberries in your smoothies. If it is essential that you eat during the first 2 days you may follow the guidelines for days 3-7.

  • You can find the food guide and the shopping list here: equi.life/pages/dr-cabral-detox-faq

  • If you miss taking an AYU or FM capsule you can pick up with the next scheduled capsules – there is no need to take additional ones.

  • You should be consuming about 2366-2957ml of water each day throughout the detox. Much of this will be from the Dr. Cabral Detox shakes themselves (each one is about 591-710ml). Additional water is only needed if you feel thirsty.

  • Yes, if you cannot do straight water with the powder you may use a 50/50 ratio of unsweetened nut milk with water.

    If wishing to use coconut milk, it is okay to use about 1-2 tsp as part of a meal or recipe but is preferable that the main sources of fats are monounsaturated (avocado, olive oil) as they are easier to digest than saturated fats.

  • The Dr. Cabral 7-Day Detox is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, soy-free. However, if any of your allergies lie outside of these specification please check the ingredient list to be sure that that foods that you are sensitive too are not in any of the products. You can find the ingredient labels on this page.

  • The detox products do have an expiration date; each product will have a stamp for the date that it will expire. Since they’re made in small batches, the one you’re getting is going to be fresh and will not expire most likely for 2 years.

  • Yes, herbs and spices are okay to use for seasoning your food.

    *Note: some herbs including garlic and onion can act as a prebiotic and cause bloating which may slow weight loss and increase gut dysfunction. If this happens on days 3-7 we recommend cutting back on those products.

  • Please consult your healthcare practitioner if you are under 18, pregnant or lactating, have liver or kidney disease, gallbladder conditions, appendicitis, eating disorder, type 1 diabetes, or if any of your medications are contraindicated with any of these ingredients.

  • During the detox you should stay on all prescription medication prescribed by your healthcare practitioner, please also confirm that none of your medications are contraindicated with any of the ingredients in the detox.

  • Out goal is to help you get the best results humanly possible, while at the same time teaching you a healthy lifestyle plan. To maintain all your results we simply recommend a daily breakfast or mid-afternoon smoothie with the Daily Detox Shake. It is what our most successful clients do to stay feeling healthy & looking great!

  • Continue with the Daily Nutritional Support for breakfast in smoothie, but add in some berries and other superfoods.

    For lunch you can continue on with a vegan or vegetarian lunch or begin to add in Paleo type protein if you prefer.

    Snack is optional and it can be another smoothie, just the shake and powder, or a snack such as: a handful of nuts, cut up veggies and guacamole or hummus, a cup of fruit, or a fresh vegetable juice. Dinner can be the same style as lunch.

    Lunch and dinner can also include some gluten-free starch if you are not trying to lose weight.

    You can also do one to two cheat meals per week as desired based on your goals.

  • We do not recommend vinegar on the detox because it is acidic and it can feed yeast or bacterial overgrowth. Instead, try using lemon or lime for acidity/flavor instead.

  • Absolutely! Inside your mini-brochure you’ll see a sign-up page to get daily instructive & motivational emails directly from Dr. Cabral, and you can always email us at support@equi.life – We’re here to help and make sure you succeed!

  • If you need to wake up earlier than the example times listed on the instructions, you should drink lemon water upon waking up. Then have your first shake no earlier than 6:00am and have the remaining shakes 3.5-4 hours apart.

  • Yes, you may also drink unsweetened and caffeine-free herbal teas; especially ginger tea. Please avoid coconut water or any beverages with sugar (natural or added).

  • Decreased bowel movements during the first 2 days of the detox is normal because you are not consuming whole foods and only drinking liquids. After you introduce meals again on day 3, bowel movements should begin returning to normal. To increase bowel activity add in magnesium citrate powder and/or 3-5 capsules of psyllium husk fiber at night.

  • If this is your first detox, we do not recommend exercising on the fasting days. Exercising on the meal days is okay, but don’t overdo it and pay close attention to how your body is feeling. The main goal of the detox is also to give your body time to rest and rejuvenate.

    If you have done the detox before and know that you always have enough energy to exercise when fasting, then go ahead. Make sure to only do light exercise and continue to stay aware of how your body is feeling.

  • Yes, you may cook your food. It is best not to cook in oil, but instead, either steam, bake, broil, slow cook, or sauté (pan-fry) in a little water to prevent sticking. You may then add 1-2 TBSP of olive oil as a dressing along with a squeeze of lemon.

  • Bloating after consuming the shake and supplements is often a sign of weak digestion. If this occurs, it is best to drink the shake slowly over the course of 60 minutes.

  • Yes, for best results, we recommend repeating the 2 day fast each week. If weight-loss is not your main goal, then it is okay to only do the first 2 day fast and then follow the day 3-7 meal plan for the rest of the detox. Another option is only doing 1 liquid fast day per week for 2 or 3 week of a longer Dr. Cabral Detox.

  • Ideally no, but if needed you may have sugar-free gum and only right after a meal. Chewing gum stimulates digestion, which can be beneficial after eating. However, chewing gum in-between meals can make you hungry and make the detox more difficult to complete.

  • We recommend avoiding all carbonated drinks during the detox. After you complete the detox sparkling water is okay.

  • Yes, you can mix the powder from the capsules into the shakes or even mix them up with a little raw honey or 1 tsp of apple sauce. Please keep in mind that the powder may taste bitter due to the vitamins and herbs.

  • Absolutely! If you are not trying to lose weight, we do recommend adding 1c of blueberries in your smoothies on days 3-7. There is a section on the food shopping list of fruits and carbs that you can eat if weight loss is not your main goal. Also, if you are completing a 14-day or 21-day detox, only the first 2 days of fasting is recommended and you can follow the instructions for days 3-7 for the rest of the detox.

  • To help with hunger we recommend adding green leafy vegetables and blueberries in your smoothies. Less weight may be lost, but you will still experience great detox results.

  • If you cannot commit to a full 7-day detox, you can still receive great benefits from doing only 5 days. Simply complete the 1st 5 days out of the 7 day Dr. Cabral Detox and then just use the daily shake powder for your morning smoothies after that.

  • The Dr. Cabral Detox was specifically formulated to include all 3 products. Each product is unique in its own way. The Daily Nutritional Support powder is a full multi-vitamin, mineral, electrolyte, and antioxidant formula that has light detox effects by itself, but it is the FM Detox that provides the higher level of Phase 1 and 2 liver detox support. The AYU Detox allows for greater bowel motility and has anti-inflammatory and cleansing properties.

  • This can be a sign that your body is detoxing, which is called a Herxheimer reaction. This is due to the fact your body is releasing stored toxins, which your body is trying to process and eliminate as quickly as possible. Headaches, fatigue, and nausea are also common if you have altered your normal routine and are no longer consuming processed foods, caffeine, alcohol, etc. This causes your body to have withdrawal symptoms from these items, especially during the first 2 days. It should be gone by the end of day 3. Please discontinue the Dr. Cabral Detox, or move onto the Day 3 meal plan should a headache become severe or last more than the 1st 2 days.

  • Yes, the detox was created to be free of all major allergens including gluten, dairy, soy, egg, and nuts. The detox is also caffeine free and is made with pea/rice protein so it is also vegan/vegetarian. It has also been 3rd party tested for purity and contains no heavy metals.

  • No, we do not recommend completing the detox while pregnant or nursing because that may expose your child to toxins your body will be releasing.

  • If you would like to use an infrared sauna, coffee enema, or colonic while completing the detox, it is best to do so during days 3-7, after you have completed the fasting portion so that your body is stronger and able to work with the increased detoxification treatments.

Got more questions…

Why not book in a quick chat with me?

This is a chance for you to grab a cuppa and have a quick chat with me over Zoom. You can share your health concerns or any frustrating symptoms holding you back. Then we can explore how I can help you specifically, while at the same time, you can get a feel for me and my approach to see if it's a right fit. 

It’s a great opportunity for us to connect and for you to ask any questions about how we would work together, which lab tests could benefit you and the process, before committing to a plan.

 “I feel so good in my body again. I definitely would not have achieved that if I hadn’t done the program.”

- Alicia, NZ

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