Over the past several months, I’ve begun my own cleansing journey. If I’m being honest, even as a Functional Nutritional Therapist and Registered Dietitian with years of working one-on-one with clients having all types of medical issues, I have always been a little intimidated by intentional detoxification and cleansing.
There seem to be so many crazy detox programs out there and rarely have I seen ones that check off all the boxes needed to create a purposeful and effective cleansing program.
So I’ve steered away from supporting my clients beyond “gentle, daily detox” methods that help support their body’s natural detoxification pathways like dry brushing, rebounding, castor oil packs, coffee enemas, etc.
But as I shifted my focus from working with many different types of people to couples and women dealing with fertility issues, specifically, I came to realize that intentional cleansing may be an incredibly important step along their journey to baby.
You see, the majority (if not ALL) of the clients I work with are already eating clean and have swapped out much of, if not all, their personal care products to safer options. Sure, this doesn’t cover every root issue of fertility struggles by any means, but food + environmental health are really powerful first steps to improving your overall health and therefore your fertility.
So I set out to research and find a cleanse program that would support my clients from the inside out. I was looking for one that would...
Nourish and provide important nutrients needed for detoxification
Organic, non-GMO supplements and products
Support digestive function
Optimize elimination–this is crucial for allowing the body to eliminate bound toxins via the bowels
Support healthy sleep
Flexibility to be able to allow for additional clean foods if clients need added blood sugar and hormonal support
Kill parasites, both adults and eggs
As a Registered Dietitian and Functional Nutritional Therapist, I work with several practitioner-based supplement companies that offer cleanses, but there was a product that stuck out to me that a friend shared on social media a while back. This specific product, Biome Medic which I’ll share more about in detail below, is what introduced me to Purium. While researching Biome Medic, I realized that it was also part of a cleanse program, one I had watched my friend go through a few months prior.
As I dug into the specific products within the cleanse (the 30-day cleanse is called the Ultimate Lifestyle Transformation), the manufacturing processes, the quality of the ingredients used, the specific ingredients chosen to use within the formulas and how they affect cleansing, etc. I was so impressed.
I loved what each product stood for within the cleansing process and that real, whole, nutrient-dense food was also included throughout the cleanse. This is so important, especially for those working on fertility health!
So, I started to get really excited about the possibility with this specific cleanse and how it might be able to help my clients and even my own cleansing journey. But before I really started incorporating these products or the cleanse with clients, I needed to try it to be able to experience it all first hand. I had to see if it was doable for most people (part of the reason why I pulled the hubs on board!), how the supplements tasted and felt, what the food options were like and how they fit within your daily schedule, etc. So I bought a cleanse for my husband and one for myself and was so excited to try it out and see the results.
I also started sharing with a few of my clients that I thought could benefit from the cleanse as well as sharing what we were going to be taking on over on Instagram. I was pretty shocked at how many people expressed interest in learning more about the cleanse program and how many hopped on board to join us on the cleanse!
If you want to hear more about our personal experience within the cleanse, you can read all about it here!
Why it’s important to cleanse
One of the big reasons I dug into finding a cleanse program for my clients is that the majority of them were eating clean and using non-toxic products, but still dealing with health issues. What if these health issues were related to the products, foods and environmental factors of their “past life” before they got into the world of healthy eating and living? What if the chemicals and pathogens of our yester-year were continuing to burden our systems despite current avoidance of them?
Our bodies are amazing detox machines by nature, but here’s the sad reality–we live in a toxic world! As women, most of us use beauty and skincare products on the daily that can contribute to this toxic load. On average, women come in contact with around 144 chemical ingredients from their personal care products alone not to mention water quality, air pollution, cleaning products, fumes from your printer at the office, toxic candles and plug-ins, off-gasing from your furniture, paint, clothing and mattress...need I go on?
Over time, our body’s amazing detox organs and pathways can become overburdened by the constant influx of harmful chemicals most of us experience on the daily, from sources we can control as well as things we have zero say in.
The issue is that many of the chemicals we come in contact with from beauty and skincare products, cleaning products, furniture, paint, clothing, medications, candles and plug-ins, outdoor air, tap water, etc. can have a direct impact on the health of different body systems. Because of a lack of regulation on chemicals created for use on the market, we’ve all come in contact with highly toxic chemicals that can impact egg and sperm health, fetal growth and development, cause cancer, contribute to allergies and skin sensitivity, disrupt the endocrine system (think hormones) and more.
This is not something that should make you fearful, it’s something that should inspire you to take action.
Avoidance first then cleansing to help support the body’s natural detox pathways as well as provide additional, intentional support to help cleanse heavy metals, glyphosate, harmful chemicals and pathogens (parasites included!).
A word on avoidance…
Before you begin–avoidance is key. Dare I ask you, “What is the point of intentionally detoxing if you’re still allowing chemicals into your life through food or products?” The very definition of detoxify is to remove toxic chemicals so doing your best to remove all you can in your environment is a crucial step. No, you’ll never be able to avoid every single toxin, but you can most definitely avoid a lot in your day to day life. You have control over the food you eat and your home environment and that should be a focus prior to beginning an intentional cleansing program.
If you are still working to clean up your diet by focusing on whole, organic foods and eliminating toxic cleaning and beauty products from your home (go you!), instead of beginning the 30-day cleanse, I highly recommend starting on these products for several months prior to cleansing and while you continue up-leveling your diet and lifestyle (use my code “justinecampbell” to get $50 off or 25% off your first order, whichever is greater).
What to watch out for in a cleanse program
There are three major issues I have with common cleansing programs on the market…
Non-organic supplements and shakes–the herbicide glyphosate from GMO Roundup used on non-organic crops, pesticides, contamination (heavy metals, specifically), etc. can all be present in a product that is not certified organic and non-GMO. If you’re trying to cleanse these specific compounds from your body, why on earth would you want to use a product that may be laden with them? You wouldn’t, so don’t.
Low nutritive value. Here’s a little known fact my friend–detoxification is nutrient-dependent. This means that you need an abundance of nutrients just for phase 1 and phase 2 detox in your liver to adequately neutralize and remove toxic compounds from your body. If you’re trying to do a juice cleanse that contains pasteurized juice (completely devoid of nutrients given the high heat pasteurization) or a program that relies on starvation* and a few supplements, you will be doing your body more harm than good.
Crazy health claims. Here’s the deal–not a single cleanse on the face of the earth is going to solve all your problems. It takes years and years to get to the point where you say “Man! I need help!” so it will take time to overcome health issues, not just 30-days. I’ll share why I love the Purium cleanse, but I’d never claim that it’s THE cure-all because it’s not. Nor is any other cleanse. The daily choice to nourish your body with organic whole foods and avoid toxins as much as possible alongside cleansing once or twice a years is the most powerful approach.
*There are a few circumstances where a water fast or something like this is indicated but you should only do this with a trained practitioner monitoring your progress and giving appropriate supplemental support.
Why I chose Purium’s cleanse
Purium knocked out the three big issues I see with so many of the cleanses on the market…
Their products are organic, non-GMO and the company has been creating superfood supplements for over 25 years
Each phase of the cleanse contains a nutrient-dense shake, amino acid supplementation and cleansing supplements as well as the ability to eat whole foods so you’re continually taking in a variety of whole food nutrients to support detoxification pathways and boost digestive health.
The cleanse schedule is easy to follow and it helps to support your health from a foundational approach–nourishing first and foremost.
They also hit all the points needed for a well rounded cleanse that I mentioned above.
What products do I take during the cleanse?
Here is a look at the products within the cleanse and what their purpose is. You can click on the individual products below to read more and see the product labels and fact sheets (I always encourage people to dig in and do their own research!).
Biome-Medic (detoxify) – this is one of the heavy lifters in this cleanse as Biome Medic helps to safely flush toxins, including glyphosate, from the gut, supports your “good” bacteria and lowers inflammation. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide and is known as a probable carcinogen, it can damage gut health (therefore brain and immune health) and there are several studies looking at its role as an endocrine disruptor, reproductive toxicant and neonatal toxin, among many other things. It’s bad. Real bad. And I encourage you to do your own research on a search engine other than Google, like Duckduckgo, to find out the dangers of this herbicide. Click here to read the press release on the outcome of the pre-clinical trial (74% reduction in glyphosate and 75% reduction in C-Reactive Protein)!
Super Amino 23 (build) – this protein blend is vegan, 100% pre-digested and allows your body to readily use the broken down proteins within 23 minutes (dietary and protein supplements can take 180-360 minutes), leaving zero residue in the stool. This is important for building lean muscle and burning fat, but can also help with sugar cravings and to support healthy blood sugar.
Power Shake (nourish) – This super yummy shake is a powerhouse of nutrients. When I first tried it, it was “so-so” but 3 days into our cleanse the taste changed for me and I still have one every day! The nutrients within the shake provide your cells with fuel, improve energy, help to reduce cravings and leave you feeling satisfied. Seriously. There are so many superfoods like (all organic) spirulina, carrot juice, wheatgrass, chia, quinoa, and more and is lightly sweetened with lo-han berry and organic flavor to make it taste delicious. Because of all the greens, specifically, this shake is also incredibly alkalizing to the system which is great for combating inflammation, cancer and pathogen growth.
Apothe-Cherry (regenerate) – we call this “cherry nigh-nigh” because it puts you right to sleep! Sleep is incredibly important during cleansing (and all the time!) because a good nights sleep allows your body to rest, rejuvenate and also detoxify. Apothe-Cherry is a tart cherry concentrate. Organic tart cherries offer antioxidants and phytochemicals that support melatonin production and a healthy circadian-rhythm, create a healthy response to inflammation and even beautify skin. Since so many people struggle with sleep, I love that this is part of the cleanse because it works like a charm.
Super CleansR (cleanse) – this product, taken twice a day from days 11-20, helps with your digestive tracts peristaltic action which loosens embedded and impacted stool and helps to kill and flush parasites and their eggs. Parasites are a problem for more people in the US than we realize and they may be at the root of many health issues. I love that this cleanse focuses specifically on parasites as their presence may be impacting our use of nutrients, food choices and even fertility.
I love each of these products and encourage everyone to use them during the cleanse and after the cleanse using the Daily Core 4 system.
How often do I take these products? What do the 30-days look like?
During the cleanse, the above products are taken one or more times a day. If you are following the “Accelerated Schedule” (which I recommend for most people), you will be easing into it all in Phase 1 (days 1-10), focusing on cleansing pathogens/parasites in Phase 2 (days 11-20) and continuing to nourish and support detox as well as slowly working out of it in Phase 3 (days 21-30).
This document is gold when it comes to the food side of the cleanse and will help you to know what to buy, what to eat and when. Print this out and post it on your fridge or somewhere in your kitchen!
I absolutely loved the set up of this schedule, though it appeared daunting at first. It was the perfect time frame for each phase and by the end we were feeling pretty darn good.
There are two other schedule options, “Simple” and “Intermittent Fasting”, if needed.
When you receive your cleanse in the mail, it comes with all the products you need for the month as well as helpful QR codes to scan and pull up all the info you need to make your cleanse a success.
One of the things I really appreciate about this cleanse is that it is gentle enough that someone who is newer to the real food world can do this. They may need to make a few adjustments and ease themselves in to avoid major sugar and other detox symptoms, but it’s totally doable. It’s not overly harsh that it may cause intense dumping of heavy metals and other toxins that this person’s body may not be ready for.
Click here to purchase your cleanse (one for each person going through the cleanse) and make sure to use my code '“JUSTINECAMPBELL” to get 25% off the 30-day cleanse (the Ultimate Lifestyle Transformation)
Is this cleanse appropriate for pregnancy and nursing?
I have heard other answers from different people but as a health practitioner my simple answer is no, it’s not appropriate for pregnant and nursing mamas. Since I’ve experienced both pregnancy and nursing a little one and have now experienced the entire cleanse, and knowing the calorie needs of these phases, just that makes it inappropriate, but the more important piece is that intentional cleansing should never be done during these times. This is because baby can be exposed to the toxins you’re pushing out of your body via cord blood or breast milk and that is not OK.
Now, with that being said, the majority of the products within the cleanse are appropriate, just not the Super CleansR product so I recommend looking into the Daily Core 4 to incorporate these nutrient dense and health supportive products during these times instead of trying to cleanse (use my code “justinecampbell” to get $50 off your first order or 25% off, whichever is greater).
You’ll have time for cleansing when you’re done creating and nourishing your baby, but by incorporating these products daily now, you’ll provide additional whole food nutrients as well as support healthy digestion and glyphosate elimination (via the gut), lower inflammation and optimize sleep!
Click here to read up on the Daily Core 4 and don’t forget to use my code “JUSTINECAMPBELL” to get $50 off your first order!
Tips + Tricks for a Successful Cleanse
Listen to your body
This doesn’t mean that if you’re craving chocolate cake or fast food that you should give those things to your body. That is your body’s addiction to these things rearing their ugly heads. It means that if you’re craving sugar or unhealthy food, this is an opportunity to retrain your body. Listen to the fact that it needs food and make sure to feed yourself foods recommended within the cleanse. It’s easy to take a “perfectionist” mindset and feel that if you eat anything more than what is indicated (for example, 3 servings of Flex Foods per day), that you’re cheating and just fall off. If you’re craving sugar, make sure you’re getting enough fats with your meals and snacks and focus your carbohydrates on veggies and a little fruit.
Eat...enough
If you’re needing more food, please eat it! Many clients I work with have blood sugar imbalances and adrenal fatigue and not eating every few hours can cause major dips in blood sugar (creating cravings for sugar) and a stress response from the adrenal glands. We don’t want either of these situations to happen so I encourage you to make sure you’re using enough healthy fats with your meals and even eating a bit more than what is indicated while sticking within the food recommendations.
This is also important for those of you preparing for pregnancy. It’s OK to give your body more than what is recommended within each phase. Most importantly, listening to your body can help you gauge exactly what that looks like. Include healthy fats, don’t skimp on your Super Amino’s and eat regularly (pack snacks if you know you’ll be away from your home, traveling, etc. to avoid missing meals and low blood sugar and energy levels).
Do it with your spouse
…to help keep you focused and encouraged. Furthermore, with this cleanse, since you’re going after pathogens like parasites, you want to have both working on this piece since these little nasties can easily be passed back and forth. It’s also so helpful to have a partner going alongside you during the 30 days. This cleanse was made possible because my hubby did it with me! That was so helpful! When you’re changing aspects of your diet and removing items you lean on daily for pick-me-ups, it helps to be able to share these challenges with the other person and encourage one another through it.
If you’re not working on fertility health and your significant other isn’t into it, do the cleanse with a good friend (or group of friends...even better!) so you can help to encourage one another, share ideas and recipes, bounce ideas off one another, etc. I’m telling you, it makes the whole process so much more fun!
Get your mind right
When you’re making changes to your diet and altering what you’re used, maybe even breaking some addictions (hello sugar!), it’s so important to get your head in the right place. Before you begin the cleanse, write out your “why”–the very thing that will give you UMPH when you are struggling with cravings or want to say “the hell with this!”–and post it, share it with someone who will help to encourage and hold you to it and go back to it as often as you need to. Decide that you’re going to stick with it and what this time can do for you mentally and physically. When you know exactly why you’re choosing to do this cleanse, something that takes serious commitment, it will help get you excited each and every day and push you through the challenging moments.
Answering a few Q’s from Instagram
I asked my friends on Instagram to share any questions they had about the cleanse and the process. Here are the most common Q’s that came in and my responses!
Are there any other supplements I should add to the cleanse when I order?
At first I didn’t realize that there were other supportive supplements to take the cleanse even further, but I’ve since learned about a few things you could add…
Fulvic Zeolite – Fulvic acid and zeolite act as magnetics, drawing positively charged toxins and heavy metals out of the body. This is great for some additional detox umph to your cleanse!
An additional Super CleansR – this product is included with the 30-day-ULT, but you can add an additional pack to take after the completion of your cleanse. What’s recommended is to wait 20 days after the completion of phase 2 to start this supplement over again to continue to kill parasites and their eggs.
If you have kiddos–
Epi-Genius Kids – every kid needs this shake! I so highly recommend it! Unfortunately, our little ones are not protected by food companies and their use of harmful GMO’s. The popular kids cereal Cheerios has one of the highest glyphosate content than any other cereal on the market! The Epi-Genius Kids shake contains one capsule of Biome Medic per serving which means your kiddos will benefit from the glyphosate-bustin’ superpowers of Biome Medic. There are also 1360mg of fruits and 350mg of veggies as well as 8g of protein per serving. This is such a wonderful way to get extra nutrients into your little ones day (especially for the less adventurous eaters) and it’s super yummy!
As I’ve mentioned, don’t forget to use my code “JUSTINECAMPBELL” at checkout to get $50 off your order (or 25% off, whichever is great!).
Why did you choose this cleanse versus a juice cleanse (from a juice/smoothie shop, let’s say)?
I think I touched on this above when I explained what to look out for with a cleanse. This particular cleanse is much more specific and targeted and supportive than a juice cleanse. That’s not to say that doing a 2-3 day organic (raw, fresh pressed) juice cleanse isn’t a good little reset, but it’s not an intentional cleanse that helps to pull things like parasites, heavy metals and chemical toxins from your body, optimize digestive function and peristalsis, etc. Certain foods can of course support many of these areas (for example, cilantro helps to pull mercury from the system), but what I am looking for is a cleanse program that targets specific toxins and pathogens as well as deeply nourishes, optimizes gut health and supports a healthy sleep cycle.
Did you poop out a bunch of worms?
We did not poop out a bunch of worms. From my understanding, clearing parasites takes time and effort. It doesn’t happen overnight or even all in one month. Parasites hide deep in the walls of the gut as well as in interstitial fluid all over the body. They’re tricky little beasties! This is why I intend to use the Super CleansR again soon, continue to do coffee enemas and dig deeper into this topic of study.
Is this cleanse good for hormone support?
Absolutely. In fact, one of the things I noticed was that my period was lighter and shorter my first cycle after the cleanse. It was a few days longer than normal, but that is because any type of stressor (diet changes, stress, exercise, etc.) can affect the length of your follicular phase, in this case making it a few days longer. My guess at this point is that my next cycle will be closer to 29-30 days, but I’m hoping the length and heaviness of my flow will be similar.
When you eliminate sugar and inflammatory foods, you can positively impact your hormonal systems. By providing a constant flow of easy to digest proteins (Super Aminos), healthy fats, carbohydrates coming from veggies, fruit and some properly prepared grains and tons of vitamins and minerals from the green shake, you are providing your body with the building blocks to make hormones and to support your hormonal systems.
My only caveat–make sure you’re keeping your blood sugar stable by eating consistently and including healthy fats with each of your meals/snacks.
How intense is the cleanse (headaches, bathroom runs, etc.)?
Honestly, I expected the worst, but was pleasantly surprised by the entire experience. There were definitely days that were more challenging than others where I had low energy or light detox symptoms, but overall when I kept my mind right, it was smooth sailing. Now, that’s not to say that will be everyone’s experience. My husband, for example, struggled more than I did with cravings specifically. Some people may have more digestive symptoms or die-off symptoms. This is another reason why I really like the set up of the “Accelerated” schedule which introduces you slowly to the products over the first 10 days, ups the detox focus during days 11-20 when you’ve adjusted to the food/supplements and then slowly eases you out of it on days 21-30.
With that being said, I wouldn’t plan to do this cleanse during a trip or during a period of time when you need to exert a lot of energy. You will definitely be more tired at times as cleansing takes a lot of energy and focus by your amazing body.
How do you know the cleanse is working?
I think the best way I could tell the cleanse worked was by how I felt and reacted to foods when the cleanse was over. My taste buds feel totally different, there were (less than optimal) foods I LOVED and craved beforehand (like a crunchy quesadilla made with raw cheese or grain free cookies after dinner) that just do not taste the same to me now. It just feels like my body has less interest in them, like I truly broke the chains of cravings. I feel much more in tune with my body and what makes it feel best. My stomach feels awesome too! I also have less of an appetite and crave the Power Shake every day!
I think much of this has to do with the fact that the supplements and nutrients within them were working to support my body’s processes efficiently and clearing pathogens that create cravings and changes in gut health.
I highly recommend this cleanse for anyone who is looking to take their health to the next level and do something that creates substantial improvements in their health.
Click here to purchase your cleanse (one for each person going through the cleanse) and make sure to use my code '“JUSTINECAMPBELL” to get 25% off the 30-day cleanse (the Ultimate Lifestyle Transformation).
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