Let’s face it, digestive distress is something we may battle from time to time, particularly if we’re new to the Beauty Detox lifestyle, and are making new daily habits and transitions from the typical Western diet.
The point is, to start taking little steps each day towards better choices and better health. Even if you have been implementing the Beauty Detox lifestyle, you can still get off track and need a good boost to get your system running smoothly again.
My De-Bloating Digestive Distress Elixir Recipe is aimed at boosting your overall wellness by starting from the inside out! No more distress Beauties — only the best ingredients that will guarantee a healthier and happier you!
Here’s how…
Boost Digestion & Regularity With Chia Seeds
Because chia seeds have a high level of soluble and insoluble fiber (swelling up to 15 times their size when mixed with liquids and creating a filling gel), they provide long-burning fuel as they cleanse your digestive system [1].
Providing nearly 11 grams of fiber per ounce (one serving contains the recommended fiber intake for the day), these Lil guys help to balance insulin levels, digestion and regularity.
Chia seeds create a gelatin-like substance in the stomach and can work as a prebiotic — supporting the growth of probiotics in the gut.
They can help reduce cravings and keep you on track with your diet due to being so nutrient-dense and filling. I eat them daily and keep some chia gel handy for an afternoon smoothie, like my Nica Love Smoothie Recipe.
You can see why I love adding these amazing seeds to my daily snack whenever possible. I personally recommend purchasing chia seeds from The Chia Co.
They are grown in Western Australia where the land is high unpopulated and the soil is very pure and uncontaminated, which is why they produce a superior chia seed with enhanced levels of Beauty Minerals and nutrients!
Digest & Detoxify With Lemons
Lemon juice’s atomic structure is similar to the digestive juices found in the stomach — helping to keep food moving through your body and ultimately assisting with the digestion and detoxing process in your gut (providing the optimal cleanse!).
Think about this too, when your body digests food, we want it to process all the good stuff as slowly as possible. Why? To encourage your body to keep insulin levels steady so that more nutrients can then come out of the foods you consume.
The acids found in lemon juice contribute to this drawn-out process for better nutrient absorption and less bloating, making things a bit easier for our bodies. If you are in need of more help in this area, check out these Tips to Feel Less Bloated!
Drinking lemon water (or adding it to your elixirs, tea, salads – you name it!) benefits the enzyme functions in your body, which then stimulates the liver and flushes out toxins.
Lemon juice is considered a mild diuretic, helping to get rid of any unwanted elements and really giving your body the boost it needs to detox the body, hair and skin. You can see why I’ve added this fruit (I can’t live without), into this elixir!
Destress Your Gut With Grapefruit
Do you find yourself in a constant “fight or flight” mode? Walking around all day, every day, in that mode of chronic stress can really have detrimental affects to your overall health and wellbeing.
Chronic stress is the result of your body experiencing stressors with such frequency that there isn’t enough time to activate the relaxation response.
This experience is only meant to be a short-term bodily response used to deal with direct and imminent danger (say, a roaring lion chasing after you! ????????).
This is no way to relax or unwind, is it Beauties? This is where destressing comes into play, and where we need to take action to calm down, and not just through our meditations or breathing practices.
We need to be mindful of what we’re putting into our mouths so that our bodies are better armed with nutrients that will help us to battle against those stressors we were talking about.
This is where grapefruit comes into play, due to the presence of tryptophan (a chemical often associated with becoming sleepy after big meals). The levels of tryptophan in grapefruit juice enable us to nod off peacefully (pretty cool, right?!).
Consuming a glass of grapefruit juice right before bed will promote healthy sleep and alleviate those irritating symptoms and repercussions of insomnia.
As you can imagine, grapefruit contains a lot of water, making it very hydrating. Water makes up most of the fruit’s weight with 4 ounces (118 ml) of water in half of a medium grapefruit, accounting for about 88% of its total weight.
While drinking lots of water is the best way to stay hydrated — keeping our insides functioning at their best — including water-rich foods like grapefruit will also help destress and reboot our digestive tracts for better health and better sleep!
Promote Digestive Support With Ginger
One of gingers most powerful benefits is its ability to support digestive health and prevent impaired digestion (including pain, heartburn, fullness and discomfort).
One study mentions how ginger was able to speed up the emptying of the stomach by 25 percent compared to a placebo in people with indigestion [2].
In fact, if you take ginger capsules with a meal, this can actually double the speed of stomach emptying, according to anther study [3]. Just imagine what fresh ginger can do!
Isn’t this what we’re always striving to do within the Beauty Detox lifestyle? Nourishing and emptying our guts in the most pure, powerful, and healthy way possible? I’d say so!
This elixir is just the ticket to supporting better digestion! Let’s start destressing and start living a healthier and happier life!
Prepare ingredients.
Warm water on your stove in a small pot till just before it starts boiling.
Turn off the stove, place the grated ginger in the water and allow to steep.
Add in lemon juice.
Add in grapefruit juice.
Add in chia seeds and stevia. Let sit for 15-20 minutes while chia seeds absorb the moisture from the water.
You can drink warm or room temperature. Enjoy!
See full recipe below…
- 16oz warm filtered water
- 1 Tsp. chia seeds or chia gel
- ½ juice from fresh lemon
- ¼ juice from fresh grapefruit
- ½ inch fresh ginger, grated
- Stevia, optional to taste
- Warm water on your stove in a small pot till just before it starts boiling.
- Turn off the stove, place the grated ginger in the water and allow to steep.
- Add in lemon juice, grapefruit juice and chia seeds.
- Let sit for 15-20 minutes while chia seeds absorb the moisture from the water.
- You can drink warm or room temperature.
All my love,
Kimberly
[2] Effect of ginger on gastric motility and symptoms of functional dyspepsia
[3] Effects of ginger on gastric emptying and motility in healthy humans.
When during the day would you suggest having This?
Hi Kelsey – you can enjoy this as part of your nighttime ritual. Enjoy, and let us know what you think! ;)
Looking forward to trying it!
Fantastic! Let us all know what you think! ;)
Hi My name is Karina!!
I been suffering Melasma and pigmentation, and acne I tried lofts of creams for my face and nothing helps! Plus my intestines are not working good!!! Please help me what would you recommend
Hi Karina and thanks for reaching out. I wrote up a blog post entitled, ‘8 Tips for Gorgeous Skin WITHOUT Expensive Products.” Here’s the direct link for that blog: http://bit.ly/2jSyy7z. There you will find, not only information on what to eat to help you with your gut, but how to care for your skin as well. Be patient with yourself and take one step at a time, trying not to get overwhelmed. These things take time to heal but if you start taking care of yourself from the inside out, you will definitely see results. Progress not perfection, so do the best you can and be sure to let me know how you’re doing. Check out some of my supplements (Detoxy+, Probiotics, Enzymes) that will give you a cleansing boost as well. Sending you lots of love and support! ;)
Hi Kimberly
Your recipes are amazing as usual! It reminds me of a chia fresca but with a citrus ginger twist.
I just found out I’m iron deficient (non-anemia) and just started supplementing with iron supplements. This explained why my hair was not as strong. As you know iron can be constipating. I do practice incorporating GGS rotating greens and try to make the effort daily or make 2 servings at once. Recently, I add a scoop of spirulina into GGS for added iron(I hope this is ok?).
What are your recommendations for iron rich foods to boost my iron stores and keep digestion regulated daily?
Hello, in regards to the grapefruit digestive distress elixir , it reads 1/2 lemon juice and 1/4 grapefruit juice. Is that cups?
And does it hold it’s potency for a day or two in the refrigerator?
Hi Lori! This recipe calls for the juice of half a lemon and a quarter of a grapefruit, which will vary slightly depending on the size of the fruit :) You could keep this for a day or two in the fridge, but I recommend drinking it while it’s fresh to get the most impact and flavor. Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you Kimberly for continuing to create and share fabulously healthy options! I really enjoyed this and the tumeric tonic. Much gratitude!
Hi Beauty! Thanks so much for following along and trying out the recipes. Sending you love! xx
Hi my name is Aracely. I had a question. Do you think I should be taking digestive enzymes since I don’t have a gall bladder Anymore? Does it help with weight loss? Thank you so much.
Hi Aracely! Digestive enzymes may be helpful after a gall bladder removal to aid your digestion. If you have any concerns, I would recommend checking with your doctor or natural health practitioner, since everyone is different. Sending you lots of love!
Hi Kimberly! I want to try all of your elixirs and can’t wait. But I have to ask, after er reading your books. These are nighttime elixirs with fruit. Isn’t that risky, if you consume these and still have maybe undigested foods in your system? Because it takes some time to digest foods right? So I always thought it was really only safe to take anything with fruit, first thing in the morning. Just curious. They all sound so Devine, I bought all the ingredients I need, and look forward to trying them???? Thanks
Hi Beauty! I recommend drinking this elixir after a large meal or whenever you experience digestive distress – not necessarily before bed! :) Also, because this elixir contains small amounts of citrus juice, rather than the whole fruit, it is OK to consume at other times than in the morning without causing food combining issues. These ingredients contain enzymes that will actually boost digestion! For my nighttime elixirs, those often contain plant-based milk, tea or superfood powders (no fruit), which help to enhance sleep while being very easy on the digestive system. The difference here between eating foods and drinking elixirs is that the elixirs are liquid and meant to be drank, and are easily digested and assimilated into the body. Hope that helps! xx