When Your Body Needs a Reset | My Sakara Life Level II Detox Experience (& Discount Code)!

Even the healthiest individuals need a reset every once in a while. Being a nutritionist, yoga teacher, and an overall wellness advocate, I can proudly state my diet is mostly clean & nutritious, but I preach about balance, as I believe that’s the only real way to live. Chocolate & ice cream do find themselves in my treat box, but the real danger lies in stress. We can eat all the best foods, do all the yoga & meditate every morning, but if we’re still under stress, none of it really matters. And let’s face it, we’re all under stress, no matter how much we try to avoid it. That’s why I like to get a little extra push every once in a while...and I can always count on Sakara Life Level II Detox to be there for me.

My first time doing the Level II Detox was this time last year, as I had recently gone plant-based due to hormonal imbalance caused by my paleo diet after moving here from Europe. Having been diagnosed with celiac disease 9 years ago, paleo was the only diet I was able to follow without causing inflammation, and I was doing so well...and then I moved to the US. Unfortunately, my digestive system couldn’t cope with animal products and started treating them all as toxins, which didn’t allow my body to take any nutrients from any of the foods I was eating, and therefore causing malnutrition, stress & inflammation. You see, our body’s response to stress is to stop the break down of food & nutrient absorption and focus on elevating glucose in our blood to give us energy to fight off any danger that might be presenting itself. Adding on any toxic ingredients to the mix is only a recipe for disaster, so healing myself through food and rest is the only way to go. So, I decided to try to eliminate anything that might cause inflammation or any sort of bad reaction in my body, and go plant-based. Sakara’s Level II Detox was an incredible experience as I was able to fully reset my gut, replenish it with good bacteria & make it a better environment for any future food digestion.

2 months ago, my husband had an injury that forced him to undergo surgery which left him lying in bed for 6 weeks, as well as some additional blood clot complications which added on to our already super stressful situation. Safe to say, I needed a reset, and I knew exactly what to do - Sakara’s week of Level II Detox.

Ok, so What is Level II Detox?

An expert-level cleanse program designed by functional medicine doctor Aviva Romm, for a gut-healing, harmful-pathogen-removal, hormones-recalibrating and inflammation-reducing total body reset…so in other words, EXACTLY what I needed.

The cleanse has a 2-way approach in order to cleanse the body, make it more efficient to burn stored fat, and replenish the gut with good bacteria :

AVOID anything that might trigger a stress response or cause inflammation.

These cleansing meals are free from meat, fish, dairy, gluten, nuts, all sugar (including fruit), soy, nightshades (white potatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, chili peppers), caffeine, pesticides, chemicals, toxins, alcohol, and GMO.

REPLENISH the body with ingredients which help restore its ability to heal and repair.

Level II meals are abundant in seeds, herbs, roots, adaptogens, probiotics, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals, & chlorophyll which detoxify, repair, & protect your whole digestive, immune & endocrine system, stabilize the blood sugar and reduce cortisol levels (bye-bye stress).

The whole process starts from the minute you open the box on Day 1, and you read the carefully written instructions in the most beautiful pamphlet you’ll ever see...cause yes, Sakara pays attention to everything. It’s all neatly organized in 10 steps:

#1 I Woke Up Like This

Starting my day with 8 fl oz of water & 5 whole droplets of their best-selling Beauty Water Concentrates, made with rose, silica, and 72 trace minerals is maybe my favorite part of the whole cleanse, as I set my intention for the day (and week) ahead, all while literally drinking and smelling roses. As we all know, our soil is really depleted, and when on a detox, our bodies lose lots of retained water (and with it, minerals), so the need to up-our-mineral-game is strong! The name ‘Beauty’ comes from the silica, which is known as ‘the beauty mineral’ for its ability to boost collagen and help cells soak up water, therefore giving the skin that smooth, amazing glow.

#2 Dry Brush your Summer Body (ain’t nobody got time for cellulite!)

I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of or tried dry brushing, but I’m certain that every woman in the history of female cellulite discussion, has tried some type of massage technique. This one is somewhat different because the strokes you perform don’t have to be too strong. Dry brushing is a bit harsh on the skin at first, but once you get into it, you’ll make it a part of your pre-shower routine. The trick is to brush upwards (towards your heart) to stimulate circulation & lymph flow. It also gently exfoliates your skin leaving it smoother and tighter. After brushing, hop in the shower to rinse those dead skin cells off & try alternating between hot & cold water temperature to stimulate the circulation even more.

#3 Breaking The Fast...The Mindful Way

One of the most important aspects of this detox (and why it makes it so different from others), is the focus on the mind-body connection, setting the intention for your day first thing in the morning, eating more consciously (no phone, laptop or TV), and really chewing your food; experiencing all the different textures & flavors. With the morning veggie meal packed with fiber, you take your morning supplements (Vit B complex, Adaptogenic adrenal formula, antioxidant booster, taurine, g.i. Rebuild = repair formula & L- Theanine) with plenty of water to ensure better absorption. What we’re trying to do here is ‘attack’ the body from every possible angle and provide micronutrient & antioxidant support.

#4 A Cup Of Tea a Day Sends The Doctor Away

Brewing a cup of Sakara’s Digestive Tea made with peppermint, meadowsweet & gentian reduces bloat, aids digestion and makes it easier to survive until lunch.

#5 Eat the Rainbow Lunch

Once again, the focus is on being present while eating your nutritious meal. Every day has a different ingredient combo which combats different stressors, so make sure to chew every bite consciously and make it last.

#6 Ok, 2 Cups Of Tea a Day Send The Doctor Away

Time for another cup of the delicious Digestive tea to help your body process lunch, break down all the food groups, and prevent bloating.

#7 Snacks Are Good For You

Sometimes we really need to snack...other times they’re just part of our daily habits. Nonetheless, Sakara turned snacking into something super nutritious with their amazing Probiotic Coconut Kefir rich in electrolytes and 20 billion bacterial cells per serving, designed to boost our metabolism & nourish our microbiome.

#8 Dinner For Queens

I never thought something called ‘Medicinal Broth’ could taste so good. Ever since I tried it for the first time last year, I’ve been raving about it to everyone I meet. Made with more than 20 medicinal mushrooms, healing spices, herbs & MCT Oil, this magical broth activates the liver to go into deep detox mode, lowers cortisol, promotes restful sleep and brings your microbiome into balance. It’s supposed to be taken with the evening magnesium supplement and 25 billion viable bacterias probiotic formula designed to heal your gut.

#9 Dry Brush Your Day Away

Once again, use your dry brush to get yourself ready for bed and let the magic happen while you sleep.

#10 Green Detox Goddess

Ending the day with 8 fl oz of water combined with 5 full droppers of Sakara’s Detox Water Concentrates which, in addition to aforementioned 72 trace minerals, also has chlorophyll to support natural detoxification, improve circulation and promote cellular rejuvenation, literally prepares your body for sleep as it cleanses the toxins away.

*The only day that differs from this routine is day 4, the liquid day, when your solid meals get replaced by two green detox juices and an alkalizing carrot-ginger soup(a.k.a. D-day as you crave solid food like a crazy person). This day is designed to be the peak of the cleanse, because after 3 days of preparing and slowly easing into it, your body is ready to be fully detoxed and experience all the benefits.

Things to Keep In Mind

After the first 2 days, bloating is NORMAL. Lots of fiber, probiotics & fermented foods work their way through the gut to start repairing all that’s wrong. Some people even experience detox headaches, so don’t be surprised if that ends up happening. Even if you’re used to loads of fiber and this type of diet, bloating is probably bound to occur, as your bacterial flora is changing.
Day 4 is REALLY hard. Even after having done the reset before, I still wasn’t prepared to feel this hungry and craving solid food. I still managed to push through it as I knew how amazing I felt the next day. And I did. Oh, I did :) At this point you’re like - Yup, it was SO worth it. Especially because Day 5 felt like a cheat day! All the food tasted better than ever before; it was like my taste buds were reborn! I know it sounds crazy, but I literally felt like I was eating chocolate instead of squash.
Eating with no TV, phone or laptop is also REALLY hard. I already knew this one was coming, so I prepared myself mentally..but Day 1 was still a struggle. I was sitting there, eating, feeling so awkward with just my plate in front of me, staring at my food, inspecting it like something was wrong with it…And then I had a deja vu of this exact situation, and how I resolved it...I put some good music on…and it was all better :)

WHY try the Level II Detox?

Well, obviously, since I’ve done it more than once...it actually works :) This cleanse is so unique, eye opening and life-changing. Not only because of the nourishing and detoxifying meals, or the amazing products such as water concentrates and digestive tea, but the way it makes you craft some time for yourself, set an intention for each day, chew your food thoroughly without any distractions, and bring you to the present moment. Obviously, all the other benefits are also very noticeable and important (dark circles gone, improved sleep, zero water retention, radiant skin), but this whole mind-to-body connection is the real reason why I recommend Sakara programs (ALL of them) to everyone; not only those looking to shed a few pounds and detox after a week of vacation indulging, but also to those simply wanting to improve the quality of their life.

With all that being said, Level II Detox returns next month! So, if you’re interested and ready to reset your body and mind (and be like "Thank you, next"), make sure to save your spot HERE and use the code below to get 20% off!