Last month I completed a 10-day health reset that my body has been needing (especially after lockdown). I have been looking for a program that would nourish me with seasonal, whole foods and would help get me back into a routine of choosing the right foods without feeling deprived or hungry – and I am so glad I found the Thrive wellness programs.

Thrive wellness was started by two friends who share a passion for wellness and nutrition – Alex Royal, a registered dietitian focusing on nutrigenomics and nutrition and Bonnie Long, the program director and the heart of their marketing.

Each of the Thrive programs are unique, science based and a celebration of real food, while also encompassing a fully holistic approach. They hope to inspire others to consume food in a new way, allowing a pathway to better health and wellbeing.

The wonderful team of the Thrive Wellness Programs – Alex (top left) Bonnie (bottom left) and Shelly (bottom right)

The 10-day health reset allows your body to take a break from gluten, diary, sugar and alcohol and teaches you how to replace it with a selection of wholefood recipes from a 80-page online recipe book with the most delicious food and ideas that you can carry over to your everyday life.

What did I learn from the reset?

I did not start the reset with a specific goal in mind, I knew I wanted to get back into a habit of healthy eating and break some bad ones that I picked up over lockdown. I have also recently started to feel pain and inflammation in my fingers and wrists and I wanted to reset my body and help with that.

There was so much I learnt over the 10 days but what I will take with me into my everyday was learning about what foods I could eat to help balance my detox system.

By adding cruciferous vegetables into our daily diet we are able to turn on our detox genes and help break down the toxins that we really need to work. These include raw cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower – these all contain sulforaphane that helps boost our detox system.

(I have included my favourite recipe below with all these ingredients, you will change your mind about cruciferous vegetables forever!)

What did I love about the reset?

I loved that you could eat real food all the time and not feel deprived, in the beginning you miss some basic foods you would usually turn to but you soon learn how to replace them with a healthier option.

I also loved that you never felt like you are doing this alone – Alex and Shelly guide you every step of the way via a WhatsApp group – this is optional but I highly recommend it.

It was so helpful to have a team of registered dietitian’s to answer any questions and guide us on the journey. It was also entertaining listening to the other “detoxers”!!

What does your day look like on the reset?

The 10-day program is broken up into 3 sections – Day 1-4 is your light detox days, Day 5-7 is your power detox (you have to dig deep over these days) and Day 8-10 you go back to the light detox days.

You are encouraged to have your last meal before 7pm and give your body a break through fasting for 12hrs overnight (or up to 16hrs).

The recipe book has beautiful meals, I got through some of them and still referring back to the other recipes and learning from them.

What would I do differently?

I signed up a few days before but now I wish I had spent a week reading through everything and getting more organised. There is so much you learn about your body and the importance of looking after yourself. The program also offers you a master class that allows you to dive a bit deeper about why we detox and the impact it has on our lives.

If I had to define how I felt after the 10 days I would say that I felt more connected to my body and how food makes you feel. I had less joint pain and a lot more energy. It also felt so good knowing that I was able to give my body a much needed reset.

Some of my favourite recipes:

The next 10-day health reset starts on Monday, 5th October

All my readers are welcome to a 20% discount when joining – click on this link and use code ThriveWithDonah at checkout

(check out cost for the program with the discount will be R360)

Let me know if you join, I would love to know if you learnt and benefitted as much as I did over the 10 days x

Donah