Vibrant Health: Trying out a Teatox

Hi, everyone! While I'm certainly keen on living a healthy, natural lifestyle, I have always been incredibly skeptical when it comes to the detox movement. As someone who believes in balance, I've never been able to support fad diets that promote sustaining yourself on sometimes nutrition-lacking juices and elixirs. Sure, you might lose weight, but your body will be craving so many nutrients. And it's not sustainable! So when Purgo contacted me about testing their 14-Day Teatox Program**, I was understandably hesitant. But after reading through the brand's site, I decided to delve in for several reasons:

• The detox teas are designed to fit in with your regular routine. You don't drink them instead of eating, but rather, alongside a healthy diet. No deprivation! 
• The Teatox program encourages you to be mindful of your diet and activity levels throughout the program (they even include healthy meal plan ideas on their website), but again, without any harsh regimens
• The program is designed to work with your body, rather than against it. There are no harsh chemicals or laxatives included.
• There were no miracle promises. Purgo claims that the program will boost your metabolism, balance energy, and reduce pesky digestive symptoms like bloating. Nothing too intense or unrealistic. 
• The ingredients of the teas appeared to be top-notch. Fresh sencha, berries, and flowers. As a tea fiend, my interest was piqued! 
• Purgo is a homegrown Canadian company! Always happy to support local businesses. 

So I decided to give it a go! When the teas arrived, they were packaged in resealable brown paper envelopes with labels that outlined the ingredients and directions as well as depicting the teas inside: 

Morning Detox Tea**

Promises: Helps to boost your metabolism, burn calories, and sustain energy.

Ingredients: Sencha, Goji, Dandelion, Lemongrass, Hibiscus, Chamomile, Acai, and Ginseng

Directions: Drink daily before breakfast after steeping 2-3 minutes

Flavour: Clean, fruity, and invigorating. I found it to be perfect for morning! 

Experience: I normally get quite a sick stomach when I drink tea or coffee on an empty stomach, but this was incredibly gentle! No nausea whatsoever. And while this didn't give as strong a kick as a cup of coffee, the sencha was enough to get my energy going. 

I unfortunately did not photograph the Morning Detox Tea in action, but its appearance was just as the photo on the package depicted: hearty twigs of green tea with generous amounts of flowers and berries. 

Evening Cleanse Tea**

Promises: Works to balance your digestive system via purging toxins and impurities. 

Ingredients: Locust Plant, Sencha, Key Lime, Lotus Leaf, Cassia Seed, Pu'erh, Oolong, and Chamomile Flower

Directions: Drink every other evening after steeping 2-3 minutes

Flavour: Earthy and floral; more green than fruity  

Experience: I was hesitant about the caffeine in this, given that I consumed it after dinner, but this did not seem to impact my sleep onset or quality in any way. The blend was soothing and enjoyable to drink. I didn't experience any stomach upset the next morning, even when I steeped it for a bit longer than the recommended 3 minutes. 

As you can see, the Evening Cleanse Tea is quite green and leafy with small flower buds. Nothing over-processed here! 

Upon initial heating the tea took on a pale green hue... 

... but after a full steep, it took on a rich golden colour that matched the warm, soothing feel of the tea. 

So did I enjoy the Teatox? Did it live up to its claims?  Here's a breakdown of my experiences throughout the 14 days:

What I Didn't Experience throughout the Teatox:

1) I did not experience any weight loss. Though overall, I wasn't really expecting it. I figured (as was confirmed by a rep from the company), the people who lose weight on this program are either those who shed pounds easily or those who alter their diet in a major way throughout. Neither describes me, so I wasn't disappointed in this regard

2) I did not experience any notable changes in digestion patterns. As to not get too far into TMI territory, I'll keep it brief; there was no increase in, um, regularity.

What I Did Experience throughout the Teatox

1) I was finally able to kick my coffee habit! Don't get me wrong. I love coffee. The smell, the taste, the first few sips. Heaven. Problem is, my body simply does not like it. Half the time it wouldn't even give me energy (I'd be left feeling foggy instead) and, when it did give me a boost, the subsequent caffeine crash could be nearly debilitating. No fun. Replacing my morning joe with this tea helped me ditch the coffee with minimal temptation to go back  when the Teatox was over. I haven't had a single coffee in the past month now!

2) I really found that the teas helped to boost and stabilize my energy. This likely went hand in hand with cutting coffee out, but regardless of the cause, I definitely felt less distracting highs and lows throughout the experience.

3) I really enjoyed drinking the teas! Even though the Teatox didn't drastically change my body, I kind of didn't mind because the teas were so damn beautiful! Tasty, full of lovely ingredients, and a true pleasure to savour. I would buy these teas solely for the taste and ingredients; any additional benefits are icing on the cake! 

Overall, my Purgo Teatox experience was a pleasure! No, I didn't shed pounds or completely heal my digestion, but, given my skepticism, I hadn't expected these results anyhow. The fact that I was able to kick coffee and regulate my energy were wonderful and unexpected effects that were truly a bonus. Plus, these were some of the best-tasting, highest quality loose leaf teas I've ever tried. I will never complain about a kick-ass tea! 

If you're interested in learning more about Purgo's Teatox programs, check out their site, here!

Have you ever been tempted to try a detox? A teatox? Are you a tea lover like me?

Have a fabulous weekend! xo

** These teas were sent to me by Purgo for consideration and review. No other compensation was provided. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are 100% authentic and my own.