Why You Need the Sakara Life Detox
Now that 2023 has arrived, we are all well deserving of something to change up the vibe and create new space for growth and progress. Instead of stressing over the things I cannot change, I’ve found it best to focus my energies internally and to create more creative and emotional space for myself.
Over the years, I’ve definitely tried my share of crash diets, flat tummy teas and questionable cleanses — like the master cleanse consisting of water, lemon, maple syrup and cayenne pepper, a.k.a. not the best three days of your life. I would binge for a few days straight, feel horrible and then eat a salad and workout, hoping my metabolism would just get its shit together on its own (because I’m still 16 right? not so much). But as skinny Yoda once said, “one salad, skinny does not one make.” I was sick of the diet hamster wheel and ready to make fundamental changes to my routine — starting from the inside out.
This time, I wanted to approach my eating from a holistic-perspective, less diet, more lifestyle change. After doing my research and picking my friend’s brains, I was introduced to Sakara Life and quickly fell in love and have become an obsessive follower of the brand.
The 10-Day Reset Kit
Sakara Life is a wellness program that is anchored in food as medicine. The word Sakara is actually Sanskrit meaning, “the manifestation of thoughts to things.” With an emphasis on the connection between mind, body, diet and nature, Sakara delivers on its namesake by providing the tools necessary to align your life with this message and with the goal of achieving your most balanced self. As you’re not only fueling your body with what you consume, you’re also nourishing your mind and soul. Whether seeking to change up your diet by upping your plant-intake through prepared meals and snacks, looking for clean supplements to augment your already healthy routine, or seeking a total reset, Sakara’s mission is designed to help make a nourishing, holistic and natural diet a turnkey experience.
In order to really jumpstart a holistic body + mind glow-up in a way that would both feed and educate, I began my Sakara Life journey with the 10-Day Reset. This do-it-yourself cleanse puts the power of Sakara nutrition in your hands with wellness essentials including supplements, superfoods and 20+ recipes with weekly meal plans made by YOU.
Over the next ten days you’ll learn how to incorporate self-loving rituals into your regimen, with the tools needed to restructure your eating habits and reharmonize your lifestyle. By making a few critical changes to your routine, you’ll bring your body, mind and spirit into alignment and feel your absolute best.
Sakara’s Pillars of Nutrition
Count nutrients, not calories
Plant protein - seek protein from plants, nuts and legumes
Eat Your Water - Water-dense veggies, like lettuce, berries and watermelon, serve to fill and hydrate you for longer
Eat lots of Leafy Greens
Sulfur-Rich Veggies - Cruciferous veggies provide natural sulfur to your cells, cleansing your organs and fighting off toxins
Healthy Fats - {good} fats are your friend!
Superfoods - incorporate rich superfoods at every meal
Eat the Rainbow - antioxidants provide color in foods, which means more nutrients in colorful dishes
Body Intelligence - remain intune with your body and listen to what it is asking for
The 10-Day reset embeds Sakara’s pillars of nutrition to create rituals that you can continue to rely on moving forward, for optimal nourishment. Again, this is a reset that will only benefit you as much as you work for it. This isn’t about restrictions, but rather achieving balance. Let’s be honest, we crave cocktails and candy and doughnuts and pizza, and that’s totally okay. You don’t have to beat yourself up for enjoying treats that make you happy, just be sure to dust yourself off and get back to that clean routine once you’ve had your fun. Everything always in moderation (even moderation)!
Getting Started
During the reset you’re literally flooding your body with so many beneficial nutrients, with the goal of helping to cultivate beneficial bacteria in your gut (basically the nucleus of your digestive system, affecting every organ in your body).
Once you order your Sakara Life 10-Day Reset, you’ll receive the tools necessary to kick-off your cleanse, including a curated meal-plan guide, custom recipes, beauty water drops, green drops (essentially chlorophyll and green amazingness), natural protein bars, energizing detox tea (sans caffeine), high-grade daily probiotics and Super Powder. These supplements and snacks are designed to keep your body optimally hydrated in order to make the most of all of the bountiful nutrients being consumed. The best part is that most of these goodies will last beyond the ten days, allowing you to easily transition Sakara’s supplements into your post-reset routine.
Part of the challenge is to eat exclusively plant-based foods and to ideally eliminate red meat, dairy, gluten, refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, processed fats, artificial flavors, preservatives, sodium nitrate (found in cured meats), pesticides, GMO’s, alcohol and caffeine. The last two were the scariest to let go of, oh and cheese.
Although recommended to go full-on vegan, I suggest sticking to what works best for your body and to alter the recipes if needed to set you up for success. It’s okay if you have to squeeze in a bit of grilled chicken here and there, if that’s what’s gonna help you remain consistent and motivated.
Items to enjoy in abundance during your reset, include organic vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, leafy greens, healthy fats, natural probiotics and superfoods suc as hemp seeds, chia seeds, maca, flax and spirulina.
I chose to continue my regular exercise routine, but tailored based on what I could take on that day. You’re doing your body a lot of good with this program, so be sure not to over-exert. On the days when I wasn’t feeling a full-on thirty-minute sweat, a mellow yoga sesh, solo dance-party (these occur often) or bike ride did the trick to keep me moving. Again, listen to your body. You’ll be slashing your caloric intake, so if a brisk stroll is all you can squeeze in while chatting on the phone with your bestie, that’s just fine.
Kicking-Off Your 10-Day Reset
I embarked into the first day of my new journey in high spirits, starting with probiotics and beauty water on an empty stomach, a morning workout and breakfast smoothie (made with Sakara Life powder, nut milk, spinach, cacao powder, bananas and maca) and detox tea. For lunch, I crafted up my some vegan kohlrabi noodle pad Thai. Later on, I snacked on a Sakara energy bar (literally tastes like yummy vanilla bean), before a dinner consisting of sweet potato topped with almond butter, stir fried tofu and a quick asian-inspired cucumber and cabbage salad, with liquid aminos in place of soy sauce. To note, lunch and dinner were not Sakara specific recipes, but my goal was to stick to the clean-eating plan while fitting into my daily budget. A craving for sweets beckoned as the sun set, which was thankfully subdued by 70% dark chocolate squares before my pre-bed probiotic and green water. I felt a bit hungry (which is a good thing before bed) and was ready for a good night’s sleep before starting day-two.
My take on the Berry Baked Oatmeal
I woke up the next day feeling a bit groggy, so I decided to curb my workout, opting for a brisk walk (bonus if you can get some great views while doing so). My lowered energy was a result from my body beginning to purge all of the processed gunk that was all up in my system from weeks of no-good dietary habits. I felt achy and my head hurt a bit, but I knew these were all positive signs of toxins exiting my body and would be well worth the push.
By day three, I was able to pop into the grocery store and shop the list to incorporate Sakara recipes at every meal moving forward. At first glance, some dishes seemed too complex for my kitchen skills (because they’re beautiful works of food art), but they’re all composed of simple, organic ingredients that can be found at your local grocer and easily put together at home (not difficult or expensive to do). Breakfast was a breeze, with delicious variations of chia seed puddings, hearty baked oatmeal and fluffy breakfast muffins. Lunch was made simple with recipes that can be quickly put-together for one or doubled for meal prepping. From tacos to rainbow summer rolls, the dishes are flavorful, nutrient-dense and so pretty to look at! One of my personal favorites, is the Butternut Squash, Kale and White Bean Soup, which I was so surprised I was able to make and you too can try your hand:
Sakara’s Butternut Squash, Kale and White Bean Soup
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup cooked white/cannellini beans
1 cup kale, de-stemmed and chopped
Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
Instructions: Heat a pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then add the onions; saute for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the celery, butternut squash, vegetable stock & rosemary. Cover & simmer for 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. Add the beans, chopped kale and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed, serve & enjoy!
Remember to use discount code XOGALALIFE for 20% off your first Sakara meal program or 10-Day Reset
By the halfway point, I was feeling an incredible surge of energy and clarity, where coffee felt almost unnecessary. I was keeping up with exercise and had started seeing results with weight loss and lean muscle gain. My skin was seriously radiant and my typically brittle nails were the longest they’d naturally been in YEARS. I felt renewed, revitalized and completely refreshed. I was relishing in taking the time each day to craft my healthy recipes on my own, rather than hastily ordering something half-healthy. Due to quarantine, my lack of a physical social life also made the no-alcohol rule way easier to abide by.
I’m grateful for the structure the reset has reintroduced back into my life and eating schedule. With the days blending together at home, it’s easy to lose track of a consistent and mindful routine. The reset guides provide tips and motivating tid-bits to instill a sense of purpose at every step, teaching you how to intelligently feed your body and soul, rather than mindless snacking in front of a screen.
Along with outlining a consistent day-to-day routine (incorporating healthy, self-loving rituals), I’ve struggled to find the right vitamins, supplements and superfoods to enhance my healthy eating routine. With so many options on the overly saturated market, Sakara makes this typically complex part super easy, with high-quality probiotics, teas and beauty and detox drops that provide endless benefits and serve to optimize the nutrient intake from all of the healthy and natural foods that you’re eating.
My experience with the 10-Day Reset was one of enlightenment and true manifestation. While my intent with the cleanse wasn’t solely on decreasing numbers on the scale, I was beginning to easily shed weight, actually five-lbs down by day ten! Besides (continued) manifestation of some pounds gone, I’ve dusted off that sense of purpose behind my eating and wellness routine, that for a minute felt like sleepy complacency. The structure and guidance of the Sakara journey helped me to realign my habits to correlate my intentions. Potentially the most significant benefit was the decrease in anxiety that inherently came with making a holistic diet change. At the end of it all, you are what you eat and if you treat your body poorly, your mind will manifest this as well (a repercussion that I was definitely feeling). Thankfully, the reset brought me not only physical gratification, but peace of mind and soul as well.
I continue to live the Sakara Life through daily supplements and recipes, meal plans and clean boutique snacks, all which have me feeling stronger than ever. My reset impacted me so much so that I sought inclusion in the Sakara Circle to be able to partner with the brand and share my wellness journey with you. In the case that you’re seeking similar rebalance and to reharmonize from within, the Sakara Life is an ideal place to start.
Remember to use discount code XOGALALIFE for 20% off your first Sakara meal program or 10-Day Reset. Feel free to share the discount code with friends looking for a cleanse, loved ones looking to change up their diet, or even soon-to-be brides (Sakara has curated meal plans for to help prep for your big day!). Be sure to stay tuned for future GALA Life X Sakara Life offers, as well as our first meal-plan review coming your way soon!