Many people find they experience sharp blood sugar spikes around 30-40 mins after consuming fruit or fruit juice. Symptoms include feeling wired and shaky, with these dissipating after around an hour. In this case, we often have nothing to blame other than the fruit sugar itself. But should we?

The answer is a categorical NO. Blood sugar spikes such as these shouldn’t be occurring, and if they do, they’re symptomatic of weak adrenal glands. The adrenals sit above each kidney, and are responsible for producing a number of hormones, including cortisol, which controls our stress response. Too little or too much hormone production, and we can start to experience imbalance. Symptoms such as fatigue, cravings in particular for salty foods due to mineral depletion, a weakened immune system, low blood pressure, and low fasting blood sugar, are all some of the problems.

This final symptom is why those who have impaired adrenals experience sugar spikes or sugar metabolism issues- it has nothing to do with the sugar itself. Blood sugar levels should remain in the 75- 100 range, being at around the 75-85 mark when in a fasted state, (meaning after no food for 8 hours or more), to around 100 after consuming fruit. Any lower or higher than these can indicate weak adrenals, and why some of us can get that uncomfortable “shaky” or “jittery” feeling and crash after consuming fruit.

Most of us suffer some degree of adrenal fatigue or malfunction- our modern, stressful lifestyles alone wreak havoc on the adrenals over time. So how can we build them back up?

Firstly, we at Raw Island recommend continuing to consume simple sugars rather than avoid them- the monosaccharides found in fruit are easiest for our bodies to process, and over time if we detox on a high-fruit diet, our adrenals will start to function better. Start off with smaller fruit meals or drink juices slowly over a longer period of time until you feel yourself able to handle larger volumes. To aid this process, it can be extremely beneficial to supplement with herbs too- botanicals such as liquorice root, ginseng and schisandra are wonderful additions, helping to promote cellular energy, raise low cortisol levels, and balance the nervous system, resulting in stronger adrenals. You’ll know your adrenals are strengthening once your blood sugar levels remain stable and within a limited range after consuming fruit sugar.

Complex sugars- the polysaccharides which make up starches such as bread, pasta and other grains should be avoided, as these contain too much complex sugar for the body to process, leading to too great of an insulin response. Similarly, meat, animal products and caffeine over-stimulate the adrenals, leading to their weakening over time.

Luckily, the adrenal glands are relatively easy to build back up, and you can be on your way to renewed health after a fruit or juice detox period, adding in complimentary herbs, followed by maintaining a high-raw diet.

We know this way of life isn’t sustainable for most of us, but detoxing every so often can be an incredible way to strengthen yourself in between your normal day-to-day diet.

Any food that tastes like syrupy caramel must be bad for us, right?! 

For those of you who love dates, you know what I'm talking about! But rather than being a naughty treat, dates are one of the most healthful foods we can eat. At Raw Island, we especially love the Medjool variety for its juicy and toffee-like texture and taste, and these form the basis of our delicious Date Mylks. 

Dates have long been enjoyed since Biblical times, and the palm trees, from which they grow, are considered one of the oldest cultivated plants in history. They’re enjoyed to this day for their delicious and sweet taste, particularly throughout the Middle East, where they’ve also provided populations living in arid regions with a nutritious and sustainable food source.

So what makes dates one of the most nutrient-rich foods on the planet?

1. Fiber

As we all know, fibre is essential for a healthy digestive system, and dates are exceptionally high, with around 7g of fibre per 100g. The type of fibre found in dates is soluble, which is especially good because this pulls water into the digestive tract, helping to form healthy stools.

2. Potassium and Magnesium

Dates are particularly high in potassium and magnesium. These two minerals are crucial for proper nerve and muscle function, blood pressure and blood glucose regulation.

3. Other minerals

Aside from potassium and magnesium, dates are rich sources of selenium, manganese, calcium, zinc, sodium and phosphorous, which are all also essential for heart health, bones, muscles and nervous system. With depletion in any one of these minerals, your body will start to show symptoms of imbalance, such as digestive disorders, heart arrhythmias, muscle cramps and weakness, fatigue and stiff joints, amongst others. 

4. High in Iron

The high iron content in dates makes them an ideal fruit source for those suffering from Anaemia. 100g of dates provides around 11% of your RDI. At Raw Island, we also pre-soak our dates prior to blending which helps iron absorption rate.

5. Low fat

While more calorically dense than many other fruits, dates are however, extremely low in fat and cholesterol-free, making them suitable for ensuring correct glucose uptake. With very little fat and high fructose and glucose content, dates make an amazing snack before exercise, and help prevent blood sugar spikes due to their high fibre content.

With delicious dates, you can truly have your cake- and eat it!  

Detoxification is the body’s way of cleaning out and removing toxins, whether mucus, heavy metals, chemicals, obstructions and stimulants which have negatively impacted its tissues. During detoxification, the body’s processes such as digestion, absorption, utilisation and elimination, are strengthened.

Our juice cleanses, whether you choose a 1-day or 6-day cleanse, are all designed to encourage detoxification. So how do you know if you’re detoxing on your cleanse? These are the symptoms to look out for!

1. Headaches and migraines

This can be a sign of chemicals being released from the head area and head tissue. Although uncomfortable, these are a normal side-effect of detoxification, and can be eased by adequate rest and staying hydrated with fresh mineral water.

2. Mucus

Our bodies produce large quantities of mucus which clog the sinuses and lungs- detoxification encourages its release. You might cough some up, find you need to blow your nose more regularly, and experience a coated tongue, especially when you wake up in the morning. The more your body cleans itself out, the more it in fact strengthens itself!

3. Bowel changes

You might experience diarrhoea or constipation, gas and bloating. Lack of fibre during your cleanse can be responsible for changes, as can an increase in bile secretion. This helps move toxic substances towards the intestines and then onto elimination from the bowels.

4. Fatigue

When toxins stored in tissues begin to be released and enter the blood system, this can sometimes result in energy loss. You may experience tiredness, muscle weakness and lethargy. Your body is also adjusting to limited calories too, so the initial hunger you experience will also likely cause a degree of fatigue.

5. Skin breakouts

Detoxification is a process of elimination, and your skin is your body’s largest detoxifying organ. Breakouts in the form of spots, rashes or reddening may occur as your skin starts to expel toxins produced in the sebum and sweat.

If you feel yourself experiencing any of the above, it’s important to listen to your body- but don’t try to suppress your symptoms, simply take some rest, keep yourself hydrated with fresh mineral water, and try to relax. Your body is going through a process of healing and cleaning.  Remember, as your body continues to detox, these symptoms will pass. What you can look forward to however, are the incredible results of detox- these include greater mental clarity, energy, improved digestion, weight loss, improved immune function, blood pressure normalisation, and much more!

We're always here to support you before, during and after your cleanse, so do get in touch on Facebook and Instagram, and email: hello@rawislandcleanse.com. 

It’s important to us that you experience the benefits of a proper detox. It’s a little known fact that fruits, rather than greens, actually have the greatest detoxifying capabilities- they’re highly astringent, meaning they pull on your mucosa and help move the lymph. This is what we want because it means you will be in the process of eliminating waste through the body’s three main exit paths: the kidneys, bowel and skin.  

Too many greens or fats unfortunately slow down this process, which is why we carefully limit the amount we use, and exclude nuts from our cleanses entirely. You’ll notice instead that we prioritise super-detoxifying fruits such as lemons and grapes, as these are amongst the most effective. And we also want to show you how incredible detoxifying with tropical fruits can be too, which is why we include fruits such as watermelon and mango in our cleanses too.

So not only can you expect to enjoy a refreshing, delicious and fruity cleanse, you’ll also experience the wealth of benefits only available from fruit! It truly is the food of the Gods.