If you’re on TikTok, or even Reels, you might have seen posts about an ‘Internal Shower’ drink blowing up your feed.
If you’re wondering what on earth we’re on about, the internal shower is a drink made up of water, chia seeds and lemon juice. Recommended by celebrity nutritionist Daryl Giuffre, he claims the drink aids digestion and can ease constipation as a natural laxative.
So how legitimate is this and should we be drinking ‘internal showers’ every single day?
We asked our in-house dietitian Jayden…
“Chia seeds are little nutritional powerhouses, containing an impressive amount of nutrients such as a plant form of Omega-3. But because their outer layer can be difficult to digest, access to these nutrients is limited without processing, such as in smoothies,” he explains.
When mixed with water, Chia seeds swell up and form a gel-like substance that can pass through the digestive system relatively intact when ingested in sufficient amounts. This is where the concept of the “internal shower” has come from, and can assist in helping stool pass through the body more smoothly.
“An intestinal cleanse can also seem attractive as it’s associated with the concepts of detox and cleanliness,” adds Jayden.
“However, this type of therapy may not be necessary to achieve health as the body has its own regulated detoxification systems in place.”
Since a healthy gut contributes to our mood and wellbeing, maintaining regular bowel movements is essential and you shouldn’t be solely relying on an internal shower to achieve that.
This can generally be achieved with a healthy, balanced whole food diet that naturally includes plenty of fibre from various plant sources.
Also keep in mind, that too much fibre can lead to bloating, gas and abdominal discomfort, so best to always speak to a registered dietitian – like ours here at Equalution.
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