This hidden wellness retreat in Manchester will change your life

Do you ever feel a little sluggish and like you require a bit of a cleanse and reset for the body and mind? Then read on…

It might be March and past the months of fad diets and short-lived gym memberships, but for some of us kickstarting the year can take a bit more than a one-month crash cleanse. 

History is littered with how new year’s resolutions are often short-lived. Time will tell, the secret to long-term success is making small changes to your daily routine, that can form healthy habits in your life.

Charnock Farm Organic Wellness is a hidden gem in Manchester offering extensive nutritional advice, health packages and even retreats.

Located in the Royal Exchange building just off St Ann’s Square, CF Organic Wellness combines daily well-being with nutrition services including what has become a bit of a cult Manchester gut cleanse.

Founder Nicola Charnock, who is a Sports Rehabilitation Practitioner, Yoga Teacher, Naturopathic Nutritionalist, loves to work with people on a hollistic level and support the local community with a wealth of knowledge.

What function does your gut serve in the body?

“The gut has been termed our second brain for a very good reason. It’s connected to the brain via a nerve called the vagus nerve. This gives feedback to the brain so, if it’s not happy, this can affect the way you feel.

“It’s the main vessel for welcoming in and absorbing nutrients to feed the mind, body and soul.

“95 per cent of our hormones are made in the walls of our gut, which are then allocated to the specific organs around the body.”

What are the benefits of a gut cleanse?

“It’s rather like the saying ‘out with the old and in with the new!’ 

“We can then start with a clean slate to build upon. 

“Through juicing, we take the fibre out to enable us to over nourished the body with an abundance of super-absorbable, vitamins and minerals from all the organic veg, you could never eat this much veg at any one time usually. With the fibre taken out the digestive system gets some rest from using 60% of our daily expenditure to break down foods. Your body now has an extra 60% of energy to work deeper into cleaning other organs, such as the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, lymphatics and skin. 

“These organs will then function more efficiently post-cleanse to serve us in a much better way.”

How does the cleanse work?

“The ‘Heavy Metal Cleanse’ is a three-day journey. We deliver organic juices and delicious soups made from either bone broth or vegan broth to support gut healing and liver detoxification. You take an array of herbs to nourish the gut and boost liver detox and lymphatic drainage. The magic clay capsules, help draw heavy metals and toxins into themselves, where they are then safely carried out of the body.

There is an educational element to this cleanse whereby Nicola aka Niki, drip feeds you nutritional information daily with ideas on how to improve your daily rituals and nutrition post-cleanse.

Niki even offers two days of meal prep post-cleanse to give you more ideas and motivation around food.

What is your top tip for someone wanting to support their gut daily?

“Don’t drink liquids whilst eating as it only deletes your digestive enzymes. Increase fibre every day by reducing cooking times on veg, flash-fry or steam instead of boiling and roasting. Always add some raw salad leaves to each cooked meal to allow the live plant enzymes to aid digestion.”

If you could only take one supplement what would it be and why?

“This is very tricky…

“Basically, we are what we digest, not just what we eat. 

“So basically if you are doing all the points mentioned in the previous question to support your digestive enzymes. Your one supplement would be a combined pre-and probiotic to support gut bacteria and immunity to stop bad bacteria from getting into the system through the gut and causing inflammation that can affect every system in the body.”

If you could give one piece of advice for the Manchester community to support their well-being what would it be?

“Consciously eat, enjoy your food, and ask yourself what flavours, textures and colours you notice. 

“Notice the flavours. Sit, take your time, arrive and make it an experience.”

Find out more about gut cleanses and nutrition advice in Manchester, visit CF Organic Wellness, here