Detoxing in Taiwan is no joke.  I’m 4 days into my official Round 2 of the 30 Days to Healthy Living and it’s been such an eye opening experience eating clean in Taiwan vs. the UK. Like most people, my holidays were filled with temptations so when my friends told me they wanted to do the 30 Days to Healthy Living program January 1st after reading about my experience, I agreed to join them. 

The UK is incredibly health conscious so it was easy to find organic everything as well as healthy substitutes everywhere you go.  In Taiwan however, it’s a whole new ball game.  It’s nearly impossible to find organic meats and veggies here, let alone healthy snacks like my favorite veggie chips from Marks & Spencer 😭.  The culture in Taiwan is pretty much dairy-free, however gluten, soy, and white rice dominate every menu so it’s important to do your research before you leave the house and always bring snacks with you on the go.

Wanting to getaway from Taipei city life, I headed to Hualien for a few weeks and quickly found myself falling off the wagon, not because I had cravings necessarily but simply because there were no options when eating out and our Airbnb didn’t have a true kitchen. Within weeks of eating like a local, I not only majorly detox failed...

BUT more importantly, my Rheumatoid Arthritis flared up and I found myself having a difficult time hiking in Hualien’s beautiful Taroko Gorge.  I hadn’t had an issue with my RA since I detoxed so was sad to have swollen hands, knees, feet and overall body stiffness preventing me from having fun.  I promised myself that day, I would start the detox the minute I got back to Taipei where I would have access to a proper kitchen again. 

I prepped well this time starting out with restocking my 30 Days to Healthy Living pack, and also made a big trip to Costco to stock up on organic berries, kale, avocados, quinoa, veggie chips imported from Australia, and the most difficult thing to find in Taiwan – almond milk!

Meat-wise, my mom managed to find a local farmer at the wet market who organically certifies his chickens and each one comes with their own birth certificate which is pretty incredible, and hilariously reminds me of this Portlandia skit: 

I've also began discovering more healthy restaurants like Flourish, a vegan restaurant in Da An, which was absolutely adorable however a bit bland. I had the winter bowl set menu and they were kind to substitute the tofu and soy with other veggies. My favorite was their homemade kombuchu though which serves as the perfect starter to aid your digestion.

I’m 4 days into my official 30 day detox Round 2 now and I’m feeling much better already.  The inflammation of my joints have subsided and I’ve gotten more energy back.  My tummy is already leaner and face is more defined. My 30 days will end on February 25th and I’m so excited to see the results for this next round!  Follow my journey on The Little Guide Instagram and make sure to sign up for emails below. 

You can read more about the detox here or if you'd like to try it out, email me at hello@thelittle.guide.

Wishing you a happy and healthy week!