23 Oct Detoximas

Time for a detoximas

In case you haven’t noticed there are only 40 days to go till Christmas! Now that freaks me out just a little bit and I am not just referring to all those up coming dinners, parties and minced pies. And if you are freaked out, just think about your poor digestive system and liver which will have to live that toxic overload. Surely your detoxification organs are taking a bit of a hammering during the festive month, SO I am calling a detoximas – a detox before Christmas.

A detox works by resting the organs that eliminate waste – liver, kidneys, gut, lungs and skin. Now don’t freak out! I’m not going to tell you to drink fruit and vegie juice all week while sitting cross legged on a yoga mat. A detox plan doesn’t have to be completely restrictive and boring. Actually it should be fun and tasty. Also a detox is a great way of realising you may not be as dependent on some of your unhealthy eating habits as you may think.

Undertaking a detox plan will help your body rebalance, release built up congestion and restore itself to strength and health. The definition of my detox plan is pretty simple: remove the food and ingredients that have the highest toxic load eg caffeine, alcohol, refined carbs, food additives and artificial sweeteners. Now try and focus on simple, fresh foods that grown on trees and in the ground such as colourful fruit and veggies, nuts, seeds and plenty of water and vegetable protein.

Start by writing out a plan of what your going to eat, keeping track of it in a food diary, going shopping before hand and cooking larger portions of healthy meals so you can double up the next day or freeze.

Eating Plan -week 1 and 2:

Start the day with a juice Monday to Friday. Juice together 4-6 apples, 1 celery stick, ½ avocado, ½ cucumber, ¼ lime peeled, 1 cup of spinach leaves and ½ inch of fresh ginger and drink.

At lunchtime have a salad with protein (white meat or fish) or a meal soup

In the evening have a protein source (white meat or fish) with a stir fry, roasted vegetables or salad

In the weekend start with a smoothie. Juice together ¼ pineapple and 1 apple. Then with the hand blender blend the juice with 200 g bio live yoghurt and ¼ of a banana. Eat lunch and dinner as before.

Avoid alcohol, tea and coffee and avoid bread and pasta.

Week 3 and 4:

Start Monday, Wednesday and Friday with the juice as above. On the Tuesday and the Thursday and the weekend start the day with a bowl of plain porridge oats, adding a little honey and cinnamon to taste and half a banana.

Each lunch and dinner as above.

Avoid coffee, tea and alcohol and avoid bread and pasta.

Week 5 and 6:

Start Monday, Wednesday and Friday with the smoothie as described for the weekend days in week 1 and 2. On the other days start with a bowl of porridge, a little honey and cinnamon and half a cup of mixed berries.

Add a portion of complex carbs such as brown rice, sweet potatoes or rye bread to the lunch time meal on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and the weekend.

East dinner as above.

If you want, re-introduce a coffee/tea a day and an evening to have a drink (yay!).

Good luck!