Detox Foods for a Clean start to the Summer.

I am in the process of detoxing. I know, I know...everyone keeps telling me, "YOU DONT NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT!" but a detox diet or I like to say temporary and drastic change in lifestyle is not always necessarily about weight loss, but more so about cleaning your body.

 

Naturally occurring toxins that our found in the foods that we consume on a regular basis can cause fatigue, indigestion or stomach upset, food cravings (which may promote weight gain), reduced mental clarity, and even disturb sleeping patterns.

 

My main reason for me to do this cleanse was because I seemed to always have an upset stomach; I mean nothing unbearable, but it just seemed like all foods, no matter what it was, didn’t settle well. My secondary reason for doing this cleanse was because although I feel that I am a very healthy eater, I do however always crave sweets. Whether it’s chocolate, cookies, a brownie, ice cream, whatever, my body for some reason after a meal was always asking for something else to feel satisfied.

 

With guidance of my wonderful acupuncturist, I chose to take part in the Standard Process 21 Day Purification Program. This 21 day program includes Powdered supplements, capsule supplements as well as diet changes. The Standard process 21 Day Purification Program talks about eliminating animal proteins and a lot of other foods, that myself as a nutritionist and my acupuncturist as a professional decided for me wasn’t the best of ideas, therefore, the major things that I have changed in my diet is to go dairy Free, gluten Free, limit coffee intake, no refines sugars (aka chocolate, other sweets L) and in general continue with a healthy intake of lean meats, high protein grains and legumes, and of course, tons of fruits and vegetables.

 

In the first 7 days of the program you are require to drink 2 shakes every day in which you add the Standard process powdered supplements as well as your choice of fruits, vegetables and fruit juices. Now I love smoothies and honestly make them all the time, so for me, this really wasn’t a big deal to do in the morning and evening about an hour before dinner. The other requirement in the first week is to take 7 SP Cleanse capsules (ingredients include juniper, apple, barley, radish, mushrooms, carrots, sweet potatoes, and some other natural herbs) 3 times per day with a wheat grass pearl 2 times per day and a high quality multivitamin (I am using New Chapter). I guess I can’t really complain about this either.

 

On day 8-21 of the cleanse you continue with drinking your 2 smoothies per day, prepared the same. The difference is you now start taking 5 SP Green Food Capsules (ingredients include Brussels sprouts, kale and alfalfa) 2 times per day, continuing with your multivitamin and wheat grass pearl.

 

This is how I am feeling:

 

Day 1 – 3 of the cleanse - felt yucky and bloated. Was craving “bad” foods like bread, sweets, junk, etc. Met with my acupuncturist on the 3rd day and she told me that this is normal, I told her I NEED CHOCOLATE.

 

Day 4-7 of the cleanse – after day 4, I started feeling much better, no stomach upset, not too much cravings, bought a chocolate bar at Whole Foods and ate a small piece.

 

Day 9 (today) - I am feeling great, I feel like I have more energy, no cravings at all, haven’t touched the rest of that chocolate bar, don’t even really have the appetite for coffee in the morning. Went to a conference today where there was an unlimited supply of cookies and I didn’t even have the urge to eat them. SHOCKING. Went food-shopping Hungry after work today, which is usually dangerous, but I found myself looking for fruits and vegetables, before I was looking for crunchy carb nightmare foods.

 

Anyways, I am only half way thought but honestly its been a breeze, although in the beginning it was difficult to imagine giving up my guilty pleasure, I am really enjoying the challenge and feeling the effects of whole and healthy foods.

 

Sample Day

 

Breakfast: Smoothie – Frozen Pineapple, handful of spinach, orange juice with SP Powers.  1 hard boiled egg

 

Snack: Handful of grapes or other fruit

 

Lunch: Large Salad with Tuna Fish with oil and vinegar

 

Snack: handful of almonds with dried fruits (plums, apricots, cranberries)

 

Snack: Smoothie – Fresh Strawberries, 1 ripe nectarine, orange juice with SP Powders

 

Dinner: Seared Pork Chop with Brown rice and a small side salad

 

   Snack After dinner: small bowl of strawberries with cup of peach white tea (sweetened with agave or stevia)