Every New Year I like to detox toxins from my body. I believe I need to detox for at least 7-10 days, especially since I just started eating clean in September 2012. I used to do the Lemonade Master Cleanse diet by Stanley Burrough. This form of detoxing received much flack over its lack of nutrients and food intake. I never felt weak or tired from doing the detox; I just felt it was boring! I really liked the Master Cleanse not for weight loss purposes, but for its cleansing effects. I had a ton of energy, I was able to focus better, and I really wasn’t hungry. I have however done this cleanse for a few years and would like to try something different in 2013.
Lately, I have really been in awe of actress Gwyneth Paltrow. I Googled her to find out what she has been up to and found out she has a website called Goop that is all about good nutrition and being healthy in general. While on her website, I came across a detox called the Clean Program. Gwyn has been a recent advocate of the Clean Program which unlike most detox programs, this one allows you to eat clean unprocessed foods! I want so bad to try this cleanse, however the cost is way out of my league, a whopping $425 w/free 2 day shipping for supplements and shakes. An additional $150 w/free shipping for the supplements you need after the cleanse. If you can afford this, please try it and let me know how you feel during and after the cleanse.
For 2013, I am going to do a variation of the Clean Program my way. For those who cannot afford to spend almost $600 for a good cleanse, you may want to follow my league January 1, 2013 – January 10, 2013. The following menu is a mere example of what I will be eating for the next 10 days:
Breakfast Smoothie w/multi-vitamin and DHA pill
Midday Meal Cottage Cheese and raw vegetables or fruit (see PDF file)
Lunch Fish, Vegetable, and a Fiber
Afternoon Meal Yogurt and raw vegetables or fruit
Dinner Smoothie or soup along with a probiotic
For a list of recipes, please click Detox Meals. For a list of detox foods and juicing recipes, click Detox Foods List.
The key is no sodium, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, wine, no gluten or processed foods period! As soon as the clock strikes 12am, the detox begins. I plan to buy everything fresh from my local farmers market. Veggies will be eaten raw or slightly steamed, and fish will be baked or broiled, nothing fried. I will also be drinking alkaline water to balance the PH’s in my body. Click here to see my post on the benefits of hydration and alkaline water.
The idea is to allow the body to be able to break down those items stuck in your colon through its struggle to properly digest them. The colon’s inability to eliminate properly can cause toxins to build in the colon. I don’t want lose my hard-earned muscle by eliminating essential nutrients that are necessary to build muscle and give me energy. I am still following Jamie Eason’s Live Fit program and I am in Phase 1 of Round 2. So I will still be lifting weights but no cardio.
I found a probiotic at Kroger for $16.99 for a month supply. I highly recommend them for regular elimination. The other rules are to avoid eating 2 hours before bed, and drink the first smoothie 1 hour within waking up.
I am not a certified nutritionist although I plan to be someday. I am just a girl who loves nutrition and healthy living. This will be my first time doing this detox. Stay tuned for the follow-up on my experience with my own detox. If you think this sounds interesting, and would like to try it, do so at your own risk! For updates on how this detox worked for me, check out my new YouTube Channel.