The Post-Holiday Detox
Welcome to a new year. Here’s to hoping it brings you joy, love and good health. And while I can’t help you much with the joy and love, I can give you a few tips on how to kickstart your health and detoxify from all that chocolate and champagne. Here’s a basic detox plan for the new year — how long can you stick with it?
It nearly goes without saying, but whenever possible, choose organic foods!
Go Green
Eat as many dark leafy greens as you can get your hands on. I’m talking spinach, kale, chard, collard greens… They’re full of micronutrients but low in calories, a win-win combination.
You can even have greens for breakfast with this delicious smoothie from Chef Chad Sarno of Whole Foods.
Ingredients
3 cups organic non-dairy milk of your choice
1 banana
1 cup frozen berries
1 tablespoon of almond butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
Handful of spinach
4-5 leaves of kale
Method
Blend!
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Drink tons of water and juice. Carry a water bottle (refillable, not disposable) with you everywhere, and use it. Aim to drink one big glass of juice every day, but pick fruit-vegetable combos and whenever possible, try to get them freshly made. If you don’t have access to a juicer or a juice shop, look for organic juices that have no added sugar or sweeteners.
Eat Whole Foods
Eschew anything processed, or at least avoid processed foods as much as you can. That means choosing whole grains like brown rice or quinoa, eating more nuts and avocados, and making more of your food at home. It also means switching out chips and crackers — even if they claim to be healthy — for truly healthy snacks like organic carrots and celery.
It’s more work, but you’ll avoid ingesting too many preservatives and additives, gain control over what you’re eating and have lots more opportunities to make healthy choices.
Cut Back on Oil
You’d be surprised how easy it is to cook without adding much oil. From your salad dressing to your caramelized onions, look for alternatives that can keep your food moist without adding tons of fat. Cook vegetables with a little broth to keep them from sticking; try miso, tahini, juices and vinegars in your dressings; when baking, substitute organic applesauce for oil. Yes, it works!
Move Your Butt
The final ingredient to any detox diet: Exercise. You know what to do.
image: corbin_dana
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