Time to reboot your body after Thanksgiving

Time to reboot your body after Thanksgiving

 November 20th, 2012

Thanksgiving is a time to eat foods that we normally don’t everyday. The day is spent eating delicious comfort foods that  are packed with sugar, fats, calories,  rich gravies and then we find ourselves  overeating.  Enjoy the day and follow a few tips  eat small portions, chew slowly and try to go for a walk after cleaning up the kitchen. After your black Friday shopping workout running from store to store getting your great deals plan your holiday cleanse. It is a simple way to detoxifying your body. A  cleanse can yield several benefits, acting as a “reset” for your whole body and mind.

Drink Plenty of water.

Focus on veggies. Build your meals and snacks today around vegetables, steamed or raw if you can.  A salad would be a great choice for lunch.  Lean heavy on the veggies today to make sure your digestive system keeps functioning optimally.

According to Dr. Alejandro Junger* , there are a few more “basic principles of detoxification” that should be kept in mind while following our detox menus.

• Do deep breathing or gentle yoga.
• Take a couple of spoonfuls of extra virgin olive oil at night to help stimulate your liver to eliminate bile and keep its circulation flowing.
• If your bowel movements get sluggish, you can accelerate things by drinking half a shot glass of castor oil followed by a glass of water or using a mild herbal laxative. Bowel elimination is paramount for correct detoxification.
• The skin gets rid of many toxins so it is important to sweat, either by exercising or taking a sauna.
• Finally, make sure you eat whole organic foods, which have the best chance of having all the nutrients needed for liver and general detoxification.

*This is an excerpt from Dr. Junger’s upcoming book Clean, which will be published in May.

Remember that there can be no dairy, grains with gluten, meat, shellfish, anything processed (including all soy products), fatty nuts, nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant), condiments, sugar and obviously no alcohol, caffeine or soda.

It’s time to cleanse a little … to wipe the slate clean and start over with a healthy reboot.  You will be ready for the next holiday party.

Here is an example of a three day cleanse.

Day One

• 7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
• 8am: Herbal tea
• 10am (breakfast): Blueberry and Almond Smoothie
• 11:30am: Coconut water*
• 1:30pm (lunch): Salad with Carrot and Ginger Dressing
• 4pm (snack): A handful of mixed pumpkin and sunflower seeds
• 6pm (dinner): Broccoli and Arugula Soup
• *Make sure that the coconut water has no added sugar. Fresh is ideal but the brands Zico or Vita Coco are readily available.

Day Two

• 7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
• 8am: Herbal tea
• 10am (breakfast): Raspberry and Rice Milk Smoothie (follow method for Blueberry and Almond Smoothie)
• 11:30am: Coconut water
• 1:30pm (lunch): Detox Teriyaki Chicken and Steamed Greens
• 4pm (snack): Miso Soup with Watercress
• 6pm (dinner): Pea and Basil Soup (follow method for Broccoli and Arugula Soup)

Day Three

• 7am (or upon rising): Glass of room temperature lemon water
• 8am: Herbal tea
• 10am (breakfast): Oatmeal (make with rice or almond milk instead of water so it’s a bit more substantial)
• 11:30am: Coconut water
• 1:30pm (lunch): Blueberry and Almond Smoothie
• 4pm (snack): Cucumber, Lime and Basil Juice
• 6pm (dinner): Super Greens Juice / Miso Soup with Watercress

Salad With Carrot And Ginger Dressing

This dressing is the jam! Great on salad and also as a dip for vegetables. This recipe makes enough dressing for two salads, so be sure to save the extra. Serves: 1 Time: 5 minutes For dressing: 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped 1 large shallot, peeled and roughly chopped 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger 1 tablespoon sweet white miso 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seed oil 1/4 cup grapeseed oil 2 tablespoons water For salad: 1 head of baby gem lettuce (or any greens), roughly cut 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced 1/4 avocado, diced 1.Pulse the carrot, shallot and ginger in a blender until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, add the miso, vinegar and sesame seed oil and whiz together. While the blender is going, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil and the water. 2.Combine the lettuce, onion and avocado in a bowl, drizzle with plenty of dressing and serve.

This is from Gwyneth Paltrow 7 Day Detox.  For more information go to  http://goop.com/journal/make/15/detox

There is a full 7 day menu and recipes.

As with any diet consult your doctor first.  This is a low calorie diet