When January arrives, I always feel the need to reevaluate my diet and reset my system for the new year. Last year I tried a 3-day juice cleanse and was surprised at how much I loved it. This year, I’m kickstarting 2015 with a 3-day menu of winter detox recipes that are warm and full of color and flavor. You can still detox – and eat filling meals – if you clean out the processed, sugar-filled foods in the refrigerator and pantry. Here are a few tips to get mentally prepared and make the most of the detox process.
10 Detox Tips
- Make sure you check with your doctor before you start any detox.
- Get support. Find a friend to do the 3-Day Mini Detox with you.
- Write a goal on a Post-it note and put it up somewhere you will see every day (like your bathroom mirror). Commit to your well-being!
- Incorporate five minutes into your day to simply stop, reflect, and appreciate your life.
- Start a journal to document this amazing 3-day process, as journaling can be very healing for the soul.
- Eat/drink every 3 hours to stabilize your blood sugar.
- Keep meals as simple as possible to support proper digestion.
- If you want to boost your detox experience, feel free to add superfoods like spirulina or chlorophyll to your juices or smoothies for extra energy.
- Hydrate! A LOT. Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces every day.
- Regular bowel movements are important for proper detoxification; if you are not “going,” then try drinking senna tea or more lemon water to support your liver.
3-Day Detox Menu
Detox Breakfasts
Warm Chia Seed Pudding
1 cup non-dairy milk
3 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons raw honey or 5 drops stevia (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (powder or alcohol-free vanilla extract)
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of ground ginger
In a small saucepan, warm your non-dairy milk over a medium low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Make it is as hot as you can stand it without boiling it. Add your chia seeds to a cereal bowl. Add the milk, sweetener (optional), cinnamon, vanilla and ground ginger. Mix thoroughly, and allow it to gel. This process should happen in less than 2 minutes. Top your chia pudding with fresh fruit. Serve immediately. Makes 1 serving.
NOTE: If you would like to serve this cold, allow your pudding to chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, or ideally overnight.
Spinach & Punokin Seed Power Smoothie
1 cup water or almond, hemp, or coconut milk
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
1 small frozen banana, sliced into 2-inch chunks
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup spinach
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Stevia to taste
3 to 4 ice cubes (optional)
NOTE: If you feel cold from drinking your smoothie, you can add ¼ teaspoon of a warming spice such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or clove. Or have a hot cup of dandelion or chamomile tea with raw honey to warm your digestion. Makes 1 serving.