I do a detox cleanse every once in a while, after I’ve been eating out too often and my jeans feel like they’ve shrunk in the wash (when I haven’t actually washed them). A good detox is an energizing pick-me-up as much as it’s a slim-me-down. But–knock me over with a kale leaf–it turns out that I might not have been doing the best detox for my body type. My favorite TV doc just devoted an entire episode to choosing the right detox based on your body type and cravings, and I have to say it was very enlightening.
The dirt on cleanses is pretty surprising. The main concept is that based on what naughty foods you eat when you’re not on a cleanse, and where your problem spots are, there are different foods you should be eating or avoiding when you do a detox. There are three types:
1. 3-Day Liquid Cleanse…for packaged food addicts. If most of what you eat comes out of a box, can or jar (even if it’s low fat or low calorie), you should do the following simple 3-day liquid cleanse.
Breakfast: Blend together coconut milk, almond butter, plant-based protein powder, stevia and vanilla extract.
Lunch: Blend coconut water with apple, lime, ginger and avocado.
Dinner: Homemade veggie soup (stay away from those cans!)
Snack: A “green” smoothie made with naturally cleansing fruits, veggies and herbs.
Must-have supplement: Milk Thistle. Highly recommended for detoxification!
2. 7-Day Vegan Cleanse…for those who can’t get enough sweets & meats. Want to say goodbye to a growing gut? Find yourself fending off sugar cravings (and sometimes not winning the battle) and eating more red meat than you probably should? (Like twice a week or more)? If either of these issues applies to you, TV doc suggests a 7-day vegan cleanse, comprised of 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks. Here are the rules:
Go totally vegan and avoid all animal products and dairy.
Eat only gluten-free foods–not a whit of wheat!
Avoid all “nightshade” vegetables. This means skipping potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant and peppers.
So what can you eat? Load up on “superfoods,” including oats, beans, broccoli and spinach, walnuts, green tea and pumpkin.
Must-have supplement: Vegan omega-3!
3. 5-Day Flush Cleanse…to get the “yuck” out of your gut. If you’re constantly bloated and spend more time in the bathroom than you’d like to, check out this plan. It’s designed to relax your gut and promote the health of good bacteria.
Breakfast: Make a shake using coconut milk, water, berries, avocado, mint leaves and stevia.
Lunch: Shred turkey over lettuce.
Dinner: Homemade chicken soup. Dice in some carrots.
Snack: Almonds and berries.
Must-have supplement: Probiotics to help restore that good bacteria.
If you’re wondering which type I am, #2 has my name on it. And one day into it, I’m already down a pound! Buh-bye, belly fat!
What did you think about my Health Buzz report? Tweet me @anitasjourney to let me know!