How To Prepare Your Body For A Cleanse
Start Slowly
Posted August 2nd, 2010 by noelle | View Comments
While we wait for a day to come when we can nibble on whatever we want without consequence, let’s celebrate all the amazing food we have to eat TODAY that makes us feel equally amazing.
Last week was a prepatory week for me ahead of a 21 day whole foods detox program which I began yesterday. During my prepatory week (and now throughout my cleanse) I have been guided to remove the following foods and drinks from my daily routine: coffee, sugar, meat, dairy and alcohol.
I am also to continue to introduce as many veggies, leafy greens and fresh fruit as I can. Plans to moderate stress levels (as much as possible) are also supposed to be a priority during a pre-cleanse/cleanse period. Each day of this week, my diet should aim to include a a decent amount of raw foods. Snacks are ok, as long as they are healthy snacks; crudite platter spreads are suggested, along with fresh pressed juices, smoothies and energy soups.
During this particular 21 day detox in August, I am focused on having:
- breakfast: a green smoothie for breakfast with fresh berries
- lunch: a mid-day lunch with some form of a large, creamy salad and a protein (I plan to indulge in lots of hummus, sliced avocados or even a scoop of guacamole, and quinoa side salads which are packed with protein. Quality meats and fish are also encouraged.)
- dinner: a savory smoothie (no fruit) or soup for dinner.
The goal this month is to maximize my body’s healing and repair work overnight, for maximum restorative and detoxification work. That is best accomplished when there is a good 8-12 hours free from digestive work – thus the meals are in a liquid form in the morning and at night.
If you would like to join me for this 21 day detox, where I will be incorporating one liquid meal for breakfast, and one liquid meal for dinner with a satisfying lunch in the middle please do! I have just started yesterday (Sunday, August 1st).
Meal Ideas
Here are some lunch meal ideas to inspire you for the upcoming 21 days, with more fun to come.
- The Montauk Brazilian Bikini Lunch: A mesclun salad + a big scoop of creamy hummus.
- Quinoa Boats: Creamy quinoa tucked into summer squash “boats.”
- Minty Hummus Wraps: A celebration of summer mint. It’s so good.
- The W South Beach Veggielicious Sandwich: Caramelized veggies layered on toast.
- Gluten-Free, Brown Rice “Chips” with Zucchini Spread: Like crunch? You’ll love these.
- The Viceroy South Beach Poolside Lunch: A favorite at my house, creamy avocado toasts.
During this month, I will be eating a vegetarian diet free of protein from animals. Don’t worry! I’ll be getting PLENTY of protein from green juices, nuts, hummus, and protein-packed quinoa (a nutty little, delicious grain). While the nuts and beans are a more obvious source of protein, don’t discount the protein awesomeness that comes from living plant foods. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and amino acids are in everything. (Read more about this in Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s book, Eat To Live or check out this table here. Dr. Fuhrman shows that calorie by calorie green plant foods actually have more protein than a hamburger!)
If you are still concerned about your protein intake over this month, you might consider protein rich blue-green algae’s such as Chlorella, E3Live, Spirulina (64% protein), and Green Superfood Powders and concentrates such as Vitamineral Green.
Exercise
I plan to continue to continue to exercise this month. Yoga, surfing, and light jogs will continue to be a focus for me. By allowing my digestive tract to rest, I expect my broader energy levels to remain solid. With less energy spent on digestion, I’m going to soak up that extra energy and enjoy it. I may not run marathon distances however, so some of that energy can focus on healing and repair work!
