Safe, Post-Holiday Detox Remedies and Recipes

We are already several weeks into the new year, 2019, so the holidays are behind us. They can be a mixed blessing, with plenty of happiness, delicious food, stress and anxiety. So now is the time to undo some of the damage that may have been done!

First of all, if you have any serious symptoms, please, please, please consult with a professional health care practitioner! Do likewise when contemplating anything more aggressive with your diet – make absolutely sure it is safe to do so. Often, we have conditions we are unaware of, and it is a good idea to be under a reliable, competent practitioner’s care.

The body is constantly in need of cleansing. It is designed to cleanse itself, and we help it by what we eat, drink, take as supplements, etc. So always remember to drink clean and fresh water, which helps our bodies flush out toxins, the best refreshment of all. Spring water is an excellent choice, as is triple-filtered water, alkaline water, etc. Water can be combined with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, which can alkalize your body and “motivate” your metabolism.

Remember to include plenty of fresh, preferably organic vegetables in your diet – eating fresh salads with a multitude of different vegetables in them, even in winter, is very healthy and will aid in cleansing and healing. Be careful with fruits, however! A little goes a long way – they have natural sugars in them, so focusing on lower-sugar fruits like berries may be a good alternative.

If you like smoothies, please make them with a rich variety of mostly vegetables and plenty of fresh spring water, sweetened by some fresh fruit. Drinking a smoothie a day is a great detox strategy and your body will thank you.

Please do not forget to eat clean, safe, preferably wild-caught, organic protein! 

If you are more nutrient-depleted, try juice extraction (one can purchase an excellent juice extractor usually under $50); apply the same rules to ingredients – mostly fresh, organic veggies and sweetened with a bit of lower-sugar fruits. Alternatively, you can use safer sweetener alternatives like erythritol and/or stevia. They are, however, an acquired taste – believe me! If you make a larger amount of juice, drink some right away (for maximum nutrient density, as they tend to lose nutrients quickly when exposed to air), and store smaller amounts in jars with lids, filled right up to the top so little to no air gets in. Refrigerate, of course.

Intermittent fasting is something that has been trending for a while. Why? It works well, for some for weight loss, for others it lowers insulin levels, can help reverse type 2 diabetes, increase burning of your fat stores, it can lower cholesterol, etc. You do this by setting aside times for eating and times for not eating. For example, you can fast two days per week. You can fast certain meals, meaning that you can eat between noon and 8 pm, as one example. Please make sure this is a safe practice for you by checking with your health care practitioner! For additional information, please see Dr. Joseph Mercola’s short video on intermittent fasting.

Here are some suggested juice/smoothie recipes:

1. Combine equal parts of kale, spinach, cucumber (this is so refreshing), carrots and apples, and juice them in a juice extractor. Yum!
2. Combine equal parts of kale, spinach, cucumber, carrots, and apples and combine with spring water and make a smoothie! Other alternatives for water are coconut water or almond milk.

*You can also include protein powder, or a bone broth and collagen powder, etc.
*Consider adding beets to any recipe – either red or golden – and rev up your digestive tract! But be careful – a little bit goes a long way! Also add some berries, especially when in season, for added antioxidant effects.

Use your imagination and palate to make delicious combinations. Who said healthy eating can’t be delicious?! When you use fresh, unadulterated products, flavors really pop!

For more information on how to live healthy holistically – not to mention deliciously – please take our course entitled Living Healthy Holistically: How to Make Life choices which Result in Health and Happiness.

For a more comprehensive course on how to live holistically healthy, please take our course entitled Prevention: Holistic Strategies for Healthy Living & Avoiding Substance Use.
You won’t be sorry you did!