3 Steps to Start a Detox

It is really is important to prepare both physically (food shopping) and mentally (motivation) if you want to successfully complete a detox. These are my top 3 steps that will help you get started on your preparation!

1. Decide what kind of detox you want to do and make a time commitment. If this is your first detox I would recommend doing the unlimited fruit and veg fast. It just gives you more flexibility with foods that you probably aren't used to eating all the time. Plus you can eat them raw or cooked and don't need any kind of special equipment like a juicer. Raw juice is definitely optimal to include if you can! But not totally necessary.

As far as time, commit to what you know you can accomplish. I think 3 days is a good starting point for a first detox. Try to start the detox on a weekend or when you won't be too busy. That way if you do encounter headaches or "loose bowels" you will be able to put yourself first while your cells release toxins for that time period.

2. Plan your menu, shop, and prepare.  Come up with a list of all the fruits and vegetables you love, maybe research some recipes, or keep it simple and just have lots of fruit salad and chopped veggies ready to eat. Either way, buying enough fruit and veg and preparing it ahead of time is the most essential step! This way when you are hungry (which might be constantly all day) you will have an abundance/variety of food to choose from and be less tempted to grab something else. If you love bananas, don't buy just one bunch, buy 3 or 4 bunches! If you like apples, but prefer them sliced, slice them ahead of time! I know it sounds like such a simple thing but it can make all the difference. You want to avoid not having enough to eat and will be more successful if you are able to grab food easily and effortlessly and not think about what your next meal will be.

3. Stay motivated! This may be something you've never done before, but there are plenty of people who have! Research those people and see how they live healthy. I follow quite a few motivational/health pages on instagram and Facebook. They have a ton of good advice and experience and I love seeing those bits of motivation throughout the day when I scroll through social media. A couple of my my favorite websites (who also have Facebook pages) is Rebel Dietitian and Scooby's Workshop. Also on Facebook that I like is Engine2Diet, Hungry for Change, Forks Over Knives, Chris Beat Cancer, and Dr Bill Davison. On Instagram @eat_to_thrive, @ohsheglows, @thrivingonplants, @domthompson, @earthlingnutrition, @freeleethebananagirl, and @cfvgn_yolanda.

If you have kids like me it can be tricky (and tempting) to keep them fed. I usually prepare different food for them throughout the day but then have them eat whatever dinner I make (which is a cooked vegetable dish). Just make sure you eat enough food. This will help keep your cravings down, especially when preparing food for others. Here are some simple meal ideas of things I usually eat on a detox to get your imagination flowing. I haven't listed them as breakfast lunch or dinner because they are interchangeable and it just depends what you feel like at that time of day. You might want set meals or graze all day long, its totally up to you. Just make sure to eat eat eat!

4-6 bananas
Half a Watermelon
Raw or frozen berries

Fruit or vegetable juice (even store bought like Naked Juice or Just Juice, just make sure the label has no added sugar/colors/preservatives in the ingredients)

Smoothies

Fruit salad

Carrot/celery/cucumber sticks dipped in mashed avocado

Big SALAD
Sautéed snap peas, zucchini, and mushroom

Oil free baked potato wedges

Homemade Vegetable Soup
Homemade Vegetable Chili (no beans)

Remember to try and stay away from all grains, legumes, and nuts. Yes these are plants and are very good for you, but on a detox you are trying to flood your body with potent nutrients that are the most easy to digest. Having said that, when I've been on detox I have eaten peas (which are technically a bean) and corn (which is a grain). I would say those two are probably the only exceptions and should still be eaten moderately. For more detox inspo click on the 'detox' label to the right!

First Chiropractor Visit...EVER

Wow it has been over a month since my last post! I actually have a few recipes I've been wanting to share but life just gets so busy. However today I couldn't wait to jump on here and record my amazing experience of a visit I had with a chiropractor/naturopath. I went in for a pinch in my back that I've had for a week and got the recommendation for this particular guy from my trusty Dr. Lucy. Aside from getting help with my back I couldn't wait to talk with a health professional who has been helping people for over 30 years. A little bit daunting considering I have some very strong views that don't exactly match up with what the majority population thinks but I knew if Lucy recommended him we would probably see eye to eye. I couldn't have imagined how well I would connect with this wise, lively, 60 year old fit triathlete. Talk about practice what you preach. How refreshing it was to speak to someone with his knowledge and experience and be validated in every single one of my opinions. How comforting to be given a high five when I told him I stopped vaccinating my kids. We even talked on a very deep personal/religious level (not on purpose but somehow the conversation went there, holistically its all connected right) and agree 100%. The one thing I thought we would disagree on is being vegetarian. I thought for sure he would advocate eating meat everyday and I was ready with my defense. Not even close! As he confirmed to me that animal protein is an inferior protein source, it is a very small percentage of nutrients that need to be met on a daily basis and can easily be reached through eating plants only. Even taking it a step further acknowledging I should stay away from dairy (which is my one weakness that basically holds me back from being vegan). Our enthusiasm was mutual as I'm sure he wasn't expecting to meet someone like me today. In his own words, "You are the perfect patient, it's rare I get to just fine tune someone." I know how self absorbed this post must sound and I'm really not trying to toot my own horn. It just feels good to connect with an experienced health expert who totally understands me and basically validates all these "crazy" ideas I have, including everything I have shared on this blog thus far. I certainly don't need his validation, I know how good I feel with my lifestyle choices and I am confident in the knowledge I have gained about how the body functions and how to best maintain it, but it still feels nice.

He also practices Iridology which I have been so interested in since I heard about it several months ago. So I had my eyes read and he pinpointed a few areas that can be the most problematic for me. It was really interesting to learn how the eyes tell all.

Oh AND he fixed my back haha! I've never been to a chiropractor in my life! I was a tiny bit scared getting cracked in all these places I didn't know could crack, but boy did I feel good walking out of there. The pinch is all but gone and I just need to follow a few recommendations to keep improving it. I really can't say enough good things about this guy and it is such a relief to know that there are other people like me that exist but with 30+ years of experience and perspective. You can tell he really does this job to help people. If the old run down office they operate from, or the additional half hour he spent with me while other patients waited didn't give that away, his kind and loving spirit certainly did. Thank you Dr. Johnston!

Hippie at Heart

It is true, I believe in caring for the mind body and soul holistically for optimal health, using food and nutrition as medicine to heal sickness and build immunity, essential oils, herbal remedies and singing to the trees. But I tell you what, when it's 10 o'clock at night and your baby is laboring to breath and you are trying to calm him down because crying makes the gasping even worse, and the oils and the humidifier and the hot shower haven't worked, I am THANKFUL for modern medicine! This is my first baby to ever have croup. It was almost unbearable to watch my little one suffer, but what a relief after the first breathing treatment to see him breathe normal again. He is doing much better today, still has a barking cough and raspy breathing, but not strained like it was last night. It's kind of funny that now every time I hear a dog bark outside I immediately think he is coughing and waking up from his nap! What an amazing day and age we live in where we have access to instant relief of sickness symptoms. Yes I have my concerns about some of the practices in the medical industry, but right now I really appreciate medical science and technology that helped my baby breathe again and eased my burden when I needed it.