Mel and I are cleansing this month, after a gluttonous but very enjoyable December we feel like our bodies need little tlc!  We thought we’d share the guidelines with you in case you wanted to do the same.

We’ll be aiming for the whole month of January, but if you can manage 2 weeks of strict adherence then you’re doing great.

Cleansing Dietary Guidelines

January 2012

Objectives:

-Give the body a break by eating foods that do not require a lot of effort to digest

-Eliminate/reduce the toxins within the body

-Breaking free from food/drinks dependency

-Introduce new healthy habits

-Increase Energy, Reduce body fat, FEEL FANTASTIC!!!

Foods to Include:

-Vegetables of all kind: broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, green beans, zucchini, lettuce, sprouts, kale, radishes, celery, cucumber, bok choy, yams, carrots.

Avoiding night shade vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant)

-Fruits of all kind: berries, apples, oranges, grapefruits, pears, grapes, lemons, limes

Avoiding Tropical Fruits (mangoes, pineapple, kiwis, papayas)

-Grains:  Brown rice, quinoa, oats, whole grain sprouted bread (2 slices per day max)

-Proteins: organic/non-medicated chicken, turkey, wild fish, tofu, organic/free range eggs, lentils (Eden Brand is the safest canned option), beans, peas, raw/unsalted nuts and seeds, natural peanut or almond butter, plain goat yogurt, goat cheese

-Fats: avocadoes, olive oil, olives, ground flax seeds or hemp hearts, coconut oil/milk

-Sweeteners:  Raw Honey, Maple Syrup, Stevia, Agave Syrup

 Miscellanous Items:

-Brown Rice, Almond or Hemp Milk will replace Dairy

-Smoothies (homemade) , easy ways to get fruit and veg servings

-Supplements – vitamins, minerals, natural protein powders (Vega is our fave!), greens powders, fish oils

-Spices

Foods to Avoid:

-Refined, processed items such as boxed cereal, bread, wraps, crackers, pasta noodles, white rice, cookies, muffins, scones, donuts, bagels, English muffins, cake, chips, sugar, chocolate, candies, beef jerky, protein bars (other than Lara Bars).

-Juice (unless from the juicer), Pop, Gatorade, Energy Drinks

-Dairy – yogurt (unless plain, organic), milk, cheese (unless goats), ice cream (Blizzards)

-Red Meat – limit to 1 serving per week

-Caffeinated Beverages – limit coffee to 1 per day

-Alcohol – abstain for the entire cleansing period

-Table Salt, a little Sea Salt is acceptable

-Pre-made salad dressing, dips, sauces

Tips:

Start day off with a glass of room temperature water with ¼ of a fresh lemon squeezed into it. This helps to cleanse the liver!

Try eating small, frequent meals/snacks – This means always having something prepared, make time!

Avoid over-eating, chew food well. Eat slowly and in a relaxed state (as much as possible)

Do not drink any liquids with meals/snacks (stop within 30 minutes prior to eating and resume 30 minutes after) Liquids will dilute your digestive enzymes.

Eat lots of salads, soups, stews, chili’s

Keep the diet simple and well balanced between clean sources of protein, whole grain starches/vegetables/fruits for carbohydrate and quality fats.

Breakfast Ideas:

-Smoothies

-Eggs and whole grain, sprouted toast

-Oatmeal or quinoa/brown rice congee with berries and milk of choice + hemp hearts

Snack Ideas:

-Veggie sticks with humus

-Lara Bar

-A Piece of Fruit with a handful of nuts + seeds

-Smoothie

-Boiled Egg

-Celery with Natural Peanut or Almond Butter

Lunch + Dinner Ideas:

-Soups

-Salads

-Stews

-Chili

-Whole grain sandwich with quality meat and veggies as filler

-Brown Rice, Yam or Quinoa with Steamed/Grilled Veggies and a quality protein source

-Quinoa Based salad

-Stir-Fry

Mel is a Holistic Nutritionist who specializes in treating all the systems of the body as part of a greater whole. She designed this basic cleanse to be suitable for anyone with no known food allergies. However everyone is different and Mel has been designing personally tapered food plans for individuals and families with great success for over 5 years. Contact us today if you’d like to know how we can help you!