Shilpa Arora , Modified:
Smooth digestion and absorption of nutrients along with your liver's efficient processing of toxins are absolutely critical for great health. That's why a cleanse program can be a powerful tool to rejuvenate your body and skin from the inside out.
The key to comfortable cleanse is to ease yourself into the program, so that your body doesn't go into a shock. Five days before you begin your detox, progressively eliminate alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars, saturated fats and all processed foods. These can add as toxins in your body.
Increase fiber intake to help keep your colon clean. Along with the fiber from fruits and vegetables, include two tablespoon of chia seeds in a glass of water to eliminate toxins from your body. Don't forget to drink lots of filtered water- at least eight glasses per day.
Another deterrent to good health is stress, as it triggers your body to release stress hormones. It's a good idea to cleanse stressful life situations along with your body. Keep a diary and take a note not only of what you eat and drink but also your emotions.
I hope you are sufficiently motivated, now let's get started with the specifics.
DAY 1
Start the morning with half a lemon squeezed into warm water or cleansing herb tea. Follow with a brisk walk, bike ride, yoga or swimming.
BREAKFAST: Fresh vegetables juice (choose from the list below)
Carrots
Celery
Mint
Coriander
Parsley
Wheatgrass
Spinach
Add a tablespoon of chia seeds to your juice, for that extra fiber and power boost. (I don't recommend juicing fruits as that will shoot up your sugar levels and we don't want that happening).
LUNCH: Raw or lightly steamed vegetables with a variety of seasonal preferably organic vegetables .
You can choose from the following:
Spinach
Mustard leaves
Fenugreek leaves
Beetroot
Cabbage
Capsicums
Pumpkins
Ginger
DINNER: Vegetable stew
In a large saucepan, saute onions and garlic. Then add your favourite veggies, saute for another 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of filtered water and sea salt. Slow cook till the veggies are done. You could blend the ingredients for a thick broth or eat it as is with chunks of veggies.
SNACKS: Drink as much water, unsweetened herbal tea as you wish during the day. Aim for at least 8 glass of water within the day. Make a trail mix of nuts and seeds like walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, melon seeds, chia seeds and flax seeds. Eat low GI fruits like guava, pear, apple, orange, strawberries, peach, plums and apricots.
DAY 2
Start the morning with half a lemon squeezed into warm water or cleansing herb tea. Follow with a brisk walk, bike ride, yoga or swimming
BREAKFAST: Fresh vegetable juice with 1 table spoon of chia seeds blended in. Choose from the list of juicing vegetables provided earlier.
LUNCH: Lightly cooked vegetables with quinoa and baby spinach salad.
DINNER: Vegetable stew with stir-fried red and yellow capsicums and broccoli, tossed with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.
ANY TIME SNACKS: Choose from the snack list given for Day 1.
DAY 3
Start the morning with half a lemon squeezed into warm water or cleansing herb tea. Follow with a brisk walk, bike ride, yoga or swimming.
BREAKFAST: 3/4 of cup of natural yoghurt with sliced fresh fruits, sprinkle with chia seeds, sliced almonds and walnuts and drizzle with a little raw honey if desired. You can follow this with green tea or herb tea.
LUNCH: Lentil and Vegetable Stew
Saute 1/2 cup of yellow moong dal, 1 cup of your favourite veggies, small pieces of ginger and two cloves of garlic in some extra virgin olive oil. Add 2 cups of water and salt to taste. Slow cook till the dal and veggies are done, garnish with coriander or parsley.
DINNER: Raw Papaya and Carrot Salad
Toss 2 cups of lettuce, 1 grated carrot and 1/2 raw papaya together. Mix 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice and drizzle over the top.
ANY TIME SNACKS: Choose from the snack list
DAY 4
Start the morning with half a lemon squeezed into warm water or cleansing herb tea. Follow with a brisk walk, bike ride, yoga or swimming
BREAKFAST: Coconut Banana Power Smoothie
100 grams of natural yoghurt or organic coconut milk, 1 tablespoon of cold pressed coconut oil, and 1 or 1/2 banana, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. Blend the ingredients in a high speed blender.
LUNCH: 1 bowl of vegetable stew with a cup of quinoa or amaranth.
DINNER: Lentil and vegetable Stew.
ANY TIME SNACKS: Choose from the snack list
DAY 5
Start the morning with half a lemon squeezed into warm water or cleansing herb tea. Follow with a brisk walk, bike ride, yoga or swimming
BREAKFAST: Fresh vegetable juice with 1 table spoon of chia seeds blended in.
LUNCH: Steamed vegetables of choice with fresh herbs, drizzled with olive oil and crushed pumpkin seeds. Combine this with 1/2 cup organic brown rice and a handful of almonds.
DINNER: Salad of fresh rocket leaves with thinly sliced strips of red capsicum, slices of fresh mushrooms and onions. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds. Toss with virgin olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs.
ANY TIME SNACKS: Choose from the snack list
DAY 6
Start the morning with half a lemon squeezed into warm water or cleansing herb tea.
Follow with a brisk walk, bike ride, yoga or swimming
BREAKFAST: Make a fruit compote of dried prunes, apricots, peaches and apples pre-soaked in filtered water and sprinkled with flaked almonds and 2 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds. Have it with some plain yogurt.
LUNCH: Lentil and vegetable soup with 1/2 cup of brown rice and amaranth.
DINNER: Raw Papaya and Carrot Salad
ANY TIME SNACKS: Choose from the snack list.
DAY 7
Start the morning with half a lemon squeezed into warm water or cleansing herb tea.
Follow with a brisk walk, bike ride, yoga or swimming
BREAKFAST: Coconut banana power smoothie
LUNCH: Lentil and vegetable soup with tossed greens, dressed with olive oil and a splash of lemon juice. Accompany with a handful of raw almonds and raisins.
DINNER: Grilled mushrooms with green salad, sweet potato mash and 1/2 cup of brown rice
ANY TIME SNACKS: Choose from the snack list
Congratulations, you have finished your 7 days cleanse. You should be feeling fantastic and sparkling with vitality and your face should look fresh and rejuvenated. The best news is that you should now be motivated to continue feeding the best food to your body and look and feel healthy inside and out.
About the Author: Shilpa Arora ND is a renowned Health Practitioner, Nutritionist and certified Macrobiotic Health Coach. She has to her credit Doctorate in Natural Medicine. She is currently based in Delhi NCR region, successfully running her Nutrition Studio with individual consultations, offering life style programs supported by the most up-to-date clinical research.
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