Your Mini-Guide To A 1-Day Detox
By Dr. Tiffany Lester
Considering doing a cleanse this fall after a summer of indulgence? Doing a one-day detox after a long weekend or vacation can be just what your body needs to get back on track. If you're suffering from any of these common ailments, your body is practically begging you to hit the reset button:
Allergies
Bloating, and/or constipation
Weight gain, especially abdominal
Insomnia
Joint pains
Fatigue
Low energy
Why fall?
As the seasons change, it's the perfect time to re-evaluate our habits and cleanse our bodies, homes, and minds. Choose one sacred day this month and devote it to your health. Try to combine it with a digital detox by turning off the phone, computer, and TV and enjoy time alone or with family.
Or spend a portion of the day tackling a closet or drawer that needs to be cleaned out. (Think you're bad at decluttering? Here's some motivation.) Choose one physical thing that needs de-cluttering in your life and do it today.
Your Mini-Guide To A 1-Day Detox
Morning
When you wake up: Drink warm lemonade. Mix 8 ounces warm (not hot!) water with half a lemon (freshly squeezed) to hydrate your body and stimulate digestion.
Meditation: Set yourself up for success and quiet your mind with a 10-minute meditation. To settle yourself before you begin, take 10 deep cleansing breaths. Not sure how to begin meditating? Try the Calm app, which has a timer with guided meditations for every mood.
Breakfast: Start your day by flooding your body with antioxidants, thanks to a green smoothie. So many delicious ways to go about this, but go easy on the fruit. A simple rule of thumb is to use three servings of vegetables for every piece of fruit. My favorite combo is the following:
A handful of spinach
A cucumber
Half avocado
1 inch freshly peeled ginger
Pear
Add filtered water or coconut water then blend for 30 seconds.
Mid-morning: Enjoy a cup of matcha tea and a handful of raw, unsalted almonds. This will calm any cravings and the matcha tea will give you a calm alertness for the rest of the day.
Afternoon
Lunch: Avoid the afternoon slump by eating a light lunch. Try a marinated kale salad with a cup of carrot ginger soup. Add as many different colors as you can to your salad including a healthy fat, like avocado. Avoid store-bought dressings as they're often filled with preservatives and hidden sugars. Dress your salad with extra virgin olive oil and the other half of your lemon from the morning.
Exercise: Go for a light 20-minute walk outside after lunch — without your phone.
Mid-afternoon snack: If you're hungry, eat a half cup of goji berries with 8 ounces filtered water. If possible, take a 20-minute nap!
Evening
Unwind: To aid your body in releasing toxins, unwind with a hot stone massage or an infrared sauna treatment. This will provide relief for sore joints and muscles while also helping you to relax.
Dinner: Keep it simple while focusing on whole foods. Try roasted chicken with brussels sprouts; cruciferous vegetables are great for liver detoxification.
Nightcap: Drink a cup of hibiscus tea. Filled with antioxidants, it reportedly helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol while also supporting your digestive system. When buying at the store, make sure it is caffeine free as some brands blend with green tea. I like to enjoy mine in a wine glass - it looks just like red wine!
Gratitude: Write down three things for which you are most grateful today in a journal or scrap of paper. The practice of writing versus thinking has a way of activating the pleasure centers in our brain. Go the extra mile, and add in another 20-minute meditation before drifting off to a restorative sleep.
Notice how your body feels after just one day of avoiding common food triggers like gluten, corn, dairy, caffeine, and sugar. I hope you'll feel fantastic!