Salad, salad and salad - detox time again

September has been get healthy month for me. 

I did a 3 day detox - no meat, eggs, fish, sugar, dairy, wheat, caffeine, alcohol, salt and oil. Although, I did have yoghurt on two mornings - I hate to throw things away! Usually my detoxes are strict, but this time I decided it was ok to have a bit of yoghurt. My primary goal was to have a low fat diet. 

I find a detox once or twice a year jumpstarts healthy habits and really helps me feel better about myself. 

It might also help with the adrenal glands - Adrenal diet

Food becomes very boring on a detox. This time round I ate lots of nuts, potatoes and bananas. Since I was not eating wheat, I ate both regular and sweet potatoes which are a good carb and protein hit. They kept meals reasonably satisfying and filling. I ate a lot of salad and smoothies in the morning.

Tips:

1. Spinach and celery smoothies are low fat and healthy. I add grapes and apple for sweetness. Ginger and lemon give it a kick. Switch to carrot smoothies when you get bored. Note - lemon is a good addition to the morning routine. 
2. For breakfast too, I'd have grapefruit some morning, or else seeds with nuts & fruit. 
3. Nuts are also great and filling. At night I'd snack on almonds. Go unsalted. 
4. I did a big grocery shop before I started to make sure I was prepared.
5. Buy organic if budget and convenience permits. 
6. Fruit make salads a bit more interesting. Figs, pear, mango and papaya are great. Red onions give it flavour. 
7. Samphire, nuts or garlic is great if you're craving salt. 
8. Exfoliate to aid any toxin removal.
9. Be prepared for tiredness, headaches and going to the toilet alot (high fibre and less water retention). Eating took longer. A plate of vegetables is slow to get through. I also slept more and better! 
10. Bananas or nuts were great when I was feeling weak. 
11. Go easy when you come off the detox. Have a bit of fish to start or wheat.
12. Drink lots of water. Herbal teas are great when you want some variation. 

My 3 day detox evolved to a 7 day no wheat or sugar diet. I'm balancing my days with a boring almost detox 2 meals plus a semi healthy one (by semi I mean add wheat, meat / fish). One meal I try to go meat free. 

Lots of exercise also complements detoxes.

The results:

• My waist seems trimmer and I feel more toned. I'm sleeping so much better after months of really poor sleep. 
• I'm doing much more exercise, conscious healthy eating and I'm adopting better habits.
• Portion sizes have shrunk. I'm use to five to six meals a day instead - eg. Watermelon, banana or nuts might be a snack / small meal.

Note that a detox is not suitable for everyone and a health practitioner should be consulted if you have any medical conditions before undergoing one. 

Also any diet may not be sustainable and could result in a nutrient deficient intake, so care should be taken. 

You may also find these posts useful:

• Healthy snacking at night
• Hiit workout
• Eat more vegetables
  
• Detox - what's it all about?
  
• Boost your detox
  

With winter coming, you might find it helpful to read this: When you feel a cold coming