Cleanse without Fasting?
I’ve tried the celebrity favorite Blueprint juice cleanse many times, and am still not convinced the misery of drinking only liquids for days is worth the end result. I’m skeptical of depriving your body of real food for that long, because it just craves even more when you are back to solids! I recently came across an interview in Self Magazine with nutritionist Nichole Dandrea where she gives tips for cleansing without actually fasting. I already incorporate many of these into my diet, but very helpful information nonetheless! Read the whole article here
1. Be colorful-instead of pastas and breads look for colorful foods in oranges, purples, pinks and golden to get plenty of vitamin C and fiber. When you feel like you need starchy foods eat sweet potatoes, yams or winter squash. 2. Go green-eat lots of spinach, kale and other green veggies to get calcium, iron and other important minerals. (If you are not a green veggie fan try disguising them in soups, smoothies and stir-fries). 3. Buy bulk-purchase whole grain foods such as brown rice, quinoa and oatmeal from bulk bins (use your own container for bonus green points) instead of buying prepackaged foods that often contain sugars and other additives. 4. Drink green tea-get a natural boost in metabolism by drinking 2-3 cups of green tea a day. Choose from many varieties such as pomegranate, blueberry and lemon if you are not a fan of the earthy green tea flavor. 5. Get spicy-add cayenne, ginger and turmeric to your meals or drinks for great natural cleansing, as well as digestive and immune system support. 6. Avoid sugar-drink only water or unsweetened tea. Stay away from the obvious-soda. Also avoid sweet tea, flavored waters and juice. (Whole fruit is great. It does have natural sugar, but it also has tons of fiber and water, as well as other important nutrients.) 7. Eat often-don’t starve yourself. Eating every 2-3 hours is important for the body to function properly, brain to think clearly and metabolism to run like a race car! 8. Eat healthy fats-good-for-you fats make your skin moist, hair soft and joints lubricated. Eat lots of walnuts, almonds, avocados and fatty fish. 9. Choose organic-see our Organic vs Non Organic food list. Whenever you can, choose organic-especially when choosing meats. Look for lean, grass-fed organic varieties that haven’t been treated with hormones and antibiotics. 10. Avoid processed foods-look for 5 ingredients or less. And yes, you should recognize and be able to pronounce all of them!
