Happy December! As we continue enjoying the holiday season, I’m sure many of you have already thought about potentially “detoxing” come January (I know I have!) While I’m not a big fan of the word “detox” because it is often a crazy diet meant to jump start weight loss and is absolutely miserable – I do believe it is important to cleanse the body every so often to give it time to reset, heal and clear out toxins. In this day + age, we are constantly absorbing toxins from the air we breath to the food we eat. In addition, we always seem to be stressed 24/7, which 100% effects our overall health. Our bodies are constantly working extra hard to clear out these toxins so a detox cleanse diet is meant to aid + enhance the detoxification process. I believe in using real, plant based foods to reboot the system rather than a juice cleanse or liquid diet because it allows you to eat and continue exercising (hello, sweating is great for removing toxins from the skin!) The reasons I suggest taking animal protein out of your diet during a reboot is because 1. Meat is much more taxing on the body to digest 2. If cooked at high temperatures, it can release toxins and cause inflammation in the body. With that being said, here are 5 foods you can add to your diet to help your body detox after the holidays:
1. Berries + Fruits
Berries will provide you with those much needed antioxidants. Antioxidants is a word that gets thrown around often, but what does it actually mean? They prevent the oxidation of molecules in the body, which if unchallenged, can lead to disease and chronic illnesses. The body produces antioxidants but not enough to balance the number of free radicals we have, which is why we need to eat foods that are high in antioxidants.
2. Beets
Want to help out your liver that has been working so hard over the holidays? Add some beets into your diet the next day, whether it’s in your smoothie, a side to your main meal, or on top of your salad. Beets are high in antioxidants, but contain nutrients which help the liver to eliminate toxins and support the detoxification process.
3. Tea
Tea helps you bounce back in multiple ways depending upon the type of tea as well as acting a source of hydration. Green tea contains a lot of antioxidants, but herbs like lemongrass, ginger, dandelion, and milk thistle all have similar characteristics that support a healthy liver.
4. Coconut Water
Coconut water is a great body detox drink. It actually hydrates you faster than water and adds back electrolytes + potassium into your body to help regulate your fluid levels. This is a staple in my diet!
5. Fermented Foods
Digestion is key after a holiday to make sure you break down the food you have eaten + absorb as many nutrients as possible so you don’t feel bloated and full. Kombucha is a fermented tea that contains naturally occurring probiotics and healthy organic acids. Just like kombucha which is fermented, you can also find naturally occurring probiotics in fermented foods, such as tempeh, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, soy sauce, miso, + yogurt labeled with “live + active” cultures.
If you are looking for a detox program this January, you are in luck! I am hosting a “12 Day Real Food Reboot Program” starting January 14th. This program will include 3 remote group sessions, a plant based food guide (both what to eat + not eat), a meal plan guide, and natural remedies to enhance the detoxification process from supplements to stress management tools. Lastly, you will have access to the “Little Adapts By Jax Reboot” community to support one another in this journey. From now until December 25th, you can receive the “Early Bird Special” of $129 (Regular cost of the program is $149). To sign up today, click the below button!
With Health + Happiness,
Jax
