If you instantly cringe at the word detox and feel tempted to scroll down and skip this read, sit tight and stay with me!
Whether it’s a ‘summer detox’, ‘post-holiday detox’ or ‘new year detox’, they all have the same thing in common.
Having you start out with the best intention, even if many detox plans are designed to feel hard, miserable and doomed to fail
They invoke feelings of fear and deprivation
I believe a good 1-5 day detox can be a great way to clean out, clear out and help reboot and recharge the system (that’s you!) on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level. But they don’t need to involve a step by step plan, overly restrictive rules or any unnecessary fads or trends.
When it comes to my own approach to detoxing, there are few questions I ask myself first and I encourage you to do the same.
Why do I feel the need to detox?
How many days do I feel I can and will likely commit to?
What is the result I desire to make? How do I want to feel afterwards?
You may like to write these questions and your answers down in a journal, on your phone or a piece of paper you can keep on the fridge or at work to look at every day, as inspiration to help keep you on track.
Right now, many of you might be feeling the effects of an overly ‘festive’ festive and extended summer season. It’s normal to desire a bit of a health kick to help get back on track and start the new year with some positive, health habits.
By simply adopting the philosophy of going green, you are allowing yourself a wide range of foods and produce to eat, a variety of ways to make, cook and consume them and most of all, making it pretty obvious about what’s involved in the detox – green, plant-based foods!
To help you navigate your Going Green Detox, I’ve listed some ingredients and swaps you can make to get on your happy, green way.
Beverages
- Add sliced cucumber, lime or mint leaves to still or sparkling water
- Swap your coffee or black tea for green tea or matcha tea
- Enjoy a green juice. (*whether purchasing or making it yourself, aim for the juice to contain more vegetables vs fruit)
- Or try this Green Smoothie recipe (technically, this can be seen as a ‘meal’)
Fruit
- Green apples, lime, grapes (limited amounts), pear, kiwi, honeydew melon, cucumber and avocado.
Vegetables
- Kale, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, rocket, herbs & microgreens (coriander, parsley, mint, basil etc), broccoli/broccolini, green beans, peas, brussel sprouts, bok choy, pak choi, asparagus, zucchini, leek, green capsicum, green chilli pepper, celery, okra and edamame.
During this time, you may opt to go completely vegetarian and eat plant-based protein only, or simply limit your animal protein of choice to one meal a day or every other day.
Plant-Based Protein
- Quinoa, lentils, beans (chickpea, kidney, black), tempeh, tofu, green peas, almonds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
This Asian Greens with Tofu recipe makes a great lunch or dinner option.
Animal Protein
- Fish, pork, chicken, turkey, lean beef and eggs
This Super Green Salad recipe makes a great lunch or dinner option and pairs with any of the above animal protein options.
So there you have it, my straight forward and simple guide to a Going Green Detox. This should NOT be a stressful experience! That just makes it counteractive to its purpose. Try to lighten up and add some play to it all. Have FUN experimenting and trying some new ingredients and recipes. Be kind to yourself. Take time to check in on yourself a few times every day and see how you are feeling. We are all built so differently and our daily needs verify per individual and on any given day, so it’s important to listen to your green intake needs and choices.
If you have any questions or queries you’d love to have answered, please reach out to me at carla@happinessco.org and I’d be more than happy to help.
Want more practical strategies and ideas to cultivate wellness into your life? Reach out to us at wecare@happinessco.org to find out more about how Happiness Co can help.
Carla Thomas,
Holistic Health Coach & Wellness Coordinator at Happiness Co
carla@happinessco.org
