Many people find cleanses and detoxes appealing as a way to reaffirm a commitment to healthy eating, especially at the start of a new year. While I certainly understand the desire dial down cravings for sweets and processed foods and create a pathway toward eating well over the long haul, the trouble I see with juicing and other similar cleanses is that too often, they leave people hangry, sluggish and distracted by constant thoughts of food.
Cleansing can also lead to unwanted issues, like constipation (from lack of fiber) and bloating (due to excess fructose from juice cleanses).
If you want to reboot your diet in the new year without the unnecessary restriction and potential downsides that comes with detoxes and cleanses, clean up your eating with these coach-approved tips instead.
GO GREEN (AND ORANGE AND PURPLE AND RED)
Most Americans aren’t anywhere close to meeting their needs. (90 percent fall short of vegetable recommendations and 85 percent aren’t meeting their fruit quota.) To help you boost your intake and your overall health, add sliced strawberries to your oatmeal at breakfast, opt for a summer salad at lunch, and fill half your dinner plate with a steamed vegetable medley.
And don’t forget snacks! Enjoy sliced carrots, celery and jicama with hummus or a little guacamole with gluten free crackers.
CUT OUT ADDED SWEETENERS
While Americans fall short on fruits and veggies, we’re overdoing it on sugar, consuming close to 20 teaspoons a day. Health authorities suggest capping added sugars at 6 teaspoons (equivalent to about 25 g) a day for women and 9 teaspoons (or about 36 g) for men. Challenge yourself to cut back on added sugar from sweetened yogurts, cereals and granola bars, as well as the usual suspects (soda, cookies, ice cream, cookies and other baked goods). You’ll appreciate the natural sweetness of fruit so much more when you cut unnecessary added sweeteners from your diet.
BE GOOD TO YOUR GUT
Many people are drawn to cleanses to reset their GI system, and these regular cleanses can have amazing benefits! While trying to flush out toxins, take measures to boost your gut health so it can do its job well.
A healthy gut is important for almost every aspect of wellness — from boosting your mood to helping you sleep, from weight management to preventing chronic diseases, the list goes on and on. To reboot your diet and reset your gut, remember to do a mild, food-based “reset cleanse” on a regular basis.
EMBRACE MILD, FOOD-BASED CLEANSES
Our team does a 3-week purification challenge twice a year, using some meal replacements, herbal supplements and easy-to-digest meals that are perfect for any part of the year. Check out more details about it here.
by Kingdom Branding