Tips for a Falll Detox

We often associate spring time with cleaning.  When the weather gets warmer, we clean out the house, we take the car out of the garage give it a wash and wax and even clean out our bodies.  The stores are full of spring greens that are best suited to rid our bodies of toxins and fats stored during the winter.  But what about going into the fall and winter months?  We have been no doubt going to countless pool parties, picnics, family gatherings, festivals and social functions.  They all involve food (and sometimes alcohol) and that food often includes burgers, sausages, chips and sodas.  These foods are very heavy to the body and if not properly eliminated can slow you down through the winter months. 

Fall is another time of year best suited to cleanse/detox the body.  Cleansing during the autumn months will bolster your immune system in order to avoid the flu, increase your energy, mood and productivity by clarifying your mind and shed excess weight before the holidays.  Fall is a natural time of transition, which makes it ideal for a gentle detox cleanse that will reset your body and mind priming you for a winter of wellness.

A cleanse does not have to involve starving yourself but eating mindfully and strategically for even as little as three days.  Detoxing through the diet is a great way to give your body a break and support its natural self-cleaning system.  It involves increasing whole, unprocessed foods, vegetables, fruits, seeds, fresh pressed juices (green drinks) and other homemade fruit smoothies.  During this time eliminate anything prepackaged, wheat, dairy, meat (including fish and poultry), alcohol and caffeine.  The bottom line is more whole foods home cooking and no fast food or prepackaged meals.  Even just three days can make a world of difference.

When given the chance our bodies will naturally detoxify and heal as part of its natural process.  We detox by eliminating and neutralizing toxins through our colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph and skin.  In our daily lives we are exposed to environmental pollutants in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat.  In addition our diets are laden with chemicals, large amounts of animal protein, saturated and trans-fats, caffeine, alcohol and genetically modified organisms that inhibit our bodies ability to perform their detoxification processes.

Tip 1: Start each day by sipping hot water with lemon.  It cleanses the blood, liver and kidneys.  It activates your digestive system for maximum efficiency and also helps your body move lymph which carries toxins from the body. 

Tip 2: Begin the day with cooked apples (antioxidants), steel cut outs (high in soluble fiber) and cinnamon (boosts brain function) or green, cleansing juices.  Green juices should include any of the following ingredients: cucumbers, celery, kale, spinach, grapefruits, lemons and ginger (anti-inflammatory).

Tip 3: Lunches should include salads full of greens (linked to heart and lung health), cucumbers (alkalizing), radishes (blood cleansing), onions (astringent), cruciferous vegetables (high in vitamins) and topped with raw seeds like pumpkin and hemp (high is selenium).

Tip 4: Dinners should be warming and include foods like lentils (helps lower cholesterol), sweet potatoes (balance blood sugar) and other grounding root vegetables (fiber and many vitamins and minerals) and kale (blood and cell detoxifier).

Enjoy that lighter feeling going into winter and for recipes visit my website. 





Jason C. Venckus CPT, PES & H.C.
Progressive Complete Health
www.goproveg.com
progressiveathleticsiht@gmail.com