"Detox, detox, detox...I hope it makes me strong like an ox!" -- Actual g-chat status profile of my dorky sig-o :)
Being prone to catching colds that last for almost an entire month at a time, my ears perked up when my fantastic and knowledgeable
yoga instructor, Susan, suggested that we all engage in an autumn cleansing/detox before the equinox to ward off potential illnesses as we shift from summer to fall. As Susan explained it, in the summer time, we do and eat a lot of things to keep cool (i.e., foods consumed, sunscreen, etc.) but we need to warm up our bodies to prepare for the chillier fall temperatures. I pulled information together based on suggestions from Susan (she's an Ayurveda practitioner), articles in
Yoga Journal, and good ole'
google searching, and I came up with this plan for a 3-day detox:
Daily/General Principles
+ Squeeze the juice of 1 whole lemon into a glass of lukewarm water. Drink 3 glasses of lemon water each day, and drink the first glass upon waking up in the morning.
+ Scrub the skin with a dry loofah as hard as you can stand it, as there are many contaminents built up on the skin after a summer of sweating and applying various lotions/sunscreens.
+ Drink 4-6 cups of Yogi DeTox Tea (no worries of weird poop, this tea is for detoxing the liver and kidneys, not a diet/laxative tea...) A box with 16 teabags is less than $5 at Henry's!
+ Abstain from processed sugars, alcohol, processed meats, and refined flour.
+ Eat warm autumn foods.
Prepared Foods & Snacks
I'm a working woman so I relied on a combination of home cooked foods as well as premade store-bought ones...sigh, I know...but I did get everything from my favorite grocery store, Henry's.
+ Brown rice crackers.
+ Organic fruits and vegetables.
+ Organic soy yogurts.
+ Warm organic soups with reduced or no sodium.
Meals
No photos :(
I was always hungry when cooking so in my haste to eat I kept forgetting to take any photos of the dishes I cooked.
+
Quinoa: 1 part quinoa, 1 part water, 1 part reduced sodium organic chicken broth. Put all ingredients in a pot with lid on. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Let sit for 3-5 minutes, then fluff up with a fork.
+
Steamed Butternut Squash: Place chopped squash pieces on a steamer in boiling water. Steam for 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.
+
Sauteed Organic Red Dandelion Stems (our least favorite dish): Blanch cleaned and chopped red dandelion stems. Sautee in a pan with melted unsalted organic butter. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
+
Braised Chicken: Sprinkle sea salt and pepper on chicken (I used organic free range boneless skinless thighs.) Melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted organic butter on medium-high heat. Cook both sides of chicken for 3-5 minutes each. Pour in organic low sodium chicken broth, reduce heat, and allow to braise for approx. 15 minutes. This chicken was actually really tasty! I was getting irritated with cooking using so little spice and flavor, but this was very good and the chicken turned out nice and tender.
+
Sauteed Kale: Add cleaned and chopped kale to a pan with 1-2 tablespoons of heated olive oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Add 1/2 cup or so of the organic low sodium chicken broth and cover with lid. Reduce heat and cook for another 4-5 minutes depending on how crisp you want the kale. Add fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste (not too much.)
+
Brown Basmati Rice: Cook 1 part brown basmati rice, 1 part water, 1 part organic low sodium chicken broth and 1/2 tablespoon of unsalted organic butter. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for another 15-20 minutes.
+
Spaghetti Squash: Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Put cut-side down in a baking tray filled with about half an inch of water, then bake in a 375-degree preheated oven for approx. 45 minutes. Scoop out the meat (or spaghetti) with a fork. Toss lightly with olive oil and sea salt.
+
Sweet Potato French Fries: Toss peeled and chopped sweet potatoes in mixture of 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon water. Sprinkle lightly with salt and bake for 30 minutes in a 425-degree preheated oven, turning once.
+
Sesame Cilantro Salmon: Salt and pepper salmon, then cook skin side down in pan with sesame oil for 5-6 minutes so the skin gets nice and crispy. Put in a 375-preheated oven for another 7-10 minutes, until salmon is cooked through to your liking. While salmon is in the oven, use some reserved seseame oil to sautee chopped garlic, cilantro, ginger, and green onions; use this as a topping on the salmon!
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We both actually feel really good post-detox, but we'll see if it actually does help fend off the cold & flu season! If nothing else, we ate super healthy for 3 days!
