Detox Weekend

I've been doing a detox this weekend and its been hard.  Detox diets and cleanses have become very popular lately, but they're not a new idea.  People put themselves through these things for different reasons, whether to lose weight, get rid of toxins, or sometimes even for religious or spiritual purposes.

This weekend was perfect for me to give my body a little bit of a rest after enduring a very hot summer.  The weather is finally cooling down a little, and I went to my first yoga workshop with Ana Forrest Saturday morning (sweat out those toxins!).

My view on detox diets is actually a bit mixed.  I believe that our bodies already know how to detox themselves without  requiring weeks of only drinking maple syrup, lemon-aid, and cayenne, or five different kinds of juices at regularly scheduled intervals.  On the other hand, I think that sometimes its a good idea to give the system a rest by eliminating processed foods, sugar, alcohol, wheat, dairy, and animal flesh.

I took what I've learned about detoxes over the years and what I know about my own body (that I'm lactose intolerant, have trouble with red meat, get shaky when I don't eat) and designed my own plan that included green juices, flax oil, fruit, cooked vegetables, tea, and, (gasp!) even dessert.

Here's my plan:

Apples and Grapes (Breakfast, in between juices, meals, whenever hunger strikes)
Green Juice, 2 or 3 times a day (equal parts parsley, celery, romaine, kale) with 1 teaspoon ground Salba

Flax Oil (taken with Green Juice)
Roasted Summer Squash with Barley Miso Vinaigrette, Spike and Spirulina Seasoning, Baby Spinach, and Millet (for lunch and dinner)
Banana-Coconut Ice Cream (only ingredients are bananas, coconut milk, nutmeg, and raspberry preserves)
Filtered Water (stay hydrated, flush out toxins, and lubricate your organs)

(The inspiration and basic recipes came from The Seasonal Detox Diet, by Carrie L'Esperance, a great book for those wanting to learn more about detoxing.)

Instead of starving myself, I nourished my body with whole, nutrient-dense foods meant to support specific organs associated with late-summer (according to Traditional Chinese Medicine), and a few supplements to provide extra vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.

Now that I'm coming out of the detox, I'm slowly re-introducting foods (whole-grain crackers with peanut butter at breakfast, adding an egg to lunch), not pigging out with a burger and fries.

Although I'm still a bit more lightheaded than usual, my digestion has been great, blemishes have begun to clear up, and I feel much less summer heat.

Anyone else detoxing this time of year?  What are your favorite methods?

(Before detoxing or changing your diet drastically, please consult a doctor or health professional.)