The first three days are by far the toughest of the cleanse when your body is working on breaking bad habits and beginning the detox process. Things like refined sugars, caffeine, refined breads, pastas, and processed foods are very frequent in a typical diet. We cut these out to help with our overall goal of reducing total body inflammation and restoring proper function to the gut. While these days are a challenge, stay strong in the diet because the payoff is well worth it! After day three the cravings for our typical “junk” food should subside and we will be on our way to that cleaner and healthier future.
Some things to keep in mind throughout the whole cleanse: try to buy whole, natural and organic foods when at all possible. Read labels! These are going to be rid of pesticides, preservatives and other chemicals that are toxic to our body and also main contributors to inflammation. The first 10 days are strictly vegetables and fruits with the addition of some legumes, pseudo grains, and our plant-based, Standard Process protein powder. When we restrict our diet to this level, we'll allow our GI tract to go through a quick & effective cleanse, while also giving it a break to begin the healing process. At day 11 we are set to add in small portions of meats to our diet. The main goal of this phase is to begin building up good bacteria and micro organisms to the gut so that it will be reset moving forward.
Things to avoid throughout the whole cleanse: Alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, sugar, nuts, eggs, dairy products, processed foods, grains, and other stimulants. These are all products that are toxic to the body and increase the inflammation to our body and also are known to damage the gut barrier.
Tips to avoid burnout: try to switch up the different vegetables that you are eating on a daily basis. Eating the same thing over and over will allow you to get frustrated quickly. Standard Process' online guide has a ton of great and flavorful recipes - but most importantly, it has options so that you aren't stuck eating the same stir-fry & salad every day. Use the legumes and pseudo grains at times when you feel like you are starving. These can be little bit more filling and tend to give you that full feeling that sometimes is lacking with just vegetables. Last but not least, remember to try and drink plenty of water (at least 8-10 glasses a day) this is going to increase the amount of toxins that you are able to get out of the body and help the detoxification.
Remember to refer back to your 21 Day Guide for the appropriate foods that we can eat. My family and I will share our favorite brands + recipes in a future post this weekend to keep everyone going!
- Dr. B