The word “detox” is on everyone’s lips, especially after the holidays or at the start of a new year. Everyone’s looking for the best way to detoxify. In reality, detoxification should happen every day. Our body works for us, not against us.
It’s just that sometimes, what we expose it to makes things a little complicated when it comes to detoxifying. Here’s an easy 3-day detox protocol to help you out.
Understanding the Basics of Detoxification
Your body has 5 main detoxification organs: the skin, lymphatic system, liver, intestines, and kidneys. They filter everything we’re exposed to and everything the body breaks down and needs to eliminate regularly.
But with sedentary lifestyles, unhealthy eating, an environment that exposes us to more chemicals and toxins than ever, as well as bad habits (alcohol, junk food, fatty and fried foods, too many medications and supplements), the body can’t keep up. That’s why it’s important to have detox routines to return to regularly to keep detoxification pathways open, the liver healthy, hormones balanced, and diseases at bay.
Start the Day with Apple Cider Vinegar
Begin each morning of your 3-day detox with a bit of apple cider vinegar diluted in water. This helps reduce the amount of yeast in the body (candida), kick-start the liver, support blood sugar and insulin levels.
It’s also an intestinal cleanser. Even if the taste isn’t the most pleasant, diluted like this you’ll barely notice it. It’s an excellent way to start your detox.
Replace Coffee and Tea with Ginger Tea
Instead of your usual morning coffee or tea, opt for ginger tea during your detox. Boil water with fresh ginger or use ginger tea bags. Ginger provides digestive enzymes to the body and helps move food through the intestines, a function often disrupted by stress and overwork of the liver and intestines. This disrupts the production of digestive enzymes and jams up the entire digestive and hepatic system, making detoxification very difficult.
Have a Protein Smoothie in the Morning
About an hour after your apple cider vinegar and ginger tea routine, have a protein-rich smoothie. Starting the day with protein helps stabilize blood sugar. It provides excellent energy, eliminates brain fog, and prepares you to face the day. Proteins are crucial for muscle mass, hormonal balance, blood sugar, and much more. Use protein powder with frozen fruits and have fun with the ingredients (nut butters, plant-based milks, avocado, banana…). This energizing smoothie will keep you full for 3 to 4 hours with its 20-25g of protein.
If You Get Hungry, Go for a Rice Cake and Some Healthy Fat
If you hit a slump mid-morning after your protein smoothie, opt for a rice cake spread with a bit of healthy fat like ghee, coconut oil, or even butter. Rice cakes are low in calories and don’t cause a blood sugar spike. Adding a healthy fat stabilizes energy and blood sugar while giving you a boost during your detox. You can repeat this snack later in the day if you get hungry or your energy dips.
Time for a Green Smoothie in Late Morning
Around 11 AM, prepare yourself a green smoothie, keeping the fiber (not juice). This will stabilize your energy and keep you full for a good part of the day, whether you have it at 1 PM or at the latest 2 PM. The goal here is to reduce processed foods, salt, sugar, fried and fatty foods, and even meat. Not that meat is bad, but the aim is to give the intestines a rest, which is the principle of detoxification.
A Light, Plant-Based Dinner to End the Day
In the evening, eat a meal rich in vegetables. Go for salads or steamed vegetables. Choose your favorites, the key is to keep it simple. If you’re hungry between the green smoothie and dinner, you can have another rice cake or another protein smoothie if you’re really hungry.
The Goal of This 3-Day Detox
The purpose of this 3-day protocol is to relieve the digestive system, eliminate toxins and harmful bacteria, reset the gut microbiome to make it healthier, reduce inflammation, and ultimately make you feel great and full of energy.
It’s a simple and easy detox, to be done once or twice a month according to your desires and needs. The key is to do something to help your body do its detoxification work.