Detox.
It can be an intimidating concept, and what does it mean exactly? Do I stop eating all together, or eat certain things and avoid others, or only drink juice, or fast, or WHAT?
Detox and cleanse are often used interchangeably which also adds to the confusion. Lets break it down into the most simple of terms and concepts.
A detox or cleanse is meant to remove toxins and poisons from your body by only consuming pure whole foods. From that basic concept come many variations, but a few things are constant through all of them and that is what we are going to look at.
* avoid processed foods
* avoid caffeine
* avoid alcohol
* avoid sugar
* avoid preservatives and artificial colors
* eat organic whenever possible
* drink plenty of water
* avoid dairy
* avoid wheat
and now for what to include: I will add a full list on another page, but here are a few of the best items to include, also used in this salad.
broccoli – touted by many as one of the healthiest foods on the planet, it is rich in vitamin C, fiber and calcium. broccoli also helps to control liver enzymes aiding in liver detoxification.
lemons– high in vitamins C and A, potassium, calcium and amino acids.
garlic– provides vitamins C and B, selenium and manganese. stimulates the immune system, removes toxins while providing antioxidants.
lentils and legumes– provide folate, protein, B6, magnesium, and fiber to cleanse the digestive tract.
leafy greens– such as spinach and romaine lettuce. romaine lettuce provides vitamins A and C, calcium and protein.
So wanting to detox doesn’t have to be a tortuous thing, stick to whole natural foods packed with nutrition to make your body strong and foods known to aid in the elimination of the bad stuff. Weather or not you believe all the detox hype, filling your body with beautiful, delicious and nutritious food surely isn’t a bad idea.
Ingredients: 2 servings
1 head romaine lettuce
1 cup broccoli- finely chopped
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes – halved
1/2 cup dry lentils – prepare following package directions
dressing:
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon aple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon diced garlic
3/4 – 1 cup olive oil
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon agave – optional
Method:
divide lettuce, broccoli and tomatoes onto 2 plates. top with cooked and cooled lentils. in a small jar or blender, combine dressing ingredients, top salad with dressing and serve immediately.