Minimizing foods that weaken your digestion is a wonderful break that you can give yourself at least once a year in order to strengthen your digestive health and your whole body. If you are feeling motivated to give your digestive system a break, and at the same time, your body a detox, these are the things you can minimize in your diet, either for a few days or weeks, or even more permanently, whatever works best for you! I would recommend a minimum of 10 days to begin to really feel the benefits. I know that making big changes can be very challenging in a variety of ways, and I am available to you if you need help in making these changes.
When I say minimize, what I mean is one of two things. If it is not hard for you to eliminate an item, then go ahead and stop consuming it for now. However, if it is difficult for you to give up an item, rather than eliminate it completely, you can choose to focus on just having a little of it, and just once in a day.
Minimize additives and preservatives.
If you are reading an ingredient list, you likely will see items such as “natural flavors”, artificial food colorings, BHT, and a whole host of other additives and preservatives. During your detox, eat whole foods as much as possible. These foods do not come with an ingredient list. During this time of healing your digestion, be sure to include plenty of fruits and veggies, lean protein like chicken, wild-caught fish, and grass-fed beef, as well as plenty of good, anti-inflammatory fats like almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and avocados.
Minimize added sugars.
Skip the sugar in your tea or coffee and either have them unsweetened or add a drop of pure stevia. Skip the desserts. Even go light on high carbohydrate items like cereal and bread. Choose eggs with veggies or brown rice with Mediterranean beans and veggies instead. DEFINITELY skip the high fructose corn syrup since you are eating whole foods right now anyway, right?! If you must have some form of sugar, opt for a chunk of 70% or greater dark chocolate as a reward for yourself at the end of the day. Another treat you can have each day is coconut milk kefir with a couple drops of stevia, some nutmeg and cinnamon, and a few cocao nibs sprinkled on top. Make your own kefir using real kefir grains in order to experience the many medicinal benefits of kefir.
Minimize cow’s milk.
Cow’s milk is the perfect food to help a baby cow grow into a 1000–1500-pound adult cow. A cow stomach, which has four separate compartments, is very different to ours. Cow’s milk is generally a difficult food to digest, so in order to give your digestion a break and time to heal, replace cow’s milk with coconut milk or almond milk.
Minimize gluten.
Similar to cow’s milk, gluten is also difficult to digest. A little history, wheat was genetically modified in the late 20th century to contain more gluten, making it harder to digest. Around this same time, so many cases of gluten sensitivity and intolerance began popping up. In order to give your digestive system time to rest and heal, give gluten a break as well. If you need grains in your diet, focus on gluten-free oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa as a side item to go with your abundant veggies, lean proteins, fruits, and good fats.
Minimize caffeine and alcohol.
Alcohol is a toxin, unfortunately. And it can alter the good bacteria in your digestive tract over time. For the sake of resting your digestive system so that it can heal and repair, give the alcohol a break for a bit. And remember, when you do drink, do it with moderation. Caffeine can interfere with the digestion and absorption of nutrients, so reduce it to give your body a rest. Opt for antioxidant filled, energizing green tea and relaxing herbal teas over coffee when you can.
Let me know which of these foods you choose to minimize or eliminate, and how the process goes for you!
Be sure to set clear intentions for yourself by making a plan, including the amount of time that you will do this, what foods to fill your kitchen with, identify who your support team is and let them know, and then ready, set, go for it!
Especially in the first few days of your gentle digestive cleanse, be gentle with yourself because your body may feel tired and a little yucky as your system detoxes. It is as though your body is unwinding from the stress it has been under and dumping it all out through all pathways possible. Drink plenty or water, at least 64 oz. per day, sweat for a few minutes each day with ideally exercise, but if not, then at least a steam room, sauna, or hot bath. Do not get constipated during this time as we want the toxins to flow out of your body through your natural detoxification pathways. Write in a journal, do this with a friend, or join a cleanse group so that you can process any emotions that may be coming up for you. There will most likely be a quite a few!
Congratulations on your commitment to self-care, healing your digestion, and truly looking and feeling great! If you are not worth it, then who is?