Detox your tummy back to health

I’m not a fan of the term ‘detox diet’ as it is often associated with long periods of fasting or drinking vegetable juice for days on end. Detox is really the term given to simplifying the diet, giving your digestive system the rest it deserves after days, or perhaps even weeks of overeating and gorging on rich foods or treats galore while we can get away it - weddings, Christmas, holidays...

If your little binge of over- or inappropriate eatiing is over, this plan aims to get your overindulged tummy back on track with some basic healthy eating.

The detoxing process and its benefits

Most of the time, our bodies do a fantastic job naturally at detoxing. However, this plan will help to kick off the detoxifying process after the little overindulgences of the festive season. This regimen, high in phytonutrients and antioxidants will increase your natural resistance to illness whilst encouraging your brain to produce feel-good chemicals. And we could all do with a few more of those!

When you simplify your diet for a week, something fantastic happens. By eating wholesome foods and giving your body a break from refined flour, caffeine, and sugar, your body can shed up to 10 pounds of excess water weight and your energy levels can soar. You improve your digestion, stop feeling bloated and stop feeling congested! Detoxing is also a useful way for you to retrain your dietary habits.

So don’t worry if you’re sceptical of most ‘detox diets’ - there are no laxatives, enema’s or colonic irrigations in this regimen; just stripping back to basic food and drink, full of stimulating and clarifying nutrients!

7-Day detox regimen

Each daily plan provides you with between 1000-1500 calories per day and as you will notice, takes it easy in the meat section, to give your digestive system a well-deserved rest. Try to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to provide adequate hydration and to help eliminate those naughty toxins from your body.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Saturday	Orange juice Porridge + semi skimmed milk & handful of raisins	Salad: tomato, rocket, cucumber & croutons	Roasted butternut squash risotto + yoghurt or fresh fruit
Sunday	Nettle / green tea Natural yoghurt (125ml) + tsp of honey	Butternut squash & sweet potato soup + wholemeal roll	Baked salmon fillet + mange tout & new potatoes
Monday	Fruit juice Plain wholemeal toast	Mackerel & mixed salad	Egg noodle stir fry with pak choi, bean sprouts, carrot & black bean sauce + yoghurt
Tuesday	Decaf tea / coffee Porridge made with water + tsp of honey & handful of raisins	Jacket potato + cottage cheese	Tuna pasta bake + green salad
Wednesday	Herbal tea / decaf tea or coffee Natural yoghurt (125ml) + tsp of honey	Oatcakes and hummus	Sweet potato & spinach curry + chickpeas & brown rice
Thursday	Fruit juice Fruit & fibre cereal + semi-skimmed milk	Chicken & bacon salad with lettuce avocado, tomato & walnuts	Roasted vegetable quinoa salad (tomatoes / courgette / butternut squash / aubergine) + a handful of baby spinach
Friday	Fruit juice Wholemeal toast & butter	Cream crackers with cottage cheese + fresh fruit	Omelette with courgette & tomato & sprinkle of cheese + side salad

If you do find yourself craving food after between breakfast ad lunch, which is likely since this is a pretty low calorie regimen, then you can try eating one or two crackers/rice cakes (snack-a-jacks), a dried fruit and nut mix or a piece of fruit to keep you going – but try not to make a habit of it.

Remember, this plan is just a rough guide and meals may need to be altered according to preferences, allergies or intolerances. After a week on this regimen, you can go back to normal eating, but do try and stick to a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables to maintain a healthy digestive system – start your year as you mean to go on!

Aimee Matthews

Posted 10.01.2011

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See more in the dossier: Eating for improved health