Re-Do: A Grownup’s Way to Detox

When my kids were little they would always hit the imaginary re-do or erase button when things didn’t go quite the way they wanted or expected. And who wouldn’t want a fresh clean start? We tend to look at Spring as the opportunity to start anew and cleanse ourselves of all the old habits that have been interfering with our health. And while I don’t like the idea of a detox as a quick fix, I do condone the concept of detoxing as the beginning of a lifelong commitment to an improved way of thinking and living. So where and how do we start? And how do we keep our resolve from going the way of our New Year’s resolutions?

Here are 4 tips to keep in mind when creating our own grown up, personal re-do:

1. Make a list and begin with your most toxic habit first.
Just as you might try to complete the most daunting task on your to do list before 11:00 a.m. to ensure that it gets done, clean up your worst health habit first. This is your best first step in your detox efforts. By cleaning up the worst first, you may feel a noticeable difference in your health that will motivate you to continue towards your goals.

2. Identify your most favorite treat.
The common notion of detoxing as an all or nothing purge may work for a short period of time, but usually leads to feelings of deprivation that will short circuit any well intentioned plan. Instead, think of detoxing as a long term goal. By working special treats into your diet, your detoxifying efforts can progress to lifestyle changes. Eventually, your indulgences and favorite treats will gradually shift to healthier alternatives and naturally become part of your overall eating plan.

3. Be patient.
Detoxing and clean eating is a process. Patience and time are necessary steps when changing old habits. Detoxification is a continuous series of steps that allow us to examine what our health goals are and how we are going to practically achieve them. Identify what your health goals are by making a list. Tackle each item on the list one at a time, allowing your body time to slowly adapt to each new change.

4. Be mindful.
Simply becoming aware and mindful of the choices we make can lead to great long term change. Some great first steps for a spring detox may include choosing a week’s worth of salads* in exchange for the typical lunchtime sandwich or wrap. You can clean up dinner time by including vegetables as the main focus of the meal, experimenting with veggies that you have yet to try. Instead of bottled drinks loaded with sugar, try making a green smoothie*. Above all, experiment to see what works for you individually and slowly ease into your detox practice.

The other day I was cleaning up around the house. As I opened a drawer to put away all the accessories my daughter had left upon her dresser, the knob come off in my hand. Seconds later, I picked up a shirt off a leather footrest, only to notice a tear along the seams. That very same day my husband told me that the front of our newly purchased mail box had rusted off the hinges and was lying on the ground. Why isn’t anything built to last? I thought of the refrigerator that my parents had owned for well over thirty years. My husband and I buy warranties on every major appliance we own in the event that it doesn’t make it past that magic seven year mark. I was certain that someone, somewhere, was sending me a sign. A message that while I may not have control over my washing machine’s long term performance, I did have control over the food I eat and feed my family. As I trudged alongside my husband to see if we could somehow fix the mailbox, I was determined to welcome Spring with a renewed attitude and tweak toxic habits. I put down the cookie I had grabbed, took an apple instead, and followed my husband out the door.

*Green Smoothie
Ingredients:
1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 frozen banana
1 handful greens (spinach, kale, mustard greens)
1/2 an avocado
Vanilla and cinnamon to taste (start with a 1/4 teaspoon each)

*Detox salad
Ingredients:
1 bag shredded carrots
1 bag shredded Brussels sprouts
1 diced apple
1 diced celery stalk
A sprinkling of sunflower seeds and raisins to taste.
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and toss with your favorite no sugar added dressing. Enjoy as a side or main meal.

Happy detoxing,
Adina Kelman
Certified Holistic Nutritionist
a life in balance with adina

What Can I Do With This?

When I was little, my mom used to play a game called “What Can I Do With This?” She would pick up any object, like a plastic ring from a salad dressing bottle and hold it to her ear like a piece of jewelry. She could get very creative. I think she once turned a heavy, clay planter into a necklace. Anyway, I guess the game payed off. Whenever I have left overs, I wonder, what can I do with this? Smoothies, chili dishes, meat loaves, soups and stews, salads and stir fries are all amazingly easy dishes to not only hide those healthy ingredients your children, spouse or significant other may rebel against, but a convenient place to use leftovers. Using leftovers saves money and spares you from the “why did you buy another one of these when we already have 3 in the cabinet” speech. So when you see your fruit beginning to brown, freeze it and throw it into your next smoothie. Take the vegetables that you didn’t use for dinner and freeze them as well. And don’t worry because that produce still has health promoting antioxidants. Dr. Weil cites a study done by Belgian researchers who, after measuring the antioxidant levels of fruits and vegetables just prior to spoilage, found that both groups lost no phenolic compounds, ascorbic acid or flavanols and discovered that, in some cases, the total count of phenolic compounds actually increased prior to spoilage. Leftover vegetables and fruits are also great in any salad dish. A bowl of berries leftover from Sunday brunch goes great in Monday night’s salad. And Tuesday night’s leftover sweet potatoes are a great compliment to your Wednesday night chili. Making quinoa Thursday night? Make some extra or use leftovers to make these quinoa pizza muffins. A great side to salad or an after school snack, these gluten free muffins are a light, healthy treat.

Quinoa Pizza Muffins

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa which equates to about 3 cups cooked
2 large eggs
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons minced garlic or the crushed equivalent in a jar
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped or 2 tablespoons dried
1/2 cup diced tomatoes and/or sun dried tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pizza sauce for dipping

Directions:
Cook quinoa as directed.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients, except pizza sauce, in a medium mixing bowl.
Distribute mixture into a greased (or use baking cups) muffin tin, filling each cup to the top (one heaping tablespoon each) and press down gently to compact.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve warm with sauce for dipping.

Enjoy!
Adina Kelman
Certified Holistic Nutritionist
www.alifeinbalance.co