| Fall Foods for Detoxification
Why Detoxify?
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The air we breathe, depleted soils/ depleted food, and the water we drink.
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Synthetic material in clothing, housing, cars, furniture, housewares.
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Medications, both over the counter and prescription. Many are metabolized through the liver or kidney, two of our main routes of elimination.
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Emotional stresses.
If you have been exposed to any of the above (ie, if you live on this planet), you probably need a detox/ cleanse!
Common indications for a detox/ cleanse include the following conditions:
If you have one or more of these symptoms/ conditions, you would probably benefit from a detoxification program!
For safety, please consult your doctor before beginning a detoxification program. For guidance and support during a detox, consult a nutritionally-oriented doctor or nutritionist in addition to your primary care doctor.
Hypo-allergenic diet for autumn months:
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A whole foods diet is naturally high in fiber and antioxidants, crucial for an effective detox. Do not restrict calories, only categories.
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Steam or slow cook vegetables (especially root vegetables, artichokes, cruciferous vegetables). Include 1-2 veggies at each meal, and get all 5 colors each day (dark green, light green/ yellow, orange, red, and purple).
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Steam or poach fruits like apples and pears. Limit raw fruits like berries or juices to 2 a day. (Also ok- soaked raisins, prunes, berries without sulfites or sugar). Avoid citrus, except lemon or limes for juicing, and tropical fruits.
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Emphasize broths, stews, and soups made with miso, vegetables, and herbs.
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Cook any grains into a porridge, adding warming herbs like ginger, cayenne, tumeric, garlic, and cinnamon. Have a cooked grain or porridge at each meal.
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Sprout grains, nuts, and seeds overnight in filtered or spring water to help with digestion.
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Include a protein with each meal or snack, such as beans, nuts/ seeds, tempeh, fish like wild salmon, or organic chicken/ turkey.
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Stay hydrated with warm purified water, green or herbal teas, and soups; avoid caffeine in coffee and other drinks.
Limit raw foods and dairy products. Avoid sugars and processed foods of any kind.
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Use olive, flax, and sesame oils only. Small amounts of butter ok. Avoid margarine.
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Condiments to use in small amounts: lemon or lime juice, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, herbs and spices, tamari, liquid aminos, onion, garlic, miso, tahini.
Other steps to take:
Gentle exercise, sunlight, and fresh air are essential for assisting in movement of toxins out of the body.
Hydrotherapy and treatments such as massage, contrast hydrotherapy, and colonics or enemas will greatly assist in this process as well.
Breathing exercises, meditation, yoga or tai chi, and emotional release can help with detoxifying your body and spirit. Rest, reflection, and adequate sleep are all necessary to fortify you, so these are especially important during the autumn.
Common concerns:
How long and how often should I detox?
Usually, two or three weeks is a good amount of time to see results but not too long. Once a year might be enough, but twice a year or with every season (modified for the time or year) is common and usually still healthy.
What are the side effects of detoxing?
Common symptoms are fatigue, headaches, skin outbreaks, hunger, and foggy thinking in the first few days. After that, most people will feel much better, with increased energy, weight loss, improvement in digestion, and better sleep.
Should I stop taking my medications?
Consult your doctor, of course, but you do not have to discontinue your medications and should not without medical supervision. The detoxification will still be effective even if you continue on your medications.
Recipes
Roasted Root Vegetable Medley: Slow cooking adds to the nutritive energy and brings out the sweetness. All vegetables should be organic.
1 each: turnip, rutabaga, large parsnip, sweet potato
2 medium carrots
½ large butternut squash
1 8-inch piece of burdock root
2 medium yellow beets (red ok, but they will bleed)
1 large onion (sweet yellow or white)
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tablespoon rosemary, thyme, winter savory, or a mixture of these
Enough Olive Oil and Maple Syrup to coat vegetables (1 part maple syrup to 4 parts olive oil)
salt and pepper to taste
Peel all vegetables and remove seeds from squash. Cut into mostly uniform cubes or slices, about 1 inch in diameter. Mix all vegetables with herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and enough maple syrup and olive oil to coat them well. Transfer to a roasting pan and cook at 325 for 45 minutes-1 ½ hours (depends on depth of pan and size of veggies) until vegetables are tender. Makes 6-8 servings.
Greens of Any Kind: This is a not really a recipe, but more guidelines on how to cook any green leafy vegetable, by sauteing, then steaming. This is a quick and easy way to make a healthy vegetable dish, and there are endless variations.
1 bunch greens
2 Tablespoons olive, sesame, or coconut oil
2-3 Tablespoon lemon juice, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, or other vinegar
2 clove garlic, ½ onion, 1 shallot, 1- 1 inch piece of ginger, or other savory condiment
salt or tamari, pepper, and/ or other herbs to taste
Toppings: Olives, beans, nuts, seeds, cheese, yogurt, other vegetables like tomatoes, etc
Filtered water
Wash greens and remove tough stems. Cut or shred by hand into bite-sized pieces. Heat oil on medium-high in saucepan or wok. Add chopped garlic, onion, etc and cook for 10 seconds. Add greens and coat with oil and seasonings. Add lemon juice or vinegar, spices, salt, etc., and water if needed. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until greens are slightly wilted and bright green. Remove from heat, add toppings, and serve. Makes 4 servings.
Some Combinations:
Kale, garlic, and lemon juice
Southern style: Turnip greens, onion, apple cider vinegar, and chopped pecans
Italian style: Escarole, garlic, balsamic vinegar, white beans, and oregano
Asian style: Dandelion greens, ginger, rice wine vinegar, tamari, and sesame seeds
Thai style: Collards, ginger, lime juice, cilantro, mint, and chili sauce
Greek style: Spinach, lemon, garlic, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and tomatoes
c. 2007 Kristina Conner, ND Do not reproduce without permission.
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