It is that time of year again when we look at the scales and our bodies and wonder “What in the world happened?” We all know what happened! The weeks of mindless eating caught up to us. We lost the intentional, mindful, and goal-oriented eating plan and the results speak for themselves.  However, the past is in the past and today is a new day and you can start the change right now. Begin this year off right with a dietary detox and toxin flush to turn the ship around and make 2024 the healthiest year that you have ever had.

The Detox Ingredient List

Although there is no single food that will cause you to lose weight and burn body fat, there are many foods that work synergistically to reduce inflammation, create natural and sustainable energy all while eliminating body fat and toxins from the body. These foods are often referred to as the “Detox Ingredient List” and they really can live up to their name! These foods are integral to detoxing off the addicting sugar-laden foods that we indulge in during the holidays. Look for these foods in our recipes listed below.

The Daily Quick Start Checklist

Start your detox with these three daily steps.

  1. Hydrate- Drink a minimum of 64 ounces per day. Add fresh squeezed lime, lemon, or orange for some added flavor and Vitamin C.
  2. Sleep- Your most replenishing sleep time is between 10:30pm-2:00am. Be asleep by 10:30pm on a regular basis to renew your body and mind.
  3. Digital Detox- Avoid any screen time 30 minutes before bed and wear blue light glasses if you’re spending prolonged time in front of a screen. Blue light from digital screens reduces melatonin production, detrimentally affecting your sleep health.

 

The Ideal 24 Hour Detox and Flush Day

What follows below is an ideal detox meal plan for one full day. This plan can be repeated many weeks in a row. You can also substitute different recipes that contain the ingredients from the Detox Ingredient List above but be careful not to incorporate any junk or high carbohydrate ingredients.

5am-7:30am

The Sunrise Fat Burner—Drink this power shot immediately after waking up in the morning to start up your metabolism for a full day of fat burning.

  • 3 oz. Warm water
  • 1 tbsp of local honey
  • 1 tbsp of lemon juice
  • 1 inch of grated fresh ginger root
  • 1 pinch of turmeric
  • 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 pinch of cinnamon
  • Combine all of the ingredients and drink immediately

30-45 min after waking

Breakfast: Green Power Smoothie—This is a delicious smoothie that will both sustain your appetite and keep your metabolism rolling. Try consuming this smoothie 30-45 minutes after your Sunrise Fat Burner.

  • ½ cup water
  • 1 ½ cup of spinach
  • 1 cup of berries (you can mix and match this to your taste with cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, pomegranates, or peaches) frozen or fresh
  • ½ banana (tip- chop and freeze your bananas for easy additions to your daily smoothies)
  • 1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ tbsp chia seeds
  • ½-1 full scoop of vanilla whey protein powder (18-25g of protein).
  • Blend this and enjoy through the morning hours.

11am-1pm

Lunch: Tropical Salad—It is important to stay on an eating schedule when you’re doing a detox. Even if this means eating when you’re not hungry. We will often resort back to bad habits of high carbohydrate snacks and meals when we have gone too long without eating and need to find something quickly. Be intentional with your foods and the times you are eating them.

  • 1 cup of kale and/or arugula
  • ¼ mango chopped
  • ½ cup garbanzo beans
  • ½ cup romaine lettuce
  • ¼ cup chopped celery
  • ¼ cup chopped radishes
  • ¼ cup chopped green onion
  • ¼ cup chopped cucumber or tomato
  • 1 chopped whole hard boiled egg
  • ½ chopped avocado
  • ¼ cup lentils
  • ¼ cup raisins or pomegranates
  • Mix ingredients and place into a bowl
  • Dressing-
    • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar (try a flavored one for some fun!)
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 tbsp. Mustard (ground dry mustard here, not bottled prepared)
    • 1 tsp. Garlic salt

2-3pm

The Chocolate Fix—When you’re detoxing the need to have some fun without blowing the intentional eating plan is key.  The brain needs some time to switch from the stimulation of high sugar and high carbohydrate foods to more sensible high nutrient foods. This mid-day snack will help to keep you motivated and on track so don’t miss it.

  • ½ cup blueberries
  • ¼ cup almonds
  • 1 oz. Dark chocolate (Lilly’s brand is great!) with 70% or higher cacao not cocoa.
  • You can eat these as just a trail mix or make a fun cluster cookie.
  • Cluster cookie
    • Melt the cacao and add 1 tbsp of vanilla or chocolate protein powder
    • Mix and pour over the blueberries and almonds
    • Let cool to harden and enjoy!

5-6:30pm (not any later!)

Dinner: Sweet Potato and Beef Taco—Eating later than 6:30pm can not only lead to fat gain, it can also disrupt your sleep patterns. Sleeping is essential for detoxing and increasing your metabolism. Avoid eating after 6:30 at all costs. You may even want to skip dinner if you cannot eat before the cutoff time.

  • 1 Sweet Potato
  • ½ cup of ground beef
  • ½ chopped bell pepper (red and yellow are great!)
  • ¼ chopped onion or shallot
  • 1 clove of garlic minced
  • ¼ shredded lettuce, kale, or arugula
  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Directions:
    • Bake your sweet potato-Conventional oven- 400 degrees for 40-60 minutes. InstaPot- 22 minutes on high pressure. Don’t forget to poke your potato with a fork prior to cooking with either method. This can be done in advance and simply microwave for a minute or two to warm before serving.
    • Prepare the taco mixture by adding the oil to a skillet on med/high heat. Add and cook the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the veggies, ground beef, and spices and cook until the meat is fully cooked (about 7 minutes).
    • Cut your cooled sweet potato in half lengthwise. Spoon out a trough and add your taco mix to the potato. Top with the shredded lettuce, kale, or arugula.
    • Add hot sauce or salsa if you desire!

9pm-Midnight

Emergency Late Night Boost:

The holiday routine of eating every few hours and indulging in the evening desert or cocktail during the holidays can cause cravings in the late night hours. Although this hunger is more of a habit than a lack of calories, the need to satisfy this need can derail the detox. The best emergency protocol would be to repeat the Sunrise Fat Burner. This little drink of warm water and strong flavored ingredients will go a long way in stopping the food cravings and continue the fat burning well into the overnight hours.

Supplement Your Detox:

Occasionally, you may need to add a boost to your detox with a couple of safe supplements. These supplements go well with the recipes above to flush your toxins and increase your metabolic engine.

L-Tyrosine- L-tyrosine supplements can support the production of thyroid hormones to speed up your metabolism. Evidence suggests that when taken in combination with other fat-burning substances, such as caffeine and capsaicin, L-Tyrosine is even more effective for achieving weight loss. L-Tyrosine is a conditionally indispensable amino acid required for the production of the neurotransmitters dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline, as well as for the skin pigment, melanin. L-tyrosine can help to support a positive mood and mental alertness.

Garcinia- Garcinia cambogia is a plant native to SE Asia that has been used for centuries by traditional herbalists. Garcinia’s primary bioactive constituent, Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA), has been extensively studied for its effects on citrate lyase, which is the main enzyme responsible for the cellular synthesis of fatty acids. Scientific studies indicate that in the presence of HCA, cells produce fewer fatty acids from carbohydrates. It has been shown to reduce abdominal body fat and have a moderate weight loss effect.

L-glutamine- One major tool in detoxing can be L-glutamine. Known for its ability to help with sugar cravings, L-glutamine can give you an advantage in changing your eating habits. This semi-essential amino acid is also used to reduce muscle soreness and repair a healthy gut. If you are trying to break old eating habits, work out more, and are looking to improve your gut health, L-glutamine is the best tool.

Conclusion:

It is our goal at [Core] Chiropractic and Wellness to see our patients thrive in all areas of their health. It is our desire to use the tools of chiropractic, exercise, and nutrition to guide our patients to their best life ever. Let’s make 2024 an impactful year on your health and the health of our community. We want to see everyone become healthier than they have ever been in the New Year!


Daryl C. Rich, D.C., C.S.C.S.