♡ March Madness Day 5: My Detox Journey ♡

Lately, I've been feeling a bit... groggy. I think that's the word. My hair has been falling more than Jennifer Lawrence at the Oscars, my skin has been so dull, I've been so bloated and that's when I realized. For the past couple months I've been basically living off of junk food. I was watching TV the other day and I heard that these symptoms could all be cured by one thing, a food detox.

What is a food detox?
A food detox is basically cleansing your body of all the toxins you inhale everyday, whether it's from your food, environment or anything else. It's like pressing a 'reset' button on your body.

Who should try a detox diet?
I'm not a doctor so I can't help you there but I took this quiz and I ranked pretty high and figured that a detox was worth a try.

How do I do this?

Pre-detox
Basically, you have to prepare your body for a detox because certain foods can interfere with the liver's ability to detox therefore not allowing you to see full results of your detox. -Certain foods to avoid include: dairy, wheat, junk food, canned foods, processed foods, sugar, alcohol, trans fat, artificial sweeteners, caffeine. 
-Also make sure to eat more fruits and vegetables, try to buy from your local farmer's market to make sure that it's fresh!
-Drink plenty of water, it keeps your body hydrated!

Detox
There is a list of foods that you should include in your detox:

"Beverages

"milks" made from allowed foods, such as rice milk, almond milk, hemp milk

coconut milk - except canned coconut milk

water

herbal teas

green tea

lemon water

unsweetened juice made from allowed fruits and vegetables

mineral or seltzer water - in limited amounts

Sweetners

• brown rice syrup

• erythritol

• stevia

• real maple syrup

• raw honey

• black strap molasses

Condiments

• apple cider vinegar

• Bragg's Liquid Aminos

• miso - small amounts

• black olives

• lemons and limes

• fresh and dried herbs and spices

• cacao powder and cacao nibs

• carob powder

• sea salt

• mustard

• wheat-free tamari - in limited amounts

Animal Protein

• organic turkey

• organic chicken, preferably pastured

• wild, cold-water fish, such as Alaskan salmon

• lamb

• wild game, such as venison, buffalo, ostrich

Daily Detox Do's 

• Drink a minimum of 8 glasses of water per day

• Take the time to chew food well."  -about.com 

Now here's some foods to avoid during your detox:

"Animal Products

• beef

• pork

• veal

• sausages and hot dogs

• deli meats and cold cuts

• shellfish

Condiments

• ketchup

• relish

• soy sauce

• teriyaki sauce

• non-dairy creamers

• barbeque or steak sauce

• salad dressings not made with allowed ingredients

• mayonnaise

• spreads not made with the allowed ingredients

• similar condiments

Other Foods to Avoid

• yeast

• alcohol

• food additives and preservatives

• high-fat foods

• corn

• shortening

• margarine

• canned coconut milk" -about.com

The doctors over at about.com also made a sample menu for a detox diet, you can check it out by clicking this link.

Another fun thing to try out during a detox is detox water now I'm sure you've seen this. Here's a link to Bembu, where they show you 8 recipes! Cassey over at Blogilates also made her own recipe! You can also create your own recipes if you want!

Here's a video to guide you if you're a beginner:

Anyways, I'll make a post later this month telling you about my results of this detox. Happy March Madness!