This daily guide is from my book The Detox Diet. It is especially useful during the colder months and I have used it with great success during the New Year’s Detox programs that I have offered for the last 31 years at my clinic, The Preventive Medical Center of Marin.
DAILY MENU PLAN
Morning (upon arising): Two 8-oz glasses of water (filtered, spring, or reverse osmosis), one or both glasses with half a lemon squeezed into it.
Breakfast: Begin with one or two pieces of fresh fruit (at room temp), such as apple, pear, banana, grapes, or citrus. Chew well, mixing each bite with saliva.
15-30 minutes later: One medium bowl of cooked whole grains (non-gluten)—such as millet, brown rice, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat (raw or cooked)
Flavoring: For a sweeter breakfast taste, use two tablespoons of fruit juice, or for a deeper savory flavor use the “better butter” mixture mentioned below with a little salt, or soy sauce.
Mid Morning (11 AM) One-two cups (6-12 oz) veggie water, saved from steamed vegetables.
Add a little sea salt or kelp and drink slowly, mixing each mouthful with saliva. You can also add some green nutrient-rich powder or a vitamin C powder product (C combined with alkaline minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium).
Lunch (Noon-1 PM) One-two medium-sized bowls of steamed vegetables; use a variety: such as potatoes & yams, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, beets, asparagus, kale, chard, and cabbage and include some roots, stems, and greens. CHEW WELL !
Mid Afternoon (3 P.M.) same as 11 AM – 1 to 2 cups veggie broth saved from steamed veg.
Dinner (5-6 PM): Same as Lunch – vary ingredients
Evening: Herbal teas only e.g. peppermint, chamomile, rooibos, or blends.
Seasonings: “Better Butter” Butter/canola or flaxseed oil mixture: mix half a cup of cold-pressed canola oil (or olive or flaxseed oils) into a soft (room temperature) half-pound of butter; then place in dish and refrigerate. Use about one teaspoon per meal or a maximum of 3 teaspoons daily. Other seasonings can include herbal salts like garlic.
NOTE: You may feel a little weak or have a few symptoms, such as headaches, during the first couple of days; this will pass. Clarity and feeling good should appear by day 3 or 4, if not before. If you start to feel weak or hungry during this diet, assess your water intake and elimination; if needed, you can eat a small portion of protein (3-4 ounces) in the mid-afternoon or with lunch. This could be fish; free-range, organic chicken; or some beans, such as lentil, garbanzo, mung, or black beans.
KEY SUGGESTIONS
- Chew your food very well and take enough time when you eat.
- Relax for a few minutes before and after your meal.
- Eat in a comfortable sitting position.
- Enjoy what you do eat and focus on nourishing yourself.