To understand what led me to do this detox, please read My Health Story.
Lots of folks have been asking questions about the detox. The detox is officially ten days and means no grains, no starchy veggies, no legumes, no dairy, no caffeine, and no processed (packaged foods). Here are some tips from someone in the trenches.
1. You can find info online by searching Dr. Mark Hyman. He has some books that you can purchase or borrow from a library or download as an ebook. “The Blood Sugar Solution” and “The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook”.
2. I would recommend taking a week before starting full-on to ease out of grains, sugar and dairy. Cut it back a little each day. It is tough! Remember – it is NO grains, not even oats or gluten-free.
3. NO PACKAGED FOODS. Most have added sugar and wheat or other grains.
4. Make large batches of soup to keep in the fridge and the freezer. It is HARD to eat enough to keep you going on this diet. I have not been able to physically get down more than 700 calories per day. Soup has been my salvation. We cooked up a bunch of clams for dinner and made a clear broth with veggies. I then made a hearty vegetable soup, and combined the left over clams and broth with it – as well as keeping some plain. That gets me through the evenings when I am hungry. Chicken soup is up next.
5. Here is a very weird tip. Peanut butter is not allowed on the diet because peanuts are not nuts – they are legumes. Cashew butter and almond butter ARE allowed. But what do you spread it on? No crackers or bread. In desperation, I discovered that it tastes very good on slices of zucchini or yellow summer squash. Really!
6. Also having trouble with no coffee or tea. I tried herbal tea. Not for me. Water is so boring. Solution? I cut up a strawberry and put it in with my water.
7. Stock up on blueberries and raspberries. And kiwi fruit is good.
8 Paleo recipes work very well if you decide to remain either/or grain/dairy free AFTER you end the detox. Also after the detox honey makes a great sub for sugar. Also there are many good Paleo dessert recipes that use coconut flour, almond flour and tapioca flour. Potato flour makes a good thickener for gravies. Tapioca flour works well to thicken puddings.
NOTE: everything in #8 is for AFTER the detox and depends on if you have determined whether the culprit for you is grains or dairy or both.
