What to Purchase for the Spring Detox

If you're reading this, I am guessing you plan to join me for a month of NO ADDED SUGAR this March! Yay!! I'm psyched to clean up my diet, feel better--less joint pain--and probably lose a few pounds. 

In my last post, I talked about what we want to get rid of during the detox. We will be avoiding all ADDED sugar, including cane sugar, honey, maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup, etc. But there are plenty of whole foods--like fruit, veggies, juices, etc--that contain naturally occurring sugar. I'm not going to cut any of these foods from my diet. Of course you are welcome to make up your own rules!!

I've already stopped buying products with added sugar. I'm finishing off the last few packages of cookies I had in the pantry. During the month of March, I'll be eating other kinds of "treats" such as fresh berries, nuts, dried fruit (just a small amount because there's quite a lot of fructose in these) oatcakes (these contain zero sugar) and rice cakes. A rice cake or oat cake with peanut butter (no sugar added!) and a few berries will make a delicious dessert!

But what else should I have on hand to help me through the month?

1) Protein and plenty of it! Getting plenty of high quality protein will keep us feeling satiated and reduce cravings for sugar. Where can I find high quality protein? Wild caught fish and seafood, grass-fed beef, lamb, venison, bison, pasture-raised chicken and other poultry, pastured eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and tofu are all examples of food high in protein. Try to get at least 20 grams of protein per meal to keep the sugar cravings at bay.

2) Fresh veggies! After choosing your protein, the rest of the meal should consist of mainly veggies. Some examples: a big salad with grilled chicken or shrimp, a stir-fry with broccoli, carrots, beans, and tofu, or minestrone soup with tiny meatballs. Get some raw veggies and some cooked veggies every single day. I like to do a salad for lunch and cooked veggies for dinner. Ayurvedic medicine tells us that the digestive enzymes are strongest earlier in the day, so choose raw veggies early as they take more effort to break down.

3) Fresh fruits! Berries are lower in sugar than many other fruits and might be the best choice for a treat during this month. If you want to be stricter than me about your sugar intact, you might choose to avoid dried fruits for the month. 

4) If you follow a Paleo or ketogenic diet, you will want to avoid grains and legumes, but I feel fine about adding whole grains and beans. These are high in fiber which is so important for detoxing. Fiber acts like a scrubbing brush for your insides, cleaning out all kinds of toxins including excess estrogens. Fiber keeps your digestive system working properly. 

5) Nuts and seeds! These are fantastic for a quick snack or a treat. Nuts are high in healthy fats, but also have some protein and fiber. They are great to have on hand when you're starving and need something fast. If you eat too many, you might not lose as much weight, so I plan to limit my consumption. I love peanut butter and could easily eat an entire jar in one sitting, so I definitely have to restrain myself!

6) Coffee, tea, and cocoa powder! I could not go a single day without coffee, but I start each day with a cup of green tea. This is a more gentle way of waking up. Then after a walk with the dog, I have coffee doctored up with cocoa powder, collagen, and spices. Adding cocoa powder (unsweetened, of course) to your coffee mellows out the buzz, allowing you to become alert but never jittery. If I have coffee with cocoa, I notice a very big difference!

That's my pantry list for now. I might think of more later!

We have a little more than a week to prepare for our March detox. Questions? Leave a comment below!