My favorite detoxifying foods to survive the holidays

Alright ladies, let’s be honest for a second, the holidays are soooo sweet and delicious.

I, for one, come from a family that LOVES sugar (yes, capital letter LOVES!).

My husband jokes that we are the only family he knows who orders dessert after breakfast LOL… but, besides it being an on-going joke, it seriously took me a while to get a handle on my sugar addiction in my 20s when I was first learning all about women’s hormonal health and how I can balance my hormones –and hence, my period and fertility, emotions, brain function, skin and hair health etc– naturally.

And even now, when I have increased sugar for a few days in a row, like over Thanksgiving with my family, I begin to crave it like crazy.

All that to say, that I am also not a pleasure robber and get that throughout the holidays we’ll have some more sweets and other indulgent foods than we do throughout the rest of the year.

With that in mind, I do make sure that I keep my favorite detoxifying foods at hand… ya know, to minimize the damage where I can;)

Here is what you can find at my house right now if you were to come over to hang with me and my boys:

1. Chlorella

   Chlorella is freshwater algae, originally from Taiwan and Japan, and is known as a superfood offering all the benefits of phytonutrients, amino acids, chlorophyll, beta-carotene, potassium, phosphorous, biotin, magnesium and B-complex vitamins. Chlorella is unique in how nutrient dense it is and how supportive it is of your immune system. Plus, it is a great energy booster and provides important enzymes. Chlorella is so powerful that it is even helpful in chelating heavy metals. Whoaa!
   
   I like this supplement because it combine chlorella with spirulina, another powerful detoxifying agent. I also like that it is in a ill form, so I can just chew on 2 pills in the morning (which I do fast, because they aren’t exactly delicious) or I toss them into our morning smoothie.

2. Turmeric

   You’ve probably heard a lot about turmeric in recent times -it’s definitely a trendy one, and for good reason. Turmeric is in the ginger family and contains a phytochemical called curcumin, which is why turmeric is such a powerful detoxifying agent.
   Curcumin works by stimulating your gallbladder to release bile, which helps your liver process metabolic waste and toxins, ultimately improving liver function. Bile cleanses your liver and rejuvenates liver cells, while also preventing toxins from being converted to harmful compounds that damage your liver.
   
   I use turmeric mostly as a spice in my cooking. I add it to soups, rice or lentil dishes, or in meat sauces. Or, you can also make golden milk, which is super delicious and a great coffee replacement.
   
   *Warning: Turmeric stains are not easy to remove, so be careful when you feed it to your kids.

3. Leafy greens

Leafy greens are the most nutrient dense food and they are foundation to create ultimate hormonal health.

Leafy greens support 3 key body systems: the detoxification system, the anti-oxidant system, and the inflammatory/ anti-inflammatory system. Leafy greens work by cleaning the blood, improving circulation, strengthening your immune system and reducing inflammation throughout the day.

Spinach, kale, moringa leaf, alfalfa leaf and parsley rank particularly high on this list.

Leafy greens are packed with minerals, including iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and magnesium, and vitamins, including  B vitamins as well as vitamins A, K, C, E. Plus, leafy greens are full of fiber, which is important in order to have regular bowel movements, which, of course, if key for proper detoxification.

4. Beets

Beets are great at cleaning your blood and supporting your liver in your body’s natural detoxification pathways. Beets are also high in antioxidants and many nutrients including folate, pectin fiber, iron, betaine, betalains, betacyanin, and betanin.

5. Cruciferous vegetables

Cruci what? Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli sprouts, dandelion greens, arugula, bok choy, broccoli, brussle sprouts, mustard greens, turnips, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, and watercress.

Among other detoxifying benefits, these veggies contain an increased amount of a certain phytochemical called Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) which breaks down into Diinolylmethane (DIM) and is supportive of estrogen metabolism in the body.

6. Other spices that support detoxification pathways

Cumin
Ginger
Saffron
Cinnamon
Rosemary
Horseradish
Cayenne Pepper
Cardamom

What else supports detoxification:

-> Exercise: Your skin is another one of your detoxification organs, so make sure you get some exercise.

-> Fresh air: In Sweden, where my husband is from, they say that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. In other words, throw on some layers and get outside.

-> Prevent over-eating and over-indulging by preparing blood-sugar balancing meals, which include a combination of lots of veggies, a healthy protein, and a good quality fat. I never show up hungry to a party, because I know I will over-snack on things that aren’t in service of my greater health.

-> A positive, joyful mind. I truly believe that when we are happy, balanced, and rested, our body –including our detoxification system– works a million times better than if we are stressed, angry and tired. If the holidays tend to be a stressful time for you –or, if you’ve been going through a tough time and know you need some guidance and support to get you out of your hole and hit the reset button– you can always book a coaching call with me by emailing me at caroline@carolinezwickson.com subject “Coaching Call.” I am booking coaching calls until December 20th and then again starting in the new year.

In the comments below, tell me what you’re doing to support your health this holiday season <3

xo

Caroline