Fall Detox Guide
A change in season is a great time to consider a detox. The term “detox” has turned into quite the buzzword, leading most people to think of boxes filled with powders and supplements, juice cleanses or extreme short-term diets. At FAIM we think of detoxification differently and encourage you to as well. Living a simple, healthy lifestyle in tune with your body and self.
Our busy lives, eating out, stress and lack of sleep hardly allow any time for balancing our bodies. A weeklong mindful practice of living in harmony with the vegetables and fruits of the season, taking time to reconnect with yourself and getting back into healthy patterns is what we refer to as “detoxing”.
Fall brings the end of summer’s bounty of naturally high carbohydrate, water-dense foods. This along with the long hours of light, allows for our bodies to make a plentiful amount of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects the mood.
As the days shorten, the fall bounty turns towards more cruciferous and root vegetables, harder fruits with less water and dark leafy greens. The shortened amount of sunlight also reduces the amount of serotonin our brains naturally make and increases the amount of melatonin, a sleep-related hormone secreted by the pineal gland. These changes to our hormones can throw off our circadian rhythm, our bodies internal clocks. For many this results in seasonal depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
What can we do?
Get Sunlight - Make a habit of getting out in the cold morning air for a brisk walk. The morning sunlight contains helpful red light that will boost your mood and send signals to your brain to stop producing melatonin. Avoid the use of sunglasses or hats if possible but do wear sunscreen as the morning light does still contain harmful UVs that can wreak havoc on your skin.
Mindfulness & Meditation - Create space for a mindful or heartful meditative practice, breathwork or journaling practice to take time to reconnect with yourself.
Switch to Seasonal Fall Foods - Try to wean yourself from summer fruits and vegetables and enjoy fall’s bounty. Lean towards all the root vegetables, cabbage, broccoli, dark greens, winter squashes of every kind, bok choy and various Asian greens, green beans, apples, pears, persimmons, pomegranate, figs, and all kinds of herbs, especially the warming ones like thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley and bay leaves.
Hydrate - Keep hydrated even during the cooler months, especially once you have turned on your heat. Artificial heat can be very drying to your skin. If you find it hard to stay hydrated, try slightly warming your water and adding in a squeeze of lemon juice or fresh ginger slices.
Complete a 7 Day Detox - Any time in the fall, preferably pre-Thanksgiving or in between the holidays, start a weeklong detoxification diet and lifestyle. This is a great thing to incorporate in around the holidays to help you stay on track and feel your best through the busy season.
The Daily Detox Plan -
Upon waking, meditate for half an hour. End with savoring what you received and carry it through your day. When stressors pop up throughout your day, find refuge instantly by tapping into your meditative practice and address the issue with peace and by listening to your heart. Practice the art of “letting go”. It can sometimes be helpful to visualize the issue at hand being wrapped into a bubble and floating away.
Go for a brisk walk outdoors to get some morning sunlight and move your body, if possible. If not try a slow yoga flow or a light weight workout instead.
Breakfast: Begin with a cup of warm water with lemon, followed by a tea of your choice. Choose from one of the breakfast recipes, such as the Breakfast Quinoa Bowl topped with seasonal fruit or a smoothie with a few nuts to allow for some chewing.
Lunch & Dinner: Enjoy any of the recipes for lunch or dinner. A big bowl of salad with seasonal roasted veggies and fruit, topped with a simple oil-free vinaigrette or a brothy fall vegetable soup slow cooked in a crockpot to eat throughout the week.
Snacks: Make one of each of the savory and sweet recipes below, like the kale chips or raw chocolate truffles. You can also keep it simple and reach for fall fruits, such as pears or apples, a few olives or small serving of nuts.
Foods & Beverages to Avoid: Grains, legumes, oils, added sugar, keep salt naturally low, alcohol and coffee. If you are a coffee drinker, slowly wean yourself a few days before beginning the detox. Green teas and matcha are ok.
To avoid headaches and fatigue keep hydrated! Sip water and non-caffeinated herbal teas throughout your day. When done right, this detox week should give you plenty of energy.
At bedtime, take time to journal or meditate and feel thankful for the simple life that you led that day. Reduce blue light a few hours before bed, such as TVs and phone screens, dim the lights or go by candlelight. Try your best to get to bed before 10 pm.
Recipes & Meal Prep Ideas -
Breakfast:
Lunch & Dinner:
Savory Snacks:
Cut up jicama and carrots into finger thick sticks or use the thick julienne setting on your madoline. Mix jicama and carrots sticks with salt, lime juice and a pinch of cayenne.
Sweet Treats:
Sliced apples or pears with any nut butter (make sure it has no added oils)
Sweet potatotes peeled, cut into chunks, boiled and then dipped in toasted white/black sesame seeds
