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The Ultimate Anti-Inflammatory Detox
Want a hormone-balancing, brain fog-clearing, tummy-soothing detox with a side effect of weight loss?
Yes, me too!
I devised this detox because I see patients for food allergies every day. Although food allergies are still rare (affecting about 5% of the population), food intolerances are quite common. And for many allergic and food intolerance issues, I ask patients to go on a food restriction diet ranging from one week to one month. After following this plan, many of them experience weight loss, fewer menopausal or PMS symptoms, a decrease in acid reflux, better energy, better sleep, a clearer complexion, and more.
Surprised? I was too.
After seeing so many of my patients experiencing these positive side effects, I decided to try it myself. One month later, I concluded that I was going to take out most of these foods for good because I was feeling so fantastic.
Try this detox for at least 10 to 14 days and I have a feeling you'll want to continue some portion of it permanently.
Why do this before the holidays?
- You don't have to buy any crazy products.
- It's natural.
- It's healthy (and some detoxes are not!).
- It does not require every expensive food intolerance testing.
Why does this work?
Turns out that food allergy researchers may be on to something in the diet world. In non-allergic patients, these foods may be irritating the gut, thus causing inflammation, which triggers our body to release inflammation "soothing" hormones. These hormones also store away calories. The overall inflammation in the body is also likely the source of the bloating, acne, brain fog etc.
So why not try eliminating potential these food triggers? If it helps at the end of two weeks, just add one food back each week to see which foods you may consider eliminating permanently from your diet.
The downside: You may see no results at all or may want to extend it for a week. If nothing else, you'll probably eat more vegetables and fruit than you ever have in your life!
Now, let's get down to the details:
Foods to Avoid:
- Soy
- Wheat
- Dairy
- Nuts
- Egg
- Corn
- Shellfish/fish
- Limit sugar and artificial sweeteners
Lucky for you, the FDA has mandated labeling of the top 8 food allergens on any packaged food—this includes milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish. So that even if it doesn't specifically say soy in the ingredients, it must be labeled somewhere on the package as having soy.
What can you eat?
Try eating predominantly vegetables, with a rice or sweet potato side.
Fruit or seeds can be snacks.
Vegans will find it hard to avoid nuts and soy, but hemp seeds, chia seeds and oils are a good substitute.
While you should limit the sugar intake, it's not absolutely banned.
Lastly, you should not be hungry on this detox!
A typical day may look like this:
- When you wake up: 1 glass green juice
- Breakfast: Chocolate Cherry (Green) Smoothie: spinach, raw cacao, frozen organic cherries, chia seeds, coconut milk
- Snack: Herbal tea
- Lunch: Large salad with avocado, olive oil, balsamic dressing, and tomato soup
- Dinner: 3 to 5 Black bean burgers (no bun) with guacamole, and salsa. (Optional: sweet potatoes, veggies, and kale chips)
- Dessert: 1 serving of dark chocolate (my favorite is Green and Black's 85% dark)
I have many more recipe and snack ideas (since I am prescribing this all day long!) but this is just a sample. So, I'm excited for you to try it and please share in the comments how it's working for you so we can all learn from your experience!
Dr. Amy Shah is a double board certified MD with training from Cornell, Columbia and Harvard Universities. She was named one of mindbodygreen's Top 100 Women In Wellness to Watch in 2015 and has been a guest on many national and local media shows. She helps busy people transform their health by reducing inflammation and eating more plants, utalizing the power of the microbiome to help digestion, natural hormone balance and food sensitivities. She is an expert on intermittent fasting for women and has a 2 week guided group program.
More from the author:
Functional Nutrition Training
Check out Functional Nutrition Coaching
A cutting-edge nutrition deep dive taught by 20+ top health & wellness experts
Learn moreMore from the author:
Functional Nutrition Training
Check out Functional Nutrition Coaching
A cutting-edge nutrition deep dive taught by 20+ top health & wellness experts
Learn moreDr. Amy Shah is a double board certified MD with training from Cornell, Columbia and Harvard Universities. She was named one of mindbodygreen's Top 100 Women In Wellness to Watch in 2015 and has been a guest on many national and local media shows. She helps busy people transform their health by reducing inflammation and eating more plants, utalizing the power of the microbiome to help digestion, natural hormone balance and food sensitivities. She is an expert on intermittent fasting for women and has a 2 week guided group program.
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