Get out the sweaters, get out the toxins!

Don’t you just love sweater weather? It’s crisp, cozy AND the perfect time of year for a fall detox! Cleaning up your food choices now will reset your health and boost your immune system for the colder months ahead. Not only that, but you can face all those holiday meals and celebrations with plenty of practice eating well. (That’s a skill we can all use to have under our belts!)

Here are seven of my favorite “fall cleaning” methods:

1. Try to eat primarily whole foods and food that’s in season. Add one of the

   “great gourds” to your menu. Try acorn squash for sweetness, butternut squash for savory plates and spaghetti squash in place of pasta. Delicata squash and pumpkin are only available this time of year, so grab one while you can!

2. Remove processed, refined foods and sugars from your diet and focus on clean, organic eating. People ask me how to best avoid processed foods and I recommend “shopping the perimeter.” The outside walls of the grocery store are where you find the healthiest foods. (And by the way, as we approach the holidays, expect an entire blog about sugar ... you’re welcome in advance!)

3. Curl up with a cup of tea. Teas are great for supporting your detox and boosting your immune system. I like green, black or herbal teas. Peppermint is great for digestion and a pick-me-up in place of a sweet during the day.

4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Focus on increasing your water intake to flush toxins out your body. Are you drinking 11 cups of water each day? Probably not. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups of fluids a day for men and 11.5 cups for women.

5. Go chemical-free with your personal products including lotions, deodorant, feminine products, soaps and cosmetics. Your skin is the body’s biggest organ, and it absorbs chemicals and toxins just as easily as your mouth, so don’t take it for granted. I personally use (recommend?) PURE HAVEN products. (Do you need or want to mention you’re a consultant or do you prefer this understated here?)

6. STOP the STRESS! And break the cycle of turning to food when you’re feeling anxious. I recommend lowering your stress levels through journaling, prayer, meditation, yoga, walking or some other form of exercise.

7. Reduce or eliminate alcohol from your diet. I saved this one for last because I know things get a little crazy now through Mardi Gras, but seriously, let’s talk. This is the easiest and probably most critical way to detox. Alcohol is a huge burden on your liver and immune system. If you’re used to a drink with dinner every night, cutting back to social or weekend beverages only is a huge first step. Try a naturally flavored sparkling soda in place of a cocktail.

Everyone can do a detox, but it’s especially useful if you struggle with bloat, imbalanced hormones, autoimmune diseases or gastro-intestional (GI) distress. Detox is a great first step to eliminating inflammation and getting to the root cause of chronic disease.

I’ve spent years educating myself on discovering and eliminating the reason for inflammation and chronic diseases. I understand that everyone is different and I love working with people to individualize what works for body type and needs. Beyond food choices and GI support, my best tools include:

• Thermography

• Genetic Testing

• Hormone Testing

• Our specialty KBMO food sensitivity test

And of course, I love to share my food recommendations. Stay tuned for a great acorn squash and wild rice medley recipe which I’ll add to my recipes page and link here. And in the coming months, I’ll share full descriptions on all the tools I mentioned above! Until then, try a detox for better balance and a better you!