After a long holiday weekend, the beginning of a new week is the perfect time to detox your body. Detoxing does not have to be extreme. There is no need to subject your body to harsh cleansing programs that leave you exhausted and unable to go about your day. Detoxing should leave you feeling energized, refreshed, and glowing! This simple three-day detox plan will start you off on the right foot to feeling and looking your best.

The Basics

For the next three days, eliminate all sugars, alcohol, soda, processed food, grains, gluten, and animal products from your diet. In their place, enjoy green juices, smoothies, and plant-based meals. The only sweetener recommended for use is liquid stevia, which is all-natural, comes from a plant, and has zero glycemic impact. It is also very important to stay well hydrated by drinking water. Water is essential to help your body release toxins. The key is not to deprive your body but instead to flood it with nutrients to help it clean house.

Upon Rising

Take a high-quality probiotic supplement on an empty stomach with a glass of water, which will help replenish the beneficial bacteria in your gut and aid in digestion. Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics is a great brand and does not need to be refrigerated. Follow the probiotic with a glass of water with lemon juice. Lemon juice is highly alkalizing in the body and helps get your digestion going for the day.

Breakfast

Start your day with a green juice. The chlorophyll in greens oxygenates the body, which enables us to release stored toxins. Ideally this juice will be all greens, vegetables, and no fruit (except lemon). You can either make your own green juice at home or get one from your local pressed juice bar. A favorite combination is kale, cucumber, celery, lemon, and ginger, but if you feel like you need more for breakfast, have a little low sugar fruit such as apple or blueberries.

Hannah Kaminsky

Lunch

Instead of a large lunch that takes tons of energy to digest, try having a nutrient-dense green smoothie instead. Green smoothies are an excellent way to pack a ton of nutrition into one glass. Your body can digest a smoothie much faster than a large meal, giving it plenty of time to focus on internal housekeeping!

Here are three delicious ideas for nutrient-dense green smoothies. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a high-powered blender, adjust the sweetness to taste, and enjoy!

SJM’s Everyday Green SmoothieCoconut-Pineapple SmoothieVegan Cherry Avocado Smoothie

Snack

If you find yourself hungry between lunch and dinner, try snacking on cut up raw vegetables such as cucumber slices, celery, bell peppers, or carrots. If you are very hungry, a quarter to a half of an avocado mashed with sea salt and lemon is also a delicious option.

The Edgy Veg

Dinner

Dinner should not be the largest, most dense meal of the day. At the end of the day, your body does not need as much energy to run around, allowing it to focus more on digesting. Also, the fast between dinner and the next day’s breakfast is long enough to give your body time to process the meal. Begin each dinner with a large green salad. This can be as simple as mixed greens topped with herbs and raw vegetables. You can also add a quarter of an avocado for density. For a dressing, toss the salad with avocado, lemon juice, and liquid stevia, and it will form a nice creamy dressing without the need for oil. Another option is a massaged kale salad. Remove the ribs from a bunch of kale and rip the leaves into small pieces with your hands. Then massage the kale with a quarter of an avocado, some lemon juice, and liquid stevia until the kale is soft and wilted. Top the salad with any raw vegetables you like. Keep your main course simple and satisfying. Have a baked sweet potato or squash such as butternut or acorn. You could also have some cooked non-starchy vegetables such as lightly sautéed greens (use water not oil), roasted broccoli, or cauliflower.

Be kind to your body while you detox. Get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water, and treat yourself to a massage. You will feel refreshed and glowing!

For more vegan wellness, read:What I Learned from a Vegan Ayurvedic Retreat9 Vegan Nutritionists We’re FollowingThe Complete Vegan Guide to the Elimination Diet

Sara Jane Mercer is a holistic health coach and recipe developer who believes in living life the clean, pure, and simple way. Follow her on Twitter at @SaraJaneMercer for recipes and healthy living tips.

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