20 Detox Superfoods

DETOX SUPERFOODS:

Here is a list of 20 superfoods that are super healthy and nutritious~ I definitely have my go to favorites but there is a good list to start off with. Try to eat these raw or steamed to get the fullest nutrient and detox benefit from these lovely delicious gifts of mother earth. :)

Apple - helps excrete heavy metals and cholesterol and is cleansing for the liver and kidneys

Artichoke - Purifies and protects the liver and has a diuretic effect on the kidneys

Asparagus - diuretic effect, helps maintain healing bacteria in the intestines

Broccoli - Like sprouts and cabbage, increases levels of glutathione, a key antioxidant that helps the liver expel toxins

Carrot - Packed with beta-carotene, powerful antioxidant; antibacterial and antifungal

Cranberry - Antioxidant-rich; destroys harmful bacteria in the kidneys, bladder, and urinary tract

Fennel - Strong diuretic action and helps the body eliminates fats

Garlic - Powerful antioxidant that is also excellent at eliminating toxic microorganisms

Ginger - Relieves abdominal bloating, nausea, and diarrhea. Helps to stimulate digestive enzymes, aiding efficient digestion

Lemon - Stimulates the release of enzymes--an essential part of the liver's detoxification process

Drink freshly squeezed lemon water in the morning to kick start your day and your metabolism!

Olive oil - Antioxidant; prevents cholesterol from being transformed into a harmful free radical

Onion - Rich in the antioxidant quercetin, which protects against free radical damage; enhances the activity of healthy intestinal flora and is also an antiviral

Parsley - Diuretic and helps kidneys to flush out toxins; contains phytonutrients that support the liver and is rich in antioxidants

Quinoa (pronounced kin-wa, just found this out recently!) - Easily digested cleansing grain that is a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Rice - Brown rice in particular cleans the intestines as it passes through and prevents constipation; antiallergenic and helps stabilize blood-sugar levels.

Salad greens - Superb antioxidant and cleanser of the digestive tract.

Spinach, kale, and butter lettuce are my go to for now...YUM!

Seaweed - Strong antioxidant; helps alkalinize the blood and strengthens the digestive tract.

I am definitely a huge fan of seaweed. I can eat these by the bowl full. I absolutely love love love this stuff!!

Tomato - Rich source of the antioxidant lycopene, thought to prevent a variety of diseases

Watercress - purifies the blood and expels wastes from the body

images from msmarket.coop

Yogurt - Live yogurt contains probiotics that reduce intestinal inflammation and fungal infections and eliminate bad bacteria that damage the gut wall

I'm sure there are tons more detox superfoods out there. This is just a small list...which is making me really hungry right now and it's almost midnight. Sad thing is I just ate 3 bananas like 10 minutes ago lol!

References: The process of cleansing and restoration detox

Huge Salad for dinner!

Here is a lovely photo of my homemade salad of tomato, kale, spinach, mushroom, cucumber, broccoli, almond, cheese, and organic honey mustard dressing. YAY for raw alkaline greens which are good for your digestive tract and for your body pH. I topped off my night with fresh organic raspberries for dessert~ Healthy dinners make me very very happy!

Ginger Detox Tea

Sip, sip, sip! MMMMMmmm, I love hot tea even in the summer. I started making my detox tea again and mixing it with diced ginger and oh man is that so good.

Benefits of ginger:

• Improves absorption and digestion
• Prevents colds and flus & boosts your immune system
• Combats stomach upset and discomfort
• Decreases pain and inflammation
• Fights respiratory problems
• Combats morning sickness & nausea
• Fights ovarian and bowel cancer

Ginger detox tea recipe:

Raw honey or agave
Ginger - diced
My tea brand recommendation    //    Mighty Leaf Organic Detox tea   //    15 pouches for $9.95
   {   peppermint, burdock root, dandelion root, licorice root, red clover flower, and basil   }

All Natural Homemade Salsa in 5 minutes!

I made my very own salsa at home today really easy and it's so much better than the store salsa. I got  organic tomatoes, cilantro, onion, jalapeno, lime, and don't forget tortilla chips. Wash and clean all vegetables. I used 3 tomatoes, a few small slices of onion, a teaspoon of chopped cilantro, a teaspoon of lime, and a half of a jalapeno. I put them all into a blender. It's probably better in a food processer. 

It's as easy as that! :)

Voila! All natural salsa with organic blue corn chips with no salt. 

Dairy Free Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Have you heard of 

?

I've seen the brand before but I knew little about it. I don't eat ice cream often but now that it's summer time and I have a sweet tooth I picked up one of these babies. I totally caved in when I saw it was dairy free. So Delicious brand is dairy-free for those who are lactose intolerant like I am! I was slightly skeptical as trying most new brands but I fell in love right away at first bite. It is super light and it's not exactly like typical dairy ice cream. The texture kind of reminds me of a frozen version of chocolate mousse. It was so DELICIOUS. I couldn't believe the taste was perfect.

Ingredients are as follows: organic coconut milk (water, organic coconut cream), organic agave syrup, chicory root extract, cocoa (pressed with alkali), carob bean gum, guar gum, natural flavor. 

This ice cream is made with organic and non-GMO coconuts. The ice cream is a bit pricey. I bought mine for about 5 or 6 dollars for a pint but it was totally worth every penny. They have desserts on their website made with coconut milk and almond milk. They have milk, ice creams, creamers, and cultured milks.

What I like about this company is that their packaging is BPA-free. They use high quality sanitation  and make sure all their products are allergen tested. 

{   Click here for their official website   }

The company was started in 1990 as a one man operation by it's founder Mark Brawerman. His vision was to provide the public with the highest quality dairy free products to those who have specific needs like me and so many others.

This is officially my favorite ice cream. I can't wait to try all their flavors!

Next dessert I want to try:

DROOOOOOLS!

What are your favorite ice creams or desserts (brands?)

My Current Diet

I try to keep my grocery shopping as simple as possible because it can get overwhelming at times. One tip is to purchase small amounts at the store. Most of the stuff I buy are organic fruits and veggies. I don't try to buy too much outside of that as your cart can get full of items you don't need. I eat fruits and cereal for my sweet tooth. I eat and drink soy products for protein(other than beans).

GREENS
I have now incorporated Kale into my diet. I get the organic mixed greens with spinach, kale, and other  greens. I need to come up with a green juice for me to drink and I'll make sure to share it with you guys when I'm done. =)
Greens are also great because they tend to be alkaline. Alkaline means a pH higher than 7. Our bodies are slightly more alkaline but because our diets tend to be more acidic our bodies have to work harder to balance it out. This will make us more fatigued and tired. Alkaline foods are better for your digestive tract as it is much more gentle and sensitive. Fermented veggies like pickles or kimchi(Korean) are alkaline and good for you. There are lists on the internet that tell you what foods are alkaline that you can easily look up.

MORE FRUITS & VEGGIES
Organic celery, eggplant, red pepper, spinach, onions, garlic, kale, bananas, mango, berries... for now

NO ADD'L SALT & SUGARS
Little to no salt. I don't put any additional salts into my diet. At first it's weird but you get used to it after a while and then your taste buds change and dislike too much salt. One of the reasons I hate going out to eat is that they put salt on EVERYTHING!
No refined sugars. The only sugars I support are the ones from fruits and honey. I approve of Agave which is like the vegan alternative to honey. I've seen non-vegans like it. I've tried Stevia but I didn't like it too much. Stevia is a great substitute though and it's super alkaline which is good for your body since we tend to eat more acidic foods.

SEASONING
My one and only favorite is cracked pepper. That's really about it. =)

TOFU & BEANS
Vegans and vegetarians have to eat more soy product and beans for our protein source. Black beans are my fav! I love tofu because of it's versatility. You can make almost any recipe out of tofu.

SNACKS
I like to snack on bananas, celery, and granola cereal when I get a little hungry throughout the day. Sometimes I like hummus with pita chips. I know this is not entirely that good for me but this is my once in a while guilty pleasure. I love hummus!

WATER
I only drink water, tea, and coffee. I don't drink any sodas. Very few juices as I rather make the fruit juices and smoothies at home. I drink water as much as I can. Penta water is my favorite brand of water. See my blog   {  Better H2O   }


DAIRY
Soy, almond, rice


ORGANIC
Try to get everything organic. They are usually better quality than the ones that are not.

NON-GMO
No genetically modified foods. They're everywhere but the ones that are not have a non-GMO label on it.

NO MEAT
I am a vegetarian so I don't eat any animal meat. I do eat eggs and seafood though.

EAT OUT LESS
A lot of the food ingredients restaurants use are processed, high in sugars and salts, carbs, fat, which is completely unhealthy. I try not to go out too often. What I suggest is to maybe cook in your home more for your friends and family. It's more fun this way and maybe you can get your friends to help you with the cooking. It's a fun activity and everybody can enjoy a healthy meal. Dinner parties and backyard grills are definitely a superior alternative than going out to a restaurant.

NO MEDICATIONS
I don't take any medications. I drink herbal teas, and use the gifts of mother earth such as plants, and essential oils for healing.

NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, COLORINGS, FRAGRANCES
No food coloring whatsoever.

Better H2O

I went to Natural Grocers a couple of weeks ago and I forgot to share with you guys one product that I absolutely love love LOVE! I picked up several items that day because I was going to make more homemade cosmetic and hair products at home. Out of curiosity and thirst I picked up this interesting purple bottle. Why I chose this one out of all the rest I could not tell you but I did. This venture has made a interesting one as I drank the water on my way home and I was in complete shock. This water was amazing! I've never had this kind of water before as commercial bottled water like Ozarka, Nestle, and Smart water (which are companies you shouldn't support anyways) have never tasted like this magical oasis. I used to hate drinking water because they didn't taste good as there was always a chalky and metal after-taste. YUCK! So I would always replace it with tea all the time. I'm so glad by accident I found this water because all I do is drink water and nothing else. [Well, I do drink fruit juices and smoothies] I would drink like 4 huge (one liter each) of these a day. I would drink more but they are kind of expensive. It's like 2.75 a bottle. I buy the whole pack of 12 large (one liter) bottles for about 32 US dollars on Amazon.com. You can find 24 smaller (half the size) bottles. I wish it wasn't so expensive but that's the price you pay for really good pure water. You can check out their official website here:

http://www.pentawater.com/_pw/index.php

"Penta's revolutionary, patented 13-step, 11-hour filtration and purification process includes spinning our water under high speed and pressure (cavitation). This extra step produces smaller, more readily absorbed water clusters, providing advanced hydration. Penta is the only bottled water that uses patented physics, not chemicals, to produce the purest water available, helping to keep your body healthy and functioning at peak performance. Penta is Advanced Hydration!" - Pentawater.com

I researched more about this company since I like the water so much and found out that they were founded in 1999 in San Diego, CA. I thought this water was from Europe or something lol. I've been recommending this to my family and friends and they seem to enjoy the water too! Don't take my word for it try it out yourselves.

Have any favorite waters or brands or thoughts on this water? Share with us~

My Natural Slim Fast Smoothie Recipe

I remember this stuff when it was in a can. Maybe it still is? I don't really know as I don't actively look for this stuff. I have a healthier and more natural version of this you can easily make. This is a really simple and easy nutritious smoothie full of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, protein, calcium, fiber, and so much more! Make sure to check the ingredients for any allergies. 

You will only need a few items:

1 Organic banana - vitamin C, vitamin B6, antioxidents, energy (94% carbs)

Cacao powder - antioxidents, fiber - I got mine at Sprouts or you can find this on Amazon.com

Milk - calcium, protein(soy) - any milk should work depending on your diet (dairy, soy, almond, rice, lactaid, etc...) I'm using the Silk soy milk chocolate for this one.

Organic flax seed powder - natural fiber, omega-3's, iron (Bob's Red Mill Brand - I actually ground this up myself) I put a picture below of what the bag looks like. You can get this anywhere from your natural market or online.

Blender and cup

Gather your ingredients.

 Cut up one banana into little pieces.

Put your pieces into the blender container.

 1 to 2 large scoopfuls of flax seed powder.

1 to 2 large scoopfuls of cacao powder. 

Pour in your milk of choice.

Cover your blender. Don't want a huge mess~! 

LOUD NOISES GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All done! ENJOY! =) 

Up to 2 servings or if you're like me maybe the whole thing for yourself. This stuff is filling!

Play around with the ingredients of course to cater your taste and needs. And of course you can add so much more fruit to this but I'm just showing you a basic and easy recipe to make at home for any meal of the day. 

My Vegetable Stir-fry

This is a quick, easy, and simple vegetable stir fry I just made today and it was super delish! It's healthy too. I gathered roma tomatos, white onions, mushrooms, eggplant, and spinach. I slice everything in thin slices and pack the leftovers in the fridge to make more during the week.

Here are my sliced mushrooms! I bought them whole and peel off the outside myself. I know it's tedious but it's well worth it! You can slice these in whatever way you like. Have fun with it! I peel off the skin to all of my vegetables.

I turn on the pan on medium heat and put a few teaspoons of coconut oil (this oil is great for you since it's great for your metabolism). I throw in the onions first and let it cook for a couple minutes first. Then goes the mushrooms and eggplant. Keep in mind this stuff cooks very fast! Make sure everything is cut up and ready beforehand.

Add in the tomatos and lastly spinach. I don't put any salt as I try to do a low sodium diet. I do put in cracked pepper. YUM! I stir it until it's fully cooked. I made a lot for myself and it was sooooo filling!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's important to have lots of the natural bright colors in your food since they contain more nutrients essential for your body. Ever since I started incorporating more fruit and vegetable into my diet I feel better then I did. I was at 130 lbs and at 5 ft. 6 in. you would think I was healthy but I found out that is wrong. You can still be lazy, sluggish, and tired all the time. I hated being that way but I just couldn't figure out why I was or how to get out of it.  I wanted to a more productive and active lifestyle. Once I started eating more raw fruit and veggies slowly I felt better, more energetic, and optimistic. The easiest thing to do is pick one fruit or veggie and eat that everyday. I ate one banana a day to snack on. Do that for a week and then add on more and more as the weeks go by. I promise it will get easier!

My Current Brand Of Coffee & Tea

Current coffee: Starbucks Veranda Blonde Roast [K-cup]
Current tea: green tea by The Mighty Leaf

While I love the stuff I'm drinking right now I'm always looking for a change. I guess because maybe there is something different out there that I'm not aware about. I'm always looking for a new brand of coffee and tea. I want something of good quality, fair trade, and not too expensive. I started drinking Japanese brand Yamamotoyama Sencha green tea recently and Oh man! That one is really brothy. I feel like drinking soup lol. It's good though. I make sure to put a teaspoon of my organic, raw, and unfiltered honey. Detox essentials include hot tea and honey.

I was looking into loose leaf tea because supposedly they are of higher quality than tea bags? I don't know too much about it. Does anybody have any suggestions? I would love to hear them!