The world is full of toxins that try to get the best of our immune systems. In order to rid these toxins it is imperative to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. The website www.food.yahoo.com suggested these foods to help you stay on the fast track to a “cleansed” body.

• Green leafy vegetables- Eating them raw is the best, throw them into a soup, or add them to juices. Their chlorophyll helps swab out environmental toxins (pesticides) and protects the liver. Examples: kale, swiss chard, mustard & collard greens, spinach and arugula.
• Lemons- Nature’s Diuretic… You need to keep the fluids flowing to wash out the body and fresh lemonade is ideal. Its vitamin C, considered the detox vitamin, helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that’s easily flushed away.
• Watercress- Put a handful into salads, soups, and sandwiches. The peppery little green leaves have a diuretic effect that helps move things through your system. And it is loaded with minerals too.
• Garlic-  Add it to everything: salads, sauces, spreads. In addition to the bulb’s cardio benefits, it activates liver enzymes that help filter out the bad stuff.
• Green tea-  This antioxidant rich brew is one of the healthiest ways to get more fluids into your system. Bonus: It contains catechins, which speed up liver activity.
• Sesame seeds- They’re credited with protecting liver cells from the damaging effects of alcohol and other chemicals. For a concentrated form, try tahini, the yummy sesame seed paste that’s a staple of Asian cooking. 
• Cabbage-  There are two main types of detoxifying enzymes in the liver; this potent veggie helps activate both of them. Coleslaw, anyone?
• Psyllium-  A plant that’s rich in soluble fiber, like oat bran, but more versatile. It mops up toxins (cholesterol too) and helps clear them out. Stir powdered psyllium into juice to help cleanse your colon, or have psyllium-fortified Bran Buds for breakfast. 
• Fruits, fruits, fruits-  They’re full of almost all the good things above: vitamin C, fiber, nutritious fluids, and all kinds of antioxidants. Besides, nothing tastes better than a ripe mango, fresh berries, or a perfect pear.
• Dandelions- This lawn herb is a rich source of lecithin. Lecithin aids in the removal of bile, a digestive fluid that may contain carcinogens. Dandelion contains a B vitamn called choline, which helps liver cells regenerate themselves. Dandelion also helps the body remove excess estrogens before the hormone has a chance to trigger endometriosis a condition in which tissue from the uterus grows on other abdominal organs.

Not sure how to make a meal out of them?? Well enjoy the recipes that follow; they do a body good.

Detox Smoothie
serves 2

• 1 banana
• 2/3 Cup organic green tea; cooled
• 1 Tbl honey
• 1 Cup frozen strawberries

Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Mango Gazpacho
serves 2-3

• 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1 tomato, quartered
• 2 tsps soy sauce
• 1/2 lemon, juiced & 1 tsp of the zest
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tsp raw organic tahini (sesame paste)
• 1 Cup frozen mango
• sea salt & black pepper to taste

Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until desired smoothness. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Serve cold.

(Kristin Hamzik)

It’s a few weeks after Thanksgiving, and you’ve been fighting a silent war with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pecan pie (and if you’re from our house, a slew of adult beverages). You have less than two weeks before holiday cocktail parties begin and you don’t know if your body, or little black dress, can handle any more appetizers. So what can you do?

We caught up with integrative nutrition consultant, Donna Nelson, MS, RD, LD, to learn the ins and outs of the much talked about Elimination Diet. We know it’s not a good idea to crash diet, but from what we’ve heard it is actually more about eliminating the bad things from your body and giving your liver a break for a few days- not resorting to sucking on ice and celery for weeks on end.

According to Donna, after the holidays especially, there are “so many toxins in our system. But, the good news is that when the body has the right raw materials and support, it rids itself of toxic substances on its own.” Removing accumulated toxic materials enables the body to recover from imbalances, enabling it to work more efficiently while supporting healing.

Art is the elimination of the unnecessary - Pablo Picasso

Elimination* is the first step in any detoxification program and includes noshing on a ton of fruits and vegetables which not only contain fiber, but also nourish the intestines and liver, and they include a valuable source of enzymes.

Donna tells us in the 1st phase of this elimination to follow these simple guidelines:

Steer clear of:

• Gluten containing grains, such as wheat, rye, oats, barley and rye, soy, dairy and citrus fruits.
• Sugar and artificially sweetened foods.
• Limit red meats to once a week
• Caffeine and alcohol

Go right ahead and enjoy:

• Fruits and vegetables: Eat 5-7 veggies and 2-3 fruits a day. Excellent choices in vegetables are: artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, garlic, kale, onions and radishes. Excellent fruit choices are all types of berries, cherries and peaches. Stay away from bananas, prunes, figs and citrus fruits.
• Fats/oils: Use organic olive oil, coconut oil and organic flaxseeds. Try to eat a handful of raw almonds or walnuts daily.
• Fiber: Easily found in fruits and vegetables, but you can also add 2 T. of ground flaxseed to whey or rice protein drinks to make a healthy smoothie.
• Protein: Use high quality protein, such as whey or rice protein powders. Try to eat cold-water wild-caught fish, such as salmon, halibut and sea bass as often as possible. You can also eat beans and legumes. Choose organic chicken or turkey.
• Water: Drink plenty of water! Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water daily (i.e., a 200 lb. man requires 100 oz. of water, roughly 3 quarts).
• Activities: You can also benefit from yoga, hot yoga, sauna, steam baths and whirlpools. When engaging in any of these activities, increase your intake of water to make up for the sweat lost.

This elimination diet phase 1 can be done for a period of 1-3 weeks.

Ok, so you don’t want to go through this program? One quick fix way is to do a one-day juice fast each week for several consecutive weeks. You drink various vegetable juices in place of solid food to decrease the digestive stress load.

Donna Nelson, MS, RD, LD is a Chicago based integrative nutrition consultant who uses alternative medicine and holistic practices. She provides individual nutrition assessments and counseling. If you are interested in more information on detoxing, don’t be shy. You can reach her at djn2468@sbcglobal.net.

The Elimination Diet is adapted from : James B. LaValle, R.Ph., C.C.N., N.D., Cracking the Metabolic Code, (Laguna Beach, Basic Health Publications, 2004). p.247-251.

*Before starting this or any other nutritional program, you should consult your physician. Fasts are not for everyone. Diabetics, pregnant or nursing women, those with cardiovascular disease or chronic illnesses, such as cancer and autoimmune diseases should fast only partake in them under strict medical supervision.

(Lindsey Duda)

My boyfriend and I recently moved into a new apartment together. When it came time to move I took it as an opportunity to edit down my wardrobe, paperwork and basically my whole life. Although the new apartment was larger, it was no longer just mine and the thought of my boyfriend’s face, twisted in shock as I moved in box after box of useless crap, was something I just couldn’t bear.

So, I spent three long days (with the help of Eryn and my parents) sorting through every item I owned. We separated everything, from clothes to silverware, into three piles: to be consigned, to be donated and to keep. It was the longest three days of my life and at some points very tense. But now, when I look at my new, organized closet, with a place for everything and everything in its place, I realize it was well worth it.

The point is, we all live busy and hectic lives. Sure, we manage to keep it together and have a great time in the process, but lately we’ve been thinking it’s time for all of us to eliminate the clutter. Whether it’s purging our closets or clearing our conscience, it always feels good to wipe the slate clean and make a fresh start. Plus, with the holidays in full swing we feel like it’s time to get back to basics. The Detox Issue is just what the doctored ordered. We’ll be taking a look at all the different ways to “cleanse” our minds, bodies and checking accounts of all impurities to create a happier, healthier and richer PoorLittleRichGirls!

Lacey Brenly

Editor in Chief