‘Tis the season for detoxing and cleansing. You can’t open a newspaper or magazine without being bombarded by advertisements promising a lean body or extreme weight loss. While there’s some validity that cleansing and detoxifying can rejuvenate the body and promote weight loss, it’s never an enjoyable experience to deprive yourself for weeks at a time.
So I recommend making small changes to your eating habits over time — and to detox with specific dishes. On that note, here’s my latest salad recipe! Two of the ingredients, in particular, deserve an award for fostering fabulous health and for helping with detoxification.
Beets:
- In a study of patients with stomach cancer, beet juice was found to be a potent inhibitor of the formation of “nitrosamines,” cancer-causing compounds found in smoke or cured meats.
- Beet fibre has been shown to increase the level of antioxidant enzymes, specifically glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase, also known as the superman of antioxidants. It also increases white blood cells, which are responsible for detecting and eliminating abnormal cells.
- The pigment that gives beets their rich red colour, betacyanin, has powerful anti-cancer abilities and is protective against colon cancer.
Apples:
- In an analysis of more than 85 studies, apple consumption was shown to be consistently associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, asthma and type 2 diabetes when compared with other fruits and vegetables.
- They’re detoxifying and are a very high source of pectin — a soluble fibre that becomes gel-like in the gut and can lower cholesterol as well as improve the intestinal muscle’s ability to push waste through the gastrointestinal tract.
- Apples are good for elimination. The insoluble and pectin fibres promote bowel regularity, relieving both constipation and diarrhea.
Ingredients:
2 apples, grated
2 cups of raw beets, grated
1 cup green cabbage, grated
2-3 medium sized carrots grated
1/2 cup goji berries or raisins soaked for an hour in warm water
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2-4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 freshly squeezed lemon
Sea salt & pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve on a bed of mixed greens. Enjoy!
Joy McCarthy, Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Health Coach of Joyous Health, loves to inspire others to eat well, live well and be happy.
Joy has clients from all over the world and consults via phone and Skype. Contact Joy today and take the first step to achieving joyous health. REASONS TO HIRE A HOLISTIC NUTRITIONIST.
