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The party’s over.

We want to detox. Cleanse. Declutter our life.

Put our body, mind AND home on a diet.

And lose weight. Both physically and mentally.

And NOT just our belly fat.

But the weight of our clutter AND mental baggage.

Because we’re ALL carrying so many burdens – half of them not truly ours – AND that’s the problem with most detox plans.

The Problem With Most Detox Plans

Most detox and cleanse plans are great on smoothies and soups and drinking loads of water.

And yes, yes, yes we ALL want to lose those extra inches.

BUT too many detox plans are just about weight loss.

They don’t touch the heart of us.

Body, mind and soul.

They don’t tackle the clutter of our everyday lives.

AND they focus on the toxic stuff we eat and NOT the toxins we’re surrounded by in our homes.

It turns out these are ALL connected.

Clutter has massive hit on our mental health.

And loads of us, when we’re anxious and depressed, eat more and drink more and self-sabotage in all sorts of destructive ways.

This becomes a toxic vicious circle.

We feel rubbish so we eat more toxic rubbish.

AND this is made a zillion times worse by the nasty chemical toxins hiding in our homes in our cleaning products and toiletries.

And even in our kitchen storage!!!

SO for a detox plan to work AND really cleanse us of the toxins in our lives AND truly help us stick to a healthier diet it needs:

1. To be holistic
2. Cleanse our homes of invisible toxins
3. Nurture our poor lost little souls

That’s exactly what this super easy 5 step detox plan does.

And it starts NOT with food – although we WILL get to food I promise you – BUT with clutter.

1. Declutter 10 Little Things Everyday

We’re ALL overwhelmed with clutter.

It spirals anxiety and depression.

And crazily – who knew? – contributes to binge eating SO weirdly a good old declutter can help us diet!!

BUT getting rid of it seems even MORE overwhelming!!!

The good news is there is a simple way out.

Simply declutter 10 little things everyday.

It truly IS life changing.

In one month you’ll clear 300 things.

In a year over 3,000 things!!!

It will ALSO ease anxiety and boost your mood.

Every single day.

AND it will become a daily declutter habit.

Using the just 10 things method I have decluttered 200 bags worth of stuff.

It’s the most awesome way ever to detox your life.

That little daily boost to our mood and sense of self worth really can help us stay off the cookies!!

AND it helps cleanse our home of toxins.

 

2. Chuck Out Cleaning Stuff

We all know about the toxins in our diet.

Sugar. Bad fats. Additives. Preservatives. Flavourings etc.

But the toxins under our kitchen sink are worse.

Causing allergies, headaches, coughs, thyroid issues and a whole host of other problems that leave us tired, bloated, depressed AND just plain sick!!

And the crazy thing is we don’t need them.

We seriously can cleanse our homes with nothing much more than laundry powder, washing up liquid, baking soda (bicarb to us Brits), vinegar and micro fibre cloths.

So use this list to chuck the rest out and put your home on a detox diet.

You’ll save money while you detox your home AND it will declutter your kitchen!!

Use the savings to spend that bit more on a toxin free laundry powder and dish washing liquid.

If you’re a fellow Brit check out Bio-D who are endorsed by AllergyUK for their allergy friendly products.

Or check out this list of toxin free cleaning products in the USA.

Toxic cleaning products are scary enough.

BUT it gets scarier.

Because it turns out a whole host of our family toiletries are full of toxic nasties.

And these are the things we use to cleanse ourselves.

We’re literally smearing these allergy causing, hormone disrupting creams and whatnots into OUR bodies!!!

BUT natural beauty products can cost a fortune, can’t they?

So the next step in our detox plan is to: go minimalist in the bathroom.

3. Go Minimalist In The Bathroom

It is actually pretty easy and cheap to make your own non toxic recipes.

You can find simple idea here.

And from two blogs I love, Pistachio Project and Bren Did.

BUT if making lotions and potions isn’t really you, don’t worry. I am NOT that girl either, mostly.

Just go minimalist.

Use this list to let go and declutter those toxic toiletries in your bathroom.

Then invest your savings in a few healthy basics: shampoo, pure soap, natural deodorant and a great all round moisturiser.

Again if you’re a Brit, check out Faith In Nature.

They have good value, toxin free products, the whole family can use, that are made in Britain.

OK. So we’re three steps into our detox plan.

And yep, I know, I know, I know we’ve still NOT got to the diet bit!!

We will.

BUT we’ve already cleansed our homes of a whole load of toxic clutter.

And that will help detox our bodies.

And minds all year through.

But our next step is to: start worrying.

About plastics that is.

BECAUSE by worrying a little bit about them, we can actually ease our anxiety.

And most of us when anxious find comfort in food, don’t we?

4. Go Plastic Free In The Kitchen

You see the thing is, plastics aren’t just a problem for wildlife.

They’re a health risk for us too.

And especially it seems when we use them for storing, warming and cooling foods.

Now there isn’t hard evidence of a relationship between plastic food storage and cancer for example.

But what has become clearer to scientists is that we don’t truly understand the long term impact of plastics on our bodies.

There is a possibility plastics are getting into our food.

So – while the research continues – it makes sense to take the simple steps to stop storing food in them where we can.

This doesn’t mean decluttering the lot but swapping storage jars for plastic tubs and reusable non-plastic wrap for clingfilm and freezer bags is an easy no brainer.

It is a quick kitchen declutter and detox that will help us feel less anxious about our health.

AND actually saves us money.

OK. So now after all that decluttering and detoxing we’re ready finally for the easiest ever detox diet.

5. Easiest Ever Detox Diet

So most detox diet plans are ALL about giving stuff up.

And post-Christmas we’re ready to, after all the sugar AND booze AND bad stuff.

We crave that detox.

But THEN we find it super hard to stick to our detox diet.

So why is that?

Well, partly it’s addiction.

BUT mainly because we are missing ALL the good stuff.

We’re running on empty, lacking essential energising nutrients.

AND mood boosting bacteria.

You what?

Yep bacteria. BECAUSE we now understand, bacteria in our gut is key to how we feel in our bodies AND brains.

Now, you may have heard of gut health, detox diets like GAPS.

And they can be life changing.

BUT for most of us they are too hard core.

We don’t stand a chance of sticking to them OR ditching our addictions without gently nourishing our guts first.

And that’s what this super easy diet plan does.

For 4 weeks, don’t worry about giving anything up.

Just make sure you DO eat these everyday:

1. Pickles On The Side 
2. A Soupie
3. Grandma’s Porridge
4. A Soothing Smoothie
5. Turmeric On Everything

What does that mean in practice?

It’s simple I promise you.

Pickles On The Side

A small helping of bacteria with every meal IS a must.

Sounds weird. BUT it is what everyone used to do.

And it’s easy.

I just eat a little good yoghurt, saukeraut or pickled cucumber with each meal.

Apple cider vinegar, miso paste, tempeh, kombucha, kefir, kimchi and traditional buttermilk are also rich in probiotic bacteria.

If you haven’t got a clue what these are, don’t worry

Just stick to the yoghurt and sauerkraut.

Or a little cottage cheese, creme fraiche or mature cheese.

But however you eat your bacteria, it needs good food in your gut – the prebiotics – to munch on.

And that is where the soupie comes in.

A Soupie

It’s basically a smoothie BUT calmer.

More soothing.

Just chuck into a high speed blender:

• A small handful of nuts – cashews, almonds, hazel nuts are all good
• A few cloves of garlic
• Some fresh chilli – an anti-inflammatory that will calm your gut
• Some fresh ginger – ditto
• A handful of green veg – e.g. broccoli, spinach, savoy cabbage
• 2 handfuls of other veg – tomatoes, carrots, chicory, jerusalem artichoke, leeks, onion, asparagus, elephant yam, shallots, spring onions, shitake mushrooms, bell peppers, plantain, cauliflower, burdock and dandelion are all rich in prebiotics and/or anti-inflammatory and rich in a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.

Whizz for 2 minutes with some water.

And heat gently.

If this is a bit raw for you, just gently roast the vegetables on a low heat for 5 minutes or so before blending.

Eat with wholegrain, spelt or rye bread.

Or add or a quarter or so of a can of chickpeas, lentils or beans to the soup before blending.

When you start out it might seem faff.

BUT stick to it.

It quickly becomes a super-easy, do-without-thinking, 5 minute habit.

And I promise you it IS super powered.

Grandma’s Favourite Porridge

Now carbs have obviously got themselves a bad name.

But those little bacteria we are nourishing love good old fashioned grains, like unprocessed oats, spelt or barley or wild rice.

And they ARE rich in must have minerals and complex B vitamins.

And these babies give us energy, stamina and resilience.

Physically AND mentally.

A little bowl of porridge oats is ALSO the easiest ever way to dose up on other feel good lovelies.

Just chuck some cold milk (of whatever variety) on your oats THEN sprinkle over:

• A handful of frozen berries
• PLUS some of the following:
  • Flax seed
  • Chia seed
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Sesame seeds
  • Sunflower seeds
• Walnuts or brazil nuts or hazel nuts
• A little smidgeon of raw honey

This takes-2-minutes-breakfast-bowl is a power house of energy giving and mood boosting goodness.

If porridge truly isn’t your thing you can bung ALL of the above – including some oats – into a smoothie.

Or you can have the smoothie later on as a snack.

A Soothing Smoothie

That little soupie bowl WILL do wonders for your gut bacteria and metabolism.

BUT loads of us are also struggling with inflammation.

In all sorts of forms.

And these smoothies can give rapid relief to tummy aches, reflux and other flare ups.

Just chuck into a high speed blender:

• Ice cubes
• A small handful of almonds
• A chunk of fresh ginger peeled
• A good dollop of yoghurt
• 1 banana
• A little raw spinach or cauliflower
• A sprinkling of chia and/or flax seed
• And a few handfuls of any of the following:
  • Pineapple
  • Mango
  • Apple
  • Berries 
  • Avocado
  • Cucumber (sounds disgusting I know but it’s yummy and super smoothing)

OK. So far so easy.

Four super quick diet tweaks that will kick start our detox.

AND the final diet step is even easier.

Just add turmeric … to everything.

Add Turmeric To Everything

It’s as simple as that.

Just add a little to every meal you can.

It has a whole bunch of health benefits.

Most powerfully for our detox because it’s anti-inflammatory.

When we calm our gut, we calm our bodies and calm our minds.

It’s a wonderful virtuous circle.

That makes us feel so much better about ourselves and far LESS likely to reach for the rubbish.

So without even thinking about giving up the bad stuff, we will.

Hurrah!!

IF you’re struggling with all the weight of Christmas and the last year DO give this easy declutter and detox diet a go.

Stay with it for 4 weeks and you’ll see the difference:

1. You’ll have less clutter
2. AND a simple daily habit for clearing the rest
3. You’ll have cut invisible toxins from your home
4. AND saved money whilst you’re at it
5. You’ll have calmed your body and mind
6. AND given yourself the energy to move on.

Those simple changes truly can set us up for the year ahead and the life we want to lead …

DO let me know how you get on.

And for more help decluttering and detoxing and enjoying life slowed down, read these:

• Declutter Just 10 Things Daily
• 30 Little Snacks For The Soul
• 6 Surprising Tips For Better Sleep