A couple of weeks ago, I decided to embark on a new “challenge”, The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet, designed by Dr. Mark Hyman. For those of you that know me well, you know I love “challenges”, but I dislike words like “diet”, and “detox”, both misused and misunderstood. I am, however, a BIG fan of Dr. Mark Hyman for his contribution to the field of functional medicine. I learned about him while attending Rouxbe Cooking School last year. Recently, he was also a guest speaker at my holistic school, the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN).
You can read about the basics of the 10-Day Detox Diet here: Dr. Oz’s 10-Day Detox Diet – One Sheet. However, this summary article is missing some of the crucial information. At some point you will really want to read the The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet book. Ha, I sound like a sales person!. OK DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with Dr. Mark Hyman and his team. They actually don’t know about my existence YET! All kidding aside, the book has a great format with a chapter dedicated to each day with some reflections and assignments for the reader.
Now, just so you don’t get confused, there is a second book by the same author. My good friend, Victoria, initially purchased the 10-Day Detox Diet Cookbook which is a solid recipe book in its own right, but it has a different structure and content. In my estimation this cookbook is a fantastic resource to have on hand after finishing the initial detox for day 11 and beyond. My friend and I ended up buying both books.
Here is what I had for breakfast for ten days. I alternated between the Strawberry and Almond Smoothie and the Whole Food-Protein Shake.
Strawberry and Almond Smoothie. Recipe: 10-Day Detox – Photo Credit: Ciry DG
Whole-Food Protein Shake. Recipe: 10-Day Detox – Photo Credit: Ciry DG
For lunch, I prepared homemade soups and salads with protein ( edamame or tofu). My favorite soups were the Zucchini and Watercress Soup and the Green Goddess Broccoli and Arugula Cream.
Zucchini and Watercress Soup. Recipe 10-Day Detox – Photo Credit: Ciry DG
Arugula salad with tomatoes, avocados, cucumbers and edamame
Raw Tacos
We were allowed two snacks between breakfast, lunch and dinner. I enjoyed the Spinach and Walnut Pesto as well as the Sun-dried Tomato Pesto with some vegetable crudités.
Spinach Walnut Pesto. Recipe: 10-Day Detox – Photo Credit: Ciry DG
Sun-dried Tomato Pesto. Recipe: 10-Day Detox – Photo Credit: Ciry DG
For dinner, there were many delicious options, including my favorites: Coconut Curry with Tofu and Stir Fried Vegetables with Almonds.
Coconut Curry with Tofu. Recipe: 10-Day Detox. Photo Credit: Ciry DG
Stir Fried Vegetables with Tofy and Almonds. Recipe: 10-Day Detox. Photo Credit: Ciry DG
I don’t know about you but this doesn’t look like the typical restricting “detoxing” program to me. Don’t you agree? I was never hungry during this detox. As a matter of fact, I started skipping both snacks after the third day as I was too full to eat dinner.
I found most of the recipes delicious, especially the Grilled Tofu with Ratatouille. There are many options for omnivores, vegetarians and vegan.
In additional to the diet, we were asked to follow these steps on a daily basis:
1. Take body measurements and track my results in a Detox Journal.
2. Walk for 30 minutes everyday.
3. Take supplements
4. Write in my Detox journal
5. Practice the take-five breathing break
6. Take my ultra-detox bath ( Epson salts, baking soda and essential oils)
7. Sleep for 7-8 hours
8. Drink 8 glasses of water throughout the day
9. Limit use of phone, email, screen time
This proved to be more challenging than all the prepping and cooking. While I was not very consistent, I was able to create some new healthy habits by day 10. I really enjoyed the ultra-detox baths and introducing meditation to my daily practice. By day 10, I had also lost five pounds eating like a lion.
It’s been a week since I finished the program and I am still preparing the same protein shakes for breakfast and soups for lunch. Thanks Dr. Hyman!
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment here or at my Facebook Page: Sunshineandkale.
