Even if you eat the Beyond Diet way - focusing mostly on nutritious, fat-burning foods - chances are pretty good that your digestive system is working hard around the clock to turn all of that delicious food into life-giving fuel.
And if you eat the SAD (that's "Standard American Diet") way, then your digestive system is working way, way harder. Even a small amount of wheat, soy, or sugar can cause inflammation in your intestines that makes your whole system overwork. And foods like red meat, beans, and dairy are just naturally difficult to digest, putting extra stress on your digestion.
Add to that the undue pressure we put on our bodies by living in the modern world - a world filled with pollutants and toxins that enter our bodies through our mouths, lungs and skin - and you've probably got a digestive system that's been putting in long hours with no pay for years and years just to keep you running.
Sounds exhausting, doesn't it?
The good news is that you CAN give your digestive system a "vacation," and doing so will invite HUGE, positive changes to your health and weight. It's as easy as giving your body a break from hard-to-digest and inflammatory foods for several days, so that your stomach, intestines, and other organs have a chance to rest and repair (and come back even stronger than before!).
Isabel's Tips for Planning and Sticking to a "Digestion Vacation"
1. Think ahead.
Know what you'll eat for the next several days (I recommend doing this for at least 3 but no more than 9 days) and have all the groceries on hand before you even start - this way you won't slip up just because there's nothing to eat. Create meals that are free of the difficult-to-digest foods, and focus on healing foods (see tip #2).
2. Eat only whole, cleansing foods.
This includes most vegetables and fruits, as well as lean meats and fish and certain spices and fats that will cleanse, heal, and support your organs while allowing your body to release fat. My favorites are lean white fish, chicken, avocados, coconut and coconut milk, fresh berries, and plenty of green vegetables.
3. Drink lots and lots of water.
I normally recommend that you drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day. This would mean that a 160-pound person would drink 80 ounces of water. But on a cleanse I encourage you to squeeze in an extra few cups - all that water will help flush your system and release that excess fat. For some extra cleansing benefits (and a little flavor), add some freshly squeezed lemon juice or a few sprigs of fresh peppermint.
4. Relax.
Try to plan your "digestion vacation" around days when you don't have anything unusual or stressful going on - no major events or social gatherings that might derail you. Instead, pick a stretch of days when you can spend your free time doing something relaxing like yoga, walking, reading, or even napping. This will keep your cortisol levels low, which will help your digestion heal and encourage the fat to come off.
If you don’t want to do the work of figuring out your meals, recipes, and shopping lists yourself, take a look at the exact 9-day plan I recommend to all of my family, friends, and clients. It is a completely whole foods based cleanse that will not only give your digestive system the much needed break it so desperately needs, but will help you lose 5-15 pounds in the process (yes, in 9 days).
