Sweeping out the gunk!

Woman Sweeping, Pieter Janssens, 17th century Dutch Baroque

A few days of not so brilliant eating have me clutching my belly and begging for mercy right now and looking for clean, simple food that is gentle on the tummy.  Time for a clean sweep!  I must admit, as someone who works a minimum of 70 hours a week, and who has just a month ago begun a year-long intensive independent study program (in global health), I cannot simply not eat.  A fast will not provide me the energy and clarity that I need.  I can, however, do my stomach a huge favor by eating softer, simpler foods that nourish instead of challenge my digestion.  AND, I can still do this while maintaining the principles of a low-carb, new age paleo diet.  This is a great plan in general for fall, but is especially useful after some over-indulgences, and thus great to have in the holiday arsenal!

Three-Day Tummy Saver

1. Breakfast: Hot water with lemon and ginger, followed by green tea; Smoothie to sip throughout early morning.  -Smoothie choices include: Pumpkin, Gingerbread spice, Mocha, or Cherry Almond 
2. Lunch: Chicken Vegetable Soup or Butternut Squash Soup
3. Dinner: Baked Sweet Potato (topped with butter or ghee, sea salt and cinnamon (if desired), Steamed Greens, and Chia vanilla pudding (boosted with vanilla protein powder).
4. Snack: Another Smoothie--same choices as above with 1/4 to 1/2 apple added for fiber.
5. Sip warm water throughout the day, green/black or white tea when caffeine needed, and one detox or licorice/mint tea a day.  Pretty simple!

The protein powder of the smoothies/puddings adds the proper amount of daily protein.  The liquid/soft forms of all the food make everything much easier on your digestion.  And the warmth of the heated foods and the spices will also provide nourishing cleansing.  The smoothies and chia pudding are easy (you just need to plan ahead with the pudding, set it up the night before).  Baked sweet potatoes require only that you give them an hour to bake.  The soup is the most time consuming, but not really difficult and a decent sized batch will last the three days.  All in all, an easy at home "spa" plan.

Gingerbread Spice Smoothie:

• Almond milk (preferably unsweetened)
• A coin of fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
• A teaspoon of cinnamon
• A pinch of nutmeg (optional)
• A 1/2 dropper of stevia liquid (I use butter toffee flavor)--do NOT add too much!
• 1/4 apple
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder 

Happy Sweeping!

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