So how about that ‘Stampede Hangover’?.
For those of you not from Calgary, the Calgary Stampede happens every year and is 10 days in July where Calgary hosts the world to an amazing rodeo and fairgrounds of rides, food, people selling their wares, shows and concerts.
But most of us know it at as 10 days of eating fried food, consuming tons of sugar and partaking in a few alcoholic beverages 😉
Beef on a bun, baked beans, pancakes, sausages, corn dogs, ice cream and any food that you can think of in a fried version.
Then there is the alcoholic drinks to wash it all down..Beer, wine, coolers, ceasars, mojitos, margaritas and any other cocktail you can think of..
All of this starts at breakfast (where you start with a special ‘juice’), then you head to a lunch gathering and then on to the next event. On the go and into bed by midnight (or later) only to start it all over again the next day. No kidding, your body has taken a beating. We wake up the Monday morning after the 10 days feeling like we haven’t slept in a month, living in a fog and have added a few extra pounds to boot…
You know what you need… a DETOX…
Now, I am actually a fan of a detox every 6 months as regular self care but with the last 10 days in our rearview mirror, some may need a pick me up.
DETOXIFICATION: the process of clearing toxins from the body. Toxicity occurs in the body when we consume a substance(s) more then our body can utilize or eliminate..HMMM…Anyone over consume a substance in the last 10 days? But seriously we are constantly being exposed to toxins daily (chemicals, pesticides, pollution, processed foods) and normally our bodies are well equipped to clear these from our systems, but there are times when we need a little boost.
A quick way to help re-energize and re-set out bodies is a juice cleanse. It can be 1 day or 3 day cleanse. Now, don’t worry if you do not have a juicer at home. There are many companies out there that you just order online and the juice cleanse is shipped right to your door. Have a look at
My detox of choice happens to take a bit longer, 2 weeks. This will be a more complete detoxification process. During this cleanse you would remove all alcohol, processed, sugar and fried foods and eat simple fresh, good quality foods.
Here are my tips for a 2 week cleanse:
- Have a good quality liver detox supplement (I use LVDTX from Douglas Labs but there are many amazing products at your local natural food markets or health food stores)
- Add a probiotic to help recolonize the healthy intestinal bacteria
- Consume foods rich in antioxidants (fruits and vegetables) and if possible choose organic to lessen the pesticide exposure.
- WATER, lots of WATER…You may even add a glass of lemon water in the morning. This will start the digestion process which helps your liver produce and secrete bile.
- Consume good quality dairy and meat products, in moderation
And here are some foods to incorporate into your cleanse:
- Ginger – increases circulation promoting excretions of toxins through your skin, bowels and kidneys.
- Apples – contain pectin which is high is fibre. Purifies your blood
- Lemons – aids digestion and stimulates bile secretion
- Grapes – stimulates liver and promotes bowel/kidney function. Purple or red grapes are best as they are high in resveratrol – a powerful antioxidant…( No, red wine is not an option here ;))
- Parsley – powerful blood cleanser, supports lungs, liver, kidneys and spleen. High in chlorophyll (chlorophyll is the green pigment in parsley and helps the liver to detoxify efficiently)
Either way you detox ( juice detox – 1 or 3 day or a 2 weeks cleanse), your body will thank you for it. Cleaning out all the ‘fun’ over the last 10 days will allow our bodies to be more equipped to ward off illness, you will feel energized, mentally alert and may even lose those extra pounds that seemed to have found their way to places on your body you do not want them..
And now you have 364 days until Stampede 2019…Yahoo!!!
Danni
XOXO
