Detox juice recipes and tips on how to start a healthy diet

Exercising more and living a healthy lifestyle is one of the most common goals at the beginning of each year. Initial motivation is important, but consistency and discipline are even more important. As well as having fun in the process.

Chinese nutritionist Daniela Endara shared her perspective on healthy living, her opinion on "detox diets" and general nutrition tips.

Learning and experimenting

Specialist Endara has experienced the weight loss process herself, cooking all her own meals, eating in catering canteens, and this experience has proved valuable in understanding the different realities of each patient's life. With that in mind, her first piece of advice is to learn. That is, to be open to new information and learn what makes us feel good.

The word "diet," according to the expert, is misunderstood. Usually when we say the word, we mean something negative that causes suffering. However, she explains, "Diet is what you eat."

Following a strict and prohibition-filled diet is not easy and is more likely to have a recovery effect (weight loss and weight gain in short periods of time).

Her first piece of advice:

• Forget the word "diet." It's not about a period of suffering, it's about changing habits and creating a lifestyle.
  Your diet should fit your lifestyle.
• Every body is different. Something good for you may be harmful to another. Even so-called "superfoods".
• Know yourself. Get used to food all over again. Food is like a building. It should have a strong foundation, but also have some flexibility to withstand earthquakes.

Endara also emphasizes the importance of mindful breathing, reducing stress levels, and managing emotions.

How to do a "detox" to start a healthy lifestyle?

"Detox process" means to give your body a rest and helps it to cope with the overload it is subjected to due to an unbalanced diet.

7 Days to Cleanse. The body first needs to be cleansed, so that further it can absorb vitamins from food. As a general recommendation, the specialist describes the following seven-day protocol for cleansing:

Do not eat: dairy products, wheat, white sugar, sweeteners and any processed foods of any type.
Do not eat any processed meats, pork or soy products.
Reduce your intake of animal protein.
Do not consume alcohol.
Avoid all possible chemicals.
Eat lots of vegetables (including detox juices).
Proper hydration.

Detox juice recipes

As previously noted by a Chinese nutritionist, detox juices don't do anything on their own, but they can be an addition to a healthy diet. That being said, it is also very important to enjoy the process. Food should be rich, varied, fun, she says, and offers three recipes for detox juices, which should preferably be drunk in the morning, in supplement form, at least 30 minutes before any other meal. As part of the detoxification process, she recommends alternating these juice recipes for 21 consecutive days.

Recipe #1:

In a blender, whisk together 3 sprigs of celery, 1/2 peeled cucumber and 1 green apple. Add the juice of one lemon. Done!!!

Recipe #2:

In a blender, whisk the juice of two to three oranges or tangerines, 1/2 banana and 2 handfuls of spinach until smooth.

Recipe #3:

In a blender, whisk water to taste (half a cup, for example) with pineapple chunks (a cup), 2 handfuls of spinach and 4-6 pieces of basil or mint leaves. Serve and enjoy.

So-called "detox juices" do nothing on their own, insists specialist Endara. She warns that the advice given is general and is only for healthy people who do not have additional diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or others.