Plan well - Part I

To make the three weeks of detox as easy as possible, I recommend that you plan well.

Firstly, try to pick a period where you don't have a heavy social calendar. Restaurant dinners are manageable as you will be able to pick out something detox friendly from most menus; dinners at friends' houses are trickier though as there are few things ruder than not eating what they have spent time and effort preparing for you. My friends are quite used to me announcing that I am on detox and the compromise tend to be that I host them and thereby have full control over the menu. Many friends have been at my house for dinners where they didn't even know they were served 'a detox meal' and fortunately I have always received compliments for such meals - including pudding!

Secondly, if you don't normally spend time in the kitchen, there will be no getting around it now. The biggest change for my friends has been the need to bring their lunch to work. I would generally make enough food for dinner that I could bring the leftovers as next day's lunch. If you are short on time, London now has many 'mix your own salad' places which even have brown rice or quinoa (both allowed) among their base choices, which is a good alternative to bringing your own lunch.

Finally, you need to get your shopping sorted and your pantry filled. Without the correct foods around at home and at the office (and in the handbag if you happen to carry one around) it will be very hard to stick to the rules.

I will post the rules in a separate post later (easier for future reference) but for now you will find them below. Most people's reaction to the list is "so what CAN I eat??". That is hopefully where this blog will become your inspiration and guide.

1. No red meat (chicken and fish are fine)
2. No dairy - however, a number of exceptions: Plain bio-live, Greek and goats milk yogurt, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, goats cheese, feta cheese, halloumi and buffalo mozzarella are all ok.
   
3. No alcohol
4. No fruit, except bananas
5. No vegetables from the nightshade family (such as potatoes, aubergines, cucumbers, tomatoes or peppers).
6. No sugar - and therefore no foods that contain such. Honey is however allowed.
7. No gluten
8. No yeast
   
9. No artificial flavorings or sauces (tomato sauce, vinegar, mustard); herbs & spices are fine
10. No soft drinks, teas or coffees, except herbal and green tea