I do an annual detox in January to reset my mind and body and bring in a new year with a positive vibe. My detox is nothing fancy, I call it the “Bye-bye 5” and I remove alcohol, sugar, processed food, caffeine and dairy from my diet for 2 weeks. I don’t go crazy trying to adhere to it perfectly, but I am conscious about what is going into my body for those 2 weeks. It feels great. I try to get Aaron on board too but he usually strays after about a week, and usually its caffeine that breaks him. I think doing a detox can be a useful tool in a wellness routine.

For me, the best and longest detox I ever did was when I was pregnant. I was scared about how I would handle all the stuff on the “No” list, but it was surprisingly easy. Your body tells you exactly what it needs if you know how to listen. For 9 months I didn’t drink alcohol (except for the occasional glass of red wine), I had limited caffeine, my diet was loaded with healthy veggies, I was drinking TONS of water and I religiously took a multi-vitamin. My energy levels were high, my skin was clear, my hair had shine and my mind was calm and clear. I really embraced being the “sober” one out at the bars. It was fun going out for the night and waking up refreshed and not hungover.

If you want to jump start a new wellness regime or give your body a break, I highly recommend a detox… But make sure you choose a plan that is right for you and makes sense for your body. For me personally, a detox should consist of eating whole foods and avoiding sugar & alcohol. I am not into substituting real foods with powders and supplements. I believe our bodies can naturally get rid of the toxins from our environmental exposures and doing a “cleanse” should assist in that process, but not replace it.

A detox should be a time that you focus on providing your body with the opportunity to cleanse itself by relaxing, reducing and revitalizing. Drink water. Get adequate sleep. Exercise. Eat whole foods in raw form as much as possible. You can get a lot more detailed and complex with it if you want, but remember you want to nourish your body and mind in a common sense approach. Here are two popular detox plans that offer a holistic and moderate approach to cleansing.

30 Day Clean Eating Detox from Dr. Oz developed by Dr. Junger and Clean Team

• This program focuses on eating whole foods, veggies, healthy fats and proteins. During this detox you will be eating a liquid meal such as a shake for breakfast and a solid meal from the Cleanse Diet for lunch and dinner. A free sample of 30 days of clean eating is provided here

Whole 30

• You can follow recipe creators for Whole 30 on Instagram to check out fresh ways to eat. I used a lot of recipes on the Clothes Make the Girl blog and also on the Whole 30 website. The downside to this “cleanse” is it can be a little more time consuming due to the high requirements of veggies and proteins and avoidance of breads, grains, beans and pastas. You need a prep day at the beginning of the week to make sure you don’t starve!

Good luck and Happy detoxing : )