Green Tea Detox

I love green tea. (There. I said it and I am NOT ashamed.) Yum. It's got that earthy/herbal, clean taste that just can't be replicated with any other tea or food. And yes, it does give an energy boost, though not as drastic (read: jittery) as the one I get from caffeine.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm, green tea.

Because I enjoy the taste so much, I was shocked to learn that green tea has multiple health benefits. In my world, at least up until that point, healthy equaled barely palatable. In those days, I was definitely not the girl who loved brussels sprouts and Evian and a wonderfully invigorating morning run.

But I found out this yummy drink is actually good for you. Green tea is generally quite minimally processed, retaining the plant's natural antioxidant properties. It also helps stimulate the immune system. And most important for the purpose of this post, it can help the body excrete toxins.

Here's how I do a green tea herbal cleanse (ask your doctor if you're okay to periodically fast before trying this method):

1. Eat a sensible dinner and then go to bed. Do not snack/eat after 7pm.
2. In the morning, brew a fairly strong to very strong cup of green tea. DO NOT add milk, sugar or sugar substitutes to the tea. Drink.
3. Just before lunchtime, brew another cup of green tea. Drink.
4. For lunch, have clear vegetable or chicken broth.
5. Fast again until dinner time, then have a light dinner of protein and vegetables. Do NOT have tea.

Eating minimally after taking the green tea helps the tea do its work on your digestive system without your body having to process other food items. It also eliminates the intake of toxins and additives you may normally consume during the day.

You should feel refreshed after your cleanse. The next day, eat sensibly -- don't pig out to make up for lost time. You should feel invigorated and well. If you're feeling funky, I wouldn't recommend this particular way to cleanse, but honestly, I've never heard of anyone feeling unwell after a green tea cleanse.

Let me know how it works out for you...I love to hear from ya!

Photo credit: sjsharktank