ZAP Refresh: Detoxing & Retoxing

Image via The Fashion Spot

Pumpkin everything is everywhere. My favorite donuts ever are the apple dider donuts found mostly at Wisconsin fall fairs and pumpkin patches. This also indicates that we’ll soon be complaining about holiday weight gain and rushing towards a gym membership in the New Year. Instead of dreading the most wonderful time of the year, start planning a few meals that you can substitute for the sugar-heavy classic recipes we’ve all grown accustomed to. Fresh Thyme Farmers Market, a Midwest specialty retailer, offers a few ways to detox and retox any time of year, especially during the season of pumpkin spice lattes.

DETOX: We all often indulge in foods that drive toxins into our body and one of the ways to clear out the harmful substances and enhance our health is through detox.

1. Focus on eating brightly colored fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans. This includes spinach, kale and cranberries which are super-antioxidant rich and help your body get rid of harmful substances.
2. When nibbling between meals becomes a must, choose fruits and nuts!
   1. Goji berries are antioxidant and Vitamin C rich so that your immune system is given a boost during your detox.
   2. Papayas are rich in minerals including magnesium and folate and they’re an excellent source of fiber with one small papaya providing 10% of your fiber needs.

RETOX: After you’ve eliminated the harmful toxins from your body, it’s time to offset the detox with retox and restore your body with healthy foods.

1. Craving chocolate…cake? Instead of opting for the high-calorie chocolate cake from your favorite bakery, try a chocolate cupcake recipe that calls for ripe avocados as frosting and apple cider vinegar in the ingredients.
2. Typically, banana-nut breads can be full of sugars and saturated fats. Try swapping all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour, coconut oil for butter and adding a cup of pumpkin puree to your favorite banana bread recipe for a pumpkin bread extravaganza.

Of course, don’t give up Halloween candy or pumpkin pies entirely!

Neda Bencun, Publicist