Don't want to give up your coffee in the name of Clean Eating??
Why DO so many detox/clean eating programs make you give up coffee? Our bodies and our gut flora react in not-so-nice way when they aren't getting what they're used to, so it's helpful to understand the WHY.
Here are the reasons we omit coffee from Nutritional Balancing/Clean Eating Challenges:
Coffee drinkers tend to skip breakfast and grab empty carbs in the AM with their brew (what you start your day with, sets the tone for the metabolic rate and your cravings throughout the day)
Caffeine is addictive & decreases nutrient absorption (addictive foods often don't serve the most beneficial intestinal flora)
Folks add refined sugar (simple carbs) and milk to their coffee too often... or too much
Coffee is highly acidic (we're going for alkaline in our what we eat/drink)
Caffeine is a substance that is metabolized by our liver by a process that includes oxidation (we're trying to lessen the load on the liver and kidneys so they can max out their detox potential)
Coffee fires up your adrenal gland in a not-so-pretty detox way
But coffee also has some amazing qualities to it, so here's my "work around" if you just have to cheat
Try to keep it to one cup of Joe/day, after your morning Detox Tea
Use organic, fair trade coffee or a substitute blend like Dandy Blend or cacao based CrioBru
Add a pinch, just a pinch of baking soda, which dramatically affects pH, making it alkaline
Use Trader Joe's Coconut Creamer or unflavored Coconut Beverage, if you like to use creamer
Only stevia, organic minimally processed cane sugar or local/raw/unfiltered honey to sweeten (no agave or refined sugars)
Arbonne Fizzies can definitely help, by adding a little natural caffeine boost to your day in a fun and pH correct way (or Dandy Blend and CrioBru are great non-caffeine coffee subs), but being effectively hydrated and resting your body properly will also help immensely.
A thorough cleansing/nutritional balancing challenge should be no shorter than 30 days and it should be a slow release and processing/elimination of toxins held by your body. Releasing those toxins too fast can cause all kinds of crazy things for the body & skin... so look for a process designed to work with your natural detox organs.
Follow the challenge, like a science experiment, so you get the most out of it :) After your 30 Days, follow approved re-integration steps so you can identify which foods/ingredients serve you and which you may want to eliminate for good!
Here are some products that you may want even if you're not up for a 30 Days Challenge:
My personal favorite Nutritional Balancing Challenge is Arbonne's 30 Days to Healthy Living, Inside & Out Every medical extract I read reinforces the science behind this challenge. And I had a slew of issues I was "dealing with" when this challenge turned everything around for me and set me on a path to much happier, healthier and more energized life.
It's an easy to follow/convenient way to balance hormones, hydrate effectively, reduce toxic buildup, boost metabolic rate, increase nutrient uptake, reduce inflammation, lose pounds and inches... even busy people can do this! and yes, we do have you give up coffee for 30 days ;)
- Berly Wedding, Finder of cool things, Coach and Arbonne Independent Consultant