As registered dietitians and personal trainers we get a lot of questions about simple strategies that we use and that we have our clients use to help the body to get back on track and to feel better and lighter after a few too many overindulgences (salt, sugar, alcohol, etc., — you know the deal 😉 ). Of course, being authors of The Nutrition Twins’ Veggie Cure , we can’t help but to recommend loading up on veggies—especially bright colored ones—and greens. 🙂 They’re nutritional powerhouses and some aid the liver in breaking down and neutralizing toxins while others fight inflammation and the damage it does to the body. They’re also loaded with fiber, which helps to flush waste out your colon (goodbye constipation and unsightly gut bulges from it–hello flatter belly. Oh Yeah!)
Our clients have told us that some of their favorite recipes and strategies (like our 5 Steps to Cleanse Your Body, Detox & Recharge) to simply get their mind and body on the healthy track after having overindulged come from some of our Flushing “Detox” Drinks (like our Lemon Mint Detox Drink)–so that’s one reason we’ve created this refreshing elixir.
And by now, you probably know how we feel about water and how important it is to stay properly hydrated. After all, if you are even slightly dehydrated (just 1% of your body weight), you’ll feel sluggish (you’re less likely to get to the gym if you’re feeling wiped out—and even if you do get there, you likely won’t work as hard) and you can easily mistake thirst for hunger.
Of course, less movement and eating more both spell trouble for your waistline! Ahh! Don’t let dehydration happen to you. If you’re not a water-lover, we’ve got a jazzed up water that you’ll dig! You’ll wanna give this water a whirl!
Plus, drinking water helps to flush out excess salt and the bloated and puffy feeling that comes with it. (See below to see why cucumbers and all the other components in this drink help you to kiss puffiness good bye!)
Note: To get the most from this flush, we also recommend following our red, orange and green rule. Simply, include one serving of red, orange or green produce with every meal. Doing so will flood your body with antioxidants and plant nutrients that will begin to denature damaging particles and toxins. Plus if you fill up on veggies, you’ll be less likely to reach for starchy sides. Pssst… this drink helps you to meet our rule—cucumbers (green) and blueberries (fall under the red/purple).
And as far as what you should drink at meals… 16 ounces of any combination of water, green tea, Cucumber Blueberry Water Flush (recipe below) or one of our other detox drinks (hello Grapefruit Rosemary Detox, Orange-Lime Sparkling Flusher and our Pomegranate Tangerine Detox Flusher or a combination of any of these at every meal.
Cucumbers are packed with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which is especially helpful if you have had too much salt the night before and woke up feeling swollen. These drinks work magic because of their high water and potassium content (thanks to the fruits and veggies) which flushes bloat by restoring normal fluid balance so you can kiss puffiness goodbye.
Cucumber Blueberry Water Flush:
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces water
- 1/4 c. Blueberries
- 1/4 Cucumber
Directions:
Slice cucumber thinly. Place cucumber and berries into a water glass and add 8 oz of cold water. Allow the ingredients to sit in the water for 15- 30min before drinking (the longer the time, the stronger the flavor).
We love to eat the fruit after it’s been sitting in the water—it gets really plump and delish! Note that if you don’t eat the fruit, the water itself will have virtually zero calories.
Nutrition Facts: Serves: 1, Serving Size: 1; Calories Per Serving: 32; Total Fat: 0g; Protein: 1g; Carbohydrate: 8g; Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 5g; Sodium: 2mg
- ¼ c. Blueberries
- ¼ Cucumber
- 8 ounces water
- Slice cucumber thinly. Place cucumber and berries into a water glass and add 8 oz of cold water. Allow the ingredients to sit in the water for 15- 30min before drinking (the longer the time, the stronger the flavor).
- We love to eat the fruit after it’s been sitting in the water—it gets really plump and delish! Note that if you don’t eat the fruit, the water itself will have virtually zero calories.