I’ve been doing a seasonal detox for over 15 years and have learnt a few tricks – some do’s and don’ts. During this time I came to realise that the most important part of a detox diet is the preparation. In order to succeed, I had to start to organise myself at least one week before. So, before starting theSpring Clean Diet, the following preparations need to be made:-

• All shop-bought snacks put away into boxes and hidden somewhere (such as garage, shed, attic etc). I don’t throw things away – I hate wasting food, even if it’s bad for me!
• Use up products in the fridge that are nearing their expiry dates (such as bacon, sausages, yoghurts, cheese etc) and/or freeze whatever can be frozen.
• Make meals for the rest of the family who aren’t detoxing – such as stews, soups, pies etc –  then store these in the  fridge/freezer as ready-to-warm-up portions.
• Stock up with tinned/jarred food such as beans, lentils & chickpeas in brine; chopped & plum tomatoes; passata; coconut milk; roasted red peppers; artichokes; and olives in brine.
• Stock up the freezer with lots of veggies (I meanlots), fish fillets and seafood. Berries are useful to have too. Also, homemade tomato sauces and vegetable stocks. For busy (tired and hungry!) days it helps to have ready-to-heat veggie soups, curries and stews.
• Stock the larder with: brown rice (short and long grain), porridge oats (gluten-free), nuts &seeds, besan (gram) flour, buckwheat flour, polenta, brown rice flour, quinoa, coconut & olive oil, cider vinegar, dried herbs & ground spices (the basics: coriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, chilli, paprika, dried oregano, ginger powder).
• Invest in healthy Asian ingredients such as Tamari (gluten-free) soya sauce, Mirin, Sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, Miso paste, tofu (firm and soft), dried seaweed, curry leaves, star anise,  bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, dried chilli flakes.
• Make sure to have enough green tea, dandelion coffee, red bush tea, fennel seeds/tea, chamomile tea and any other herbal teas that you’re fond of.
• As spiced dishes are the essence of the Spring Clean Diet, it is useful to have the followings in the pantry/fridge/freezer: kaffir lime leaves, organic green/red Thai curry paste, chipotle paste, harissa paste, fresh ginger, bulbs of garlic, chilli peppers and lemongrass.
• Other useful things to have: brown-rice noodles and pasta, organic oatcakes (sugar-free), dried fruits (with no added sugar), sugar-free pure cocoa powder (YES, you can!), mixed-spice, vanilla paste.
• The days before and during the Spring Clean programme I regularly visit my local street market to buy good value, seasonal fresh fruits, veggies and herbs. Some of these can be cleaned and chopped and put in the freezer, ready to cook when needed. I make sure I have enough veggies for theSuper Healthy vegetable juiceI’ll need to make every day.
• During the diet I always find the that the 3rd-5th days are particularly difficult – when I start craving normal snacks – so it’s very important to be ready for the voices in our head that urge us to give up. To defeat them, I find that my homemadeoat and and banana slices work a treat – also a jar of mixed nuts and dried fruits is helpful to keep nearby. Dips with crudités work too, as well as blinis and veggie fritters. See my useful Spring Detox recipes>>
• If you don’t have time to bake or prepare these snacks and dips, just go to your local store or deli and buy organic, good quality vegan dips (hummus, guacamole etc) – but make sure these don’t have any artificial flavourings and added rubbish/sugar in them – the golden rule is, if you don’t understand the ingredients don’t buy it!
• Baby-food can come very handy – particularly the fruit purées and oaty bars which tend to be vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free.
• Finally, I tend to keep away from trendy, faddish foods and ingredients – particularly those that come at an inflated price e.g. coconut flour.

Related articles

• Spring Cleansing
• The Spring Clean Diet
• My Spring Clean Diet journal
• Spring Clean Diet Preparation
• Spring Clean Diet Guidelines
• Harmonious Food Combining
• Spring Clean Diet Plan
• Food combining diet