4 Ideas for Mama’s Detox and Energy Boost

Published : March 18 , 2016
Latest Update : August 08 , 2021

You’re changing diapers, running errands, kissing scratches and scrapes, and chopping, chopping, chopping—always chopping—healthy treats for your growing tribe. Mama is tired! We all have times we’re especially worn-out and need a boost of energy. And there are many ways to reboot without sabotaging your health. You might be tempted to try out an energy drink. But stop right there—they are loaded with sugar, food colouring, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives. Those drinks give your body a jolt of energy, (more like the jitters), and you end with a crash. After the sugar crash, you feel more drained than you did before you had the energy drink. And you’ve put countless, nasty chemicals and toxins into your body. So not worth it. So what’s a better alternative? Let’s stick with whole foods and exercise to improve energy and maintain a healthy weight.

Here are a few ideas:

Nuts:

All nuts, like almonds, walnuts and Brazil nuts, are a great on-the-go snack. They offer healthy and quality fats and are a good source of protein. The protein helps satisfy your appetite and stabilize blood sugar, keeping your cortisol levels low. Nut oils are also great for your skin. Try snacking on sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, too, which are a good source of protein. Sprinkle nuts and seeds on salads, or toast them in the oven for a few minutes. Add them to your yogurt or a bowl of oatmeal (using 100% rolled oats).

Coconut Water and Oil:

Coconut water increases stamina and endurance. Coconut is a good source of healthy fats and is packed with nutrients. It is also a great source of hydration. Coconut Oil is a huge benefit to add to your everyday cooking and can be added to smoothies.

Smoothies:

If you’re not a big fan of certain veggies, adding them to a smoothie is a great way to hide the taste but reap all the benefits. You can follow certain recipes or make up your own! Always start with a liquid base: water, coconut water, or milk. You can add a handful of ice cubes if you like it chilled or more of a milkshake consistency.

Here’s a great recipe to start with Anti-inflammatory Smoothie:

1 stick of celery.
1 cup of sliced cucumber.
1/2 cup of chopped pineapple (fresh).
juice of 1/2 a lime.
1 cup of spinach.
a handful of chopped parsley.
1 1/2 cups of pure coconut water.

Directions: place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. This is great for detoxing and healing any inflammation in the body (even in your organs). Getting rid of toxins and inflammation helps you feel energized. Remember: your body is like a machine. If you feed it good, it will work well for you and give out goodness. Nutrition is a huge factor in how we feel. If you give your body bad things, it will feel bad and function poorly. Put good in, get good out. Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and parsley are packed with vital nutrients that will fuel your body. Use them in salads and smoothies daily. Smoothies are also a great way to trick your kids into eating vegetables! By adding fruit as a natural sweetener, it will mask the taste of the veggies and the kids will never know they’re in there! Pick a fruit they really like and add whatever veggies you want. Just be careful with things like parsley, cilantro, or kale because adding too much will be overpowering and make it taste bitter. Adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to smoothies will help stabilize blood sugar. We mentioned detoxing and greens. Leafy greens are the place to start and the way to go. They offer our bodies plenty of fibre and help clean out our system. Fibre is known to “sweep” our intestines, removing the bulk from our digestive tracks and helping with constipation. Fibre is in many fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and legumes. Fibre helps you feel fuller longer—great news to those trying to manage their weight. Another way to detox is through the infused water. Steeping certain ingredients in our water can be of great benefit.

And water itself helps to flush out all the bad. Here are a few ideas:

Ginger Tea:

Grate 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of raw ginger and add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric to a teapot. Boil for about 5 minutes. Pour into a cup with any tea. Add 1 tablespoon of honey for a little sweetness (optional).