The holidays are over–it’s time to clear your body of those “Tis the Season” indulgences. While a January juice cleanse may seem like a good idea in theory, the chilly temperatures of the New Year make the thought of solely drinking cold juices for a few days to a week unappealing, if not downright dreadful.
I’m thinking soup is what we need right now–warm, comforting, nourishing….and cleansing soup! Juicing is still a great way to cleanse, BUT “souping” has become a more comprehensive and preferred method of cleansing, especially in the winter months. In fact, souping is the new juicing, and it’s a lot more familiar, convenient and easy to do. Most of us already love a good bowl of soup, so why not make soups the staple of your diet for a few days? Unlike juicing, you get to chew your meals fill your tummy to satisfaction, all while getting several cleansing benefits to help clear out the holiday buildup.
One main difference between juicing and souping, is that soups contain fiber. Fiber plays a key role in moving toxins out of your body, since it bulks up stool and literally cleans the walls of your intestinal tract. Fiber also helps to stabilize your blood sugar levels, helping to make you feel full and satisfied for longer, so you don’t get too hungry throughout the day.
When it comes to cleansing our bodies, all we need to do is eat good food and drink clean water. We may not be able to see the toxins that have built up inside our bodies, but we can sure feel them. The remnants of those holiday treats and dense comfort foods can build up in our fat cells. Souping offers us an opportunity to refresh and renew ourselves.
Another benefit of souping is that it’s a lot more economical to simmer a pot of soup with veggies, beans or whole grains than to buy all the organic veggies and fruits you need for just one glass of green juice. You can also use that one bunch of celery or bag of carrots for a couple of different soup recipes to last you for the week.
The best way to “soup” is to incorporate some of nature’s best cleansing foods into your soups, and then continue to include them in your meals after your cleanse. Vegetables such as dark leafy greens, onions, garlic, carrots, cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, whole grains, beans and lentils, plus many other veggies will cleanse you quickly and easily. Cleansing foods contain the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that support your body’s detoxification organs. Once you start eating these foods as part of your regular routine, they’ll do the work for you. They’ll scrub your liver, clean out the nooks and crannies of your colon, shake out your fat cells, and flush everything out through your kidneys and sweat. You’ll look and feel refreshed in a relatively short amount of time.
When possible, opt for organic produce, since there’s no sense in adding more toxins while you’re working to rid them from your body.
Are you ready for souping to cleanse and warm you up this January? CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW for two of my favorite soup recipes:
