A post-holiday detox smoothie to kick-start your health

As much fun as they are, the holidays can be tough on our bodies. But that doesn't mean you need to turn to a liquid diet or full-on fast to restore your balance. In fact, a drastic diet change can often do more damage than good. This year, ease your way back to your healthiest self by following these simple steps:

1. Eat your greens! Dark green leafy vegetables are packed full of liver-supportive nutrients to help rid our bodies of the heaviness of the holidays. Fill your plate with at least half green vegetables at each meal to lighten it up while still staying full for longer periods of time. Great choices include kale, spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, broccoli and collard greens. For more on the health benefits of leafy greens click here.

2. Up your fibre Foods rich in fibre help the body by encouraging the proper elimination of toxins. Fibre also balances blood sugar levels, reduces bloating and helps eliminate cravings. Foods like oats, brown rice and fresh fruit and vegetables are all full of digestion-friendly fibre. For more on how fibre will help you stay healthy click here.

3. Avoid dairy products Products like milk and cheese are heavy, difficult to digest and mucous-forming. Instead of helping you detoxify, these foods make cleansing more difficult because of the strain they put on your body. They're also acid forming — we're striving for an alkaline internal environment — and unnecessary for optimal health. Try non-dairy alternatives like almond, coconut and hemp milk instead.

To get a jump start on your health this year, try my post-holiday detox smoothie recipe below: Ingredients 2 cups kale 2 cups spinach 1/3 of a cucumber ½ an apple 1-inch slice of ginger 1 frozen banana 3 tbsp hemp hearts Juice of ½ a lemon 3 cups water

Directions 1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend!

Makes 2 servings.

Per serving
Calories 211 Calories from fat 62 Total fat 6.9 g Saturated fat 1 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 70 mg Total carbohydrates 31 g Fibre 7 g Sugar 13 g Protein 9 g Tara Miller is a Toronto-based holistic nutritionist. Her educational background is from The Institute of Holistic Nutrition combined with a degree in psychology from the University of Guelph. This combination allows Tara to address the challenges individuals face when it comes to everyday healthy living. Tara is also the owner of the Health Hut Boutique in Muskoka where she offers effective and toxic-free beauty, household and specialty food items. You can follow her blog for holistic recipes and tips at taramillernutrition.com.