MY Food Based Detox vs. Juice Cleanse

Cleanses, detoxes, juice fasts… they’re all popular, but NOT all effective nor fully safe.

Here are 5 key elements I believe are missing from typical juice/smoothie “detoxes” and why Balance with Mariana’s detox programs are a (much) better option.

  1. A juice/smoothie detox doesn’t provide the liver with the essential nutrients it needs to support optimal detoxification (for Phase 1 and 2 detoxes), which is important since the liver is your primary detoxifying organ.

  2. A juice detox doesn’t provide the fiber needed to “cleanse” the intestines, bind toxins, and promote their elimination.

  3. A juice detox is just that: juices and no real food that can leave you feeling hungry and moody. There is no real food or eating plan that eliminates problem foods and replaces them with nutritious whole foods (which you can continue eating after my detox).

  4. Juice detoxes are usually high in sugar (even if they are natural fruit sugars) and do NOT contain enough protein or healthy fats, which can raise blood sugar levels and cause a "crash."

  5. The results of a juice detox are not sustainable; the weight lost is often regained once food is reintroduced. And you don't learn which foods you may be sensitive to and should avoid/minimize in the future, as you will with my detox.

In comparison, my detox programs include 3 nutrient-dense meals (plus an optional snack) every day, so you won't feel dizzy or hungry due to a lack of food or nutrients. We prioritize FIBER, polyphenols, protein and healty fats in each meal, for balanced blood sugar and to support proper detoxification.

It's not about starving yourself or having to stop eating with your family or friends. Plus, my detox programs are flexible: you can still go about your daily life with just a little preparation and organization!

Balance with Mariana's detox programs provide a comprehensive eating plan (for 7 or 10 days) that eliminate most of the foods people are sensitive or allergic to, plus heavy/inflammatory foods in general, and include a wide variety of nutritious whole foods.

Balance with Mariana's programs contain a healthy dose of fiber to cleanse the gut and aid in elimination, and foods/herbs (and supplements including digestive enzymes and antimicrobial herbs are also recommended) to eliminate bad bacteria in the gut and support the growth of more healthy bacteria.

While it's fantastic to enjoy green juices to boost nutrients in a healthy way, when it comes to an effective detox with lasting benefits, there's no comparison!

What is this detox? What's it all about?

My 7-day and 10-day detox programs helps to reduce inflammation in your body, break the cycle of food cravings, and restore the nutrition your body needs to thrive. You'll follow a simple, whole-food eating plan that can improve energy, digestion, sleep, mood, skin, focus, and productivity.

The effects of this program can be both profound and immediate. You’ll notice the difference in just a few days, and if you follow my coaching suggestions for post-detox, you will continue to experience benefits by cotinuing with the healthy habits (especially those most relevant for you, which we can discuss), even if its just 80-90%.

Why do a detox like this?

By "detoxifying" from harmful foods and dietary patterns that cause inflammation, fatigue, weight gain, and other health problems, you allow your body to recover and function at its best.

How it works:

  1. Preparation Phase: 3+ days of preparation for your kitchen, body, and mind. I always suggest you take some time the weekend before starting your detox to read through the guides, cook some recipes, start minimizing processed foods and sugar, etc.

  2. Detox Phase: 10 days to eliminate sugar, unhealthy fats, common food sensitivities, and toxic chemicals from your diet. (I also have a shorter 7 day plan more focused on hormonal balance which is great for people that want a shorter program; I usually run this 7 day program in April every year as a “spring reset”).

  3. Post-Detox Phase: A few days to learn how to reintroduce foods so you know which ones make your body feel better (and which ones don't). These days are key; make sure you don’t rush back to your old habits! Use my support to help you :).

While doing a detox can be challenging, it's temporary and passes quickly! More importantly, it creates lasting benefits as you break free from food addiction and discover how amazing you can feel in your body and mind when you nourish yourself with healthy, real, and nutritious foods.

Remember what it feels like to feel good?

You can get back there. And it only takes a few days to notice that huge positive shift. After that, maintaining your healthy habits long term becomes so much easier (especially with the support of a coach!).

8 Daily Habits for Optimal GUT Health

Whether you’re looking to ease digestive discomfort, improve your energy, boost immune and nervous system health, or support your hormones (ex. to boost fertility or alleviate menopause symptoms), building supportive daily “gut-healthy” habits can make a meaningful difference.

First, make sure to read my previous blog with the 5 foods you should be eating regularly to support gut health.

Today, we dive into the eight foundational habits that, when practiced regularly, support long-term gut health.

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Food as Medicine: Top 5 FOODS for Optimal Gut Health

If you’ve followed me for a while, you probably know that I have been talking about the utmost importance of gut health since I started my health coaching career over 10 years ago, as it was one of the first discoveries that prompted my career shift (when I started healing my gut and realized the power of food as medicine), and to me its the #1 area of focus with 95% of my clients. When someone wants to lose weight or just “get healthier”, I first start them with GUT HEALTH basics.

So thats what I want to talk about today!

Our gut is the foundation of overall health - from immunity and energy, to mood, skin, and of course digestion and even weight loss, our gut plays a role in nearly every system in our body.

One of the absolute key drivers of optimal gut health is the food we eat DAILY, in particular, getting enough plants filled with FIBER, pre- and pro-biotics, and antioxidants. So today I dive deeper into the top 5 foods for a healthy gut microbiome (for optimal gut and overall health).

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Nature's Ozempic... 8 Tips to produce GLP-1 naturally

Recently, GLP-1 medications like Ozempic have gained significant attention for their dramatic weight loss effects (and other inflammation-reducing benefits). But did you know that you can naturally increase your GLP-1 levels with simple, science-based hacks? Let’s have a look at how GLP-1 works, why it’s important, and natural hacks to enhance its levels without medication.

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5 STEPS TO IMPROVE DIGESTION, BANISH BLOAT & GET A FLAT BELLY

Do you tend to get gassy and/or bloated easily, especially after meals?

Or are you struggling to get rid of that little bulge at the waistline of your jeans, that stubborn extra fat that seems to become a bigger problem as the years go on?

Too many people (especially women) think cutting calories and boosting their workouts is the answer to eliminating their bloat and muffin-top, but usually, that strategy fails.

After much research and even personal struggle, I realized that the key lies in first understanding what's causing you to get bloated and gassy, and eventually contributing to your belly fat. I always believe in first finding the ROOT CAUSE behind your health issues, and in the case of excess belly fat and bloat, it’s usually centered around inflammation as well as sub-optimal digestion.

HERE ARE 5 STEPS TO IMPROVING YOUR DIGESTION, ELIMINATING YOUR BLOAT AFTER MEALS, AND GETTING RID OF THAT EXCESS BELLY FAT.

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Five ways to support your body's detox pathways

Our bodies are amazing at doing their natural course of detoxification. We are blessed with these remarkably sophisticated bodies that process and remove both internal waste and environmental toxins, all day, every day.

In a healthy state, our “detox systems” compused of our liver, kidneys, lungs, skin, digestive tract, and lymph system work seamlessly to clear out what our body doesn’t need. However, we all reach a point where our bodies get saturated with SO much toxins and our “detox systems” get sluggish. The volume and complexity of toxins we face in today’s world can overwhelm our bodies, contributing to chronic illness, reducing our health span and accelerating aging. 

To support your body's natural detoxification process, it’s important to have a healthy balanced diet rich in antioxidants, to hydrate constantly, get sufficient sleep, do regular exercise, and of course, to minimize your exposure to toxins. Focusing on creating these lifestyle changes, little by little, can enhance your body's ability to eliminate waste and maintain overall health. 

Beyond these daily lifestyle basics, there are 5 additional key steps that I work with my clients to have them implement whenever they are needing a bit more “detox support”.

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6 Tips to add more protein in your day (and digest it well!)

There is tons of hype now around getting sufficient protein, and this hype is definitely valid (but like everything, it requires some customization). READ MORE HERE.

I personally have found adding more protein in my day has helped me naturally lose my postpartum baby weight in a healthy, gradual way while keeping my energy strong and cravings at bay.

However, it’s not just about the amount of protein we consume, but also the QUALITY of the protein, and how well we DIGEST it. Varying your sources of protein (from both animal and plant sources, and ideally organic) is key to help you get a good variety of nutrients and help you have better digestibilty, too.

If you suspect you may be getting insufficient protein and find yourself wanting to try increasing your daily protein intake - in a healthy way that supports your digestion - then I suggest you start by applying some of these 6 easy tips to boost your daily protein intake.

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Is buying organic a hype?

As an integrative health and functional nutrition coach, I’ve taken a special interest in prioritizing healthier food choices for myself and my family. Plus, my experience as a mom has pushed me to research even more. In my experience (and based on the research I’ve done), there is a strong case for buying organic foods where possible (which I share in my blog) and this includes minimizing pesticides, GMO-foods and unnecessary food additives. So yes, I’m all in support of buying and eating organic foods as much as possible, especially when it comes to kids.

In today's blog I explain more about what defines organic foods (and non-GMO), all the reserached benefits plus the 3 main reasons why I buy organic, and I give you some tips for getting started!

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One easy way to improve your health: Eat More Plants

If you want to lose weight, improve your skin, energy and mood, poop better, feel healthier and look better…. you should start by focusing on improving your GUT.

One key way to improve your gut microbiome by increasing the variety (and quantity) of plants you eat every week.

Studies (and experiments done by the American Gut Project) show that eating more than 30 different plants per week can significantly improve your microbiome diversity, supporting your overall gut health.

To help you boost your gut health, I’m sharing with you 7 different categories of plants (with tons of options in each category) and tips on incorporating them easily into your daily meals, in order to help you reach (or exceed) the target quota of 30 plants per week.

Lastly, I’ll share various tips on how I personally exceed those 30 plants every week!

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Healthy Low Glycemic Shephards Pie

When you’re looking for a comforting meal that is filling but healthy, this is the perfect recipe. This hearty meal - a healthy twist on Shephards Pie (paleo and keto friendly) - is perfect for any lunch or dinner when you need a solid, filling meal, and also perfect for Sunday night meal prep!

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February: Heart Month - 6 tips for optimizing heart health

February is the month of the HEART, and an important time to review your heart health and how you can support it better.

Unfortunately, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the LEADING CAUSE of death worldwide, shortening our lifespan. I strongly believe (together with many leading doctors and health experts) that this will change once we start to prioritize nutrition and lifestyle choices as our first line of defense.

Today I’m sharing 6 things you can start implementing ASAP (apart from the obvious of NO smoking, staying active and avoiding fried foods, trans fats and packaged foods!).

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Healthy Breakfast Recipe: A new twist to your usual egg-avo toast

Today I’m sharing a SUPER EASY, HEALTHY and FILLING breakfast that I love and highly recommend to anyone. It’s my extra-nutritious take on an egg toast (and a different option to the popular avocado toast). This recipe contains a slice of seed bread, vegan cheese, kale and eggs.

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Want to Balance Your Hormones and Optimize your Weight? Take these 4 steps!

Hormonal balance requires a holistic approach, including:

  • DIET: nourishing your body with a nutrient-rich diet

  • EXERCISE: engaging in regular physical activity

  • REST & STRESS MANAGEMENT: prioritizing sleep + managing stress, and

  • MINIMIZING TOXIC LOAD: reducing exposure to environmental toxins (as well as internal toxins!); start by switching to cleaner household products, clean beauty, etc.

I delve quickly into each of these points, giving you actionable steps in each category so you can start to improve your hormonal balance and overall health ASAP!

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10 Coffee Alternatives for better hormonal health

Taking a break from caffeine can have HUGE positive benefits for our hormones and gut health. That being said, it can be hard to cut out coffee, and one thing that can make it easier is to have delicious, comforting alternatives to replace our usual coffee ritual.

Here are my favorite healthy coffee alternatives!

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10 Tips for an Excellent Postpartum Recovery

As I’m coming close to the end of my “4th trimester” after birthing my second baby, I want to share some tips to help with HEALING after giving birth (natural or c-section) - also applicable to help heal from any surgery or trauma. These are things that I myself applied and helped me immensely to have a great recovery.

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Easiest Protein Yogurt Chia Parfait

I’m sharing one of my favorite quick and easy healthy breakifasts for those days when you don’t have time to prep your usual breakfast.

NOTE: This recipe is amazing for both gut/digestive health and for balancing hormones (and is of course pregnancy and pospoartum friendly).

Yogurt Chia Almond Butter Berry Bowl

Ingredients (serves 1):

1 cup unsweetened vegan coconut yogurt OR plain Greek yogurt if you tolerate dairy

  • ½ - 1 scoop unflavored (or vanilla) protein powder or collagen peptides *(see note below)

  • 1 ½ tbsp chia seeds OR ¼ cup chia pudding *(see note below)

  • 1 to 1½ tbsp almond butter (option to swap for another nut/seed butter)

  • ½ cup frozen blueberries, strawberries OR cherries, microwaved for 30 seconds (can also use fresh!)

  • optional: 1-2 tablespoons low-glycemic granola

Instructions: Add all ingredients to a bowl and enjoy! *see blog for many tips, subsitutions, etc.

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Healthy dinner recipes - salmon with pesto, kale salad, and a quinoa-veggie salad

Today I’m sharing an entire 3-part menu (including four healthy recipes), which is perfect for a family lunch or dinner, or for hosting a few friends or another couple.

This menu is PACKED with omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and fiber, making it great for your digestion, for longevity, immunity, and for hormonal balance. It’s also very balanced in protein, healthy fats and healthy low-glycemic carbs, making it ideal for keeping blood sugar stable.

Menu (all gluten-free and dairy-free):

  • Kale, Fennel & Avocado Salad

  • Quinoa Bell Pepper Salad

  • Roasted Salmon with a Pumpkin & Hemp Seed Pesto

Watch the video to learn how to make these recipes easily, and get tons of cooking/prep tips! And check out my recipes below. Enjoy!

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A delicious, colorful & flavorful salad you'll love

I’m sharing one of my favorite salad bowl recipes - Mediterranean Salad Bowl (inspired by a BeingBrigid recipe) - that is packed with fiber, protein, healthy fats, but also rich in colorful, antioxidant-rich veggies that help promote longevity and better immunity (among many other benefits). It’s easy and delicious, and one of my favorite meals for a hot summer day, or when I’m ovulating.

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5 Foods to Combat Stress & Anxiety

When people think of stress, they think mostly of work and deadlines. But there are so many other forms of stress that are impacting your health. And one of the biggest ones comes from the FOOD that you’re putting into your body.

The foods you eat can affect your hormonal balance and create inflammation in your gut, all of which can stress out your body.

Generally, when your body experiences any type of stress, its primary focus becomes controlling that stress. Your body will secrete more cortisol and adrenaline, which tells your system to “restock on the energy supply” even if it’s not really depleted. As a result, it makes you hungry and encourages fat storage. Yikes! (This is why I say, “stress can make you fat!”) Note: everyone is different and people respond differently to stress, but this is what most commonly happens.

And what’s interesting is that certain foods contribute to stress on your body, while others help alleviate it.

What are the key foods that creates stress?  

Coffee, alcohol, sugar, and generally, all heavily processed foods. They increase your stress hormone levels, and will feed the bad bacteria in your gut, causing stress in both your hormones and your gut.

What are the foods that actually help your body stay healthy and combat stress? 

Read my blog for 5 categories of foods that help your body cope with stress and anxiety, from the inside out!

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Your new Favorite Healthy Tacos 3 ways: Fish, Shrimp & Vegan Tacos

I love to do “Taco Tuesdays” and alternate between fish tacos, shrimp tacos and vegan tacos. All three are delicious, and I keep them low-carb by using homemade almond flour tortillas (or I buy the Siete grain-free tortillas). Also, I make sure to ALWAYS add a healthy homemade sauce (my creamy cilantro sauce is vegan and delicious!) and some greens and/or veggies to keep them extra-nutritious, fiber-rich and balanced.

Read my blog for my 3 go-to Taco Recipes (FISH, SHRIMP and VEGAN tacos).

Note: all 3 recipes are high in protein, fiber and healthy fats to support optimal blood sugar balance (plus great for your gut and “anti-inflammatory” as they’re dairy-free and gluten-free).

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