When you have completed the Detox you should feel energised as your body systems are able to function more efficiently but now is the time to add in more Super-foods for energy and vitality that will improve your nutrition and nourish your body. When you omit foods from your diet it is vital that you substitute other foods that provide the same nutrients so that you don’t become deficient.

Wheat and wholegrain wheat products and cereals usually contain a variety of the B group of vitamins, iron, potassium, iodine and calcium so if you eliminate grains from your diet you need to eat enough of the foods that supply these nutrients and on a daily basis because the Vitamin group of vitamins are water soluble, not stored in the body and depleted by stress. If your gut bacteria levels are good you also manufacture Vitamin B in the body, especially the ones that are capable of repairing DNA and even killing cancer cells, biotin, folic acid and B12. Vitamin B is essential for a healthy nervous system, good mental function and mood, for food digestion, metabolism and energy and for keeping levels of homocysteine low and preventing heart attacks and strokes. Foods that contain good levels of Vitamin B and iron are meats – with more in red meat like grass fed beef, venison, rabbit; organ meat – liver, kidney and heart; eggs; bacon; yeast extract; dried seaweed; sardines; Herring; anchovies; scallops; prawns salmon;skate;mackerel; shiitake mushrooms; sunflower seeds; nuts; brown rice and dark green leafy vegetables like Kale, chard, spinach, Spring greens and cabbage.

If you omit Dairy foods then it is fat soluble vitamins like vitamin D and Calcium that you will need to replace. Vitamin D is in oily fish; fish roe; eggs; Ghee, added to most margarines and oil based spreads and it is made by the body when exposed to sunlight. Calcium is found in Almond milk and butter; other nut milks and their butters; leafy green vegetables; salmon, sardines, whitebait, prawns; sesame seeds; Poppy seeds; Harricot beans; chick peas; Nori and Kombu seaweed; figs; Herbs; root vegetables and broccoli.

The easiest way of upping your nutrition is to add a few smoothies a week. My personal favourites are mixtures of almond or coconut milk with fresh fruit, fresh ginger or cinnamon and almond butter. I love some of the ideas for smoothies on Kira Westwick’s Blog and she even converted me to green smoothies by saying that you should make them light and refreshing and not “creamy” and by going for greens that are typically eaten raw like cucumber, celery, herbs and sprouts and add ice to keep them super fresh. In the Winter try adding  plenty of nutritious foods into soups. My favourite is pumpkin and butternut squash with roasted garlic topped with crispy bacon pieces and toasted pumpkin seeds in a little olive oil….yummy!

I think all of these foods are Super-foods because they supply us with high levels of nutrients and energy. In addition to these you should add Coconut oil and butter, coconut milk, pure coconut yogurt; garlic; ginger; cinnamon, turmeric, olive oil, green tea, spice teas, Spring water, mushrooms, bell peppers, Avocado, lemons and limes, Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, dark cherries, grapes and the occasional glass of red wine with some raw, dark chocolate!

I feel great just writing all these Super-foods down 😉