Naturopathic doctor Erica Lepore created an amazing 21 Day Detox program available from Nourishing World. For over 15 years, Dr. Lepore has guided over 1000 patients through this science-based 21 Day Detox to set them on the road to better health. Her patients have noticed remarkable results including weight loss, better cholesterol levels, fewer headaches and skin conditions, better sleep, and improvements in chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, gluten intolerance, indigestion, GERD, arthritis pain, menopausal symptoms, and PMS.

I followed Erica’s 21 Day Detox plan and here is what I experienced:

My 21 Day Detox:

In the first few days I noticed some things that were signs that I was detoxing. My brain was foggy, and I had some mild acne. I had one really weird reaction and that was swollen gums. I asked Erica about this one and she had heard of it one other time. It is an uncommon reaction on the 21 Day Detox, but not an unheard of one. All symptoms were gone by day five.

What I Ate During the 21 Day Detox:

Aside from the bentonite detox drink, lemon water and detox tea, all part of the 21 Day Detox, I ate lots of organic chicken, quinoa salads, veggies, almond flour baked goods made without sugar, nuts, sugar-free dried fruits, smoothies, soups, and salads. Avocados are one of my new best friends, I put them in and on everything! I tried a variety of recipes that came from Erica as well as some I found on Paleo and gluten-free blogs. One of the best things I took away from this is new, healthy recipes that are easy to prepare and tasty. It makes continuing to eat clean much easier. Oh, and I switched from Trident gum, which claims to use xylitol as a sweetener, but also uses aspartame, to Pur Gum which is aspartame free. I often chew gum a few times a day.

I only ate out once the entire time on the 21 Day Detox – and that was difficult. The warm rolls delivered to the table were such a temptation! But I resisted. I had a nice piece of salmon (probably farm raised, argh!!!), steamed veggies, and a salad with oil and vinegar for dressing.

Other things I did:

I tried to exercise a lot. On average, I exercised at least half an hour a day, 4 days a week. One week I even got in 6 days! I had never done heated yoga and tried a class to get a good sweat on since sweating is good for detox. This is something I’m keeping in my exercise regime now. I’ve done two more of these classes and I feel so loose after. I also managed to get into a sauna a few times to help sweat out some more toxins. and, I used a loofa sponge during showers to help slough off dead skin. Dr. Lepore recommends dry brushing the skin during the detox.

My 21 Day Detox Results:

By the end of week two, my skin looked better than it had in years. The redness in my cheeks was noticeably reduced. By the end of week three on the 21 Day Detox I had lost about 7 lbs, without feeling hungry. My brain is clearer. I feel healthy and really good about accomplishing such a daunting challenge. I’ve always been drawn to sugar and chocolate, and I knew going in that this was going to be the hardest thing to give up. I found I really missed butter, too. After doing the food challenges, I found I have a sensitivity to sugar. It contributes to the redness in my cheeks when I eat it. I also have a sensitivity to straight milk. But I rarely drink milk anyway, so it’s not a major loss. I have had no problems with yogurt, cheeses, or butter, yeah! Surprisingly, I have a sensitivity to straight eggs. I used to eat omelets a couple times a week. Now, eggs upset my stomach when I eat them. They don’t bother me when in cooked foods, but alone I have issues with them. I don’t seem to have any issues with wheat/gluten, although I’m eating low-carb, so I’m not consuming much anyway. Corn doesn’t seem to be a problem either.

I didn’t experience any really dramatic results, but I was eating pretty healthy before I started this 21 Day Detox. I buy organic a lot and don’t buy that much in the form of processed foods. Chocolate was my big binge no-no, and I eat mostly organic, dark chocolate. I find I want to continue eating clean and sugar-free even though I’m done with the 21 Day Detox challenge. I have made a few really healthy changes and I’m going to stick with them. Although, avoiding chocolate is not one of them!

Ready to Start the 21 Day Detox?

Before you begin the detox plan, make sure you’re really ready. For some people, this 21 Day Detox is a huge commitment. You’ll want to make sure you have the right foods on hand and if you’re a big coffee drinker, you may want to wean yourself off the caffeine before you begin. The 21 Day Detox doesn’t just end once you reach day 21 — there is a period of reintroducing foods slowly to see how your body reacts. If you are ready to give it a try, head on over to Nourishing World to get Erica’s 21 Day Detox guidebook plus all the supplements you’ll need to complete the plan.

By Kerrie Bross