A regular detox is of great importance in today’s age, dominated by abundant chemical pollution. There are many ways to help the body in detoxification, like a hypotoxic diet, green juice detox, intermittent fasting, etc. One simple and easy way is by doing a monodiet.
How doest it work?
A monodiet consists in eating only one food in the course of a day, to help the digestive tract and the immune system to rest. The less food is combined, the fewer messages our body has to process, the less energy it needs to digest.
Wrong food combinations as well as complex meals are a burden for the body, which has difficulty managing the breakdown of different food families. Biologically, the body is set up for simple meals, which allows the body to take better advantage of the nutrients from food. Very complex meals create acidity, indigestion, and cause us to waist lot of energy.
During a monodiet, a phenomenon of lysis occurs from the third or fourth day onwards, i.e. the break down of certain toxic molecules which then become soluble and can thus be eliminated. This is called autophagy: the body will consume its own fat deposits and acid waste.
…and how to do it?
You can do a monodiet for a day here and there, especially in spring and autumn, or you can do it over a few days up to a week or more.
In the begining, it may be beneficial to choose a category of food rather than a single food, for example cereals (rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, etc.), mixed vegetables or mixed seasonal fruits. You can then try a single food.
Examples of single diets
VEGETABLES
Choose seasonal, local and organic vegetables to avoid pesticides. Eat them raw if that suits you digestive capacities, or cooked, preferably steamed or in soup. You can season them with a little top quality raw oil, and add herbs and spices with digestive properties (basil, mint, parsley, cumin, caraway, fennel, coriander, aniseed, cardamom, etc).
Carrot monodiet
Indicated for good intestinal health, depurative, diuretic and remineralization. The carrot will provide vitamin A, healing and antioxidant. Carrots can be made into sticks, grated, juiced, puréed, steamed or stewed.
Potato monodiet
The cooked potato monodiet is very digestible, nourishing and alkalizing. It is suitable for people who are cold, anxious and unmoored. Contrary to popular belief, potatoes are low in calories and do not increase weight if cooked without fat, so they are acceptable even for diabetics. Prefer to cook them in their skins, in a salad with a little oil and aromatic herbs. Take time to chew because the digestion of starches begins in the mouth.
Courgette/zucchini monodiet
Suitable for all seasons. Like the carrot, courgette can be eaten cooked (5 minutes in the steam) or raw, grated or in tagliatelle or spaghetti made with a peeler, mandolin. Zucchini goes very well raw with ginger and mint and cooked with oregano.
FRUITS
Banana monodiet
Perfect for thin, cold and anxious people. Its alkalizing properties make it a good corrector of tissue acidosis. If possible, choose ripe bananas with brown spots, chew them well or mash them with a fork and add a spoonful of good quality oil (colza, camelina, hemp). You can also steam them for a few minutes and add ginger, cinnamon, cardamom or mint.
You can eat up to 10 or even 12 bananas a day. Chew them well.
This monodiet is not suitable for diabetics.
Apple monodiet
It’s appreciated for its slightly laxative and diuretic virtues. It will bring comfort to the stomach and liver. It can be used to prevent gallstones or kidney stones. In case you have very sensitive intestines, remove the skin. Rotate different varieties (golden, gala, pink lady, etc) to increase the vitamin and mineral content. You can add cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, star anise and eat up to 3kg of apples per day.
This monodiet is not suitable for people intolerant to FODMAPs intolerance.
Grape Monodiet
This is a monodiet practiced during grape season (especially in the Bordeaux region), usually over a period of 1 to 3 weeks. Many articles and books are devoted to this diet which allows a great gentle way of cleansing the body in a physiological manner.
Use local grapes, organic better (rinse them well if not, with a tbsp of white vinegar). Use different varieties, red and white (up to 4kg per day), whole or in juice, seeded or seedless/skinned if your intestines are sensitive.
This type of monodiet is not suitable for diabetics.
CEREALS
Rice Monodiet
It’s a comforting one, ideal in winter for people who feel cold, nervous or hyperactive. It is generally done over short periods of time (1 to 3 days) preferably with basmati rice which has a lower glycemic load, whole or semi-complete (white in case of fragile/irritable intestines). Stew or steam the rice. A little ghee, cinnamon or cardamom can be added.
Carrots, rice, grapes, sweet potato or watermelon, your choice, according to the season, your terrain, your constitution and your taste. Everyone is different so it is up to you to test and see what suits you best.
Preparing for a monodiet
It is important to practice monodiets in a serene setting, without great stress, professional overwork or overexcitement.
As with fasting, the body is gently prepared, depending on the duration of the monodiet (the longer the monodiet, the sooner the foods on the following list are removed).
D-3 Coffee, black tea, alcohol, fried foods and industrial products are reduced or eliminated.
D-2 Reduce or eliminate animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products).
D-1: Reduce vegetable proteins (legumes, soy) and cooked fats.
Additional tips
Eat only the chosen ingredient(s), 3 to 5 times a day, making sure you stay well hydrated (filtered water or spring water with low mineral content to avoid straining the kidneys). You can also drink herbal tea.
Try to vary the preparation methods to avoid boredom, and to eat to satiety, without overeating of course.
When the monodiet is over, vegetables, cereals and fruit are gradually reintroduced, followed by other foods as it was done during the preparation.
Would a monodiet be good for me ?
Consider doing a monodiet if you have recently overeaten or been under intense stress in the past few weeks. And if you suffer from what’s on the list below, a monodiet could be a good idea to boost your vitality, to re-activate your healing capacities.
Digestive problems (bloating, constipation or loose stools)
Fatigue, lack of motivation, lethargy
Frequent recurrent infections (colds, cystitis)
Sleep problems (falling asleep, staying asleep, waking up at wee hours, having lots of nighmares)
Headaches
Difficulty focusing and making decisions
Blocked creativity
Joint pain, reduced flexibility, especially upon waking up
Benefits of a monodiet
Increased vitality
As the digestive system is put to rest, the energy saved is used for repair, regeneration and cleansing of the body. Better digestion = deep cleansing, better sleep, loss of excess weight, disappearance of minor joint pains, more concentration and mental clarity, more radiant skin!
Digestive comfort
Less bloating and flatulence, less cramps or spasms if you have chosen the right food for your body (a single serving of camembert may well not be a good idea). You will feel light after eating, without feeling hungry (don’t mix hunger and cravings) and post-prandial fatigue disappears.
Food recalibrating
A monodiet will to teach you to listen to your essential needs, to eat simply, to enjoy each bite with consciousness.
After your monodiet, if you reintroduce foods slowly, you should also become more aware of what foods are doing you good and what are the ingredients that you should avoid.
More time for yourself!
Less time spent shopping, cleaning pots and pans, preparing meals…a monodiet helps simplifying life. You’ll have more time for activities that fullfil you, that bring you pleasure and calm, whether it be gardening, reading, drawing, yoga, meditation.
It’s as simple and effecient as this!
