A moment for yourself: The power of whole-foods to periodically reset our bodies.
Dear friends,
Over 10 years ago I started Splendid Spoon with soups and a soup cleanse as a way to eat well, save time, and nourish myself and others like me - ambitious, working people who always seem to be juggling at least two things at once. I had hoped the one-time cleanse experience would reconnect us with the healing nature of food and motivate us to take small steps each day to improve health. What I’ve realized, however, is that our world remains fast and filled with distractions, and it can be very easy for those small daily steps to fall by the wayside. Whether you are caring for others, traveling often, or laser-focused on a new work project – we all know the feeling of putting our health on the backburner. A powerful detox experience is a wonderful fail-safe to get back on track. Even more, a detox can be incredibly powerful if we choose one every 2-3 months – like a seasonal retreat for the body with the profound medicine that is whole, plant-rich foods.
Today, we re-launch our signature product as a more robust real-food detox than the soup-only menu we launched over a decade ago. We have distilled over 10 years of customer data, and the latest in peer-reviewed research on fiber, protein, intermittent fasting, and plant-forward nutrition into a practical, time-saving, 5-day ritual. Even as our modern lives push us to move ever faster, Splendid’s 5-day reset offers a remedy —a gentle invitation to reset and restore, to reconnect with the essence of simple, wholesome food. With the enormous benefit of all the work being done for you.
Below, I’ll take you through the core pillars of our 5-Day Reset:
- Start warm
- Clear with fiber
- Build with protein
- Reconnect with joy
- Rest deeply
Please join me, and experience the transformative power of good, wholesome food for yourself!
Plant-based love,
Nicole
As always: Consult your physician before starting a new diet, exercise, or supplement program. All statements related to the Splendid Detox are for educational purposes only and are not meant to replace the advice of a healthcare provider.
Rest - the research-driven approach of a daily fast
Rest, rest, rest. On average, most of us are thinking, moving, problem-solving or in some form of ‘active’ most of the day. We strongly encourage you to remember the importance of rest during your detox. Each day includes a small, antioxidant-rich wellness shot to use as your signal for the end point in your day. From this point on, no more eating, no more doing, just rest. If you wish, you can start your Detox the evening before Day 1 by having a decaffeinated tea as your signal to stop consuming.
Our strong suggestion is to have a 16 hour rest period from eating - ideally, 8 full hours of sleep, and another 8 hours before eating to allow your digestive system complete recovery. This specific ‘eating window’ is considered intermittent fasting, and has been extensively studied and proven to provide lasting benefits if followed regularly. We need an extended period of time to rest our minds and clean up cellular damage without the constant bombardment of cortisol and stress that are so common in our busy lives. (Note - water and herbal tea is A-ok during your rest period.)
Give yourself this time.
The Wisdom of Warmth
We start each day warm to create fire for our daily movements. Heating our food breaks down plant fibers and allows the body to begin digestion gently (without exerting energy to heat food to body temperature). The result is a digestion experience that is lighter on our bodies, rich in nutrients, and supportive of our body’s natural detoxifying and cleansing organs. Cooked grains, fruits and vegetables provide grounding energy, and aromatic spices such as cumin, turmeric, and ginger kindle our digestive fire. By cultivating this heat, we prepare ourselves to let go of that which no longer serves us, whether it is physical, emotional, or mental, and generate the energy to begin our day. (And yes - you can have tea or coffee before, with or after your breakfast! Just make sure not to add sweeteners or milks of any kind so as not to interfere with your fasting.)
The Clearing: Fiber-forward at Every Step
Clearing starts and ends with soluble and insoluble fiber. At Splendid, we consider fiber to be the hero of all superfoods. Soluble fiber improves cardiovascular health and maintains stable blood sugars. Insoluble fiber is irreplaceable to the gut and throughout the digestive system - promoting healthy internal microbiomes and powerfully combatting the inflammatory effects of processed food build up.
Each day includes at least 40 grams of fiber (43g on average) from both soluble and insoluble sources. As well, because the Splendid Detox uses a variety of fruits, vegetables, and other plants for fiber sources, your gut will benefit from a bouquet of various healthy prebiotics.
During this time, our digestive system finds a welcome break from the complexity of modern diets. We are given a chance to reconnect with our natural rhythms, to notice how our bodies respond to simple, nourishing food. We may experience improved digestion, a sense of lightness, and clearer skin. The mind, too, benefits, as clarity often arises when we quiet the noise of over processed consumption, and give space for stillness.
The Building: Protein and Complex Carbohydrates
A brilliant combo. Each day is grounded by a total of at least 45 grams of protein (55g on average), nestled into mother nature’s finest examples of potential energy - lentils, beans, whole grains and seeds. We pair protein sources with complex carbohydrates: these whole foods include the amino acids your body needs to improve your natural immunity systems, and begin new growth.
The combination of protein and complex carbohydrates has two important impacts on your metabolism: it protects lean muscle mass to promote metabolism efficiency, and maintains even blood sugar to produce longer-lasting feelings of satiety and prevent glucose spikes.
Joy: Remembering the pleasure of Food
The splendor of good food! What is more joyful than savoring a good meal? With over 200 ingredients throughout the 5 day Detox, your meals have been crafted for both flavor and function. Think of your Detox as an eating tour that guides you back to the healing power of food.
As your taste buds adjust to fewer processed foods you will notice creamier sauces, crisper vegetable bites, toasted spices, beautifully blended smoothies, carefully pressed juice shots. This is a bounty in the name of your health. Savor it!
The Detox: How To
Each day, you will enjoy 6 eating moments: 1 warm breakfast, 4 Splendid meals (a variety of soups, smoothies, and dishes) and 1 shot. Your meals are mapped out on the menu sheet so you can keep everything organized in your fridge and freezer. The breakfast meal is intended to be your first meal, with the remaining 4 soups and smoothies enjoyed as you wish. Your final sip will be one of the Splendid shots. We have designed our menu around a 16:8 intermittent fasting schedule, meaning you will have 16 hours without food. Here’s an example of how this could look:
- 11am warm breakfast (note: caffeinated coffee or tea is also okay before, alongside or after your breakfast - just avoid any milks or sweeteners.)
- 1pm soup lunch
- 3pm smoothie afternoon snack (full bottle)
- 5pm dish or soup dinner
- 6pm smoothie (full bottle) or soup snack
- 7pm shot - your final sip before beginning a 16 hour fast (water or decaf tea is okay during this 16 hour period)
We recommend this program as a periodic reset every 2-3 months for sustained health benefits.
Bibliography
Some of our favorite resources are listed here.