Detox like it’s 1976, Vogue-style

Think that raw juices and almond milk are something of a recent hype? Think again.

Back in 1976 Vogue published an article on health and beauty tips to keep women slim, strong and gorgeous. As a nutritionist, I was very curious about the diet chapter and was excited and surprised to see what was on the menu – raw juices, gazpacho (again, raw veggie soup, basically) and almond milk.

The menu was based on the meals offered by The Golden Door, the California-based holistic resort. I googled it - the place is still very much there getting awards and making people healthier.

I adore discovering like this and seeing that once upon a time glossies actually published articled containing something incredibly useful and easy for DIY’ing at home. Although the names and brands were mentioned, it still felt do-able and more like something you would share with your girlfriends. These days practically anything related to fitness or nutrition is there to promote a company or some new garget and push it into your face until it turns blue. Here the message was clear: “How you look at food and even how you look at it can alter your food habits.” And as far as the shape of the body was concerned, it was all about eating well and doing some strength and cardio exercises, not using some miraculous machine that, in a matter of minutes, will suck out the fat from one area, put in somewhere else, whilst exfoliating, moisturising and fake-tanning the rest of you (and probably doing a complimentary mani-pedi, too). But only this month because next month another miracle machine will be put into production and require a good PR campaign.

Alright, I am exaggerating, but you get the picture.

Guess what I prefer?

I may even try this one-day cleanse some day, but with a few tiny but powerful additions as the science of nutrition certainly moved forward since then. Personally, I love adding more vegetables into my raw juices, but if you are a novice, high quantities of greens can cause digestive discomfort – be prepared for that should you choose to give it a go.

Also remember that this isn’t a cure for everything, nor should be seeing as a diet fix. A programme like this one is there to be used by healthy people wanting to give their body a break for 24 hours and feel rejuvenated. Enjoy the day of purity and certainly don’t start the day after with bacon or BBQ ribs.

You can right click on the photo above, but just in case, here is the menu – I skipped the calories because I don’t believe in them and I’d always always advise to use organic produce):

8:00AM: Grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed, unsweetened. (note from me – do dilute fruit juices with plain water, 50/50, to avoid blood sugar spike).

3:30PM: Pineapple-cucumber juice. Combine 3oz peeled cucumber (note from me – if organic, then leave the skin on for more nutrients), 1 oz pineapple, 2 sprigs parsley, 1/2 fresh apple, 3 ice cubes. Liquefy in a blender.

8:30PM: Carrot-apple juice. 2 oz fresh carrot juice (note from me – based on personal experience as I juice carrots daily – you will need about two large ones for the above quantity), 2 oz fresh apple juice (note from me – use 2 small gala apples), 1 small peeled apple, 3 ice cubes. Liquefy in a blender.

10:30AM & 6:00PM: Almond milk. 12 whole blanched almonds (note from me – use whole instead and pre-soak in filtered water, then discard the water), 1 small ripe banana, 3/4 cup water, 4 ice cubes, vanilla and nutmeg. Combine all and liquefy in a blender. Makes two servings.

1:00PM: Gazpacho: Combine 1 medium tomato, peeled and diced, 1/2 large cucumber, peeled, cut into small bits, 2 slices onion, 2 sprigs parsley. Combine all and liquefy in a blender. (note from me – don’t peel the veggies, add some raw bell pepper)

With each of 4 drinks, 1/3 oz raw sunflower seeds mixed with 3-4 pine nuts to nibble.