Detox Diets

A detox diet is a short-term intake of specific foods, including fruits, vegetables, herbs and other ingredients to facilitate weight loss and/or removal of waste and toxins. These toxins in our body can originate from the environment around us, or could have been created within our bodies. We derive toxins from the foods we eat because they often contain pesticides and additives. It is for this reason that the detox diet attempts to reduce the amount of chemicals we consume through our food and tries to focus on giving us a higher nutrient and antioxidant count (essentially, what our bodies require to detoxify properly). Vegetarians don't often need detox diets, because they naturally consume the fiber and minerals needed for optimal organ efficiency.

Vegetarians who only consume raw foodstuffs also get a high intake of beneficial enzymes. Detox diets always include the expulsion of meat from the diet; short periods of going without meat can do wonders in detoxifying, because meat is very hard to digest and often leaves excess waste and toxins. Detox diets also have the ability to reduce allergies and inflammations, by excluding any triggering foods from the regular diet.

Some trigger foods are wheat and dairy. During detox, sugar is also eliminated because it is just overall bad for the body. For a healthy, efficient body, some form of detox diet should be engaged in at least 2 times a year. However, never perform these diets for more than the recommended time because this could result in dangerous malnutrition; protein and calcium are not replenished at all during a detox, due to the ignorance of animal products.

In general, try to avoid environmental toxins; these could come from cleaning solutions (benzene, toluene), or from gas emissions from cars or factories. Attempt to only consume about 15% - 20% of your calories from protein and only 20% of your calories from fat (the less the better). 60% of your daily calorie count should come from carbohydrates, as they release energy and are useful to your body. Do not store your drinking liquids in plastic containers, because this will cause them to absorb the chemicals from the plastic.

Fasting

The term "fasting" can mean a variety of things; a very strict fast means to abstain from any food or liquid whatsoever. Some fasts simply include not eating a certain type of food. It is generally a very useful procedure when trying to detoxify, due to the fact that it allows the body to rinse out toxins, flushing them into the digestive system so they can be released.

Sample Detox Diet Recipe   

Breakfast

Consume at least one form of fresh fruit; it can be anything you prefer, whether tit be pineapple or an apple or a few bananas. 30 minutes prior to the fruit, eat 1 bowl of brown rice or amaranth; something whole grain. If you prefer, raw oats or slowly cooked oats (minus the fruits and spices) can be eaten.

Lunch

Steam vegetables and have 1 or 2 bowls; enough to fill you up. Ensure that the bowl contains all types of vegetables, as well as all parts; stems, roots and leaves! Some good vegetables to use are yams, green beans, carrots, broccoli and asparagus.

Dinner

Eat small portions of fish our poultry, which provide the animal proteins that prevent you from becoming malnourished.

Before Bed

Only drink herbal tea or fresh water.
You can stay on this type of recipe for a maximum of 4 weeks.