Overview
Detoxification is a source of some debate in the medical community. Allopathic physicians, those trained in Western medicine, commonly state that scientific evidence to support the idea of detoxification is limited and that the human body is designed to eliminate toxins on a regular basis. However, our environment and the standard American diet may make it difficult for our detoxification systems to function optimally, says Patricia Fitzgerald, doctor of naturopathic medicine and certified nutritionist. Adopting certain dietary changes and health practices may help our systems function more efficiently. Smoothies are commonly used in detox diets due to their ease of digestion and ability to deliver an abundance of nutrients in one meal.
Purpose of a Detox
Although our bodies are designed to eliminate waste, studies indicate that we store toxins in our bodies at unhealthy levels, says Fitzgerald. Toxins present in our environment, pesticides and additives in the foods we eat and the byproducts of our normal metabolic process can accumulate in our systems, causing chronic inflammation and leading to multiple health problems, including cancer and heart disease. Additionally, eating too much or too often, and eating foods that are difficult to digest, causes your body to focus its economy of energy on the digestion process, says Alejandro Junger, author of "Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself." This leaves little or no energy for the process of detoxification.
Detox Diet Recommendations
Junger's Clean program is based on a diet that eliminates chemicals, common allergens and potential irritants, along with foods difficult to digest. This includes red meat, dairy, soy, eggs, corn, sugar, alcohol and coffee. His system consists of a smoothie for breakfast, a healthy solid lunch, and another smoothie for dinner. He also recommends waiting at least 12 hours after dinner before consuming your breakfast smoothie, in order to give your body enough time to undergo a complete detoxification cycle.
Smoothie Powders
If preparation time is a concern for you, you may wish to base your detoxification diet on a premade smoothie powder or a detoxification kit. If you choose this route, Junger recommends using a smoothie powder that contains protein as well as all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and nutrients necessary for the detoxification process. To assist your liver in the process of effectively neutralizing and eliminating toxins, he recommends consuming enough vitamin B-2, B-3, B-6, B-12, folic acid, glutathione, flavonoids, glycine, taurine, glutamine, cysteine and methionine. If you are not receiving these from food sources, look for them in a smoothie powder or in supplement form.
Homemade Smoothies
You can also make your own smoothies from foods on the allowed foods list. For your smoothies, choose a milk substitute such as almond milk or coconut milk. Dr. Frank Lipman, author of "Spent: End Exhaustion and Feel Great Again," recommends using avocado as the base of your smoothies, as they contain less sugar than bananas and are high in magnesium, potassium and healthy monounsaturated fats. Avocados also create a creamy texture for your smoothie. Use fruits such as mango, pineapple, blueberries and peaches, and try adding greens such as spinach and kale. Junger also recommends including healthy ingredients such as chia seeds or ground cardamom.
Considerations
You may experience some negative effects during a detox diet, such as headache, dizziness, body aches, mood swings, cramps, bloating, fatigue and weakness. According to the University of Wisconsin Integrative Medicine Department of Family Medicine, this is a normal result of toxins being released from your cells, as well as withdrawal from substances such as caffeine and nicotine. UWIM recommends drinking plenty of water to alleviate the negative effects, as well as possibly increasing your consumption of protein and healthy fats. You may need to alter or stop the detox if your symptoms are severe. Junger does not recommend attempting a detox diet if you are pregnant, breast-feeding or suffering from the advanced stages of a serious illness. Always consult your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise program.
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