At Home Detox Diets

At Home Detox Diets

Overview

Many health experts believe that a short-term detoxification program can deliver profound health benefits. According to University of Wisconsin Integrative Medicine, excess toxin accumulation can be associated with health issues such as fluid retention, excess weight, skin conditions, low libido, sinus congestion, fatigue, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, muscle aches, joint pain and digestive disorders. Though many detox programs advocate using special shakes and powders, you can complete a detox diet at home without the use of special products.

Cost

Although you do not need to purchase special products to complete a home detox diet, you may find certain costs associated with a detox program. UWIM recommends consuming as much organic produce as possible. Depending on your usual shopping habits, this could result in an increase in your grocery bill. Dr. Alejandro Junger, author of "Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Health Itself," recommends certain supplements for a home-based dietary detox. You may also need to purchase certain kitchen appliances, such as a blender, juicer or food processor, if you do not already have them.

Preparation

In preparation for your home detox, Dr. Junger recommends following an elimination diet for a period of a few days to several weeks. The purpose of the elimination diet is to remove any foods that are difficult to digest or that may cause allergies. Dr. Junger states that even people without known food allergies may have undiagnosed reactions to certain foods, such as eggs, peanuts, soy, tomatoes or strawberries. Other foods not allowed on the elimination diet are wheat, dairy products and processed foods. The duration of your elimination diet depends on the current state of your diet. If you already eat a healthy plant-based diet high in fruits and vegetables, two to three days of the elimination diet should suffice. If your diet is high in fast foods, processed foods and fried foods, you may wish to remain on the elimination diet for two to three weeks.

Detox Diet Plan

The actual detoxification period continues to follow the elimination diet guidelines, with some important modifications. Dr. Junger recommends consuming two liquid meals every day and one solid meal, preferably for lunch. The liquid meals can consist of homemade soups, smoothies and juices. According to Dr. Junger, consuming two liquid meals a day eases the burden on your digestive system, allowing your detoxification system to work more effectively. He also stresses the importance of leaving at least 12 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day in order to allow your body to complete a full detoxification cycle.

Recommended Supplements

Certain dietary supplements may aid your cleansing efforts. UWIM recommends taking psyllium fiber or ground flax seed, magnesium citrate, milk thistle, dandelion root and a multivitamin. Dr. Junger recommends fiber to aid liver function and probiotics to encourage the proper balance of intestinal flora, herbal laxatives. He also recommends eating a clove of garlic every day and drinking 2 tbsp. of olive oil before bed to keep your digestive system lubricated. Talk to a medical professional before taking any supplements or herbal remedies, as they may have side effects or interact with certain medications.

Considerations

If you are considering a dietary detox, choose a program that is nutritionally based. Detox diets that involve prolonged periods of fasting or drinking only water may lead to nutritional deficiencies. Side effects of a dietary detox may include headaches, diarrhea, cramping, body aches or lightheadedness. According to UWIM, these effects are due to the release of toxins, and the best course of action is to continue with the detox. However, if you experience severe complications, you may need to stop or modify your detox diet.

source : livestrong.com

Healthy Detoxification Diet

Healthy Detoxification Diet

Overview

The human body is designed to naturally eliminate toxins that you come into contact with through your environment and your food. However, some health care experts in the fields of natural or integrative medicine believe that the daily toxic load we are currently exposed to is often too great for our detoxification systems to handle. Detoxification diets, when followed sensibly, may help your body's detoxification system work more effectively. Research into the effectiveness of detoxification diets is limited, and detoxing may pose health threats if not done safely. Consult a medical professional before attempting to treat any major illness with a detoxification diet.

Defining Detoxing

According to Dr. Frank Lipman, founder and director of the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York, a healthy detoxification diet must address both internal and external toxins. This means decreasing the number of toxins going into your body from food, drinks, chemicals that you breathe or products that you use in or near your body. It also means assisting your body's ability to neutralize and remove toxins by supporting the function of your gastrointestinal system and liver.

Detoxification Duration

The duration of your detoxification period depends on several factors, such as your individual needs, the current state of your diet, your ability to adhere to the detox diet guidelines and the time available in your schedule to prepare healthy meals. The University of Wisconsin Integrative Medicine Department of Family Medicine recommends a seven-day cleansing program. Dr. Alejandro Junger, author of "Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself," recommends a full three weeks of detoxification. For your first attempt at a detoxification diet, you may wish to begin with a few days and work your way up to a longer program.

Foods to Eat

A healthy detoxification diet must include targeted nutrition to maintain health and boost the body's natural cleansing process, says Dr. Lipman. Beware of detoxification diets that advocate extended periods of fasting or eating one type of food exclusively, as these may cause nutritional deficiencies. Dr. Lipman recommends eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and healthy oils such as extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil. His diet plan also allows organic or free-range chicken, duck, turkey, lamb and wild game.

Foods to Avoid

A healthy detoxification diet should eliminate any foods that are difficult to digest or pose potential digestive or allergic reactions, says Dr. Junger. His "Clean" diet program eliminates processed foods, wheat, dairy, corn, soy and beef, as well as common allergens such as tomatoes, eggs, bell peppers, strawberries, peanuts and strawberries. According to Dr. Junger, even if you do not have a known allergy to these foods, you may be experiencing undiagnosed reactions that could interfere with your body's detoxification process.

Other Healthful Practices

Certain other practices may help promote health during your detoxification period. The University of Wisconsin recommends gentle exercise such as yoga, saunas, meditation, and body work such as massage. Dr. Junger recommends leaving a 12-hour window between your dinner and breakfast the next day in order to ease the digestive burden on your system and allow your body to fully enter into detoxification mode. Dr. Lipman recommends using dietary supplements such as digestive enzymes and fiber to boost the body's natural detoxification process. Some supplements may have side effects or interfere with certain medications, so talk to your doctor before using dietary supplements or any herbal remedies.

source : livestrong.com

A Smoothie Detox Diet

A Smoothie Detox Diet

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.

source : livestrong.com

A Sensible Detox Diet

A Sensible Detox Diet

Overview

Detoxification diets remain controversial. Scientific evidence of their effectiveness is lacking, and some doctors insist that the kidneys and liver sufficiently remove toxins. Popular detoxification programs often advocate intense fasting or consuming one type of food exclusively--practices that can lead to dangerous consequences including nutrition deficiency and muscle wasting. Other medical professionals, however, claim they have seen significant results from healthy detoxification practices, and regularly recommend them to patients.

The Need for Detoxification

The human body contains a natural detoxification system that includes the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, skin, lungs and lymphatic system. However, the toxic burden we encounter in our modern industrialized society may be too great for our bodies to handle, says wellness expert and doctor of homeopathic medicine Patricia Fitzgerald.



According to Dr. Alejandro Junger, author of "Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself," the detoxification process doesn't begin until digestion is complete. When we eat too much or too often, or eat foods that are difficult to digest, our bodies can never fully enter into detoxification mode.



Furthermore, we are exposed to a constant onslaught of chemicals in our environment. The "National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals," an assessment of chemicals in the human body conducted every two years by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, found widespread exposure to industrial chemicals, pesticides, hormone-disrupting phthalates, parabens and heavy metals.

Symptoms of Toxicity

An overburdened or dysfunctional detoxification system may present as symptoms such as chronic fatigue, difficulty sleeping, depression or anxiety, join pain, muscle aches, sinus congestion, headaches or pain in the neck and shoulders, bloating, gas, heartburn, rashes and fluid retention, according to the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine. In "Clean," Junger writes that many people attribute these conditions to the natural process of aging, but they can often be resolved through a sensible detox diet. He says his patients have found relief from conditions such as general puffiness and bloating, digestive disorders, allergies and depression after undergoing a healthy detox period.

Detoxing Sensibly

A sensible detox program is one that avoids extremes and contains a high nutrient intake, according to Fitzgerald. She recommends getting optimal levels of vitamins C, E and B complex, plus zinc, magnesium and selenium. The University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine recommends a seven-day diet focusing on organic fruits and vegetables. Junger's 21-day detox program eliminates processed foods, sugar, caffeine, alcohol and red meat, as well as common allergens such as wheat, dairy, soy, peanuts and tomatoes.

Other Detox Components

Other components of a sensible detox program include wellness practices such as moderate exercise, saunas, massage, proper rest and hydration, hot baths and stress-relieving activities such as meditation or journaling. Junger also stresses the importance of leaving 12 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day so your body can fully enter into detoxification mode overnight.

Considerations

If you have a medical condition that may warrant a medically supervised detoxification plan, Fitzgerald cautions against trying to treat it on your own. Talk to a medical professional before making any major changes to your diet or taking herbal supplements, which may cause side effects or interact with certain medications.

source : livestrong.com

Diet for a Complete Detox

Diet for a Complete Detox

Overview

Most of the foods you consume as part of the standard American diet, in addition to the environmental toxins to which you are exposed on a daily basis, create an accumulation of irritants in the body, according to Alejandro Junger, M.D. When the body is constantly exposed to irritants, the digestive system remains in a state of high alert, writes Dr. Junger in his 2009 book "Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restores the Body's Natural Ability to Heal Itself." This steals energy from other bodily functions, leaving little for healing or detoxification. A diet for a complete detox may help to eliminate toxins and treat chronic disease, but you should take care to detox safely and avoid vitamin or mineral deficiencies.

Benefits

By allowing your body's digestive system to rest and the detoxification system to engage, you give your body the opportunity to eliminate toxins that have accumulated in your tissues. According to Dr. Junger, this can bring about the relief of health conditions such as constipation, allergies, depression, irritable bowel syndrome and general puffiness. He reports case studies of patients who have lost stubborn weight, resolved hormonal imbalances and healed skin conditions, such as eczema.

Elimination Diet

For a detox program to work, it must eliminate foods that contribute to the formation of mucus, including wheat, dairy products, refined sugars and excessive red meat. It must also eliminate common allergens such as eggs, peanuts, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. Dr. Junger recommends excluding bananas, alcohol, caffeine, coffee, soy, potatoes, raw fish, pork and beef. The focus of the detox diet is on organic whole fruits and vegetables, gluten-free grains, lean animal protein and monounsaturated fats, found in foods such as olive oil, avocados and nuts.

Functions of Detoxification

Some popular detoxification methods, such as water or juice fasting, may fail to supply the body with the necessary nutrients to help it eliminate toxins. A successful detox program should reduce the burden on the digestive system, restore the balance of intestinal flora, provide essential nutrients to the liver, facilitate the elimination of toxins and provide the body with a 12-hour window to enter into detoxification mode. Dr. Junger reports that the human body typically needs eight hours to digest a meal and four hours to do a deep cleaning.

Method

For an effective detox diet, Dr. Junger recommends eating one solid meal and two liquid meals daily. Consuming a healthy smoothie for breakfast, a solid meal for lunch, and a liquid meal -- either pureed vegetable soup or juice -- for dinner eases the strain of digestion normally placed on the body. Allowing at least 12 hours between dinner and your breakfast the next day gives your body more time to enter into detoxification mode and clear out toxins. Northwestern Health Sciences University recommends taking supplements during a detox period, such as broad-spectrum antioxidants, probiotics and a formula to support liver function.

Considerations

Detox diets can have harmful side effects, including dehydration, fatigue, dizziness and nausea, reports MayoClinic.com. Talk to your doctor before making any major dietary changes. Do not attempt a cleansing program if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, are in the advanced stages of a serious illness, or are taking a medication that requires a stable blood concentration.

source : livestrong.com