Cleanse With Healthy Detox Dieting
Cleanse With Healthy Detox Dieting by Laurie Lindsay
A detoxification diet is a specialized diet plan, typically for a short period of time, that allows the body to rid itself of the accumulated toxins. While those dependent on alcohol or drugs make up a large portion of those who use a detox diet, it is also very useful for eliminating natural, dietary or environmental toxins from the body.
Goal of a Detox Diet
The main purpose of a detox diet, aside from eliminating toxins from the body, is to increase colon function, create more waste products, thus cleansing the colon. Additionally, a good detox diet will help improve your circulation as well as liver function. During and for a short time after detoxing you will find that your overall well-being and energy levels have improved due to your body now functioning with a clean “motor”.
What to drink
Perhaps more important than what to eat is what to drink during a detox diet. Water is the key to a successful cleansing and you should be drinking, at a minimum, 8 glasses a day. Occasionally, you may drink pure fruit or vegetable juice with no added sugar to add to your fluid intake. Organic juices should be drank whenever possible and all juice should be cut with water by 50% to cut your sugar intake. By consuming only organic, you can ensure that the fruits and vegetables are chemical and pesticide free.
Although you might feel the urge to stop by your local smoothie shop to fulfill your detox plan, it should be avoided at all costs. Most smoothie shops serve smoothies choc full of sugar, dairy and inorganic fruits. Basically everything you should avoid while cleansing your system.
Green teas or other naturally decaffeinated herbal teas are gentle enough to drink while on your detox diet but should be drank sparingly and never boiling hot. You could even sweeten them with a touch of organic honey, but remember to use it sparingly over the course of the diet so that it does not interfere with the main goal of your cleansing.
What to eat
It’s important to note that a detox diet is not a starvation diet. The key is not to lose weight but to lose the toxins and unhealthy chemicals your body is forced upon with the intake of processed, high fat and high sugar foods. With this in mind, you will be happy to note that any fresh vegetables, preferably organic apply. Whole grains such as Quinoa, millet or brown rice and beans like split peas, garbanzos, pintos or kidney beans can supplement your detox and help you feel full. Nuts, except for peanuts, are also acceptable to help cleanse your system. As you have probably noticed, you should try to stick with foods that are high in fiber, sugar and salt free and organic.
Other recommendations
The key to a successful detox plan is not to starve yourself, but create a menu you can follow for about two weeks. You may use herbs and spices as desired and sea salt in a limited amount. Be sure not to eat on the run and to chew food adequately. If you are dedicated to a true system cleansing, a detox diet is right for you and surprisingly easy to follow.
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Your Liver & Weight Loss: What Do They Have in Common
Your Liver & Weight Loss: What Do They Have in Common? by Deborah Hoeve
Your liver is the most important organ in your body. Without it, you would die within 24 hours. But what does the liver have to do with weight loss? I bet you’ll be surprised.
One of the primary purposes of the liver is to filter the blood, cleaning out anything that could be toxic to your body. This would include things like pharmaceutical drugs (yes, your body sees those as toxic), undigested foods, alcohol, viruses, bacteria, ingested chemicals (these can enter the body orally or via the skin, like pesticides, lotions, deodorants, make-up, hairspray). The liver is also involved in metabolism, hormone balance, and immune functions.
Imagine pouring something through a mesh strainer. At first the liquids run through easily, but eventually, if there are too many solids, the strainer gets clogged and the liquid has no where to go. If the liver has to work overtime to cleanse toxins, a similar situation can happen to the liver. It gets clogged with toxins and at that point fails to run efficiently.
When the liver becomes clogged, every organ in your body is impacted and efforts to lose weight are blocked. Here are just some of the impacts:
–It can cause an accumulation of sodium which can raise blood pressure.
–It can cause water retention which adds body weight.
–It can cause a hormone imbalance which makes us moody.
–It also can’t regulate glucose making us hypoglycemic which in turn can result in sugar cravings, weight gain, and Candida overgrowth.
–It cannot process toxins out of the body, so they escape into the blood stream which creates an immune response by the body. If this continues, then your immune system becomes burdened. This in turn can result in autoimmune diseases like arthritis.
–It cannot burn body fat making all of your weight loss efforts a complete waste of time.
Doing a liver and gallbladder cleanse can help alleviate this situation and aid in your weight loss efforts. It is recommended that you precede the liver / gallbladder cleanse with a colon cleanse. If your colon isn’t operating efficiently (constipation, fewer than 1-3 bowel movements per day), then the toxins will be released from the liver into the blood stream rather than flushed out of the body through the colon.
There are numerous cleansing programs on the market. Do your homework and find one that is backed by a company with a good reputation, positive product reviews and customer testimonials.
Once you have cleansed your liver, a good daily practice is to begin your morning with a glass of water with a wedge of fresh squeezed lemon juice. This will support your digestive organs by cleansing and activating the liver. Additionally, consider reducing the toxic load by avoiding some of the stressors mentioned above.
Don’t take your liver for granted. Although it can regenerate, if it isn’t functioning properly, you won’t either!
Deb Hoeve publishes a daily coaching newsletter offering unique approaches to weight loss and health restoration using the healing power of the body. Designed especially for people who have tried everything. Find out how you can finally achieve weight loss success and renewed health at http://www.MakeYourBodyLast.com . Also view product recommendations on her Make Your Body Last Blog