Detox Diets
Detox
diet refers to a short term diet that includes fruits, vegetables,
herbs and other techniques of removing toxins that have accumulated
inside the body. These toxins may directly come from the environment
or from the foods that we eat. Some of the foods we eat contain
pesticides and food additives. Detox diet is aimed at minimizing
the quantity of chemicals that we ingest and emphasizing on
foods that gives high amounts of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants.
These chemical compounds are what the body needs for better
detoxification. Natural vegetarian diets include a lot of
fiber that is needed for fast bowel elimination. They also
contain the right amounts of vitamins and minerals which make
the internal organs function at optimal levels.
Raw vegetarian
diets also include beneficial enzymes. Elimination of meat
in the diet for short periods of time improves detoxification
since meat is difficult to digest. Meat products may also
contain antibiotics, hormones and other chemicals that are
harmful to the body. Detox diets can eliminate trigger foods
that causes digestion problems and allergy. Trigger foods
include wheat (glutens) and dairy (milk). Sugar must be restricted
from the diet because it is not good for the body. Detox diet
should be performed at least twice a year for the maintenance
of a healthy body. If the detox diet is done for very long
periods of time, it could result in nutrient deficiencies.
Protein and calcium would be particularly deficient since
most detox diets offer minimal amounts of animal products.
Avoid
toxins that come from the environment whenever possible. Environmental
toxins may come from cleaning chemicals such as benzene, toluene
etc. or from exhaust gases coming from automobiles and factories.
Take moderate levels of protein which should be about 15-20%
of your calories. Keep fat at 20% of your calories and increase
the level of carbohydrate intake at 60% of your calories.
Avoid storing or drinking water and fruit juices from plastic
containers because some of the chemicals used to make plastic
leaches out of the container and you would be actually drinking
them.
Fasting
Fasting
is abstaining from food, eating very little or to abstain
from certain types of food. Fasting is a good component of
detox diet because it helps flush out the toxins from the
body and transfer them to the digestive system where they
can be excreted out of the body.
Sample
Detox Diet Recipe
Breakfast:
Eat at least 1 fresh fruit: pineapple, apple, pear, bananas
and citrus fruit
After 30 minutes eat a bowl of whole grains like amaranth
and brown rice. You can also eat raw oats or slowly cooked
oats with or without fruits and spices.
Lunch:
1 or 2 bowls of vegetables that have been steamed. Make sure
that you have several varieties of vegetables that include
the stems, roots and the leaves. Examples are cauliflower,
yams, green beans, carrots, beets, broccoli and asparagus.
Dinner:
This part of the diet should include small amounts of animal
protein coming from fish and poultry.
Before
bedtime:
Drink filtered water or herbal teas
This
recipe is good for up to 4 weeks
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