Detoxing is All the Rage...

If you've googled anything health-related recently, looked at health magazines, or watched infomercials, you know a little bit about Detox Diets. And, many of these diets can be very tempting to try because they guarantee immediate results. But, before you even think about detoxing, you need to read this (from Men's Health):

Detox diets require you to complete a 3- to 21-day fast during which you consume only juice, water, and other fluids. By doing this, proponents of the diet claim, you cleanse your GI tract of chemicals and toxins, such as sugar, nicotine, and alcohol, that are stored in the intestines and colon. That theory is false.
"There is no scientifically proven reason to put yourself on a detox diet," says Christine M. Palumbo, R.D., an adjunct faculty member at Benedictine University in Naperville, Illinois, as these so-called toxins do not accumulate in our GI tracts. "Mother Nature provides her own detoxification methods, and they work very well." Good old-fashioned fiber rids your body of whatever waste you do accumulate, without any of the vitamin deficiency that can accompany a detox diet.
By all means, stay away from one-shot detoxes, like herbal laxatives and colonics. "Both can be downright dan-gerous," says Palumbo. "Colonics can lead to an infection or perforation of the bowel, while herbal laxatives can cause severe dehydration or a dependency on them for normal bowel functioning." We sincerely hope you don't need any more deterrence than that.

So, instead of detoxing your system, stick to your healthy eating and exercise plan to keep your metabolism going strong.

Here are a few tips to help you get in detox shape:

Eliminate all of those “triggers,” like caffeine, alcohol, soda and refined sugars. It might seem like a contradiction, – seeing as how all of these things give you an energy boost – but the truth is all of these triggers, like coffee or your favorite candy bar, only give you a temporary energy spike. When you eliminate them from their diet, you will experience a type of “withdrawal,” leaving you with headaches and mood swings. Hang in there, when the symptoms subside, you’ll feel glorious.

Take away red meat and poultry. And if you can swing it, even fish, choosing beans, raw and unsalted nuts, legumes, nut butters, and leafy greens to get your nutrients instead. If not, pick a wild, unfarmed fish, like salmon or halibut to get your fishy fix.

Honey I love you. If you need a dash of sweetness in your life, pick a little honey, maple syrup or brown rice syrup to fix your sweet tooth instead of choosing a refined or artificial sweetener.

Take away processed foods made with white flour. You know all that brown, icky stuff manufacturers pull away from foods like flour? Yeah, that’s actually the part that makes a whole grain, well, “whole.” Choose foods made with whole grain flour instead.

Eliminate packaged foods. Choosing fresh foods over canned or packaged foods means you are consuming whole, unprocessed food items – the best kind you can get.

Remove eggs and all dairy. Your body will thank you. Replace milk with almond or rice milk or Non-GMO soy protein – and replace scrambled eggs with a bowl of whole grain oatmeal or cereal. You’ll stay full until lunchtime.

Here are some great detoxing foods:

Dandelion Greens are an excellent liver tonic. They are high in vitamin B complex, vitamin C, and several minerals. Chlorophyll, a major constituent of dandelion greens and all green leafy foods, is a powerful blood purifier.

Ginger increases circulation, thereby promoting the excretion of toxins via the skin, bowels, and kidneys. It possesses antibacterial and antiparasitic properties and helps to combat inflammation.

Apples purify the bloodstream and increase lymphatic action. Pectin, a soft, gelling fibre contained in apples, supports the colon’s peristaltic movement, promoting the excretion of toxic waste. The apple’s high vitamin C content further aids detoxification.

Lemons aid digestion by increasing saliva flow and stimulating liver function. They dissolve and bind uric acid and other toxins in the body and promote their excretion. They purify and alkalize the blood and have laxative and diuretic properties.

Grapes stimulate the liver and promote bowel and kidney function. They have a cleansing effect on all tissues and glands and speed up metabolic function. Purple grapes are high in resveratrol, a powerful disease-fighting antioxidant.

Artichokes stimulate the liver–the body’s major organ of detoxification. By increasing bile production, they help to metabolize fats. Artichoke extract, available in natural food stores, offers a convenient way of enjoying the artichoke’s cleansing benefits.

Beets purify the blood, cleanse the liver, and stimulate lymphatic activity. They aid digestion and help to flush out uric acid from the body. Fresh or lactic-acid fermented beet juice is an effective detoxifying agent and elixir.

Parsley has a powerful cleansing effect on the blood-stream. It stimulates the bowels and supports the lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen. Parsley is an excellent source of vitamins A and C and detoxifying chlorophyll.

Grapefruit has a cooling and purifying effect on the body. It cleanses the liver and gallbladder and dissolves catarrhal accumulations in body tissues. A Scripps Clinic study released in January 2004 determined that the frequent consumption of grapefruit before meals promotes weight loss.

Yogurt promotes detoxification of the intestinal tract by promoting the recolonization of beneficial lactic-acid bacteria in the gut, thus ensuring proper assimilation of foods and nutrient synthesis.

Here's to a great week!