Ditch the juice fasts and extreme detox programs in favor of a safe, natural way to detoxify your system. Use whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables and healthy fats, to improve your body's ability to cleanse itself. Capitalize on the benefits of these foods by forgoing refined grains and sugars and trans fats while engaging in a detox program. Consider employing the following tips for a few days to jump start your system or for as long as a week. Do not eliminate whole food groups--grains, meat or dairy--for long periods of time without consulting your physician or a registered dietitian.
Reduce Refined Carbs and Trans Fats
To begin detoxifying your body, eliminate refined flour and sugar which cause spikes in blood glucose levels and mimic the effects of stress in the body, causing inflammation, depleting energy and increasing cortisol levels. Eliminate trans fats which have been shown to increase systemic inflammation in women, according to a study published in the April 2004 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."
Knock Back an Antioxidant Cocktail
Begin each day with a fruit and vegetable smoothie chock full of antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Antioxidants which clean up oxidative damage around the body caused by free radicals from environmental and lifestyle factors. Try this recipe to supply your body all it needs to detoxify naturally. In a high-speed blender, combine half a peeled, seeded and diced cucumber; one whole orange, lemon and lime, peeled seeded and roughly chopped; 1/2 cup frozen pineapple, 1/4 cup goji berries, a handful of fresh parsley and cilantro and 1 cup of water.
Load up on Veggies
A safe and natural detox program doesn't require extreme fasting. Allow your body to cleanse itself by supplying all of the nutrients it needs to work efficiently and detoxify naturally. Build your lunches and dinners around a large raw salad and a helping of steamed or sauteed vegetables. The fiber in vegetables fills you up, reduces constipation and assists your intestines in removing waste products.
Increase Healthy Fats
Add healthy fats to your salads with nuts, seeds and olive oil. For main dishes, serve up fatty fish, such as salmon, albacore tuna and mackerel all of which provide Omega-3 fatty acids. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may mitigate diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.
Guzzle Water With Lemon
To help your body flush away toxins naturally, drink plenty of water. Aim for 96 oz. of water daily, more if you live in a warm climate or sweat profusely during exercise. Add a slice of lemon and get the benefits of Vitamin C, which helps your body convert toxins into a water-soluble form before it washes them away.
