A detoxification diet is designed to help your body clear waste from the colon and other internal organs. By doing so, detox diets can also help you lose weight by improving digestion, assimilation of nutrients and elimination of waste. Detox diets range from liquid-only to those that are based on eating solid foods and drinking herbal teas that help clear the colon. Get medical clearance from your physician if you have any serious health issues before undergoing a targeted detox diet.
Eat Whole Fruit
Consider jumpstarting your diet with eating mainly fresh, whole fruits for a day or two. Eat papaya for its papain and pineapple for bromelain, both powerful enzymes that help boost digestion. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends consuming at least two cups of fruits daily in its nutritional matrix called My Food Pyramid. Fruits provide both soluble and insoluble fiber and high water content to help move waste through the gastrointestinal system and act as an intestinal "broom" to clear the colon.
Consume Whole Foods to Lose Weight
Lose weight slowly and permanently by eating a whole foods detox diet, according to Dr. Elson Haas, author of The New Detox Diet. He recommends people consume fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains (including brown rice, millet, quinoa and oats), lean proteins, legumes, nuts, low- and non-fat dairy foods, and unsaturated fats including olive, flax, canola and hemp seed oils.
By eating this way, you get plenty of fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates and heart-healthy fats to sustain even very demanding work, school and exercise schedules. This way of eating can be continued indefinitely and provides optimal nutrition and calories, unlike crash diets that prompt binging and regaining weight.
Drink Herbal Teas
Drink herbal teas that are designed to help detoxification. Include fennel, senna, cascara sagrada, buckthorn root, fenugreek and other herbals sold commercially as "detox teas." These herbs are well-known for their ability to help the colon cleanse, according to licensed naturopaths John Lust and Michael Tierra in "The Natural Remedy Bible." In any detox diet, cleansing the colon is important as many people report irregularity and incomplete digestion. By re-establishing healthy digestion, assimilation and elimination, you may discover you eat less before becoming full and are able to quell food cravings and binging to help you reach a healthy weight permanently.
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