It is possible to jumpstart a weight loss program by using a body cleanser such as a herbal teas or supplements, that can help improve digestion and elimination. By doing that, you may initially lose water weight, but if you also consume a balanced diet as your regular way of eating, you can also trim pounds safely and permanently.
There are commercial teas and body detox and body cleanser products available, but you can also use foods and herbs as a body cleansers. Use a variety of body cleansers and see which ones work best for you.
Step 1
Drink a cup of hot water with a half lemon squeezed into it at the start of each day. According to Vasant Lad, author of "The Complete Book to Ayurvedic Remedies," this simple hot lemon tea will often prompt a bowel movement first thing each morning. Ayurveda is a traditional Indian philosophy of healing that is practiced worldwide. Having a daily bowel movement is ideal, yet some people report having only two or three per week.
If you are irregular, consider drinking 8 oz. of water with 1/2 tbsp. of psyllium seed husks. The husks absorb several times their weight in water to help relieve constipation.
Step 2
Drink herbal teas that help the body's internal organs cleanse. Most body cleanser and detox teas focus on clearing the colon as that is the internal organ that is easiest to assess if it is working optimally. Teas including senna and cascara sagrada are often consumed to clear the colon. Herbs including dandelion root, sarsaparilla, burdock root and yellow dock are considered "blood cleansers," helping to sweep toxins out through the kidneys and liver, into the bloodstream and finally through the urine.
Each detox tea, depending on its combination and strength, will have different directions, but many recommend that you drink 1 to 2 cups a day.
Step 3
Add more dietary fiber to your diet. Grind 1/2 tbsp. of flax seeds and sprinkle over oatmeal, steamed vegetables or whole grains. Wheat or rice bran will have the same effect: add more roughage to help form stool and clear the colon. Eating dried fruits such as prunes and figs also provide fiber. Triphala supplements, made from three different types of dried fruits, can be taken daily according to Lad, to tone and cleanse the colon safely.
Step 4
Consume a whole foods, detox diet, writes Dr. Elson Haas, author of "The New Detox Diet." He recommends consuming vegetables, fruits, whole grains such as brown rice, millet, oats, quinoa, legumes, nuts, low-fat dairy foods, lean proteins and nonsaturated fats such as olive, flax seed and safflower oils. By eating this way, you have a high-fiber diet that provides low-fat protein to help the body cleanse.
Tips and Warnings
- Drink plenty of water between meals to help your body cleanse. The American Cancer Society recommends drinking about eight glasses of 8 oz. of water --- you might need more or less, depending on your level of activity.
- Some people do not tolerate psyllium seed husks --- in those cases, ground flax seeds and consuming herbal teas and dried fruits might be a better idea.
Things You'll Need
- Organic lemons
- Herbal teas: dandelion root, burdock root, yellow dock, sarsaparilla, senna, cascara sagrada
- Triphala herbal supplement
- ½ lb. brown flax seeds
- ½ lb. psyllium seed
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