Cleansing all the internal organs in a directed detoxification program is appropriate if you are in good health. A balanced detox program can be done three times a year between the seasons as a way to prepare for a change in weather and eating patterns. Eating whole vegetables, fruits, whole grains and very small amounts of non-saturated fat, and drinking herbal teas will help you to cleanse internally. Always begin by cleansing the large intestine: much of the body's waste is moved through the colon and it must be in good working order before you proceed on a more complex detox.
Step 1
Start each day with a cup of hot water and the juice of half of a lemon. Drink this to help stimulate a bowel movement. Drink detox teas including those containing dandelion root, senna, cascara sagrada, fennel seed, red clover, burdock root and yellow dock between meals. These herbs help the body cleanse toxins from air pollution, pesticides, car exhaust and cigarette smoke. Aim to drink at least four glasses of filtered water. Avoid caffeinated, sugared or iced drinks.
Step 2
Eat a detox diet of whole vegetables, fruits and simple cooked whole grains such as brown rice, millet, quinoa or brown basmati rice. Elson Haas, MD, author of "The New Detox Diet," encourages people to eat whole foods for a sustainable detox diet that will encourage the body to release toxins slowly over time. He suggests people eat non-saturated fats such as olive, canola, flax and hemp seed oil. If you are still very hungry, he advises adding small amounts of lean proteins such as chicken, fish or non-fat yogurt.
Step 3
Observe how you feel throughout your detox. You might follow this detox diet for 10 to 21 days depending on how your energy level is. If you find that you are developing headaches, skin rashes or have difficulty concentrating, see your doctor or nutritionist. This detox diet of whole foods and lean proteins is a way of eating that can be sustained indefinitely as it provides the minerals, vitamins, fiber and protein appropriate for most healthy adults.
Things You'll Need
- Whole fruits
- Whole vegetables
- Whole grains: brown rice, millet, oats, quinoa
- Herbal teas: dandelion root, burdock root, yellow dock, senna,
- cascara sagrada, red clover
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