Detox as a State of Mind

Detox is not just a physical activity but also a state of mind.  In fact, the detox process must begin in the mind and heart.  Your detox will also not have the effects you desire unless you make up your mind to do so.  The cleanse itself requires self-discipline to resist temptations from media, friends and family to live an unhealthy lifestyle.  Just think: once you start your detox, your opponent will include the billion dollar fast food industry.

In the end, it will be your mind and will power that prevent you from wavering as you reduce intake of the liver-stressing foods, drugs and drinks that we call Consumable Toxins.  If it ever gets difficult, just recall why you started your detox program in the first place and the kinds of health benefits your detox has brought to your life.  Think of the healthy eating habits, increased exercise and improved energy levels that came with your detox.

How Detox Affects Your Mind

Detox also affects your mind.  During your detox, you will also experience many changes in your mindset.  If you choose to include a fasting component in your detox, then the clarity of mind from the fasting is the perfect example.

However, a detox can also be very disconcerting in the early stages.  For women in particular, as the detox process intensifies, stored estrogen reentering the bloodstream can cause symptoms that mimic PMS.  In men, the extra testosterone the liver has postponed processing will come back into the bloodstream during a detox.  These hormone changes are factors that you must deal for a safe and effective detox.

Finally, when you’ve made it through the intense part of the detox and are coming back into a normal but healthier diet, you’ll feel a mental clarity like never before.  The body acts in a holistic fashion and as your body becomes healthier, so does your mind.  You will be more present and more alive.  You will be different and in a good way.

This is especially beneficial for those suffering from  depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or  chemical dependency.  For these individuals, a detox can play a major role in bringing back a self-sustainable physical biochemistry and regular life.

What is Fasting?

A fast is the act of reducing or eliminating all or certain foods from your diet.   Many detox diets contain a fasting component where foods high in fats, chemicals and toxins are eliminated for a specified period of time.   This fasting period of a detox diet serves the purpose reducing burden to the body and allowing the body’s natural detox organs time to recover.  Generally, these fasts do not require complete abstinence from food and includes recipes for fruit and vegetable juices as a supplement to the fasting.

Fasting is practiced not only by detox enthusiasts but also by numerous religions for its spiritual aspect.   This is because in the early stages of a fast, the body burns off excess calories and you may feel healthier, more energized and have a clearer state of mind.  It is also this reaction that lead many to think fasting is an excellent way to lose weight.   As good as this may sound, it is not the case.   The body burns excess stored fat when it consumes less calorie than it spends, so it is natural for weight loss to occur during the fast.   However, a fast does not increase our metabolism so right after our fast ends, our body will absorb extra nutrients to make up for lost time.   You can learn more about detox and weight loss in our article How Detox Affects Weight Loss.

Does this mean there is no reason for fasting?  The answer lies in the purpose of fasting during a detox.  During the fast, the body burns stored body fat due to the reduced calorie consumption.   It is also within these fat cells that toxins and unprocessed chemicals are stored.   Therefore, it is during the fasting component of a detox that the body extracts and expels the built up toxins.  This process of eliminating toxins and reducing future toxins from entering our body is known as detox.  By clearing our body of built up toxins, we are giving it a new start.    In, this way, you can think of fasting as a spring cleaning for our body; although the direct benefits of the fast is a clean and healthy body, we still need to continue taking care of it after the fast or we will go right back to where we found it.

How Often and How Long You Should Fast

How often and how long you fast are generally dictated by your health status, age and purpose for fasting.   Most detox programs calls for fasts in the following ranges.   Please consult your health care provider for more details on fasting and what your specific physical limitations are.

• Once a week for 1 day (24 Hours)
• Once a month for 3 days
• Four times a year for 1 week (experienced fasters only)

Who Should Not Fast

Fasting is highly not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers.   Others individuals that should not fast or should only fast under strict monitoring by their primary health provider are: underweight, low immunity, poor heart health, low blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, are in a pre- or postsurgery period, cancer patients, peptic ulcers or those with nutritional deficiencies.  Remember, although fasting is important, it is possible to replace the fasting component of a detox with long-term healthy eating habits.  You may also refer to our guide Who Should Detox for more on information on detox limitations.

Fruit Juice Fasting

A general rule is that using fruit juices as a supplement for detox fasting speeds up the cleaning reactions.   This is especially useful if the purpose for the fast is a quick cleanse for your detox.  The cons for using a fruit fast is that by speeding up the detoxing reactions, you are also releasing toxins at a quicker rate into your body. Therefore, we only recommend fruit juice fasting if you are already in moderate to good health.  Below are some excellent fruits and their function for fasting.

Apple Juice – Good for constipation, cleansing the gall bladder and kidneys, reduces inflammation in the body, lowers cholesterol.

Cranberry Juice – Excellent for bladder infections, cleansing to the kidneys, controls diabetes by lowering blood sugar, some report that it is helpful for some cancers.

Grape Juice – Good for edema (swelling), detoxifying toxins from the body and blood, an overall blood cleanser, also helpful for cancer.

Papaya Juice – Great for digestive disorders, ulcers and heartburn; treats inflammation and may reduce back pain.

Lemon Juice – Fantastic overall body cleanser, purifies the blood, cleanses the digestive track of mucus, stimulates production of liver enzymes, supports the liver in its detoxifying functions, restores pH in the colon.

Watermelon – A natural diuretic and great blood cleanser; reduces inflammation and good for canker sores.  Many nutritionists like to juice the rind as well.

Vegetable Fasting

Vegetable juices as a supplement for detox fasting slows down cleansing reactions.  This is effective if your goal is a slow and long-term cleanse. You can juice your vegetables in a blender and adding water as needed.  Below are some vegetables commonly used during detox fasts and their function.

Carrots – Carrots are, perhaps, the most valuable vegetable for juicing because of their healing properties. It is the usual base to which other juices are added. Although it has a high sugar content, the blend of ingredients in carrot juice cannot be excelled for balanced nutrition.

Celery – Celery is high in minerals and is a significant source for magnesium. It does not stand alone as a palatable juice for drinking, but it is an excellent flavor enhancer for other juices.  Chopping the celery stalks into short pieces will help to prevent the long celery strings from clogging the juicer.  Be sure to juice the leaves as well.

Cucumber – Cucumbers are an excellent addition to a mix of vegetables for juicing.  They are high in potassium and contain other minerals as well.

Parsley – Parsley an excellent source of chlorophyll.  Juice it with other vegetables in order to prevent clogging the juicer with the dense pulp that forms when it is juiced alone.

Spinach – Spinach juice is very mellowing to a strong flavored mix of vegetable juices.  It is rich in minerals and vitamins.

Important Information for Your Fast

You don’t have to use just vegetable or fruit juice for fasting.   In fact, it is usually beneficial to use a mix of vegetables and fruits for your fasting juice. You can refer to your specific detox program for more information on what mix of fruits and vegetables are best for your specific needs.

One thing you will need during the fasting component of your detox is time to rest.   Don’t plan a lot of activities for when you will be fasting.  Doing otherwise is missing the point.  The idea is to give your entire body time to catch up on its cleansing activities.  If you’re running around, or under pressure, then you are creating extra stress and you are better off with a transitional diet that mixes healthy eating with reduced meals for the detox.

There are a lot of written articles and resources on fasting and fasting for a detox in particular.  However, a fast is something you must experience for yourself as it is a different experience for everyone.   We hope this article has provided you the resource to start a safe fast for your detox.

Detoxing Your Home to Compliment Your Detox Diet

We know that a safe and natural detox diet is a great way to clean up what’s inside us.  But what about what’s around us.  Think of this article as a guide on how to detox your home to make it a more enjoyable and healthy place to live, work and play.  Our homes is where we spend a significant portion of our time and by effectively eliminating some of its environmental toxins, we are taking another huge step to a healthier lifestyle.  You can learn more about environmental toxins found within the home in our article Toxins in Everyday Life.

Cleaning Chemicals

A simple home detox starts with cleaning chemicals.  Many cleaning chemicals are toxic.  In fact, if you look on the container of most cleaners, you will see disclaimers like: avoid contact with skin and eyes.  It is inevitable that you breathe in the toxic fumes and your skin absorbs the toxins at some time when using these products.  Even if you wear gloves, the residual toxins and chemicals will still remain on the cleaning surface.

The solution is simple.  The next time you run out of a cleaner in your home, whether it’s a floor cleaner, window cleaner or bathroom cleaner, replace it with something less toxic.  Our world is currently experiencing a new green-awareness and many cleaning products are now derived from all-natural sources and are non-toxic.  You may feel that you are paying a small premium when you purchase these products but in reality, you are investing in your health.  If you really want to keep things natural, you can always use natural cleaners like baking soda, vinegar or lemon juice for simple cleaning tasks.  And remember, even if you keep a strict detox diet, only watching what you eat but increasing exposure to harsh toxins and chemicals will just make your detox run around in a circle.

Insecticides

The chemical industry has created a myth that pesticides are safe for humans in the home.  The testing that substantiates these claims only test one product on mice or other creatures whose nervous systems are substantially different from those of humans.  They also do not account for cumulative exposure from multiple chemicals over a normal person’s life.  If you have less than perfect health, all the more reason to keep pesticides out of your home.  Your body already has enough to contend with.  Any toxins that your body is unable to process out are stored in your body, and as they accumulate, symptoms and disease will also accumulate.  Kids are also much more susceptible to these harsh chemicals than adults.

The solution is to find nontoxic methods to deal with pest around your home.  Numerous books are available to help you with this process and there are various resources on the web.  Next time you reach for that bottle of insect spray, ask yourself:  Is it worth my health to kill a single pest that may be harmless?

Furniture, toys and carpeting

The final and most crucial part of the detox for your home consist of your common household items.  Common household products are produced in large factories with a variety of harsh and possibly toxic chemicals.  We highly recommend washing toys, rugs and other items after bringing them home, especially if you have young children in the household.  Not only does the washing eliminate some of the toxins found in the manufacturing but it also eliminates risks of harmful bacteria and disease from previous shoppers.

It is also important to keep the floors and carpets in your home clean by regular cleaning and vacuuming.  A carpet or rug in particular is home to a variety of chemicals, toxins, allergens and harmful bacteria.  Dust in particular is an annoying allergen that can have terrible effects on your health.  Keeping your carpets and rugs clean is a crucial component of detox for your home.

Conclusion

Keeping  yourself clean starts with keeping your home clean.  Detox for your home does not have to be an overnight change.  Instead it is better to slowly incorporate more natural forms of cleaning and living into your life.  It may also be beneficial to you and your family to follow up your home detox with a detox for your body.  For more information on what a safe and natural detox is and how it can benefit you, please read our article: What is Detox.

The Best Foods for Detoxification and Cancer Prevention

When it comes to longevity, great health and cancer prevention, the best foods for detox are vegetables.  Vegetables are good for us in a vast number of ways. They provide dietary fiber, are low in fat, contain a rainbow of vitamins and minerals, and are packed with powerful cancer-fighting substances.

The cancer fighting and disease preventing substances found in vegetables are widely called phytonutrients or phytochemicals.  Here is a list of vegetables that are great sources of these cancer prevention nutrients:

Tomatoes contain lycopene, which has been shown to reduce the risk of ovarian, cervical and prostate cancer. Best concentrated sources of lycopene are tomato sauce, pasta sauce and ketchup.

Spinach, kale, chard and collard greens are packed with the phytonutrient lutein and also contains a variety of antioxidants.   Spinach is good for preventing cancer of the liver, colon, ovaries and prostate.

Red, yellow and orange bell peppers and yellow squash. These nutritiously dense vegetables contain carotenes, lutein, cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin. Oh yes, and lots of Vitamin C.

Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussel sprouts contain sulforaphane, a plant chemical that has been shown to reduce the risk of breast, skin and stomach cancer.  The most potent form of sulforaphane are broccoli sprouts.  You can find broccoli seeds for sprouting at many health food stores, and of course, on the web.

Garlic, onions, leeks, chives and shallots contain allicin, which reduces the risk of stomach, esophagus and breast cancer.  For maximum potency, mince garlic 10 minutes prior to cooking.

The best detoxifying, cancer-prevention diet is one that includes the brightly colored vegetables.  Go with this simple rule when choosing vegetables for detox or just general health:  The deeper and richer the color, the more dense in nutrients, antioxidants and phytochemical.  When you can, always buy organic fruits and vegetables.

Healthy Eating for great health, detoxification and weight loss diets does not have to be a painful experience.  In terms of weight management, it is not the amount of food we eat but rather the amount of calories and the nutritional quality of what we eat that matters.

There are two simple reasons why people become obese:

• their calorie intake far outweighs their calorie burn
• the quality of their food is poor: high in fat, additives, preservatives, artificial flavorings, colorings, loads of chemicals and low in essential nutrients

Following that logic, there are two simple solutions to obesity:

• decrease our calorie intake and increase our calorie burn
• eat higher quality food that is high in essential nutrients and low in calories, fat, additives, preservatives, artificial flavorings, colorings and chemicals.

You do not necessarily have to eat less food to lose weight but rather eat less processed, junky food with empty calories.  If you maintain a diet of high quality food, you can actually eat in terms of bulk.  Below is a list of low quality foods that we should avoid and high quality foods that we should increase in our diet.

Low Quality Foods

• Fast Foods in General
• Fried food
• Processed Deli Meats
• Pastries with high sugar and butter content
• White bread made with bleached, refined flour
• Anything you buy in a package
• Anything you buy with artificial ingredients
• Most frozen dinners
• Candies, cookies, and other sugary foods
• Potato chips and most other packaged snacks

High Quality Foods

• Fresh fruit
• Fresh vegetables
• Brown Rice
• Basmati Rice
• Quinoa
• Whole wheat bread
• Oatmeal
• Organic Eggs
• Organic Fish
• Organic Chicken and Poultry
• Organic Lean meat
• Tofu
• Beans and Legumes
• Cheese in modest amounts
• Nuts and seeds

Nutrient-Dense Foods:

Artichokes
Contains plant compounds known as caffeoylquinic acids, which increase the flow of bile and help to digest fats.

Beets
Beets contain betaine, which promotes the regeneration of liver cells and the flow of bile. It also has a beneficial effect on fat metabolism.  It is included in many detox diets for its cleansing abilities.

Broccoli
Broccoli and other members of the brassica family (cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, kholrabi) support liver detoxification enzymes.  Vegetables in this family are also high in vitamins and boost immune functions.

Onions and Garlic
Rich in sulfur-containing compounds. Involved in sulfation, the main detox pathway for environmental toxins and certain drugs and food additives. Helps with the elimination of harmful heavy metals from the body.

Dandelion Root
Increases the flow of bile. Can be taken as a tea.

Tips On How To Make Healthier Meals

Courtesy of the National Heart and Lung Institute.  You can visit their website here for more information on heart healthy diets.

Begin by choosing foods low in saturated fat, low in sodium and low in calories:

• Try fat free (skim) milk or lowfat (1%) milk
• Only buy cheeses marked “lowfat” or “fat free” on the package
• Choose to eat fruits and vegetables without butter or sauce
• Serve rice, beans, cereals, pasta, whole grains (e.g., couscous, barley, bulgar, etc.)
• Choose lean cuts of meat, fish, and skinless turkey and chicken
• When available, buy low– or reduced–sodium or no–salt–added versions of foods

Use these recipe substitutions:

• Use two egg whites for each whole egg and margarine or oil instead of butter
• Use light mayonnaise instead of the regular variety
• Use nonfat yogurt instead of sour cream
• Use lowfat cheese instead of regular cheese
• Use 1 percent or skim milk instead of whole milk
• Use fresh poultry, fish and lean meat rather than canned or processed types

Try these meal tips:

• Make a meatloaf with lean ground turkey
• Make tacos with skinless chicken breast
• Cool soups and gravies and skim off fat before reheating them
• Try adding salsa on a baked potato instead of butter
• Make a spicy baked fish — season with green pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, lemon, or cilantro
• Eat fruit for dessert, instead of pie or cake

Healthy Dietary Substitutions

We suggest that you analyze your eating habits.  Figure out the ones you’re the LEAST attached to and start working on those first.  The idea is to make as many improvements that aren’t TOO hard, so that the dreaded feeling of deprivation doesn’t set in before you start to actually feel and look better.  Substitute wherever you can.

Here are some ways to begin substituting.

• Instead of frying (unless it’s stir-frying), eat foods that are baked, broiled or steamed.
• Eat an apple instead of a candy bar or pastry in the late morning or afternoon.
• Instead of ice cream, try frozen yogurt or sherbet.
• Instead of half and half or non-dairy creamer, use low-fat milk or creamy soy milk in coffee and tea.
• Instead of gravy, salsa! This is shorthand for suggesting you increase spice to make up the loss of flavor from fat content in food. If spicy food doesn’t agree with you, go at it slowly.
• While cooking: Halve the amount of oil suggested. (This won’t work in baking, but it will in most everything else.)
• Instead of whole eggs, use an egg white with a tablespoon of fresh vegetable oil.

In conclusion, the path to healthy eating starts with choosing high quality and nutrient rich ingredients for your diet.  This is especially important if you are on or plan to start a detox program.  Remember to make the changes in your diet gradual so your body does not go into shock and begins to crave the junk food you are eliminating.  Follow up the healthy eating with ample exercise and you are on your way to good health and longevity.

The Importance of Antioxidants

Antioxidants can cancel out the cell-damaging effects of free radicals.  You can read more about free radicals and their role in aging and illness here.  People who eat a healthy amounts of fruits and vegetables, which are good sources of antioxidants, have a lower risk of heart disease and some neurological diseases.  There is ample clinical evidence that antioxidants may also help prevent a variety of diseases such as macular degeneration, suppressed immunity, and neurodegeneration and cancer.

Antioxidant enzymes

The antioxidant enzymes are synthesized in the body.  They initiate processes which ultimately channel the excessive, damaging energies of free radicals into producing harmless substances such as water and oxygen.  These enzymes include.

• glutathione peroxidase
• catalase
• superoxide dismutase

They are produced and function in most cells of the body and it is through their activity that we do not spoil and rot.  In fact, the reason we rot and decay after we die is because our body stops producing these enzymes.

The body also increase production of antioxidant enzymes in reaction to increased levels of free radicals. For instance, trained athletes usually have higher levels of antioxidant enzymes because their bodies have adjusted to deal with the extra free radicals from extra metabolism from strenuous exercise.  However, our body’s production of antioxidant enzyme is limited and must be supplemented from antioxidant nutrients from food.  This is especially prevalent as modern society exposes us to more free radicals than ever before.

Antioxidant Nutrients

Unlike the enzymes, antioxidant nutrients are not made in the body but are supplied in such foods as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.  After being absorbed during digestion, they travel in the bloodstream and localize in all the cells and organs to neutralize free radicals. This is why a proper diet is an important aspect of a successful detox program.  As the antioxidants neutralize free-radicals in the body, they are used up and eliminated from the body.  Thus it is important to supply our body with a healthy amount of these nutrients on a daily basis.

Here is a comprehensive list of vitamins, herbs, foods and other compounds that contain antioxidant nutrients:

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamin A (retinol), also synthesized by the body from beta-carotene, protects dark green, yellow and orange vegetables and fruits from solar radiation damage, and is thought to play a similar role in the human body. Carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes (which gain their color from the compound lycopene), kale, seabuckthorn, collards, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots are particularly rich sources of beta-carotene.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble compound that fulfills several roles in living systems. Important sources include citrus fruits (such as oranges, sweet lime, etc.), green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, black currants, strawberries, blueberries, seabuckthorn, raw cabbage and tomatoes.

Vitamin E including tocotrienol and tocopherol, is fat soluble and protects lipids. Sources include wheat germ, seabuckthorn, nuts, seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil, and fish-liver oil. Alpha-tocopherol is the main form in which vitamin E is consumed.

Zinc is one of the most common mineral deficiencies.  Best Bet Food Sources: Raw, hulled pumpkin seeds and other nuts, oatmeal, eggs, parsley, wheat germ

Selenium has become a central topic of discussion in the debate on trace elements in which some doctors have dismissed the mineral as humbug, while others recommend it as a valuable component in preventative medicine, or even prescribe it as part of a course of treatment.

Soy & Isoflavones. Research suggests that soy may offer a number of health benefits related to menopause symptom relief, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, immunity and cancer

Coenzyme Q10

Manganese

Iodide

Melatonin

Phytonutrients

Lycopene is found in high concentration in ripe red tomatoes.

Lutein is found in high concentration in spinach and red peppers.

Alpha-carotene

Beta-carotene is found in high concentrations in butternut squash, carrots, orange bell peppers, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes.

Zeaxanthin is the main pigment found in yellow corn.

Astaxanthin is found naturally in red algae and animals higher in the marine food chain. It is a red pigment familiarly recognized in crustacean shells and salmon flesh/roe.

Acids

Ellagic acid - found in high concentration in raspberry and strawberry, and in ester form in red wine tannins.

Gallic acid – found in gallnuts, sumac, witch hazel, tea leaves, oak bark, and many other plants.

Salicylic acid – found in most vegetables, fruits, and herbs; but most abundantly in the bark of willow trees, from where it was extracted for use in the early manufacture of aspirin.

Rosmarinic acid – found in high concentration in rosemary, oregano, lemon balm, sage, and marjoram.

Cinnamic acid and its derivatives, such as ferulic acid – found in seeds of plants such as in brown rice, whole wheat and oats, as well as in coffee, apple, artichoke, peanut, orange and pineapple.

Chlorogenic acid – found in high concentration in coffee

Chicoric acid – another caffeic acid derivative, is found only in the popular medicinal herb Echinacea purpurea.

Other organic antioxidants

Citric acid, oxalic acid, and phytic acid

Lignan - antioxidant and phytoestrogen found in oats, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, rye, soybeans, broccoli, beans, and some berries.

Bilirubin, a breakdown product of blood, has been identified as a possibly significant antioxidant.

Spices and Herbs

Cinnamon, oregano, turmeric, cumin, parsley, basil, curry powder, mustard seed, ginger, pepper, chili powder, paprika, garlic, coriander, onion and cardamom, sage, thyme, marjoram, tarragon, peppermint, oregano, savory, basil and dill weed all have a large concentration of anti-oxidants.

Fruits

Cranberries, blueberries, plums, peaches, blackberries, raspberries, apples, strawberries, red currants, figs, cherries, gooseberry, pears, guava, peaches, oranges, apricots, mango, grape juice and pomegranate are fruits with large concentration of anti-oxidants.

Vegetables

Artichokes, cabbage, broccoli, asparagus, avocados, beetroot, radish, potato and raw lettuce and frozen spinach are vegetables with large concentration of anti-oxidants.

Energy and Fatigue

The first thing in understanding how the have more energy is understanding why we loose it in the first place.  Fatigue is a primary symptom of toxicity.  Reversing toxicity by undergoing a detox program will lead to more energy.  Detoxification liberates the body from an excess workload imposed on the body’s organs, primarily on the liver.  When this overload is relieved, it allows every part of the body to function more effectively, which leads to the feeling we call energy.

The second thing to understand about having more energy is that every quick energy boost ends in a fall.  Caffiene products and energy drinks may make you feel energized for 20 minutes, but they steal this extra energy from your adrenals and ultimately creates a fall.  There’s good news, though.  There are many healthy and natural ways to boost your energy level without resorting to temporary means.

Tips for More Energy

Looking for a quick fix in the improved energy department? If you’re basically healthy, are not 30 pounds or more overweight and not pregnant or nursing, than a quick fast can be very helpful.  By quick, we mean a few hours or 1 day maximum.  However, we do not advocate quick fixes because the major and mostly temporary changes to your body is not an effective detox and produce little to no long term health benefits.  Our first suggestion is to learn How To Start Detoxing in a safe, natural and effective manner.  Below are some tips to get you started:

• Begin your morning with a simple deep breathing exercise. 5 – 10 long deep breaths will fuel your brain and muscles with oxygen. For optimal results, repeat this breathing exercise every few hours throughout your day.
• Don’t skip breakfast.  Most health experts and professionals agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Sleeping is actually a form of fasting and it is important that we eat a healthy and balanced breakfast to “break” our “fast”.
• Reduce your exposure to toxins.  For more information on sources of toxins and how to avoid them, see Toxins in Everyday Life.
• More water, less soda, and no energy drinks!  Increase the amount of water you drink to 8 to 10 glasses of pure water per day or more. Additional water is the easiest and cheapest way to improve your body’s detoxification processes.  While energy drinks may offer an initial (and perhaps pleasant) buzz, it will be followed by an inevitable crash.
• Reduce or eliminate junk food, especially those high in preservatives and other chemicals.  Go for nutrient-rich whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, fish, chicken, legumes and whole grains.
• Don’t eat big meals.  They are a direct cause for fatigue.
• Cut down on heavy meat consumption and trans-fat intake.  They take a lot of energy to digest and ingesting a high amount of animal protein causes fatigue (the common “food coma”).
• Make sure you get the adequate vitamins and minerals in your diet.  If necessary, add essential detox supplements to your diet as a compliment to  your healthy diet.
• Listen to your favorite music.
• Increase frequency and intensity of exercise.
• Enhance your elimination function.  In large part, this should be accomplished by improving your diet and drinking more water.  If you’re not having at least one bowel movement per day, then we suggest a colon detoxification until your bowel movement returns to normal.
• Get more sleep. We all know how tired we feel when we don’t get a good night’s sleep. A long-term lack of adequate sleep will quickly result in a cycle of long-term fatigue.  Afternoon naps and rest time are also beneficial to overall energy.  Just make sure you keep them brief.

Detoxification is not just about purging our blood, cells and organs of toxins.  A good detox program is always nourishing as well as cleansing.   Due to the diet limitations of many detox diets, our bodies may lack the proper nutrients for the full effect of the detox.  The most important aspect of any detox is to maintain good health and we do not want to jeopardize our health during any part of the program.  Please read our article on How The Body Detoxify Itself to understand the roles supplements play in a safe and effective detox.

The amount of supplementation you need will vary based on your personal level of health, how your body absorb the supplements, and on the details of your specific detox program.  We recommend consulting a nutritionist or a holistic health practitioner to fine-tune this aspect of your program, especially if you are not in good health.

Daily Suggested Detox Supplementation

Below is a list of common supplements that are taken during a detox program.  We recommend getting these vitamins and minerals from natural and organic source including vegetables and fruits but they may also be taken as dietary supplements.  Research on the effect of each vitamin can be found on various health websites as well as by consulting your health care provider.

Vitamins:
Vitamin C  500-2000 mg.
Vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate) 200-400 mg.
Vitamin A 5,000-7,500 IU
Beta Carotene 15,000-30,000 IU
Bioflavonoids 200-1000 mg.
B Vitamins
Thiamine (B1) 10-25 mg.
Riboflavin (B2) 10-25 mg.
Niacinamide (B3) 50 mg
Niacin (B3) 50-2000 mg.
Pantothenic acid (B5) 250-500 mg
Pyridoxine (B6) 10-25 mg.
Cobalamin (B12) 50-100 mcg
Folic acid 400-800 mcg.

Minerals:
Zinc (picolinate or oxide) 10-30 mg.
Magnesium 500 mg.
Manganese (gluconate) 5-10 mg.
Copper (gluconate) 1-3 mg.
Molybdenum (sodium molybdate) 50-200 mcg.
Selenium 50-200 mg.

Amino Acids:
L-cysteine 100-300 mg.
L-glutathione 50-200 mg.
L-methionine 250-500 mg.

Herbs:
Garlic
Silymarin (milk thistle)
Pycnogenol
Ginkgo biloba
Decaffeinated green tea

Herbs and Other Natural Supplements

On top of vital vitamins and minerals our body may benefit from the addition of other natural herbs and oils to balance out our diet.   Remember, the purpose of supplements is not as a direct cure for illness but rather to promote general health and body equilibrium. When used in this manner, proper dietary supplementation can have profound benefits for our health. The following is a list of natural herbs and oils that may aid in your detox program.

Flaxseed oil 1-2 tablespoons

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for health and are virtually absent from the western diet. Current ratios of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids in the modern diet run as high as 20-1 or even 30-1. The ideal is close to 1:1.  This has serious implications in terms of overall inflammation in body tissue and heart health.  Supplementation with Omega-3 fatty acids is essential.

Psyllium seed 2-4 teaspoons
Psyllium seed is a lubricating mucilaginous fiber used as a gentle bulking and laxative agent. The mucilage in the seeds expands eight to fourteen times the size of the original seeds. This can also create a feeling of fullness, decreasing one’s desire to overeat.  Psyllium fiber works as a broom, sweeping the intestinal tract of toxins.  Be sure to drink lots of water when using psyllium as a cleansing agent!

Pumpkin seed helps the body expel parasites and is also highly nutritive, containing beneficial linolenic acid.

Red clover a very strong blood purifier. It is used as a tonic for the nerves and as a sedative for nervous exhaustion.

Slippery Elm is used to neutralize stomach acidity and absorbs foul gases and toxins. It draws out impurities and heals and soothes all parts of the body. Especially the mucous membranes, adrenal glands, stomach, bowels, lungs.

Yarrow: Yarrow acts as a blood cleanser, opens the pores to permit free perspiration for elimination of waste, relieving the kidneys. It also helps to regulate the function of the liver, tones the mucous membranes of the intestines,and heals the glandular system.

Violet leaf is an anti-fungal, demulcent, diuretic, and laxative. It is safe and soothing, rich in beta carotene and vitamin C.

Witch hazel bark, twigs, and leaves are high in flavonoids that help heal damaged blood vessels. This plant is also somewhat antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.

Yellow Dock is one of the best blood builders in the herb kingdom.  Stimulates elimination.

Yucca root is effective as an laxative agent.  It helps break down organic waste in the body.  One of its primary uses in folk medicine is to relieve the inflammation associated with arthritis.

Anti-oxidants:
Co Q10
DMAE
Alpha lipoic acid
Choline

Aloe Vera has the ability to promote healing in the body and boost the immune system.

Important Information Regarding Vitamin E

Several decades ago, a mistake was made in evaluating vitamin E that determined that the only active fraction in the E complex was d-alpha tocopherol. That mistake has cost us dearly in terms of health, and like all “health establishment” mistakes, it will take years and years and years to rectify. Already, there is incontrovertible proof that of the eight fractions that comprise vitamin E, d-alpha is, at best, number five in terms of importance. The four tocotrienol fractions are more important, and even among the four tocopherols, gamma tocopherol is more important. And yet, 99% of all vitamin E supplements contain only the d-alpha fraction, and according to the FDA, the only fraction you can “measure” as vitamin E is d-alpha.  Unfortunately, changing established “rules” in the health industry, even when proof is widely available is like turning an oil tanker.  It takes miles and miles and miles — and a great deal of effort.

Bottom line: use only a complete E that contains all 4 tocopherols and all 4 tocotrienols or better yet, eat foods high in Vitamin E– just like Mother Nature intended.

For more information on why vitamins and other nutrients are required to maintain good health and for a safe detox program, please read How The Body Detoxify Itself.

Detox, Weight Loss and Toxicity

A detox diet addresses the direct relationship between weight gain and body toxicity.  Toxins are stored in our fat cells and as the body grows more toxic, more fat is produced to store the additional toxins.  This is the body’s way of protecting the organs from being damaged by the toxins. Be aware that many weight loss diets on the market do not address the need for body detox in long term weight management.

When the body cannot expel toxins they are stored mostly in the liver, kidneys, lungs, joints, pancreas, and in fat tissue.  One cause of weight gain is the body’s manufacture of fat for the storage of synthetic toxins it cannot process.  If the body does not have the nutrients to process out the toxins when they enter the liver, they are stored, either in the liver or in fat tissue.  There is a distinct connection between body toxicity and weight gain.  Toxins are stored in fat cells.  As toxicity increases, the fat cells enlarge in size.  One of the reasons detoxification is an excellent way to lose weight is simply due to the fact that a reduction in toxic build up in fat cells directly contributes to a decrease in the actual size of fat cells.

When someone is dieting by taking in fewer calories than are being burned, nutrients (which are also stored in fat cells) are tapped.  Along with the nutrients, toxins are released from the fat cells.  If this release of toxins is too rapid, the symptoms of toxic overload are likely to emerge: nausea, light-headedness, headache, fatigue, anxiety are the most common.  Fasting as a dietary method encourages this kind of toxic overload.  For this and other reasons, fasting is not the best way to detox or diet.

Detoxification and Obesity

In his book The Detox Diet, Elson M. Haas, M.D., states:

“Detoxification is also an important component in treating obesity. Many of the toxins we ingest or make are stored in the fatty tissues: hence, obesity is almost always associated with toxicity.  When we lose weight, we reduce our body fat and thereby our toxic load.  However, during weight loss we also release more toxins and need to protect ourselves from nutrient depletion through extra supplementation, including taking additional antioxidants to balance these toxins. Exercise will also promote the loss of excess pounds and help further detoxification.” (p. 24.)

In the 7-Day Detox Miracle, Drs. Bennett and Barrie write that, “Although not meant as a weight-loss system, you’ll discover that most of the clinical secrets for helping shed difficult pounds are found in our program.  Almost all our patients lose 7 to 14 pounds in one to two weeks, and, because they stay on a maintenance program, the weight does not come back.” (p. 79.)

Detox Weight Loss: A Fresh Approach

If you’ve been “yo-yo” dieting for a long time, an understanding of detoxification can change your approach and give you insights that may change your approach to weight loss.  It can explain why you get headachy and jittery while you’re dieting.  Those symptoms are caused by toxins, stored in fat, reentering the bloodstream as fat tissue is broken down. Another insight is avoiding diet products that are based on dairy products.  Because of modern factory farming methods and the levels of pesticides used in farming, dairy products contain residues of pesticides used in growing grain that is fed to cows, as well as the hormones and antibiotics given directly to cows.  These residues accumulate in reproductive organs that include the cows’ udder. For these reasons, dairy products increase your levels of toxicity, which is counterproductive when dieting.  The toxins add to the burden your liver is attempting to process out of storage from the fat tissues being metabolized for energy demands.

Detox Weight Loss Diet and Lifestyle Choices

There are many choices we can make daily that affects our weight and general health.  Here are some healthy choices we can make in our diet and lifestyle for immediate impact on our weight.

• Lower Fat Intake
• Higher Fiber Intake
• Exercise Regularly
• Drinking Ample Pure Water
• Body Detoxification

Lower Fat: It is imperative to cut back on saturated fat, which is hard for the liver to metabolize and creates havoc on the arteries of our circulatory system.  By low fat, we don’t mean no fat.  Fat is your body’s primary energy source.  The majority of overweight people actually have too much sugar in their blood and relatively low fat levels.  This will result in constant hunger and the tendency to snack on high carb foods, which perpetuates a vicious cycle.  Aim to always include a little healthy fat in every meal and snack.

Healthy fats include:

Monounsaturated Fat

• olive oil
• peanut oil
• canola oil
• avacados
• nuts and seeds

Polyunsaturated Fat

• safflower oil
• sunflower oil
• soy oil
• conttonseed oil
• nuts and seeds

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

• salmon
• mackerel
• herring
• flaxseeds and flax oil
• walnuts

Higher Fiber: Dietary fiber is that part of food that is not broken down by the body’s digestive enzymes.  As a result, fiber moves through the entire digestive tract, where it performs a gentle scrubbing action.  Fiber is a natural intestinal and colon cleanser, and we should rely on getting it in our diet, not only in colon cleansing products.  Fiber retains water, which produces softer and bulkier stools — a great and natural prevention against constipation.  Fiber also binds with certain fatty substances that produce cholesterol.

High fiber foods include:

• fresh fruits
• fresh vegetables (raw is best)
• beans
• legumes
• whole grains
• nuts and seeds

Exercise: Exercise not only burns fat, it raises metabolism, which can provide a long-term calor

ie burning effect even after exercise. Daily exercise will release fat from the cells. Even if you change your diet only slightly, regular moderate exercise will shed weight. Cardiovascular exercise burns fat and stimulates lymphatic circulation, which helps carry toxins from the body, which in turn lightens the load of your fat cells.  Weight training exercise builds muscle.  When muscle mass increases, so does metabolism, a very important factor in permanent weight loss.

Ample Water: Water is the key to life.  It is absolutely required for the body to detoxify naturally and is the single most important aspect of any serious detox diet.  Water advocates the removal of toxins from the body and provide a channel for nutrients to enter our body.  In fact our body can only absorb nutrients in a liquid form.  The recommended amount of water to drink each day for a healthy adult is 8 servings of water (8 ounce or 1 cup per serving).  Increase this if you exercise and sweat regularly.  Also remember, when you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated so drink water even when you do not feel thirsty.

Body Detoxification: The human body has not changed much for thousands of years, but our surrounding sure has.  With ever increasing consumption of fast foods, alcohol and involuntary toxins like water and air pollution, our body often needs additional aid in detoxifying itself.   Learn more about  the various forms of toxins and poisons in our article Toxicity in Everyday Life. Engaging a detox diet or detox program is a great way to start cleansing our bodies and all it takes is a little research and commitment.

You can learn more about the benefits of detox in our articles: Why We Need to Detox, Who Should Detox and How to Start Detoxing.

Body Detox & Oxidation in the Body

Understanding how the body detoxes itself is vital in starting a safe and effective detox diet for weight loss and better health. To begin, we credit Sidney MacDonald Baker, M.D. and Jeffrey S. Bland, Ph.D. for helping to make this biochemistry lesson understandable.  They both offer more extensive, yet easy-to-comprehend explanations of the underlying physical processes so that we can better understand how our body ages and how an effective detox can reduce the effect of oxidation.

The first process to understand is how the body prevents oxidation. You’ve probably heard the word antioxidant many times in reference to vitamins, supplements, foods or teas.   Here we will briefly explain the role of anti-oxidants is the natural detoxification process:

• We need oxygen to live.
• Oxygen plays an important role in metabolism, in the breakdown of food into energy and the raw materials to supply every other function that goes on inside the body. Every cell of the body–trillions of them–needs oxygen to carry on its individual function.  Brain cells, for example, begin to die after only three minutes without a fresh supply of oxygen.
• Oxygen is, however, a reactive substance meaning it reacts with other substances.  That’s the reason why you have to be very careful in the presence of pure oxygen as powerful reactions may occur. (The air we breathe is only 20 percent oxygen.)
• When oxygen reacts with other substances, it causes oxidation.  Fire, for example, is rapid oxidation. We also see it when iron rusts; the rust is oxidation.  An apple cut in half and exposed to air turns brown; the browning is oxidation.

This process of oxidation also occurs within the body, where it’s called biological rancidification.  Researchers have determined that biological rancidification is one of the primary causes of aging.  Dr. Bland states, “The way biological rancidification occurs in the body is similar to how oxygen combines with fat in a cube of butter and causes it to become rancid… Activated forms of oxygen–oxygen radical or reactive oxygen species (ROS)–are manufactured in the body following exposure to radiation, pollution, viruses or other infectious agents, drugs and medication (including alcohol and cigarettes) and even as a consequence of the activation of the body’s immune system.”

• Free radicals are the biochemical forms of oxygen that are most likely to oxidize. Free radicals are molecules that are missing an electron, so they steal a replacement electron from another molecule, causing oxidative damage to the “victimized” molecule and the tissue of which it is a part.
• There’s a domino effect caused by free radicals in the body. They don’t just cause one reaction and stop. The “victimized” molecule now steals a replacement electron from yet a third molecule…and on and on it goes.

Body Detox & Anti-Oxidants

Here’s how Dr. Bland describes the effect of free radicals on the body: “…imagine a Ping-Pong table covered with mousetraps. All the traps are set, ‘baited’ with a carefully placed Ping-Pong ball. Then imagine tossing another ball onto the table. That ball springs one trap, bounces off and begins a reaction that in a short time triggers all the mousetraps on the table, with Ping-Pong balls bouncing everywhere. This is very similar to the explosive chemical reactions which are initiated by free radicals…” (p. 84.)

Thus it is important to reduce the body’s exposure to free radicals, see Toxins in Everyday Life as an important aspect of a successful detox.

Dr. Baker clarifies how this pertains to the body: “If a fatty acid molecule [back to that pat of butter] gets its electron ripped off by oxygen in the air, it is damaged…If the fatty acid molecule is nested among millions of others in … our cell membranes, we call the damage ‘oxidative damage” Detoxification & Healing: The Key to Optimal Health, (p. 69).

Dr. Baker helps us understand electron exchanges from the perspective of chemistry in general: “…oxygen and all related oxidative stresses…put our molecules at risk of losing an electron. Such a loss is a necessary part of all chemistry in which molecules participate voluntarily…chemistry has to do with the sharing, gaining or losing of electrons from one atom or molecule.” Detoxification & Healing: The Key to Optimal Health, (p. 69)

Fortunately, the body has a natural detox system that prevents damage from free radicals, if it has an adequate supply of essential nutrients.  These essential nutrients, also know as anit-oxidants, are vitamin C, E, B2, bioflavinoids, beta-carotene, alpha lipoic acid, DMAE, glutathione, selenium and zinc.

First a vitamin C molecule gives the “victimized” molecule a replacement electron and then the vitamin C molecule itself receives a replacement electron from a molecule of the bioflavinoids. The bioflavinoid molecule in turn receives a replacement electron from a beta-carotene molecule. The beta-carotene molecule in turn receives a replacement electron from a vitamin E molecule.  The vitamin E molecule in turn receives a replacement electron from glutathione. As you can see, and as Dr. Baker informs us that antioxidants do not work alone.”

The nutrients all work together and if the diet lacks any one, there will be oxidative stress. For example, a beta-carotene molecule with a missing electron becomes unstable and toxic when its missing electron is not replaced by one from vitamin E and vitamin E cannot replace beta-carotene’s missing electron if it is not able to borrow one from vitamin B2.

When the body lacks these nutrients, a state of “oxidative stress” can result.  Most chronic illnesses that affect our society are related, in one way or another, to oxidative stress.  This explains why some people age more quickly than others.  It is because, over the years, they have not supplied their bodies with adequate supplies of these nutrients.  Starting a natural detox diet is a good way to ensure your body is receiving the right balance of nutrients and reducing the amount of free radicals.  To learn more about the benefits of an all natural detox diet please read our guide on Why We Need to Detox.