The warm weather is finally here, and everyone and their dog seems to be on a Detox. And although most people seem to think that going without food is the best way to cleanse our system with juice fasts and herbal detoxes , the problem is, there are SO many ‘detox programs’ out there that have the wrong idea in mind.
A healthy detox is supposed to naturally and gently cleanse the body of an accumulation of toxic substances. This includes chemical accumulation from environmental, chemical and food additives that the body accumulates over time. One of my main pet peeves with most detox programs is that the focus is often on weight loss and healthy ‘starvation’, reaking havoc on the blood sugar processes of the body, as opposed to a healthy cleansing of the digestive system.
As a society, we consume a large amount of processed and chemically altered food sources. And this accumulation caused burden on our body and all its systems.
As a Holistic Nutritionist, I strongly believe that the best way to detox our body is by following a whole food organic plant-based diet for a minimum of 2 Weeks! That means going vegan (temporarily anyway). Now, I know that so many reading this will think,"isn’t that a bit extreme?" But the irony is that eating vegan is much less extreme than starving your body of foods for days on end, as with the majority of juice fasting detoxes that are out there.
Basically, eating a plant-based diet is enough of a detox for the average person’s body to receive the wonderful benefits of detox. In fact, if you follow the below diet strictly, you may be likely to experience physical symptoms of detox (or withdrawal) for the first week of this program.
The detox diet includes:
- Vegetables (including tons of dark leafy greens)
- Whole grains (like quinoa and brown rice)
- Beans and legumes (like chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils)
- Fruits
Foods To Avoid:
- Processed Foods (of any kind)
- Dairy
- Read Meat & Poultry
- Fish
- Stimulants (like caffeine, alcohol & processed sugar)
- Gluten (optional)
(These are foods that contain unnatural additives, chemicals & cause toxic accumulation in our systems.)
So, give it a go – you may find your energy increases, your mind feels clearer, and don’t be surprised if you lose a few pounds!
