Detox Diet 101

Detox this, detox that… everything I seem to hear about “diet” and nutrition has to do with some sort of body cleanse and purging of toxins. To further complicate things, from what I hear in the news these days, everything is a toxin – including several “cleanse” products that are on the markets these days. What gives?

My goal was to live a healthier life for the rest of my life and not to follow some 41 day plan and go back to my bad habits once it was completed. As much as people implored me to begin a strict cleanse regime with one of the many different powders and pills and juices that were on the store shelves these days so I could start my diet correctly, I decided to do it the more natural way. I changed my entire lifestyle and detoxified my previously harmful lifestyle. Here’s how I did it:

Drink More Water

Water is the ultimate body cleanse. Getting your 8 to 10 glasses a day will help flush your body of any “toxins” that you have ingested and will also keep your body hydrated. Not only will you feel more energized and less gravitated towards “bad” foods, but you will also feel fuller for longer and eat less food throughout the day.

TIP: Add some lemon juice to a glass or two of water you have each day to increase the detoxifying powers of your H2O!

Choose Whole, Natural, Organic Foods

Choosing to follow a diet that is focused more on raw, organic fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts will go a long way in keeping any toxins out of your body. Eating more fish and organic meats will also help keep your body toxin free.

When ever possible, stray from any foods that have been processed (such as fast foods, some meats and many dairy foods), that have dyes in them, preservatives, and ingredients that you cannot pronounce.

Get Active

The best compliment to changing one’s diet is also increasing their activity level. Exercising, whether it’s cleaning your home at a faster pace, going for a walk, or going to the gym will help you sweat out any toxins as well as dispel any stress that may have built up throughout the day.

Alternative Methods of Cleansing

If you’re looking for a bit of a different way to try and cleanse you body of toxins, you can consider visiting an acupuncturist, sitting in a sauna, or trying a different sort of homeopathic and natural remedy that you can find in a number of natural health food stores.

photo by Nat Merry