Go on a Detox Diet

Detox diets, which typically allow for little if any solid food, have become popular in recent years. There is no evidence, however, that they clean out toxins in the system, as advertised. While they can cause rapid weight loss, they also lower metabolism so that, in the long run, you will probably put the weight back on again. Detox diets can be dangerous for pregnant women, people with chronic heart or kidney disease, or people with weakened immunity. However, for some people they have been a good way to restart their diet on a healthier note.

Steps

Picking a Detox Plan

1. Consult with a doctor. It is important that a trained medical professional advise you as to what plan would best fit your needs. You might have certain underlying conditions that would make a detox diet problematic for you. Perhaps weight loss shouldn't even be your priority. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for a healthy life.
   • A registered dietitian is also a good resource for getting information on a diet program that will work well for you. Registered Dietitians are experts with training and certification in nutrition.
2. Try a juice diet. Juice diets are one of the most popular types of detox programs. Drinking juice allows you to take in nutrients even as you limit your consumption of hard foods. Part of the purpose of a juice diet is to consume a wide variety of nutrients. Be sure to research juice recipes that incorporate a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
   • On a juice diet you will not receive some important nutrients, like protein. You should refrain from staying on a pure juice diet for more than three days. For longer fasts, you should consider a regimen that incorporates other nutrients.
   • Because fruits have a high sugar content, juice diets are not be a great way to lose weight. But a short juice diet might help you get a lot of nutrients that you would otherwise be short on.
3. Try the Prepare for the Master Cleanse Diet. The Master Cleanse is a 10-day-long all liquid detox. The basis is a combination of lemon juice, grade B maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. The lemon juice provides vitamins, the syrup provides calories, and the cayenne pepper flushes out your system.
   • Additionally, the diet recommends that you consume either laxative tea or a combination of sea salt and water. Both will function to flush out your system.
   • After the initial ten days are over, you will want to gradually return to eating solid foods. Begin with juice and fruit, eventually moving on to raw fruits and vegetables. You want to refrain from eating meat or dairy until your system becomes acclimated to food.
   • Medical professionals suggest that weight lost during the Master Cleanse will typically return.
4. Try a detox with hard foods. There are a variety of diets that claim to detox you by eliminating certain processed and unhealthy foods from your diet. Typically they involved the consumption of juice, protein shakes, and some hard foods like raw fruits and vegetables. This is sometimes the best option when you want to detox, especially if you want to conserve muscle mass. This allows you to get more whole foods, protein, and nutrients.
   • Examples include “The Fast Track One Day Diet,” “Dr. Joshi’s Holistic Detox,” and the “Three Day Fruit Flush Diet.”
   • This diets are more likely to be healthy in the long term than juice diets and the Master Cleanse, but because they vary so much, so too do their merits. Do research into any plan that you decide to follow and be conscious of the credibility of sources.

Making it Through a Detox

1. Know what to expect. Detoxing can produce several unpleasant side effects. You probably won’t be surprised to find that it will make you hungry. You will also, however, experience fatigue, and possibly headaches, diarrhea, and flatulence.
2. Refrain from intoxicating substances. Without any food in your system, even alcohol and caffeine can have a harmful effect. You should certainly avoid hard drugs. Consult your doctor about how prescription medications will affect you during a fast.
3. Take it easy. Doctors warn that you should never try to exercise during a cleanse. Because you will likely be fatigued, you should have easy recreation available. Have some books or movies around to keep you busy.
4. Have a tongue scraper available. When fasting it is common to develop a coated tongue, which is a layer of bacteria on the tongue that causes discoloration and bad breath. A tongue scraper can help fix the situation. A good brushing of the tongue can also help.
5. Slowly reintroduce solid foods. Your system might have difficulty dealing with solid foods after a detox. For the first couple days stick to a small portions of vegetables, soups, and nuts. Introduce fruit and then light proteins like fish, cheese, and eggs after four or five days. Chew slowly whenever you eat.
   • Detox diets double as an elimination diet, so use this to your advantage by slowly reintroducing foods, so that you can determine how each type of food impacts your body. You might find that when you reintroduce dairy, for instance, you are more prone to stomachaches.

Tips

• Wean yourself slowly from processed food. Rapid or acute changes may cause discomfort.

Warnings

• Do not attempt detox if you are ill. This could cause increased fatigue and a slower recovery.
• Consult your physician prior to detoxing.

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Sources and Citations

See also

• Add Legumes to Your Diet
• Avoid Fructose
• Snack During the Induction Phase of Atkins
• Lose Weight With a Simple Diet
• Become a Pescetarian
• Get the Most Effective Diet
• Go on a Raw Food Diet
• Fast for a Day
• Get Rid of Inner Thigh Fat
• Adopt an Intermittent Fasting Diet

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What links here

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