Why and What The Experts Are Saying:
A detox diet often involves eliminating all processed foods and only eating organic fruits and vegetable or juicing organic vegetables and fruits. Most of these diets recommend eliminating all stimulants i.e. caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol and drinking lots of purified water. Some detox systems are powders infused with all types of nutrients that are good for your body. They require that you eliminate all food and only take the powders with purified water, a vitamin, and possibly some packaged protein snacks in case the hunger is too much to handle.
Holistic health experts believe the point of a detox is to rid the body of all toxins and infuse it with a multitude of nutrients that are missing from most people's diets. Dr. Becky Natrajan, a gastroenterologist in Tucson, AZ, explains that "many of us are very nutritionally bankrupt, we have over farmed our farm lands and a lot of our foods don't give us the nutrients that we really need." According to Dr. Becky using a detox product that contains a multitude of essential nutrients cleanses our cells and provides the nutrients necessary to get our bodies back into optimum health.
The Pros
Cutting back on the bad stuff is only part of the equation and the sad truth is that most diets only promote this type of thinking. This is where detox diets are key to getting people to increase the foods that are most beneficial for health, vitality, weightloss, and energy.
The Cons
Detox diets are not easy. They require eliminating all kinds of food and can range anywhere from 7 days to 30 days. Some detox diets are big on juicing and consuming green superfoods which is unrealistic and complicated for most stressed out busy people.
Other detox programs are strictly supplement based, eliminating food all together. They can cost around $150 for a month's worth of supplies which becomes a huge problem for those with families that have other dietary needs. In addition to the cost, some of these systems are structured as multi level marketing businesses that push selling and recruting others to sell it too.
Ways To Detox with Proper Diet
Detox diet books that outline a specific eating plan and provide great recipes are great for those who want to learn how to eat healthy for life. Try any of the following
- The Anti-Estrogenic Diet: How Estrogenic Foods and Chemicals Are Making You Fat and Sick
- The Great American Detox Diet : 8 Weeks to Weight Loss and Well-Being
- The Raw Food Detox Diet : The Five-Step Plan for Vibrant Health and Maximum Weight Loss
Ways to Detox with Inexpensive Supplements
The last option for those who want the least amount of hassle is a green's supplement. These are over the counter supplement loaded with vitamins, minerals, omegas, probiotics, super greens, and so much more. They don't taste great but for some it may be a better option than juicing and/or eliminating most foods. My favorite for when I'm too busy to eat perfect: Nature's Way Multi-Vitamin, Alive! Whole Food Energizer, Tablets, 90 tablets
