A few years ago I felt very low on energy feeling very tired and lethargic all the time. I'd seen my doctor several times, but each time was told that there was nothing medically wrong with me.
A friend of mine, who also happened to be a physiotherapist, recommended I was in need of a natural detox, and put some effort into learning how to detox your body and eliminate the build up of toxins in my body. I didn't know the first thing about detoxing, so I decided to learn all about it, and why so many alternative and complementary health practitioners recommend doing a detox and in particular the 7 day detox diet so avidly.
Another thing she suggested to me was to try a foot detox. I have a foot spa two or three times a week now, if I have the time, but as a suitable alternative, the detox foot patches can work just as well - but with the patches you don't get a relaxing foot massage at the same time
There are some very simple things you can do to help detox your body.
Make sure you drink plenty of water
Making sure you take in plenty of fluids is very important while you are following a detox diet because the water will help your body excrete toxins from your system. It also helps to prevent constipation, reduce bloating, and helps reduce the signs of aging by plumping up your skin. You should aim for about 2 to 3 liters a day, although you will need more in hot weather or on days when you are exercising.
A general pointer is to aim to drink an extra half liter of water for every hour you exercise. The healthiest type of water is filtered tap water. Ideally drink water that is at room temperature. If the thought of drinking that much water is overbearing, try herbal teas as well - loose leaf tea is the better option if it's available. Green tea, horsetail, camomile and roibosch (or redbush) in particular are great choices as their essential oils assist in the detox process. Roibosch and green tea is also beneficial as it is very high in OPC antioxidants.
How To Fit It All In
It's actually quite easy to drink that much water when you know how. Have a glass of water with a little freshly squeezed lemon juice or root ginger when you rise - it's the perfect way to start up your digestive system and bowel - then aim to drink little and often throughout the day.
Each time you eat something have a glass then, if you make tea of coffee during the day drink water as well, another glass when you get home from work and a final glass before you retire to bed for the night. Don't be afraid to "spice up" the water with a little lemon juice.
The Fresher The Food The More Power It Adds To Your Health
You should be looking to buy your food in as fresh a condition as possible and juice or blend them for maximum benefit or just eat them raw, in salads or as snacks or appetizers. Raw fruits and veg are still full of all their natural enzymes, vitamins and minerals. If the food stays in the fridge or on the shelf for long periods, or when it is cooked or preserved, it loses a lot of its nutritional value.
Try to buy your fruits and veg locally, preferably from farm shops and local markets. Food from other countries is generally harvested before it is ripe (so it will be short of it's full vitamin and mineral supply) and a lot of nutrition is lost during the journey to the stores.
Is Organic Better
Buying organic produce where possible is better for your health but not totally necessary, especially as the cost can be very high, but if you can manage one or two organic foods that would be great.
If you can't buy many organic foods, don't worry. It's more important that you eat plentiful amounts of fresh foods - even if they are non-organic - instead of eating too few of them. However, there are some good reasons for concentrating on organic food on a healthy detox diet.
Organic foods are free from artificial pesticides and sprays, and therefore they are much healthier being free from toxins and man made chemicals. It's also a very controversial subject as there is evidence that the build up of pesticide residues may be related to a lot of the serious health issues we face today.
There is a lot less processing of organic produce on its journey to your kitchen. The end result being that organic foods are free from artificial additives and hydrogenated fats. And you may notice that organic foods also taste better and have much deeper flavors.
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Our bodies have a built in natural detox system all of their own, but it never hurts to help detox your body with foods that will also promote your health. I've compiled a list of the top ten body detox foods which you can use to create recipes for your detox diet. You can eat them as part of a raw food detox diet, or juice them for a range of delicious detox drinks.
When buying fruit and vegetables, organic produce is always better for you that non organic if your budget can stretch that far. If not, non organic will be OK, as these foods can be used for a very healthy 7 day detox program and as part of your ongoing detoxification regime.
1. The Power of Apples
Here's something you may not know - scientists in the Ukraine have used apples to purify the area around Chernobyl after the nuclear leak in 1986. So they must be good. Apples contain vitamin C and quercetin - an antioxidant nutrient that lowers fat and cholesterol levels.
Apples also have a compound called pectin, which is a fiber present in citrus fruits and berries. Pectin has chelation properties as it binds to heavy metals such as mercury and lead, and helps your body excrete them. It is also good for helping your body get rid of various food additives and toxins like tartrazine. This toxin has been shown to be linked to conditions and diseases like asthma, migraine and hyperactivity, especially in children.
2. Avocados - My Favorite
Avocados are a real powerhouse of nutrients - rich in folate, fiber, potassium, vitamin E and the carotenoid lutein, beta-carotene and gluthathione. Lutein may be linked to maintaining healthy eyes and vision. An avo is one of a small minority of fruits that actually contain monounsaturated fat.
Avocados are a personal favourite of mine - they're great eaten straight from the skin. Avos contain something called glutathione, which is a very powerful antioxidant. Its main benefit is that it binds with fat-soluble toxins like alcohol rendering them water-soluble and therefore easier for the body to excrete them.
3. Artichokes - A Natural Liver Detoxer
Artichokes help increase the production of bile in the liver. Bile is used to transport toxins to the bowel where they are excreted. So greater bile production helps eliminate more toxins. Research shows that eating artichokes can increase the amount of bile produced by up to 127% within as little as 30 minutes of eating it.
Artichokes are also full of antioxidant nutrients, and play an important role in liver detox. Studies in Germany have shown that liver damage, caused by free radicals, is dramatically reduced when artichoke extracts are present within the body.
4. Beetroot
Beetroot is another fat-free vegetable, with very low calorific content and very high fiber content. Throughout Europe, beetroot is seen as a powerful anti-carcinogen, and can help increase the amount of oxygen our bodies can absorb by up to 400%.
You can eat beetroot as part of a raw food detox diet, though personally I prefer to juice them with carrots, apples and oranges. It has a low GL so it is digested and converted into "useable energy" very slowly which helps to stabilize your blood sugar levels.
5. Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous Vegetables are a powerful group of plants that offer powerful cancer fighting benefits. Many studies have shown that these vegetables contain a phytochemical compound called isothiocyanates. Isothiocyanates encourage our bodies to attack and destroy many carcinogenic compounds. They do this by preventing normal healthy cells from transforming into cancerous cells.
A perfect example is broccoli, which contains sulforaphane - a phytochemical that stimulates our body to produce specific enzymes which attack and destroy carcinogenic substances. Many of the cruciferous veggies also contain a substance known as indole-3-carbinal. This is believed to reduce the risk of specific hormone dependent cancers like ovarian, breast and prostate cancer.
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About Me
Looking after your health is one of the most important things you can (and should) do. But with so much information it's hard to know where to start or who to listen to. Hopefully by sharing my experiences and knowledge, I'll make the path to improving and protecting your health a lot easier to follow.
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