HOW TO DETOX
1) PREPARE
Detoxing requires both a physical and a mental adjustment. Starting off with the cleansing process slowly is important as your body will be less likely to be overwhelmed by toxins. Once you begin your main 2week detox, you will also boost your nutritional status.
Before you start to detox, try keeping a food diary for a week, recording every food you eat each day. This way you can look back to see which foods you eat excessively and think how you feel about giving up these foods. If you think you can’t live without them, they’re probably the first foods you should cut back on or eliminate altogether.
In addition, an imbalance of good and bad gut bacteria is reflected in our food choices—and we may find that we are eating too many sugary, refined, and processed foods rather than healthier whole-food, nutrient options.
2) EASE IN
Once you’ve completed your food diary, ease yourself gently into detox. Take 1 or 2 weeks pre-detox to eliminate problem foods. If your diet is quite healthy, you could take just 1 week to prepare, but if you have several foods to eliminate, take 2 weeks. Foods often eliminated pre- and during detox are sugar, dairy, caffeine, wheat, alcohol, meat, processed and fast foods, and any foods you think you may have an intolerance to. The following tips will help you prepare.
*Don’t eliminate several foods at once.
If there are certain foods like sugar and caffeine that you eat regularly in high amounts, maybe start slowly, eliminating a bit more each day. For example, if you drink 5 cups of coffee a day, cut to 4, 3, 2, and so on each day.
*Each time you eliminate a food, it’s essential to replace it with a nutrient-dense food.
The body needs nutrients to “bind” and neutralize toxins. This is a chance to try new, healthy foods. Increase your intake of foods with essential fatty acids, such as avocados, colorful vegetables and fruit, salad greens, whole grains, oats, legumes, sprouted seeds, and nuts.
*Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement.
Taking multivitamins as well as an antioxidant supplements aid in neutralizing free radicals, and an organic, cold-pressed blend of essential fatty acids will replace bad fats. Take these throughout your detox and continue afterward if you wish.
*Review your cooking methods.
Steaming, casseroles, broths and roasts help preserve nutrients. Don’t eat too many raw foods at this point, as they are strong detoxifiers that are helpful later, once your body has adapted to the detox.
*Drink at least 2 liters of water daily.
Water helps to both hydrate the body as well as assist the lymphatic system and kidneys to eliminate toxins. Start each day with a glass of warm water and a squeeze of lemon juice to flush out impurities processed overnight. Then sip on water throughout your day.
3) EASE OFF
Once you’ve finished detoxing, ease yourself off it slowly. Resist returning to unhealthy habits, which can be a shock to your newly cleansed body. Enjoy the benefits of improved energy, concentration, and sleep; clearer skin; healthier digestion; and balanced emotions.