A good body cleansing diet will help detoxify your body. Think of detoxing your body as a spring clean. A detox diet will dramatically reduce the presence of unwanted toxins in your body.
It will bring other benefits such as:
- Have more energy
- Boosts your immune system
- Improve your complexion
- Banish cellulite
- Lose weight and inches
- Regular bowel movements
- Improved digestion
- Increased concentration and clarity
If you feel congested from too much food or the wrong kinds of food or perhaps your energy level are low there’s no doubts a detox will help. Initially, you may want to try it over the weekend, beginning on Friday evening, and ending on Monday afternoon. Many people find that seven full days is quite manageable, and produces noticeable changes in energy level and sense of well-being although the first few days can be quite difficult.
During an intense, full body cleanse, the goal with your diet is simple: it’s to minimize the workload on your digestive organs while supplying your body with enough energy to carry out its everyday activities. Cleansing is performed primarily by your body’s self-regulated cleansing mechanisms, not by the nutrients in the foods that you eat.
FOODS TO INCLUDE IN THE PLAN
Fruit – your plan can include any fruit including fresh, frozen, dried or canned in natural fruit juice. This includes apples, bananas, pears, oranges, grapefruit, satsumas, sultanas, raisins, pineapple, mango, kiwi fruit, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, nectarines, peaches, melons, star fruit etc
Fruit juice – either make homemade fruit juices or smoothies from fresh fruit, or drink ready-made juices. Make sure ready-made juices are labelled as being ‘pure’ or ‘unsweetened’.
Vegetables – eat any vegetables including fresh, frozen or canned in water (without salt added). This includes carrots, onions, turnip, swede, sprouts, cabbage, peppers, mushrooms, sweetcorn, peppers, leeks, courgettes, broccoli, cauliflower, salad, garlic, artichokes, beets,tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions etc
Beans and lentils – eat any beans, including those that have been dried or canned in water. This includes Split yellow and green peas, red kidney, haricot, chickpeas, cannellini, butter, black eye, pinto, red lentils, green lentils and brown lentils
Grains – Quinoa, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat can be used instead of rice. They can be purchased at a health food store
Sweet Potatoes, brown rice, rye crackers, rice noodles, brown rice cakes, oats and pure oat cakes all offer energy, minerals, B vitamins and fibres, both to stabilize blood sugar and regulate the bowel.
Live natural yogurt is excellent for protein, calcium for bones, and good bacteria that help restore the bowels natural defenses.
Extra virgin olive oil, seasame oil, vinegar, fresh herbs and spices and honey are good sources of antioxidants, and add natural pungency and flavour.
Fresh fish – eat any fresh fish including cod, plaice, mackerel, salmon, lobster, crab, trout, haddock, tuna, prawns, Dover sole, red mullet, halibut, lemon sole, monkfish, swordfish etc. Canned fish in water is suitable too eg salmon or tuna
Garlic, ginger and fresh herbs
Ground black pepper
Beverages – Water (at least 2 litres a day), lemon water, 100% natural fruit and vegetable juices, rice milk. Herbal non-caffeinated teas, green tea.
Fresh Fruit, Vegetables and juices provide phytochemicals (beneficial plant compounds such as antioxidants) which stimulate detox enzymes in the liver and protect the body, and bowel regulating fibre.
Unsalted nuts and seeds are full of protein, essential fatty acids, vitamin E, energy releasing B vitamins and magnesium, and thyroid regulating selenium. Eat nuts including Brazil, almonds, cashew, hazel nuts, macadamia, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio, walnuts etc. Avoid peanuts. Eat seeds including sesame, flaxseed, sunflower and pumpkin
FOODS TO AVOID DURING YOUR DETOX
Sugar – Refined sugar and mixtures containing refined sugar, including sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup, brown sugar, turbinado. Avoid artificial sweeteners.
Dairy Products – Milk, butter and other dairy products.
Wheat – Wheat and products containing wheat.
Any food that contains wheat including bread, croissants, cereals, cakes, biscuits, pies, pastry, quiche, battered or breadcrumbed foods, etc
Gluten – All gluten-containing grains, including barley, rye, spelt and kamut. Some people are sensitive to gluten, a protein fragment in these grains.
Red meat, chicken, turkey and any meat products like sausages, burgers, and pate
Milk, cheese, eggs, cream
Butter and margarine
Crisps and savoury snacks including salted nuts
Chocolate, sweets, jam and sugar
Processed foods, ready meals, ready-made sauces and takeaways
Alcohol
Coffee and tea
Sauces, pickles, shop bought salad dressing, mayonnaise
Salt
Fizzy drinks and squashes, including diet versions
DAILY DETOX MUST DO’S
Drink at least 2.5 litres of water per day. Water is essential to clear waste from the blood. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger.
BREAKFAST EXAMPLES
Banana Porridge made with water and topped with natural yoghurt, banana, raisins and sweetened with honey.
Fresh Fruit Smoothie made from fresh fruit, natural yoghurt and honey to sweeten if needed.
Fresh fruit salad with natural yoghurt and a sprinkling of oats.
Homemade Muesli made from oats, seeds, nuts and dried fruit served with natural yoghurt
MID MORNING/AFTERNOON SNACK EXAMPLES
Fresh fruit or fresh fruit salad
Natural yoghurt mixed with honey
Handful of unsalted nuts or seeds
Vegetable Sticks with some Salsa or Houmous Dip
Natural yoghurt mixed with honey
Vegetable Sticks with some Salsa or Houmous Dip
Fresh fruit or fresh fruit salad
LUNCH EXAMPLES
Large bowl of vegetable or lentil soup (either homemade or supermarket ‘fresh’) with oatcakes.
Jacket Potato topped with tuna (canned in water) mixed with sweetcorn and natural yoghurt and served with salad.
Rice cakes served with rocket, avocado, tomatoes, fresh basil and black pepper. Plus a handful of unsalted nuts.
Homemade guacamole made from avocado, lemon juice, fresh chilli, tomatoes and garlic served with vegetable crudités and oatcakes.
Homemade Tzatziki made from natural yoghurt, garlic, cucumber and lemon juice served with vegetable crudités and oatcakes.
Fresh avocado served with prawns, salad, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.
Grilled cod fillet served with jacket potatoes and lightly steamed vegetables
EVENING MEAL EXAMPLES
Stir fry a selection of vegetables such as bok choi, spring onions, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and beansprouts in a little olive oil with garlic and ginger. Serve with brown rice.
Baked salmon fillet served with a jacket potato and steamed vegetables Tuna and prawns with rice noodles with a selection of vegetables such as onions, mushrooms, peppers, courgette and leek in a little olive oil.
Sweet and sour stir fry with rice with a selection of chopped vegetables such as onions, peppers, baby sweetcorn and mushrooms. Serve with brown rice. Potato and bean casserole
salad with mixed greens, red peppers, artichokes and sprouts drizzled with salad dressing of garlic, lemon juice and olive oil
Roasted vegetables – red onions, tomatoes, mixed peppers, courgettes and vegetables. Served with brown rice.
A large vegetable salad made with leafy lettuce, cucumber slices, tomato slices, shredded carrots, shredded red beets, sliced red onions, shredded zucchini, 1/2 to 1 whole avocado, 1/2 a sweet bell pepper, and raw corn kernels.
Play around with these meal examples and enjoy the wonderful benefits you will experience from a detox diet. No matter what your reasons are, the decision to fast and detox is an act of courage. The rewards are extraordinary, but the challenges are there too.
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