Healthy seeds are often recommended as part of a detox diet but do you know why?

When people first hear about eating seeds they often remark that seeds are for the birds. It’s true, birds, squirrels and and other animals rely on seeds for survival during harsh winters but that is because they are so rich in vital nutrients.

Healthy seeds are full of fiber, amino acids, minerals and essential fats, the nutrients that are needed by the detox system. They are best eaten in their natural state, that is raw, unroasted and unsalted and even better when they have been soaked and sprouted.

Traditionally seeds have always been soaked and partially sprouted before they were eaten. This is because seeds and nuts contain enzyme inhibitors which can interfere with digestion if eaten in excess and phytic acid which can bind to minerals preventing them being absorbed.

Soaking for 3 – 12 hours helps to neutralize these substances and starts the sprouting process even if you are not going to sprout them fully.

Sprouts are very alkalizing and the precious nutrients in seeds are increased after soaking and sprouting by as much as 400%.

Here are some healthy seeds to add to your detox diet.

Pumpkin Seeds

In China the pumpkin is called the Emperor of the Sun which symbolizes fruitfulness. Pumpkin seeds are rich in amino acids, zinc, magnesium, and omega 3 essential fatty acids.

The green seeds contain phytosterols, compounds that help to keep levels of cholesterol stable, boost the immune system and fight cancer.

Pumpkin seeds are often recommended for prostate health as they contain curcubitacins, substances that prevent testosterone being converted into dihydrotestosterone which can cause enlargement of the prostate gland.

Because of their size and chewy texture they can be eaten as a snack if you get a bit peckish while following a detox diet. Add them to salads or sprinkle over a bowl of chopped fruit for breakfast.

Sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds are rich in the B complex vitamins, Vitamin E, beta- carotene, the minerals magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, zinc, copper, chromium, manganese, selenium, phytosterols, amino acids and both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Vitamin E and beta-carotene are antioxidants which help neutralize free radicals that are produced as part of the detox process. Selenium and copper are needed by your body for it’s own antioxidant system.

Sunflower seeds could help protect the heart and and may help to boost the immune system.

Flax seeds

Flax seeds, also known as linseeds, are a good source of omega 3 essentail fatty acids, fiber, lignans, manganese and magnesium.

Flax seeds, are probably one of the better known seeds for colon cleansing because of their  particular effect on the bowels. The seeds are high in soluble fiber which makes them ideal for relieving constipation. 1 or 2 tablespoons of flax seeds either whole or freshly ground are often used daily to keep the bowels moving during detox.

When the liver processes toxins, one way they are removed from the body is through the bile it produces which carries the toxins through the digestive system and out of the body in the stools.

If your bowels slow down during detox which they can do if you are following a very restrictive diet,  the toxins can get reabsorbed into the body and end up having to go through the detox process all over again. This wastes both energy and vital detox nutrients.

The seeds are rich in lignans, the phytoestrogens found in other seeds, legumes and grains that are thought to have protective effects against breast and prostate cancer.

Sesame seeds

These tiny healthy seeds are regarded in the East as symbols of immortality. They are packed with protein, zinc, iron, copper, manganese, magnesium and calcium, all nutrients needed for detoxification. Manganese & copper are needed for the body’s own antioxidant system.

They also contain sesamin and sesmolin, lignans which help the body to burn fat and to lower cholesterol. Sesamin heps to protect the liver from oxidative damage which can happen during the detox process.

Tahini is made from sesame seeds and is one of the ingredients of hummus the Middle Eastern chickpea spread that is oftern used a a dip for raw vegetables.

Hemp seeds

These tiny round seeds have been eaten for centuries and have kept people alive in times of famine. They are considered to be one of the most nutritious superfoods around.

Hemp seeds have a mild and slightly nutty flavor and are noted for their ideal balance of omega 3 to omega 6 oils.They are rich in Vitamin E and trace minerals and are good for skin conditions like eczema & psoriasis.

One of the best ways of getting them into your diet is to add them to smoothies.  Add a handful to your favorite detox smoothie recipe or sprinkle them on your salad.

The hemp plant is very similar to the marijuana plant because they are of the same family.  Hemp seeds are not allowed to be grown in the USA becaause of the concern that the seeds contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the ingredient  that gives people a “high” from smoking marijuana. The reasearch shows that you cannot get high from eating hemp producs!

Chia Seeds

This list of healthy seeds would not be complete without mentioning Chia Seeds. They have recently been making a comeback after being hailed as the newest superfood. Chia seeds have in fact been grown and used by humans for centuries.

Chia seeds contain the highest known plant source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids, protein and fiber. These tiny mild tasting seeds are so highly packed with antioxidants that they don’t deteriorate as quickly as flax seeds do.

The other advantage they have over flax seeds is that you don’t have to grind them up to obtain their nutrients when you eat them. Chia seeds contain calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin, and zinc, many of the nutrients needed for effective detox.

As Chia seeds contain both soluble and insoluble fiber you can use them for bowel cleansing in place of flax seeds. They may cause more gas and discomfort than flax seeds though because of their higher fiber content. It’s best to start on a teaspoonful and gradually increase the dose until you find the right level.

To get the best from using any of these healthy seeds as part of a detox diet they should be bought very fresh and stored in a cool dark place or refrigerator to prevent the essential fats from becoming rancid.  They are a very concentrated source of nutrients so you only need small amounts of them.

The role of fruit and vegetables in our diet has never been more important. Our bodies have to continually detox a wide range of pollutants in our food, water and environment. A high fruit and vegetable diet helps support and rev up the detox system so helping to detox your body.

More and more research is showing that a high fruit and vegetable diet contains the nutrients that ward off all manner of ill-health and diseases from cancer, to premature aging.

It’s generally agreed by Functional Medicine Doctors and Naturopathic Doctors  that the underlying causes of most disease are toxicity and deficiency. We need to feed our cells with proper nutrition if they are to function and detox themselves properly.

Fruit and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and enzymes that nourish the body, support the detox pathways and encourage the release of toxins.

Fruits and vegetables that activate the Phase I liver detox pathway are:

• Cruciferous vegetables – Cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, bok choy, cress, mustard, horseradish, turnips, rutabagas (swede), kohlrabi, watercress, arugula (rocket)

• Vitamin C rich foods – peppers, cabbage, tomatoes, citrus fruit (not grapefruit which inhibits Phase 1)

• Oranges & tangerines,  lemons (but not grapefruit)

Fruits and vegetables that activate the Phase II pathway are:

An abundance of fruit and vegetables will ensure adequate glutathione a primary substance needed for detox. Specific foods that stimulate this pathway are:

• cruciferous vegetables, avocados, walnuts, asparagus, watermelon, orange peel oil, dill seeds & caraway seeds.

• Garlic & Onions

• Red peppers

• Green leafy vegetables

Organic Fruit & Vegetables

The vitamins and mineral contained in the fruit and vegetables come from the soil so it’s important to buy produce that that is grown in soil that has not been overfarmed or depleted of its precious nutrients.

Organic produce is better than conventionally grown because organic growers take care of the soil and you are not putting more toxins into your body from the pesticide residues on the food.

Sweep out toxins

Fruit and vegetables contain bulk and fiber which acts like a broom to sweep the intestines clean. Fiber helps to regulate the blood sugar keeping us balanced both physically and emotionally.

Talking of blood sugar, according to a new study eating mangoes regularly can help prevent diabetes and insulin resistence. Certain substances in mangoes act in a similar manner to dibetes and cholesterol drugs.

Apples and oranges contain pectin which helps to absorb fats and toxins from the digestive system.

Cleansers and Regenerators

Basically fruit are cleansers and vegetables are regenerators and builders. Researchers have shown that cells can regenerate themselves either by replacement with a weaker cell or by replacement with a stronger cell. A high fresh fruit & vegetable diet promotes healthy cell regeneration.

The best fruits for cleansing are:

apples, pears, oranges, watermelon, grapes and lemon.

The most valuable vegetable cleansers are:

beets (beetroot), carrots, celery, cucumber, spinach, chard, and watercress.

Green vegetable juices are rich in chlorophyll which helps with bowel cleansing.

Some good cleansing combination juices are:

Watercress and spinach
Apple, carrot and celery
Beets ( beetroot) and cucumber

Acid Alkaline Balance

The majority of people eat too much protein, fatty and processed foods which are highly acid forming. An acidic body has been linked to fatigue, a weakened immune system, arthritis and other degenerative diseases and even cancer.

A high fruit and vegetable diet helps to supply the minerals which have an alkalizing effect on your body and creates an environment that enables your cells to detox.

Eat a rainbow of fruit and vegetables for optimum health

Eating a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables suppies your body with a range of natural plant chemicals known as phytochemicals that have a host of health boosting qualities.

These phytochemicals are what give the fruit and vegetables their amazing colors. Different phytochemicals have different effects in our bodies so it’s important to eat as many different colored fruit and vegetables as you can.

Many phytochemicals are anti-oxidants which are needed in the detox process and to combat the free radicals created in the body during normal metabolism.

You can read more about the Rainbow Diet here:

Detox Diet: Eat A Rainbow For Optimum Health

Raw fruit and vegetables contain an energy and vitality that is destroyed by cooking. When you eat them the energy is transferred to your cells which helps them push out the waste products which if left to accumulate will internfer with its function.

Some health practitioners feel that a raw food diet is the only natural human diet and that cooked food is a major cause of disease and suffering. Yet research has discovered that some nutrients are better absorbed from vegetables when it is lightly cooked.

The best option then seems to have a diet that is high in both raw fruit and cooked vegetables.There is no doubt that whether you opt for cooked or raw a diet high fresh fruit and vegetable diet  will help you detox your body.

The body is exposed to toxins everyday through food, air pollution, medication and even stress. Processed, chemically enhanced and ready to eat food contain substances that are toxic to the body. These toxic agents weaken your immunity, stress the mind and cause fatigue so let’s look at some important detox tips.

Detox or detoxification is a cleansing process from within that gets rid of toxins, body waste and excess fats. It nourishes and renews the body from the inside to give an outside glow. There are different ways to detoxify your body. Here are 5 detox tips to get you started.

1. Start detox from where toxins start

Eliminate toxic substances that are found in sodas, processed foods, junk foods and pre- packed foods and vices like smoking and drinking alcohol. Food colors, food enhancers and preservatives found from these foods are removed from the body through the liver, kidneys and large intestines.

One of the most important detox tips is to avoid toxins that are in products you apply to your skin. Your skin is highly absorbant and will absorb a range of toxic chemicals from your personal care products. Look for natural products.

Use only chemical free cleaning agents in your home and and avoid using air freshners unless truly natural. Your liver turns these substances into water soluble for excretion through urine and feces.

Too many toxic substances make the liver and kidneys to work double time. This stresses the liver and kidneys and if this continues for a long period, it could lead to kidney and liver malfunction.

2. Add fiber to your diet

Eat plenty of fiber rich food and maintain a healthy diet. Fiber helps to absorb and flush out fats, cholesterol, processed toxins from the liver and the waste products that remain in the gut after digestion and absorption takes place.

Whole, gluten free grains such as buckwheat, red and brown rice are great sources of fiber. They are also rich in slow releasing carbohydrate that fuel the body with energy without turning energy into body fats.

Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, green peas, potato with skin, sweet potatoes, carrots and green leafy vegetables are fiber rich vegetables. They contain nutrients that nourish and repair damaged cells.

Fruits like raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, cherries, plums, apples, kiwi fruit, guavas and bananas are immune boosting fiber rich fruits. They are rich vitamin C that strengthens the immunity and provides fast recovery from sickness and stress.

Almonds, Brazil nuts, pistachios and walnuts contain high level of fiber. They also contain essential fatty acids that fight and eliminate bad cholesterol that can cause hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

3. Spice up your food

Anti- oxidants are detoxifying agents that fight free radicals and promote cell regeneration. Herbs like fennel, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, garlic and spices like cayenne pepper, dried chili pepper, ginger and turmeric are rich in anti- oxidants. They add flavor, color and aroma to the food while promoting healthy cells.

4. Drink plenty of water and freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices

Water dilutes toxins and helps to flush them out through urine and sweat. Drink at least 1 liter of pure water a day. Freshly squeezed juices are healthier and more natural than concentrated or powdered juice.

5. Exercise to good health

Perspiration produced through exercise detoxifies the skin and removes toxins from the superficial layers.  It tones, firms and keeps the muscle look younger. Sweat pushes out excess oil, dirt and dead skin cells to keep the skin smooth and radiant.

Exercise improves blood circulation for better distribution of oxygen and nutrients to the body. Meditation and yoga are perfect for mind detoxification and relaxation. The deep breathing soothes the mind, promotes better sleep, supplies more oxygen and helps to clear out air pollutants from the lungs.

By following these detox tips on a daily basis you cannot but help to improvement your health. For more specific information on detox see my Definitive Detox Diet.

If you’ve had a spell of rich food, more alcohol than usual and late nights over the holiday season why not try this easy 2 Day Detox Diet to help restore your energy and vitality?  Although Spring is the traditional time to detox many people feel more motivated to do a New Year Detox Diet.

Instead of following a longer and more restrictive diet that may lower your immunity you can incorporate a few healthy diet changes into your life to naturally support your body’s detox system and kick start your health.  Following a 2 Day Detox Diet once a month will ensure you feel and look great and boost your energy

2 Day Detox Diet

Prepare

• Plan to do the detox over a weekend or when you are not working or have any other commitments. Arrange a a long weekend if you can so you can rest and relax.

• For a week before the detox ease into it by focusing more on whole grains, vegetables, fruit, wild fish, free range or organic chicken, organic eggs, beans, pulses, seeds and nuts.  Avoid fatty meat and fried food.

• Ensure your meals are 75% vegetables + 25% meat, fish or eggs. Try to have a variety of different colored vegetables. Steam or stir-fry them to keep the nutrient content high. Use herbs and spices instead of salt to make them tasty.

• Reduce your regular tea and caffeine in coffee, colas, and other beverages and drink green tea, clean water and fresh vegetable juices instead. If you normally drink a lot of tea or coffee take even longer to wean yourself off it to prevent withdrawal headaches during the 2 day detox diet.

• Stop drinking soft drinks with with high fructose corn syrup and and try to avoid alcohol.

• Look for alternatives to bread and other wheat based products. White bread, white pasta, white rice, cookies, and cakes trigger a rise in insulin levels and causes blood sugar balance problems which often results in sugar cravings and weight gain.

• Use brown rice, millet, oatmeal, quinoa or amaranth instead.

• Cut out processed foods, sugar and foods containing it and artificial sweeteners.

• Reduce dairy products but you can eat live natural unsweetened yogurt. Use rice or almond milk instead.

The 2 Day Detox Diet consists of mainly liquid meals for breakfast and dinner with a solid meal at lunchtime.

Day 1

On rising

Lemon Detox Drink:

Blend together the juice of 1/2 small medium organic lemon with 8 oz water, 1 tablespoon organic flax oil,  small piece of peeled and grated ginger root to taste until well mixed. Sweeten with a few drops Stevia or apple juice if you have to.

Breakfast

Wait at least 30 minutes after drinking lemon Flax Detox Drink and then sip a Green Smoothie.
Make it from 40 % fruit and 60% green leaves if you can.  Place diced fresh fruit in the blender and add a variety of green leaves and enough water to make the blades turn easily. Blend on high speed until very smooth in a high powered blender.

Snacks

Keep drinking herbal tea, green tea, or pure water throughout the day and eat raw veg, fresh berries, a handful of almonds or another green smoothie for snacks.

Lunch

Choose from:

• Steamed, low mercury fish with vegetables or large vegetable salad

• Stir fried vegetables with buckwheat noodles

• Bean or lentil dish with wholegrain rice and vegetables.

• Plain roast or poached chicken breast with large vegetable salad or steamed vegetables.

Mid afternoon

Snacks as above.

Dinner

Choose from:

• Raw soup

• Cooked vegetable soup

• Green Smoothie

• Fresh vegetable juice

You can find some tasty recipes for Cabbage Soup here:  Cabbage Soup Detox Diet Plan

And some Detox Soups here: Detox Soups for Winter Cleansing

For Green Smoothies try these: Tasty Recipes For Detox Smoothies

Day 2

As above.

You can follow this 2 day detox diet plan for longer if you like.

If you’re diabetic, pregnant or breast feeding you should get the advice of a health practitioner who is knowledgeable and experienced in detox before going on a detox diet.

Detoxification is not just about diet so here are a few things you can do to help.

Brush Up

Give your lymphatic system a treat and do some skin brushing. Your lymph system carries waste away from your cells. Using a firm, natural bristle long handled brush, starting at your feet, brush your body all over using long sweeping strokes towards your heart. Brush your abdomen with gentle circular clockwise movements.

Detox bath

Relax and ease tensions in a detox bath. Epsom salts helps to eliminate toxins from just under the skin.

Move your body

Spend half and hour each day doing some exercise. Yoga, stretching, rebounding on a mini trampoline or brisk walking will help to rev up your circulation.

Your energy levels may fluctuate during the detox so rest when you are tired.

A detox is a good time to kickstart healthy eating so once you have finished your 2 Day Detox Diet ease back into eating solid foods but stay on a healthy diet. Aim for eating at least 7 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every day and eat a wide variety of colors.

Almost everyone likes to eat and drink but if your eating and drinking habits are slowly killing you isn’t it about time you changed them? It’s not too soon to start planning your detox diet goals for health in 2012.

Your body is a wonderful but incredibly complex piece of engineering that must be maintained so that it doesn’t break down in the middle of your life. Who wants to suffer with heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and cancer, the biggest killers of our times, if they can be avoided?

Genetically our bodies are designed to last for 100 years or more. With the right care your body can remain fully functioning that long. I think you will agree that there is no point in living to a ripe old age if you cannot enjoy it.

How many times have you made a New Year’s Resolution that this will be year you will get healthy ? Or perhaps you have you promised yourself that you will start a detox diet in January?

It’s easy to make a resolution but not so easy to keep it. The decision to take responsibility for your health is a big challenge and needs motivation, planning and, will power and a certain amount of discipline.

Setting your goals

Resolutions tend to be vague and are hard to put into practice. You are much more likely to succeed if you have definite goals. Without having a goal in mind, the final result is not as clear.

For example, you might say your resolution for next year is to lose weight but that is too vague. Much better would be to say that your goal for health is to lose 50 lbs in 6 months. Then you set smaller target goals to help you reach that main goal.

If you want to follow a detox diet you need to plan out some time when you will be able to start. Most goals are reached in steps so write down all the steps that you will need to take before you start it.

Create a clear vision

If you are thinking about what you will have to give up to lose weight or how hard it will be for you to follow that detox diet program  then your are likely to fail before you start.

A much better way is to have a clear vision of how you want to look and how you want to feel. This method of visualizing is used by top people from all walks of life to create vivid pictures of themselves reaching their goals. When you have a clear vision and focus on what you want you will be able to achieve your goals much more easily.

As well as creating a vision in your mind you can create a vision board so you can remind yourself every day of how you want to look or what you want to achieve. A vision board is simply a collage of images that represent your dreams and desires. You can cut pictures or words out of magazines, use your own photos, draw or write them.

They can be easily created on special sites online for no cost. It is proven that the more you visualize and see yourself already achieving your goals and dreams, the faster they will happen.

Get support

Sticking to a detox diet plan needs some discipline and you will need to make some changes to the way you live. Let your family or friends know about your goal and keep them informed of your progress.

Having their support and encouragement can make a huge amount of difference to your success. Maybe you have a friend who has the same goal in mind and will agree to be your goal buddy.

Make an affirmation

You may not believe in affirmations or have ever done them before but it has been proven that if done correctly they can produce very positive results.

Sit down on your own and go through your reasons for wanting to follow a detox diet to improve your health. Pick out the things you want to change. Perhaps you want more energy, or to get rid of achy joints, or to stop binging on chocolate.

Project your mind forward two months from now and pretend the change has been made. See how you want to be in your mind’s eye.  Really feel what it would be like for you.  Describe that in one sentence. That is your affirmation.

Repeat the affirmation 10 times to imprint on your mind and feel the emotion that goes with it. Repeat the affirmation for 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night as well as 5 minutes during the day as often as you can. You will experience results.

You deserve to have vibrant health. So take control of your life and start planning your detox diet goals for 2012 right now. For more on this you might like to read my post from last year New Year Health Resolutions:  Overhaul Your Health In 2011 and 5 Better Eating Tips For Your New Year Resolution.

You can make yourself some detox green smoothies at any time of the year. They are so easy to make, so tasty to drink and incredibly nutritious. You just whizz up some fruit and a bunch of greens and you have your breakfast, lunch, dinner or healthy snack. Before we get to the recipes  let’s take a quick look at why they are so very good for you.

Detox Green Smoothies provide healthy carbohydrates, all essential amino acids and an abundance of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and chlorophyll so are an excellent choice whether you are following a detox diet or not.

Green smoothies make use of the whole food and includes the fiber which has numerous health benefits for the digestive system. I wrote a post here about whether blending fruit and vegetables is better than juicing for detox?

Greens contain more valuable nutrients than any other food group. Greens are high in carotenoids, and other antioxidants that guard against heart disease, cancer, and problems with blood sugar regulation.

Health Benefits of Green Leaves

Each type of green leaf has it’s own health benefits. For example Kale contains Vitamin K , calcium and manganese all needed for bone health. It also contains sulforaphane,  the anti-cancer phytochemical.

Spinach contains iron and is a good source of folic acid, selenium and zinc.  Collard greens contain diindolymethane which improves good estrogen metabolism and immune system modulation.

If you use a very high powered blender like a Vita-Mix or Blendtec the cells of the plants are ruptured releasing more nutrients that are more easily absorbed than if you use a regular blender.

Who invented Green Smoothies?

Although Steve Kuhnau, dubbed The Smoothie King, has been credited with inventing nutritional smoothies Victoria Butenko started the present day trend for Green Smoothies in 2004.  While searching for a cure for her family’s illnesses Victoria concluded that the missing element in their diet was leafy greens.

In order to get them to eat enough greens she hit on the idea of blending them and she added fruit to make them more palatable. Many people do not consume nearly enough greens in their normal diet so Detox Green Smoothies are a great way to get more greens into your diet.  And once you start drinking them, you’ll be hooked on them.

As you drink more Detox Green Smoothies and get more of these nutrients into your body you will notice an increase in energy and fewer cravings for food which will help with weight loss.

To detox with Green Smoothies you can just eat green smoothies and fresh fruits and vegetables for 2 – 7 days or simply replace one or two meals per day with 1 quart of green smoothie.

Here are some easy and tasty recipes for Detox Green Smoothies.

The basic recipe is 60 % fruit and 40% green leaves. As you get used to them you can experiment with increasing the greens and reducing the fruit.

You can use fruit such as bananas, apples, pears, kiwi fruit, mangoes, pineapple, berries and every other juicy fruit. You greens could be any kind of lettuce, mixed baby greens, celery, spinach, kale, chard, arugula (rocket) and other green leaves. You can also try peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes.

It’s best to keep Detox Green Smoothies simple. You don’t need to add protein powders, superfoods, powdered supplements, nuts or seeds. You can add a scoop of your favorite green food powder if you want.

Allow at least 40 minutes for your Detox Green Smoothie to be absorbed before you eat anything else. If you want to drink a Green Smoothie as a snack mid-morning or afternoon wait several hours after your previous meal to allow it to digest first. Do not be tempted to add nuts, oils, or other supplements as these can make them harder to digest.

These recipes make varying amounts. They are best drunk fresh but you can keep any left over smoothie in the fridge or take it to work in a cooler.

The method is the same for all the recipes. Put all the ingredients in a blender fruit first. Start the blender at slow speed and then increase to high power when the greens are incorporated into the liquid. Blend until very smooth. Add more water if necessary to taste.

Wild Purple

1 cup fresh or frozen wild blueberries
1 banana, peeled
3 plums, pitted
1/2 head romaine lettuce
1/2 cucumber, chopped
8 ounces of filtered water

Blueberry Green

1 cup of coconut water, almond milk or rice milk
1 – 1 1/2 cups of blueberries or other berries
1 small banana
6 large lettuce or other green leaves
1/2 tsp organic cinnamon ( optional)

Mango Spice

2 medium mangoes, peeled and diced
1/2 – 1  cup arugula
2 cups spinach or other green leaves
1/2 to 1 cup filtered water

Berry Good

4 handfuls mixed berries (blueberries raspberries, strawberries)
1 or 2 dates
2 handfuls of greens
8  ounces of filtered water

Green Mist

4 ripe pears, cored
4-5 leaves of kale coarsely cut into ribbons
½ bunch of mint leaves
Water, enough to cover blades

Melon Refresher

3 cups honeydew melon
1 large handful mixed greens
1 small handful mint leaves

You don’t have to be following a detox diet plan to benefit from the Detox Green Smoothies but it will help if you follow a healthy diet. If you have a favorite Green Smoothie recipe why not share it below?

Spices can perk up any meal and are fantastic for your health. Winter is not the time for following a very restrictive detox diet but you can still eat healthily and add spices that will not only warm you up but will help you gently detox too. Spices have been used traditionally in Natural medicine for years but science is showing that they are powerful weapons against many diseases.

Turmeric

Ground turmeric is the spice that makes rice and curry dishes yellow. It has long been used in China and India to treat many conditions including including diarrhea, fever, jaundice, bronchitis, colds, worms, and bladder and kidney inflammations. It is commonly used in Ayurveda to purify the blood and treat skin conditions.

Turmeric treats the entire digestive system. Traditionally it is used for weak stomachs and poor digestion. It can calm an upset digestive system by getting rid of gas and distention and increase bile production helping with detoxification of toxins that the liver has processed. Recent research has shown that it can help with healing peptic ulcers and may be useful for Colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Turmeric has antioxidant properties and increases the levels of the enzymes glucuronyl transferase and glutathione S-transferase (GST), which are essential for liver detox. Curcumin is the compound in turmeric that makes it yellow and it has an inhibiting effect on Phase 1 Liver Detoxification while stimulating Phase 2.

In doing this it helps to lessen the activation of cancer causing chemicals while speeding up the detoxification of the ones that have been activated. Cucumin can directly inhibit cancer cells too.

Turmeric loses it’s potency after about 6 months so buy it fresh and store in a cool dark place. Just make sure it is from a reputable source and is guaranteed to be free from contaminants. A few years ago Consumer labs found that some curcumin supplements were contaminated with lead which is toxic.

Turmeric blends well with cumin, cinnamon, paprika, and ginger. You can add it to rice, lentil dishes, casseroles and stews, potato dishes.

Ginger

Ginger  belongs to the same plant family as Turmeric and is an excellent spice for the digestive system. It has long been used as a folk remedy for nausea of pregnancy. Studies have shown that ginger has good antibacterial properties and the active constituents of ginger can prevent the multiplication of colon bacteria which ferment undigested carbohydrates causing gas.

Studies have shown that ginger also stimulates GST in the liver,  lungs, intestines and kidneys so can help protect against xenobiotics (foreign toxic chemicals).  The GST enzymes play a major role in detox and help in the conversion of toxic substances to safer forms that can be excreted form the body.

The spice can also increase motility in the gut and stimulate bile production.  Bile is one way the liver gets rid of toxins that have been through the detox system.  So you can see that ginger is good for detox and cleansing.

Buy fresh ginger root (actually an underground stem), peel off the skin and slice into matchsticks, chop, grate or  purée, and add to vegetables dishes, stir fries,  rice, soups and of course green smoothies and juices.

Cumin

Cumin is a seed that has a very distinctive taste and is used in the cuisines of many countries. It s apparently the second most popular spice in the world after black pepper.  Cumin seeds have traditionally been used for digestive disorders. Scientists have shown that cumin may stimulate the secretion of pancreatic enzymes which are needed for digestion of food and may also help to stimulate liver detox enzymes.

Best known as an important ingredient of Indian curry powder these little seeds have over one hundred different chemical constituents, including all the essential fatty acids. It is also used in Mexican and Middle eastern dishes. Use it as a tasty addition to any lentil, bean dish or rice dish.

Cayenne Pepper

The heat of peppers comes from their high concentration of capsaicin which is known for its ability to stimulate the circulation and digestion.  Researchers showed that people consuming meals with ground cayenne pepper had reduced hunger and higher calorie burning effects after the meal compared with those who didn’t.

Cayenne stimulates intestinal motility so helps with elimination. By improving the circulation it can help with liver detoxification. The better the blood circulates through the liver the better it can process chemical toxins so they can be removed from the body.

Cayenne is a vital ingredient of the Master Cleanse drink also known as the Lemonade detox drink. Instead of doing the full Master Cleanse you can take a lemon cayenne pepper detox drink every morning for 3 to 10 days to cleanse the liver.

Here is the recipe for the Lemon Cayenne Pepper Detox Drink

Blend together the juice of 1 medium lemon with 8 oz water, 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, a small amount of grated root ginger to taste and ¼ – ½ tsp cayenne pepper until well mixed. Sweeten with a little orange or apple juice or add a few drops of Stvevia if you have to. Drink slowly and follow with a small glass of water or juice to cleanse the mouth of the oily taste.

It’s better to start with a very small amount of cayenne to begin with and gradually build up the dose as it can take a bit of getting used to.

Add a pinch of cayenne to salad dressings, soups or meats.

By using these wonderful spices in your food you get all their health benefits and help encourage detox during the cold weather without going on a strict detox diet.

With only 7 weeks to Christmas and Thanksgiving just round the corner for Americans it’s easy to caught up in all the festive eating and ruin the results of your latest detox diet.

It’s said that the average American consumes around 3,000 calories during their Thanksgiving Day meal. And according to the Food Standards Agency in the UK the average person’s food intake on Christmas day stacks up to whopping 7000 calories.

With many people consuming an extra 500 calories a day during the season it’s not surprising that the average adult gains around 5lbs ( 2.3 kg) by the time January arrives.  Neither is it surprising that the main complaints are bloating and indigestion, the after effects of alcohol, stress, and feeling tired. No wonder everyone want to go on a detox diet in the New Year.

Let’s look at how to avoid all this with a few Healthy Living Tips

How to beat the bloat.

The obvious answer is not to eat too much but that’s not always easy especially when you are surrounded by all sorts of tempting goodies.  Thanksgiving and Christmas are not days to be dieting but making a plan for holiday eating it is possible to enjoy your meal and not feel stuffed and bloated.

Chewing your food slowly and well can help prevent overeating. It allows your brain to register that you are full. Chewing your food well helps to stimulate the digestive juices so your food will be digested better. Undigested food leads to bacterial fermentation which can result in bloating.

Avoid eating too many vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage and beans if you are not used to it. They contain sugars that some people find hard to digest.

Try to avoid talking while you are eating or drinking from a straw as you could gulp down a lot of air which can cause you to bloat. Gassy drinks are also out.

While drinking more water can help prevent constipation avoid drinking a lot with meals. It’s nice to have a glass of wine with a meal but drinking too much fluid while eating can dilute the digestive juices.

Avoid a hangover

With the best will in the world avoiding alcohol at this time of the year is easier said than done for a lot of people. It’s easy to make yourself a promise that you will never drink too much again and wake up in the morning feeling like death but so much harder to do when everyone else is downing it.

A little advance planning is called for here so you do not drink on an empty stomach. Make sure you eat a snack before you go out if you know you will be drinking before a meal. A good way to slow down your drinking and avoid dehydration is to alternate alcoholic drinks with water or natural fruit juices with no added sugar.

If you are drinking more than you usually do it can help to choose some liver cleansing foods like carrots, beetroot, garlic, onions, leeks and watercress.

Try taking a supplement of artichoke. It helps to stimulate bile which helps with digestion and may help eliminate alcohol from your body too.

Should you overdo it and wake up with a hangover the best advice is to drink plenty of pure water or fruit and vegetable juices and avoid fried and fatty foods that will overload the liver. Having another alcoholic drink may make you feel better for a while but will eventually make you feel worse.

Supercharge your Energy

De-stress

There is no doubt that getting stressed zaps your energy. Try to grab some quiet time for yourself and do some deep breathing exercises. It might sound silly but you will be surprised at how calming it can be.

Have a relaxing bath with some soothing essential oils before bed. Buy a ready made blend or make your own with Lavender, Neroli, and Chamomile. Getting enough sleep is one way of avoiding a drain on your energy reserves.

Eat your way to energy

Eating and drinking late at night can disturb your sleep. Lack of sleep can lower the levels of the hormone leptin which makes you crave fast releasing carbohydrates like sugary cereals, cookies ( biscuits), and cakes. If you give in to these you will be on an exhausting roller coaster of blood sugar highs and lows all day.

It’s important to think about what you are eating and drinking. For sustained energy focus on slow releasing carbohydrates. Instead of refined or sugary foods have whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruit. Avoid stimulants like coffee, tea and cola which may give you an instant lift but will cause an energy crash later.

Eating regular wholefood meals with a small snack in between will help prevent an energy drain. Energy bars make a great snack to carry with you if you are always on the go. Choose those containing whole grains like oats with some protein ( nuts and seeds) and fruit. Avoid those with added sugar and high fat.

More tips here on How to Beat the Party Season Weight Gain

Get active

Getting active is crucial to this energy boosting plan. Exercise lowers the energy zapping stress hormones. Brisk walking, rebounding on a mini trampoline, swimming or a quick workout in the gym will help to get the blood flowing faster and is a sure way to boost your energy.

Fun and feasting can take their toll on your health but with these simple Healthy Living Tips you can make the most of the holiday season and limit the damage so you won’t ruin the results of your latest detox diet.

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Cooling juices and salads are great for detox during the summer but if you are anything like me you will find them too cooling for cleansing during the colder months. I like to use warming detox soups during Autumn and Winter instead.

You can make delicious, warming, satisfying and nutritious soups with vegetables, gluten free grains, beans and lentils. Vegetables are choc full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other phytochemicals that help rev up the detox pathways.

Sip these wonderful detox soups for a couple of days and you will hardly notice you are on a detox diet at all.

Home made soups are easy to make and are far more nutritious than those out of a carton or can. If you can make your own vegetable stock to use as a base it will be even more nutritious than using stock cubes.

Potassium broth is perhaps the best known detox soup. There are many slightly different recipes for this and I have already posted one on here:  3 Day Detox Diet

Here are some detox soup recipes to get you started. Some are cooked soups and some are raw. You can gently heat the raw ones so they are just warm but not beyond the temperature that destroys the enzymes. Use organic vegetables as much as possible.

Guest post by Anna Tolson of Vital Detox Retreats.

If this is a question that you have asked yourself  then, like any addiction, you are half way to breaking it. Most people don’t even realize that sugar is a problem and can be as addictive as any drug and much easier to get hold of.  Nor do most people realize how harmful it is for their health.  It has become such a huge part of our diet that, most of the time, we don’t even realize that we’re eating it.

We tend to think that sugar means the white stuff we spoon it into our coffee or tea, or maybe sweet things like cakes and biscuits. In reality any and every carbohydrate we eat or drink gets turned into sugar by the body and, if not burnt off, is then stored as fat.

We are incredibly carbohydrate dependent in the West, much more so than ever before. Our ancestors would not have had access to hardly any carbs until they started farming and, as a result, we are not physiologically designed to deal with them in large amounts. It takes a great deal of work to grow, harvest, mill and store wheat so it is only the advent of intensive farming techniques that has made flour easily accessible to us.

The fact is that wheat, potatoes, grains, sugar and alcohol are stored in the body as fat. If we burn up this stored energy by exercising then we can eat carbs and not gain weight. If we don’t use up our stores before putting more away – we put on weight and our health starts to suffer as a result.

So – how to break the sugar addiction and reduce the cravings?

The good news is that, once the blood sugar level has been stabilized then the craving for more sugar will reduce. Sugar in the blood sets up a roller-coaster effect. We eat it and get a high, the high wears off and we crash which sets up a craving for more and, off we go again. Just like any drug.

The trick is to go without, to break this cycle. I recently went raw which meant that I was eating very few carbs. I was only eating nuts, vegetables and a small amount of fruit. I also included a small amount of animal protein from fish when I felt the need for it. I was eating good fats in the form of nuts, cold pressed oils, avocados and a few eggs. I found that I was loosing a pound in weight everyday whilst eating as often as I wanted.

The thing that I found most interesting was that I wasn’t getting hungry. The food I was eating was so nourishing that my body wasn’t craving for anything. I felt nourished, balanced and satisfied.  We are all different, so I’m not advocating that everyone should go completely raw, but cutting out, or at least reducing substantially, the amount of carbohydrates in our diets can only be a positive and healthy thing to do.

A word of warning – beware of alcohol. When we have a drink, a large amount of sugar is released into our blood stream. The next day the craving for carbohydrates is due to the sugar crash and the bodies attempt to redress the balance.

Key Points

Most people who are very overweight are also undernourished. Their bodies are constantly hungry in the hope of receiving some nutrition. Carbohydrates contain mainly calories and very little nourishment.

Alcohol is full of sugar causing a craving for carbohydrates the next day.

Avoid artificial sweeteners – these might not make you put on weight but they are very toxic for the body.

Do some research – there is an enormous amount of information about how to prepare delicious and nutritious food that won’t set up a craving and that will actually provide the body what it needs to maintain health and vitality.

Eat like an animal! Rather than reading complicated labels to see how much fat, sugar and salt a food contains, just look at how close it is to coming out of the ground. If it looks like its just been picked rather than having undergone umpteen processes and put in a pretty packet then your body will be able to metabolise it easily and utilize the nutrition rather than having to store it in fat cells as a toxin.

For more information on detox and nutrition please visit our site Detox Retreat